SORT & STORE STATION

THIS SMART RECYCLING HUB FREES UP DRAWERS AND DOLLARS BY ENCOURAGING CREATIVE RE-USE OF EVERYDAY STUFF

Words JEN WALKER Photography BRIGID ARNOTT Styling SAMI SIMPER

Remember the mantra of the three Rs for a sustainable lifestyle: reduce, re-use and recycle? That’s evolved to become the eight Rs, to encourage a move towards a circular economy, where we waste less and maximise the use of renewable resources.

A report by national waste management company Cleanaway found six in 10 Aussies are buying second-hand as a way to cut costs, and eight out of 10 are opting to repair, rather than replace, items*. To make it easier to deal with items that enter, stay or leave your home – and to better follow the Rs – consider setting up a ‘sustainability station’. This can hold recycling, mending gear and other useful items, reducing household waste while highlighting what can be cleverly re-used.

ABOVE Recycling station, see page 74 for DIY instructions. (On shelves, from top) Mr Clean shoe brush, $3.29, I/N: 4460431. Grunt jute twine, $3.20/75m, I/N: 4310292, and cotton shop twine, $8.30/300m, I/N: 4310543. Trojan general purpose scissors, $8.98/pack of 2, I/N: 0191107. Prayer plant in The Good Pot Co. ‘Roxy’ 16cm x 16cm indoor pot in Green, $16.98, I/N: 0430422 (plant sold separately). Boyle essentials brush value pack, $16.96, I/N: 0115222. (On bench, from left) Mirabella ‘Tuana’ table lamp, $79.95, I/N: 0423299 (globe sold separately). Practa Solutions paper towel holder in Chrome, $6.17, I/N: 2669887 (holding paper raffia rolls). Paper raffia, Officeworks, officeworks.com.au. All other products, stylist’s own. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered.

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Implement The Eight Rs

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Rethink This is about being more aware of what you really need, and being open to different ways of meeting those needs that are better for both the environment and your wallet.

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Refuse We’ve done well refusing plastic bags; what else could you do without? Always carry a keep cup and refillable water bottle and say ‘no’ to disposables. If you buy lunch to eat back at the office, refuse single-use plastic items and make use of the work kitchen’s utensils.

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Reduce It’s easier not to buy something than to try to re-use or recycle it later on. The average Australian buys 15kg of clothes every year, and puts 10kg in landfill, with many of those tossed clothes worn once, if at all**. Think at least twice before you buy – and choose quality over quantity.

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Reuse Many items have more than one function. Keep wrapping paper and ribbons for cards or craft materials, wire ties and string for the garden, and empty food tins and containers for garage or recycling station storage. Store the rubber bands that hold vegies together for general household needs, and collect net bags from onions and oranges to take when you’re buying more veg.

Repair and refurbish Making the most of what you already own is central to the eight Rs. Fill a drawer with tools and materials for mending and fixing, such as needles and thread, superglue, leather polish and fusible bonding web (great for small moth holes in clothes). Buy second-hand and adapt it to suit your style and needs. This goes beyond clothes to furniture – for example, a pre-loved sideboard or desk could be painted and refitted with old boxes or baskets for your recycling station.

Repurpose Unleash your inner stylist and give an item a second life – upcycling inspiration abounds online. Also regift usable and intact but unwanted items to friends or a charity.

Recycle You can recycle pretty much everything if you do your research. To check what can go in your kerbside recycling bin, see Recycle Mate (recycle mate.com.au). Then search online for other recycling programs (most of them are free) and dedicate a box to specific items such as make-up empties, coffee pods and toothbrushes. In most states, bottles and cans can be returned for cash – a great incentive for kids to sort the empties. Old batteries can be recycled in Bunnings stores (see bunnings.com.au/ battery-recycling) and plant pots can be recycled at selected stores (see right)‡.

Rot (yes, really!) Many food scraps, garden prunings, autumn leaves and lawn clippings can be broken down in compost bins and worm farms and re-used as fertiliser for outdoor soil. Find out how at bunnings.com.au/make-compost.

I/N: 0162892; Petal Pink, I/N: 0162912 (mixed with Bayleaf); Chintz Grey, I/N: 0162926; and Sundance, I/N: 0162895. Pro Renovator 25mm wall paintbrush, $3.85, I/N: 1661750. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered. Vases are for decorative purposes only, and not to be used as drink containers.

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If you have a stash of plant pots made from PP5, this is what you can do with them‡: bunnings.com. au/recycle-plant-pots

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Adjust dimensions to suit your bench.

Pinnacle Hardware 1200mm x 910mm x 540mm timber top workbench unit, $79.99, I/N: 0434459. For all product details, see page 19.

Recycling Hub

Give a square pegboard round holes for custom storage

Tools & materials

n Safety equipment (mask, eye and ear protection) n Tape measure and pencil n Circular saw with straightedge n Builder’s square n Quick-grip clamps n Drill with 3mm bit n 25mm Forstner bit n Mitre box with handsaw n Microfibre cloth n Mini microfibre roller with tray n Two 2400mm x 1200mm x 12mm plywood sheets• n 2400mm length 25.4mm

Tasmanian oak dowel• n 180-grit abrasive paper with sanding block n Painter’s tape n Primer n Washable paint n Timber adhesive n 8G x 50mm countersunk screws n 1200mm x 910mm x 540mm workbench with timber top

Keep in mind...

Curtain screen

n Make no-sew curtains from a canvas drop sheet and hemming tape. Hang from an extendable curtain rod at the front and expanding curtain wire at the sides.

Diy Toolkit

1

2 3 4

6.08m x 1.22m heavy

I/N: 1660535. 2 Ultra ‘Forstner’ bit set, $27.90/pack of 5, I/N: 6373522. 3 Porter’s Paints ‘Eggshell Finish’ broadwall washable paint in Olive Grove, $99.25/2L, I/N: 0365124.

4 n When using power tools and painting, work in a well-ventilated area and always wear the recommended safety gear. n Store paint and chemicals out of the reach of children and pets.

1 Use a circular saw to cut plywood sheets to 1820mm for the back panel and 910mm for the front. From an offcut, cut a 100mm strip to make shelves 400mm, 300mm and 200mm long. On the front panel, mark a 100mm-square grid with a builder’s square. Clamp panels together, top and sides flush.

2 Use a 25mm Forstner bit to drill holes through both panels to 18mm deep, checking the depth of the first hole and using tape as a gauge for the rest. Tip: Drilling just halfway through the back panel creates a backing to hold the dowel pegs and prevent them from slipping.

3 From 25.4mm dowel, use a mitre box with a handsaw to cut eight 130mm shelf pegs, four 100mm hanging pegs and eight 30mm spacers. Smooth all cuts with 180-grit abrasive paper to remove breakout. Clamp spacers to hold while drilling through the centres with a 3mm bit.

4 Smooth both panels with abrasive paper and wipe away dust with a cloth. On the back panel, use painter’s tape to mask 910mm down from top, then apply primer and two coats of paint to the base of the back panel, the front panel and around the sides, leaving to dry after each coat.

5 On the back, mark 25mm and 850mm from the top to predrill 25mm in from the sides and at the centre. Mark 450mm down the sides to predrill 25mm in. Apply adhesive to the spacers, centre over the predrilled holes to secure from underneath with 50mm screws, leaving the heads protruding 10mm.

6 Apply adhesive to the top of the spacers, position the front panel flush with the top and sides of the back, clamp and flip to complete securing the screws, leave to dry. Secure the pegboard to the wall using suitable fasteners and position the workbench against it. Set out the pegs and shelves.