Alright, so I’m gonna walk you through this little DIY project I tackled last weekend: building a combo trash and recycling bin. It ain’t fancy, but it gets the job done, and that’s what matters, right?
First things first, I needed a plan. Okay, “plan” might be too strong a word. I more or less sketched out what I wanted on a scrap of paper. Basically, two compartments side-by-side, one for trash, one for recycling. I figured I’d use some leftover plywood I had kicking around in the garage. You know, reduce, reuse, recycle and all that jazz, even before the recycling goes in!
Next up: cutting the wood. This was probably the most time-consuming part. I measured twice (ish), cut once (mostly straight-ish). My circular saw’s seen better days, so the edges weren’t perfect, but who’s gonna notice when it’s full of garbage? I cut two side pieces, a bottom, a top, a back, and a divider for the middle. Simple box construction, nothing too complicated.
Then came the assembly. I grabbed my trusty drill and a box of screws and started putting it all together. I pre-drilled the holes to avoid splitting the wood – a lesson I learned the hard way on a previous project (don’t ask). It’s not exactly furniture-grade craftsmanship, but it’s sturdy. I made sure the divider was nice and solid so the trash doesn’t creep over into the recycling bin. Nobody wants that.
After the basic box was built, I added a couple of doors. These were just simple flaps hinged at the top. I used some cheap hinges I picked up at the hardware store. I also added little knobs to the front so I could actually open them. I considered making it all fancy with soft-close hinges, but then I remembered I’m building a trash can, not a luxury cabinet. Keep it simple, stupid, right?
Okay, so the bare-bones bin was done. It looked pretty rough at this point – just bare plywood and exposed screws. So, I sanded it down a bit to get rid of the splinters. Then I slapped on a coat of primer and a coat of paint. I went with a neutral gray color so it wouldn’t clash with anything in the kitchen. Nothing too exciting, plain and simple.
Finally, the finishing touches. I lined the inside of each compartment with a plastic garbage bag to make it easier to empty. I also added some rubber feet to the bottom so it wouldn’t scratch the floor. And that was it! My combo trash and recycling bin was complete.
So, was it perfect? Nah. There are definitely some imperfections. But it’s functional, it was cheap to make, and it keeps the trash and recycling separate. Plus, I got to spend a weekend afternoon doing something productive. Win-win-win, as they say.
Lessons learned? Measure twice, cut once is still good advice, even if I didn’t always follow it perfectly. And don’t be afraid to just dive in and try something. Even if it’s just a trash can, you might surprise yourself with what you can build.
Give it a shot yourself! You don’t need to be a master carpenter to build something useful for your home. Just grab some scrap wood, some tools, and a little bit of elbow grease, and you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.