5 Creative Uses For Old Household Gadgets

With technology progressing faster each year, it's not uncommon for people to have mountains of old gadgets just lying around their houses. Apart from releasing newer and more efficient models, many tech companies tend to introduce software upgrades that can make devices slower. For example, Apple has been in hot water before for how its updates lead to iPhones lagging. However, some household gadgets can be more difficult to give away, especially due to hygiene reasons or if they're reasonably bulky. And if you've started organizing your garage more seriously, you might be wondering what to do with all of them. Well, one of the best things you can do is to make sure you use your gadgets for as long as possible.

If they're still working, old gadgets like mobile phones, laptops, and even USB cables can easily be donated to universities or passed on to other family members. But while there are ways to safely dispose of your electronics, your particular area might not have the right recycling facilities. In many cases, a chunk of our gadgets will end up in landfills, where they can release toxic substances into the soil or into the air. So if they're no longer operating properly, you could be a little more creative with your approach.

Since the rise of retro gaming, there has been an increasing demand for old CRT TVs. However, there's always a chance that the one you have in your home stops working and you can no longer find anyone in your area who knows how to fix it. Thankfully, with its box-like structure, there are so many ways you can still keep it in a way that adds to your pet's joy. In a YouTube video, creator Sabriiinaaa shares a straightforward way to easily turn your old TV into a cat bed that fits a mid-century home's aesthetic. All you have to do is clear out the inside's electronic components, make sure there are no sharp things on the sides, add a comfortable pillow for them to sit, and even legs to the TV if you want a more elevated look.

If you prefer fish, you can also opt to turn your old TV into a fancy-looking aquarium. If you don't know how to start, YouTuber Connor Creates shows practical steps for building a home for beta fish using a vintage TV. But of course, as some commenters on his video suggest, it's best to evaluate the kind of filter and set up that is best for your particular fish. Not to mention, you should be careful with the electrical components, as some people might be willing to buy them from you.

For families, it can be a nightmare to keep everyone on the same page, especially when there's a mountain of tasks that need to be done and different schedules. Although some people can live with normal desk or refrigerator calendars, you may need more space if you have an entire basketball team's worth of people in your family. And if you have an old monitor lying around, you can make a calendar that will change alongside your family.

With just a USB, you can easily display a photo of your family's monthly calendar without the security risk of needing to be connected to the internet. But if you want something that can be viewed by multiple people from several calendars, you can use platforms like DAKboard to make it happen. If you're comfortable building things, YouTube creator Turbo Dad Restores talks about how he used a Raspberry Pi to integrate DAKboard to his monitor of choice. Although if you don't want to build one yourself, you can purchase DAKBboard's mini CPUs that start at just under $80. For $24.95, it also offers pre-loaded micro SD cards, which work with both Raspberry Pi and Orange Pi.

Alternatively, you can use old monitors to display photos or artwork in your home. Although, if you're willing to pay for something new that has a ton of useful features, there are plenty of highly-rated digital photo frames that you can choose from as well.

With smartphone cameras taking increasingly better photos and compact cameras becoming more affordable, many of us have lost the need to lug around a large DSLR camera for our everyday photography needs. In some cases, you can still use your old DSLR to get a vintage camera look, especially if it still has some fight in it. But if you have a broken one lying around, you can also turn it into a quirky form of decoration. In a YouTube video, content creator Badger Workshop shares a neat tutorial on how to turn old cameras into lamps. To do this, he starts by removing the camera lens and mirror. Next, he installs the bulb holder and bulb where the lens used to be. Then, he attaches a switch and wires so you can plug it into a socket.

Apart from a broken camera, you can easily turn a ton of other old gadgets into lamps using the same equipment and build process. For example, the same steps can work with old house phones. On their YouTube channel, creator Flippin Rejects shares steps for turning old rotary phones into desk lights. Apart from making the light come out of the phone's speaker and microphone, they also designed it in a way that lets you turn it on by simply turning the rotary, which makes for a nice conversation starter during your next big family gathering.

Taking care of our teeth is a lifelong endeavor. Along with getting regular professional cleaning, daily brushing and flossing are important for overall oral health. Experts recommend changing your toothbrush every quarter, including electric toothbrush heads, which tend to wear out at a faster rate than manual ones. Ideally, you'll use your electric toothbrush for as long as its motor functions and it retains its charge. However, when the base does show signs of problems, it can affect its ability to remove plaque and other build-up, so you'll want to replace it. Or you may want to upgrade to one with more advanced features. But, this doesn't mean your old electric toothbrush needs to be trashed right away.

To start with, you can think of it as a little electric cleaning brush that can hit all the tight corners from your bathroom tiles to the gunk that builds up in your jewelry. Often, the soft brush head is perfect for a ton of light cleaning applications without risking permanent damage to sensitive materials or surfaces. Additionally, if you are a crafty person, you can also turn your old electric toothbrush into an adorable mini sander. In a tutorial, YouTuber kipkay shows how you can cut self-stick sandpaper and glue it on your electric toothbrush. Afterward, you can use it to sand everything from your models to small frames to sculptures.

One of the many joys of a smart home is being able to control everything with a push of a button, especially if you've taken the time to set up your smart switches to perfection. That said, while most family members know it's worth the hassle, guests may not be so thrilled if they have to install new apps for a single visit. In some cases, some actions like turning lights on or off can be solved by just tapping on an NFC tag. But for more complicated tasks, like adjusting light colors or choosing music, you can load all your apps into an old mobile phone and turn it into a smart home remote.

Alternatively, you can also use old iPads to function as a smart home hub, which gives you more screen real estate to work with. This can be great if you also want to integrate things like smart door bells or cameras. Apart from saving your visitors a lot of headaches, using an old mobile phone as a smart remote reduces security risks. This is because you can opt to reduce connections to more important apps on your personal mobile phone. For example, if your old smartphone does get compromised, you don't have to worry about the apps you use for banking or work. But take note, older devices may not always be able to run on the latest software updates.