Handy Ways To Repurpose Planters Inside & Outside Your Home

Plants can add some color to a space, provide a low-maintenance hobby, and even reduce negative feelings and increase feelings of comfort when used as décor, but sometimes, our green-thumb goals just don't pan out how we'd like them to. Whether your plant was a victim of overwatering, nutrient-poor potting soil, or a hard-to-treat disease, it's necessary to know when to let go. Once you decide it's time to cut your losses and trash or compost what remains of your houseplant, you can rest assured that your investment at the garden center wasn't for nothing. Remove the soil and remaining plant matter, but keep the pot — it turns out there are plenty of secondary uses for planters that you might not have thought of — stretching far beyond the typical gardening applications.

After a good cleaning, of course, planters can be used as a vessel for your next growing project, but they can also be repurposed in quite a few inventive ways, both around your house and in your garden. With a bit of creativity and some simple materials, a planter can become a base for your next DIY project, a replacement for a less-than-ideal piece of décor, or a way to organize your space in a pinch, possibly even helping you save some money and an unnecessary trip to the store.

Larger planters that aren't being used can make a perfect trash can when lined with an easy-to-dispose trash bag. Use one in your bathroom, under your desk, or in your bedroom as a more decorative alternative to the more common and boring designs on the market. If you like your existing setup but want to add a bit more pattern and flair, you could also place your small trash can inside the planter, essentially using it as a cover that can be easily swapped out as your taste and interior design style changes throughout the year.

Anything generally cup-shaped can be a great alternative to a pen holder, and small flowerpots are no exception. Place one on your desk to store all your pencils, highlighters, markers, and pens. Small pots that have already been decorated with a glazed coating or a fun pattern can allow you to bring in some color and texture, especially if your office is looking a little bland and corporate, but simple terracotta planters can also present a fantastic opportunity to try your hand at painting your own designs or decorating with ribbons, tape, and even rhinestones.

If you've lost one of your larger plants but are still committed to making your house look lush and green, consider cleaning out your planter and flipping it upside down to use it as a plant stand. Sometimes, our smaller plants look awkward and tiny when placed on the floor, but an overturned planter can be used as a platform to give it some extra height. Show off your smaller plant alone on this platform, or use the planter to create a multi-level display with several different plants, ensuring they get adequate access to both the sunlight and their own spotlight.

If you have a garden shed or use your garage to store your outdoor necessities, you know that it can pile up and look messy quite quickly. Large empty planters, however, can help you better organize and disguise clutter that would otherwise be sitting on the floor or a shelf. Use them to stow away garden hoses, compartmentalize seasonal décor, or even store smaller gardening tools like spades, pruning shears, gloves, and trowels in one easy-to-find location. If you frequently kill off plants — no shame here, gardening is hard! — you can also stack smaller planters within the largest one you have to keep them out of sight.

Bathroom storage can be a struggle, but repurposing old planters can help make everything more streamlined. Make sure you clean them out thoroughly, of course, then slide them onto your shelves or place them on your countertop for some added organization. Medium and large planters are great for larger bath towels and toilet paper, while smaller planters can be used to hold cotton swabs, cotton balls, rolled-up washcloths, and even toothbrushes. Leave them as-is if you like the existing look, or give your planter a fresh coat of paint to match your existing bathroom design.

The entryway is an area that sees a lot of action throughout the day and requires a bit of intentional design to make it functional. When you're going in and out, you need a place to quickly pick up and drop essentials. Luckily, planters can take care of these jobs for you. Place a large planter with no drainage hole by the front door to hold umbrellas and catch drips so they don't damage the flooring. Also, place a small one on a table to act as a spot for your keys, or use one as a piggy bank so your wallet isn't weighed down with change.

Outdoor toys, whether for you, your kids, or your pets, are expected to get dirty and worn around the edges. That doesn't mean, however, that they have to leave your lawn looking a mess. A large planter, especially if you have a large rectangular planter, can act as a toy box for all your favorite outdoor items. Soccer balls, toy cars, and ropes will all have a place to go at the end of the day, meaning cleanup will be much easier, especially if you frequently run into items when mowing the lawn or raking up leaves.