Are you cleaning out your unwanted or chipped dishes, inspired by the show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo? Get lots of ideas of what to do with ceramic, porcelain, clay or glass dishes.
Where Can You Bring Unwanted Dishes and Pottery?
Check with local organizations who support veterans or people who are moving in transitional housing, as well as homeless and women’s support centers.
The organization Operation Homefront helps set up households for veterans in some areas of the United States.
On Facebook, there are many Buy Nothing groups where you can get the dishes directly to the people who need them most rather than flooding thrift stores.
If you have vintage Pyrex dishes, you might be able to sell them on collector websites or eBay.
If you have fine china, you might be able to sell them to collectors through the International Association of Dinnerware Matchers.
Can You Put Broken Dishes in the Recycling Bin?
Ceramics are considered to be contamination in most municipal recycling programs . So don’t put broken dishes in your recycling bin. And if you are going to put them in the trash, be sure to securely tape up the broken pieces in a cardboard box labelled “broken dish” to keep your trash collection team safe.
Home Decor & Garden Projects to Creatively Reuse Dishes & Pottery
Check Trashmagination’s Pinterest board of project ideas for dishes and pottery
Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. While the masters of kintsugi will make extraordinary art, it is still possible for those of us who are not experts to experiment with this technique. You only need two materials – a two-part clear epoxy and mica powder.
Water-wise flowers
Glue glass dishes together to make a flower and display in your garden.
View this post on Instagram So much new stock in over the last week! Including more of the lovely water wise garden flowers from vintage kiss. Oodles of sustainable gift ideas for your loved ones…from clothing to plants to sculpture and everything in-between! . . . . #supportsmallbusiness #handcrafted #handmadeinsa #upcycling #upcycled #recycle #waronwaste #barossavalley #adelaidehills #mountpleasant #ooak #sustainable #communityfundraising #gardensculpture #shopsmallbusiness #buylocal #mountpleasantnaturalresourcecentreinc
A post shared by Recreate (@recreatecommunity) on Dec 14, 2017 at 12:26am PST
“Garden Totem” – glassware glued together in a tower to bring rainbows to your garden
View this post on Instagram Secret Santa present #urbangardenersrepublic #garden_styles #gardentotem #recycle
A post shared by Maxine Gallagher (@5madmax53) on Jan 6, 2016 at 5:55pm PST
Teacup and Mug Birdfeeders
View this post on Instagram Brrr, brrr, brrr, it is cold outside my door right now! Which means it's the perfect time to make these homemade suet feeders in chipped coffee mugs. My birds will clean these suckers out…the squirrels probably help, too. But I love making these in the heart of winter so that my yard wildlife have all the energy they need. . . . https://www.sadieseasongoods.com/goodwill-blogging-thrifting-for-the-birdsa-diy-suet-feeder-february-2016/ . . . #SadieSeasongoods #repurposed #repurpose #repurposing #DIY #upcycled #upcycle #upcycling #birds #crafts #hgtv #DIYblogger #crafty #thriftstorefinds #birds #DIYproject #DIYblog #craftproject #reuse #recycled #recycle #recycling #transformation #winter #birding #hgtvhandmade #birdfeeder #gardenart #nwf
A post shared by Sadie Seasongoods (@sadieseasongoods) on Jan 20, 2019 at 4:09pm PST
View this post on Instagram #teatime for your #feathered #friends #featheredfriends #birds #birdfeeder #upcycledchina #upcycled #teacup #gardenwhimsy #gardentotem #outdoordecor #happyfriday #etsyusa #differencemakesus #etsyfinds #etsyhunter #etsypreneur #etsyprepromo #bscozycottagecrafts #EtsyTeamUNITY #teacupfeeder
A post shared by Bianca (@biancas_cozy_cottage_crafts) on Mar 31, 2017 at 3:35am PDT
Upcycle a Glass Lid into a Bird Bath
View this post on Instagram Casserole dish lids…why are you so common at thrift stores? No matter, because you make fabulous shallow bird baths and waterers AND you're crazy easy to clean. Cuz let's be honest…bird baths can get pretty funky after a while. . . . https://www.sadieseasongoods.com/thrifted-glass-lid-hanging-bird-bath/ . . . #SadieSeasongoods #repurposed #repurpose #repurposing #DIY #upcycled #upcycle #upcycling #crafts #hgtv #bird #DIYblogger #thriftstorefinds #thriftdecor #DIYproject #DIYblog #craftproject #reuse #recycled #recycle #recycling #transformation #birding #birds #hgtvhandmade #goodwill #gardenart #birdbath #wildlifehabitat
A post shared by Sadie Seasongoods (@sadieseasongoods) on Jul 23, 2018 at 4:36pm PDT
Teapot Birdhouse
View this post on Instagram Available Anchors away Navy and Gray, a classic nautical combo on this lovely teapot birdhouse. Contact me for details.
