20 Objects That Seemed Useless Until They Were Given a Second Chance

When an object is old or no longer useful, its final destination, sadly, is almost always the trash. But for some people, throwing things away just like that is not an option. Vintage objects have a special charm about them, which is why they sometimes end up transforming into different items, proving to be just as useful as when they were first made. And other times, these items are simply given a new look after a good renovation session.

Bright Side wants to share some object makeovers that Reddit users did to prove that words like “old” and “worn” can be synonymous with “a second chance to make someone very happy.”

1. “My friend was going to throw these nesting tables from IKEA away because they were covered in mug rings, and I asked if I could have them. One sheet of window contact paper later and I think they look better than new!”

2. “Picked up a free cardigan that looked much better in the photo than it did in person, so I turned it back into yarn and crocheted a cat bed out of it.”

3. “Just finished this today. Fabric was painted and then I embroidered it by hand using an upholstery needle and yarn.”

4. “I turned a broken air compressor into a flower pot that has a reservoir.”

5. “IKEA bags that got turned into a windbreaker”

6. “Turned an old mannequin hand and a gold metal tray into a light! Not my idea originally, but I saw some similar ones online.”

7. “From an old fridge shelf to a plant prop/grow station”

8. “I made a Barbie Malibu Dreamhouse chest of drawers!”

9. “A bumbag from a Nike backpack”

10. “Before and after”

11. “My first flip — a nightstand”

12. “A sun and moon mirror I created from a mirror that someone was throwing away”

13. “Repurposed my old bike and made it a shirt rack.”

14. “This ceiling decoration was inside the bathroom at an artist collective and was made from bottle caps. They had lots of upcycled art made from plastics and bottle caps!”

15. “From boring pine to FIESTA TIME! It’s an upcycled Mexican-themed coffee table with pom-pom embellishments.”

16. “I upcycled a thrifted men’s polo into a 2-piece set. I drafted the pattern myself — the mini skirt has a yoke, box pleats, and an elastic waistband. I kept the collar on the top and made it into a halter with a lettuce hem!”

17. “Made a regency-inspired wedding gown out of an old thrifted curtain! It had some rips and stains, but I was able to work around it!”

18. “A neighbor was giving this nightstand away so I repainted it with my 10-year-old son.”

19. “I sent my dad a TikTok of a girl making spoon rings and they have really given my dad something to pass the time with.”

20. “I turned an old microwave cart into a rolling Lego stand for my daughters for Christmas.”

What’s the most interesting or useful makeover you’ve seen someone perform on a vintage object? Do you like refurbishing old objects?