Recycled trash and recycle bin

We needed a better trash can than what we had and we needed a place to store recyclables. I had been tossing around several ideas, then it hit me…..I can make a recycled recycle bin!

I am lucky enough to have a few building materials recycling places around town. I went to one we have called ‘asset recycling’, a local non-for profit, and spent a couple of hours going through their stacks of used cabinet doors to find sizes/shapes that fit well together. The only repeating doors are the lids. All the sides and drawer front are intentionally mis-matched.

We had all the wood leftover from other projects and recycled hinges from a deconstructed project. I made a 1×4 frame, plywood on the bottom and back. Plywood drawer (they had no recycled drawers). The wife stenciled the trash can and recycle symbols on top. I coated it all with a fresh coat of poly (two on the inside). The drawer on the bottom is for trash bags only so far.

Overall it is cabinet height (a hair below 36” tall).
It is amazing how nice it is to have a cabinet height trashcan.

-- People are like tea bags. You find out how strong they are when you put them in hot water. -Eleanor Roosevelt