Make something beautiful (and decent money) from rubbish

Getting people to reuse or recycle their rubbish is something of an uphill struggle. The UK government has tried asking us nicely, insisting firmly, and even fining us for putting glass in with the rest of the rubbish; and still most people can't be bothered to do it. However, recycling doesn't have to be hard work, it can be a money-spinner.

We're not talking about the kind of recycling that involves standing by the road the night before bin day, sorting through stinking rubbish and getting dog food all over your fingers. This recycling is clever, creative, and can make you thousands of pounds.

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It involves turning the items that nobody wants into something that people will pay good money for, and there are five steps to getting this right.

1. Spend some time looking at what people throw away
Some of the best ideas some from someone staring at something like a wine bottle and realising that the bottom third of the bottle could make a cool tumbler, or that the bottle could be filled with fairy lights and used as an unusual side lamp. Don't just stop at your own recycling, check salvage yards too for unusual shapes and textures that could come in handy.

2. Don't limit your thinking
One cool idea that one creative type came up with was turning a bulldozer sprocket into a wine rack. So don't just assume that kitchen things need to be recycled into other kitchen things, or that an old garden rake couldn't be fashioned into a standing lamp.

3. Do it properly
If you don't have the skills, you'll either need to learn them or find someone who can do what you want. It's pointless trying to make money by turning something into a chair that's hugely uncomfortable, or a lamp that burns the house down.

4. Set up an online shop
Many of these things are sold through etsy, and you can set up a store on the site with just a handful of products. That way you can gauge whether there's much interest in your bike chain bottle opener before you invest too much time and money in the project.

5. Don't be afraid to charge what you need to
It may be recycled rubbish, but that doesn't mean it should be cheap. If it takes hours to hand-make your jewellery, it's pointless selling it for £10 or you'll be making less than minimum wage. Some of the high-end items clearly take weeks, and sell for thousands of pounds, so if something is the product of endless painstaking work, make sure you are pricing it correctly.

And if you're looking for inspiration, here are ten useful and beautiful items made from recycled waste:

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