Your Old Ugly Sofa: 7 Ways to Dispose off and Recycle Sofa Home Furniture Home Improvement by Hannah Whittenly - April 24, 2014April 24, 2014 Is it time to dispose off the tattered furniture…ie. recycle sofa? Has you couch seen better days? Before you throw it away, take a good look at what you have left because with a little creativity, that couch can be recycled and re-purposed into something uniquely fashionable. Let’s start with the basics. Are the cushions in good order? How about the frame? Pull at some of the fabric near the base to see what your couch was made of in order to figure out what can be reused. Let’s consider all the options for repurposing your sofa. Image Credit – recycle sofa : www.flickr.com Re-Purposed Cushions If the cushions are in good condition, you can put them to good use. You might be able to reuse them as floor cushions with little or no sewing. If parts of the cushion fabric is worn out you can replace it with fresh material from the store. A few ideas for what to do with those cushions: 1) floor cushions can be a great accent to a family or living room. 2) Create a cute mini sofa for the kids to read or do homework in. 3) Some creative crafters have even paired their old cushions with an old dresser drawer to make a one-of-a-kind foot rest or stool. 4) If you’re a pet lover, you might even want to try designing your own pet bed. 5) If you knit or crochet consider making that pouf up yourself with the cushion. If between your couch and the cushions, you can come up with a yard of usable fabric, you an even sew up a pouf. Remember, they’re not just good to sit in, they also double as a comfortable foot rest. Image Courtesy: http://www.pinterest.com/ Salvage that Fabric Sofa fabric serves one purpose: endure years and years of movie nights, family games, puppy naps, late night study sessions and other activities. So the stuff has to be good for other things. There are a few things you can do with the fabric: 1) Make a neck tie or a bow tie out of the fabric. With the right couch design, you can get a pretty spiffy look going. 2) Cut up the fabric into place mats, table sliders, or oven mitts. Image Credit : http://www.pinterest.com/ Use the Frame What to do with an old couch frame? You’d be surprised at what some creative do-it-yourselfers have tried! 1) How about a chicken coop? I kid you not. If the wood frame is in good condition, you simply need a bit of wire and a staple gun. Voila, a home for your backyard chickens! 2) Or how about using it in the garden. Some green thumbs have used their frame as a unique raised planter. With a few pots on the arm rest, your garden is sure to be the most interesting one in the neighborhood. Dispose of What You Can’t Use Whatever you do, remember to recycle. Even an old and ugly couch needs an environmentally friendly resting place. If you need some help and live in Central Indiana, look up Ray’s Trash Service. They’ve been in business since 1965 and are committed to environmental responsibility.