A post shared by TheSecondhandSongbird (@thesecondhandsongbird) on Nov 4, 2018 at 5:59pm PST
Mosaics
View this post on Instagram We love our bird houses here at recreate. And the cutest little mosaiced homes have just flown in. Garden art, recycled materials, native bird habitat, and community fundraising all rolled into one. . . . . . . . #birdbox #habitat #mosaic #upcycle #recycle #reclaim #reuse #mountpleasant #mountpleasantnaturalresourcecentre #communityfundraising #creativereuse #gardenart #adelaidehills #barossavalley #sustainable #sustainablegarden #sustainableliving
A post shared by Recreate (@recreatecommunity) on Aug 31, 2018 at 10:01pm PDT
Artists Who Creatively Reuse Dishes & Pottery
Juliet Ames, The Broken Plate Company upcycles family heirloom dishes into necklaces and other art.
View this post on Instagram Thanks for talking me through this one. She dried with just a little purple shadow in her hair and I adore it. Funny how the imperfections sometimes make things more beautiful. #temporama #recycledchina #silouette #fro #afro #etsy #perfectlyimperfect
A post shared by Juliet Ames (@thebrokenplate) on Jan 11, 2019 at 7:10am PST
Valentina Jones cuts plates into statement necklace pendants.
View this post on Instagram Can never have enough…thanks for the photo @abowie99 #oneforeveryoccasion
A post shared by Valentina JONES (@valentina_jones) on Jan 4, 2019 at 4:27pm PST
Karen Dixon, Studio Underwood makes necklaces from recycled dishes that look like they were found in an archeological dig.
View this post on Instagram Multi-strand oxidised silver necklace festooned with numerous fragments of 17th to the early 19th century blue and white china. All of these pieces have been collected over several years of visiting the river, and the necklace has been a real labour of love! #rusticjewelry #repurposedjewelry #rusticnecklace #recycled #statementjewelry #statementnecklace #assemblagenecklace #hippystyle #handmadejewelry #necklace #artisannecklace #bohemianstyle #ceramicnecklace #ceramicjewelry #bohemianjewelry #bohemiannecklace #artisanjewelry
A post shared by Karen Dixon (@karendixon5920) on Jan 24, 2019 at 9:43am PST
Mimi Kirchner makes tiny worlds in teacups.
View this post on Instagram 6 tiny world pincushions #tinyworld #handmadepincushion #fairyhouse
A post shared by Mimi Kirchner (@mimikirchner) on Apr 9, 2018 at 2:42pm PDT
Li Xiaofeng makes dresses and suits from blue and white dishes.
Zemer Peled makes giant spiky sculptures from broken porcelain.
Show Details
Script for this podcast episode about creative reuse of dishes and pottery (not a transcript but gives the main ideas)
The Trashmagination podcast theme music is Kitchen from the Marian Circle Drum Brigade.
Learn how porcelain is made in this episode of the show How It’s Made:
