Making garbage/recycling signs for less than $5
We had a problem in our kitchen at our House of Dreams.
Too many freaking garbage cans, and no one (except us) had any idea what to put in any of them.
We live in an area that has a very strict garbage/recycling/compost program. You have compost that goes in your green bin, bottles/cans/other recyclables that go in a blue bag, paper and cardboard (God help you if you think wrapping paper is a paper, because IT IS NOT, MY FRIEND) go in a separate blue bag, and all “garbage” (styrofoam, disposable diapers, etc.) goes in CLEAR bags.
Yes, garbage goes in clear bags. It’s gross. You get to put out a single black garbage bag every two weeks, that can include lady-hygiene items and whatever else you want to hide from your neighbours.
So! When we had people over? They were starting at a wall of unidentified silver garbage cans.
I didn’t want to put labels up until I had just the right ones. So when we had large groups of people over (like for D’s Bubble Guppies themed second birthday in June), I made makeshift signs that went with the theme.
Like these ones:
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| Gil, Mr. Grouper, Molly, and Oona are characters on Bubble Guppies. There is no end to my hilarity or creativity, is there? |
Something needed to be done, and I finally got around to it in the last week.
I bought some $1 plastic frames at the Dollar Store because I loved how ornate they were (i.e. they reminded me of the frame on Rachel and Monica’s door! Squeeee!)
Then I applied about a zillion coats of a creamy yellow paint I already had on hand …
(Don’t ask for the shade, because it was supposed to be a CIL colour but it was weirdly not in the system at any store? So they substituted it for a Ralph Lauren shade? And it was very strange and stuff? Why did I pick the only CIL shade that seemed to only exist on the chip? Why are there so many questions?)
Then I made a few quick 4×6 signs using a font from DaFont.com (love that site), and some stock photos (from Google Images) of various garbage-y items.
I got them printed out at Walmart (our printer sucks and only prints in black — send free printers!), and VOILA …
Don’t they look amazing up on our newly-painted kitchen wall? I love how they will make it clear for everyone who visits our home, and we won’t get the “Which garbage do I use?” question over and over.
Cost breakdown:
Four frames from the Dollar Store: $4
Printing four photos at Walmart: $0.98
Paint and brushes: $0 (already had)
Total project cost: $4.98
Did you miss yesterday’s post about our new kitchen gallery wall (that I made for just $25)?
2 Comments on “Making garbage/recycling signs for less than $5”
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Heather's Handmade Life 
How do you find the time to be SO creative?! I only have ONE kid and I don't get anything done!
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Believe me, I didn't get anything done when I was pregnant — it's only once the baby was out that I got some energy back!
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