The Unexpected Way To Upcycle A Broken Toaster In Your Kitchen

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, over two million small appliances are thrown away every year (via Consumer Reports). From microwaves to coffee makers, blenders, and even toasters, when a kitchen appliance breaks, many people are more likely to toss and replace it than to get out the tools and do a repair. Only a small percentage of these broken appliances are recycled, which means loads of metal and plastic end up in landfills. With a little creativity, many of these items can be upcycled into useful conversation pieces that will spotlight crafting and environmental concerns, including toasters.

When it comes to upcycling kitchen goods, we usually think about teacups, pans, and even clay pots for baking bread. But what about broken appliances that will likely end up in a landfill if we don't give them a new life? It may seem like you're saving just one toaster, but that conversation starter could begin a whole trend. When it comes to upcycling a toaster, there are many creative things you can do with it that don't involve bread.

One adorable idea is to turn a broken toaster into a tissue dispenser that can keep you from throwing away every broken toaster for the rest of your life. It's pretty simple to do the upcycle. All you have to do is remove the cord so it doesn't accidentally get plugged in. Then, remove the toaster's guts, including the heating element and the bread rack, to make room for the tissues. 

It's pretty easy to remove the toaster's insides, as most of them have a screw at each corner that holds the cover on. Since you need only the cover and not any of the internal parts, once it's all unscrewed, it should just slide apart.

Depending on which room you plan to place your upcycled toaster-turned-tissue dispenser in, you may not want it to look like it just came from the kitchen, so a little sprucing up may be in order. You can spray paint the toaster or decorate it with stickers to change up the aesthetic to make it match the rest of the room it's going in. If the toaster cover is made of metal, you can even use magnets and move them around as you please.

If you're really feeling creative, you could transform your space by adding wallpaper to the surface for a unique new look. This is a great idea if you have some leftover wallpaper that matches the room where it will sit. Imagine a home full of upcycled toaster tissue boxes, all different colors and styles to match the area they are in.