10 Things You Can Do With An Old TV Around The House

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The TV can be a centerpiece of a living room, with 125 million televisions present in U.S. homes, according to Nielsen. As a long-standing source of entertainment for both young and old, TVs are as much a part of our daily furniture as a couch or chair. Over time, you might want to upgrade your old TV, or you have one that died with a flicker, leaving you to wonder what to do with the old set. While donating or selling a TV may be a possibility, there are actually multiple cool things you can do with an old TV around the house. It can be a handy way to store things, give a furry friend a cozy place to sleep, or even be a fun home for your plants. The creativity you can display when repurposing an old TV knows no bounds.

Recycling televisions can be a cumbersome process, as they can't go in most curbside recycling programs and must wait for an e-cycling program. If you want to get rid of an old TV that's taking up space in your home, you may think about taking it to the thrift store, but depending on the store, donating can be difficult. For instance, Goodwill only accepts flat-screen TVs, while other locations may not accept TVs as well, particularly if they're older or damaged. Instead of letting it go, why not make it into something useful? Working with any electronics can be dangerous, so ensure everything is powered down before you start taking it apart.

A creative way to makeover an old TV, particularly large, bulky sets from the 1950s to the 1990s, is by creating a cat house. You probably thought your cat should be on TV, and this project lets them be the star! It involves removing the screen and all of the electronic components from the TV set, then setting it on top of a set of legs. Many creators wallpaper the interior and add LED lights. While you're at it, you can give the dated shell a new look with a fresh coat of paint.

Flat-screen TVs can brighten your home by transforming into ceiling lights. Unwanted or cracked flat TVs with daylight and warm settings are so bright that they can easily be mistaken for a skylight. You will have to remove all of the other components, such as the speakers, but keep the TV's backlight panel in place. You'll also need to remove the LCD panel. From there, you can choose to add LED remote-controlled lights or wire a new LED driver to the TV backlight to create your new light for a craft room, garage, or anywhere else that needs to be brighter.

Your bar will be the envy of all of your friends when you remake an old TV. As seen on Fixer to Fabulous, you can turn an old TV into a showstopping bar cabinet. Most of these projects involve a vintage TV mounted inside an old cabinet, where you remove the "guts," including wires, then set your bottles inside. You could remove the TV glass or leave it for a more retro vibe. Add a splash of color by covering the back panel with contact paper or wallpaper. 

A TV into an aquarium comes together by removing the internal components, then adding a standard glass aquarium that fits the measurements within the TV housing. You can remove the top of the TV or hinge it to create a secure lid for your aquarium. Add the filtration system, heater, and anything else you need for your new aquatic home. Don't forget to add polyurethane to guard against moisture. You should also research which fish will be the best residents, as some species are entirely unsuited for aquarium life.

If fish aren't your favorite, you can try making an old TV into a terrarium instead. After removing all of the electrical parts, find a terrarium tank that can fit inside the TV, fill it with your favorite plants, and then add some remote control LED lights. Unless you're prepared to outfit it to keep a reptile or arachnid, this TV-turned-terrarium will let you cluster your favorite plants to make the perfect conversation piece.

Booklovers know the pain of running out of space and needing to find homes for their latest volumes. The solution? Turn a clunky old TV into a bookshelf! You can stack a variety of paperbacks and hardbacks, either vertically or horizontally. Add hairpin legs to raise it and some cool LED light bars, and you've got a funky bookcase. Really, can you think of a better place to store your science fiction than inside an old TV? It would also be a great way to store all of your children's picture books. 

Here's a way to decorate for every season without taking up so much space: make a rotating decoration station out of an old TV. You can start with Christmas and then branch out to other holidays with various accessories. A foam board or wood board cut to size, then covered with themed contact paper, can be the background. For each holiday, fill the TV with matching decor for the event, such as bunnies, Santas, pumpkins, and more.

A house full of plants is a great idea, but when you're tight on space, you have to think creatively to indulge your green thumb. There's a perfect plant shelf waiting in an old boxy TV, whether it's a countertop set or a free-standing model. Dress it up with a stylish bottom shelf made of painted cardboard or wood, then place your plants. Look for indoor plants that don't need much sun to survive, or if you prefer, install a few grow lights.

Here's a project for the gamer with serious DIY skills. Attach an old or unwanted flat screen to an old dining table or coffee table, and then you can connect your favorite gaming console or mini computer. When it's not in use, it can function as a table, especially if you design it so it sits even with the edge of the table setup. The original creator also mentions via YouTube that this project is perfect for displaying Dungeons and Dragons maps or other creative assets.

What time is it? TV time, of course. Yes, a small old TV can be crafted into a clever clock once you remove all of the inner components and give the whole TV a fresh coat of paint. The clock itself will be made of a wood or foam board with a DIY clock kit (try a High Torque Quartz Clock Movement Mechanism Replacement Kit), then set behind glass in the TV. You could also keep the glass, though it might not look as sleek.