Repurposing

"Repurposing is taking things into your own hands"

When you think of recycling, what comes to mind? Collecting paper, metal, plastic, etc. and then ditching it into the right bin? Or do you sometimes wander around your home and collect random “superfluous” items to give to a charity shop?

The kind of items you are recycling tend to be things that have overstayed their welcome or are simply no longer “good enough”, right? But if you really think about it, it’s simply a way of avoiding putting stuff in the bin, and maybe making sure landfills don’t fill up quite as fast.

I’d like to point out the benefits of repurposing rather than recycling: rather than removing things that don’t serve their purpose any more, how about finding a new use for things before considering recycling or trashing them?

It’s an interesting concept, but it takes some creativity, the ability to accept imperfection, and – lastly – some time for reflection. Repurposing often grows from a creative approach to making things instead of buying something new to serve the same purpose. And let’s face it: the store-bought items may start out looking better, but they also tend to be flimsy, plasticky and not made to last for longer than absolutely necessary to keep the buyer from storming into their shop and asking for a refund… perfection only lasts for a while anyway, so why focus on it at all?

Repurposing can be as simple as using a sturdy little boxes to keep tiny things separated in your junk drawer, or cardboard boxes used as floor insulation in your basement in winter. Those things may not be the most attractive options, but certainly functional, cheaper and often more useful than drawer dividers (most don’t fit perfectly anyway) or expensive insulation that is only necessary for part of the year anyway.


Repurposing isn’t limited to physical items: we learn things all our lives, we create strategies and habits that guide us through our days and allow us to be productive at work. So why not use knowledge, strategies and habits in areas other than the ones they were initially created for?

I can speak from personal experience here: I had several different careers along the way: from translator through German teacher, airline ticketing agent, bookkeeper, receptionist, PA, office manager, event planner, project manager, IT trainer to professional declutterer, author and public speaker (oh, let’s not forget part-time circus artist, either).

That’s a lot of experience in different areas! And yet it took me a long time to realise that what I’ve learned in one job can be tweaked to be applied in another. Decluttering and organising benefits from my work as an project manager and PA, and the premise “read everything, it may come up in translations” plus a life-long hunger for knowledge informs how I structure my talks.

Nothing is ever lost, it just takes a bit of creativity to repurpose it to fit new demands.