This “Worthless” Old Laptop Now Runs My Entire Smart Home
My E-Waste is Now My Home’s Brain
My first laptop from college was so slow it was unusable. It was basically e-waste. I was about to recycle it when I learned about a free, open-source program called Home Assistant. I installed it on the “worthless” laptop and tucked it away in a closet. Now, that old machine runs 24/7 as the central brain for my entire smart home. It controls my lights, my thermostat, and my smart plugs. It’s more powerful and private than the $150 commercial hubs, and I created it from junk I already had.
Don’t Throw Away Your Old iPad. Do This Instead and Wow Every Guest
The $40 Digital Concierge
My old iPad’s battery was weak and it was too slow for most new apps. I almost sold it for a measly $40. Instead, I bought a simple $25 wall mount and hung it in my entryway. I set it up to display a clean dashboard with the current weather, my family’s shared calendar, and a shortcut to control our Spotify playlist. Every single guest who walks in comments on our “cool smart home screen.” It adds a huge “wow” factor to my apartment, all salvaged from a device I considered obsolete.
How a Broken-Screen Phone Became My $0 Home Security System
My Junk Drawer Watchdog
I dropped my old Android phone, shattering the screen. A repair was quoted at $150—more than the phone was worth. The camera and Wi-Fi still worked perfectly, though. I downloaded a free security camera app, plugged the phone into a charger, and propped it up on a bookshelf overlooking my front door. Now I can stream live video of my apartment to my new phone anytime, from anywhere in the world. I got a fully functional security system, complete with motion alerts, for absolutely zero cost from a “broken” device.
I Turned an Old PC into a “Netflix and Chill” Machine for My Bedroom
The Best Binge-Watching Box I Never Paid For
My parents’ ancient Dell desktop from 2008 was gathering dust in their basement. It was way too slow for any real work. I realized all I needed for my bedroom TV was a machine that could play video. I took the PC, installed a lightweight operating system, and connected it to my TV with a cheap HDMI cable. With a $15 wireless keyboard, I now have a dedicated media machine for Netflix, YouTube, and movie files. It saved me from buying a $150 Apple TV or Roku.
My Old Router Now Blankets My Entire House in Wi-Fi
The Free Wi-Fi Extender Hiding in Your Closet
My Wi-Fi signal was terrible in my upstairs office, making video calls a nightmare. I was about to drop $200 on a fancy mesh Wi-Fi system. Then I remembered my old router that I had tossed in a box after my last internet provider upgrade. I ran a long Ethernet cable upstairs, plugged in the old router, and configured it as an “Access Point.” Now, I have a perfect, full-strength Wi-Fi signal across my entire house. That zero-cost, 20-minute project saved me from a major expense.
How to Turn Any Old Speaker into a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi Speaker
Giving Vintage Sound a Modern Voice
I inherited a pair of amazing-sounding but “dumb” bookshelf speakers from the ’90s. They were useless with my modern phone. Instead of replacing them, I spent $25 on a tiny Bluetooth audio receiver. It plugs right into the speaker’s auxiliary port, and my phone connects to it wirelessly. Suddenly, my vintage speakers became a modern Bluetooth sound system. The sound quality is incredible, and it saved me from buying a new, inferior-sounding $200 speaker. It’s the best way to bridge the gap between old quality and new convenience.
This 15-Year-Old PC is Now My Personal “Google Drive” and Cloud Server
Building My Own Cloud to Save Real Cash
I was paying Google $10 a month for extra cloud storage, which felt like setting money on fire. I took my ancient desktop PC from 15 years ago—a machine completely useless for modern tasks—and installed free software called TrueNAS. I put a couple of old hard drives I had lying around inside it. Now, that old machine is my personal, private cloud server. I can access my files from anywhere, and it has saved me $120 a year in subscription fees for the rest of my life.
I Built a Retro Arcade Machine Out of a Discarded Office PC
My Personal Time Machine, Built from Scraps
I always dreamed of owning a vintage-style arcade cabinet, but they cost thousands of dollars. My office was throwing out a bunch of old desktop PCs, so I snagged one. I installed a free program called RetroArch, which can play thousands of classic games from Nintendo, Sega, and the arcades. I spent about $100 on a joystick and buttons and built a simple wooden frame around an old monitor. I now have a fully functional, multi-game arcade machine in my basement, and the “brains” of it were completely free.
How My Old Android Phone Became the Ultimate Car Dashcam
The Eyewitness I Already Owned
A decent dashcam costs around $100, an expense I wanted to avoid. I realized my old Android phone, with its perfectly good camera and GPS, had all the necessary hardware. I bought a $15 car mount for my dashboard and downloaded a free dashcam app. It automatically records looping video, logs my speed, and saves a clip if it detects a sudden stop. Now, every time I drive, I have a high-quality dashcam protecting me, repurposed from a phone that was just sitting in a drawer.
Turn Your Old Laptop Screen into a Sleek, Standalone HD Monitor
The Most Rewarding DIY Project I’ve Ever Done
My favorite laptop died, but its beautiful HD screen was perfectly fine. I hated the thought of it going to waste. I found the screen’s specific model number online and discovered I could buy a “controller board” for it for about $30. This little board has HDMI and power inputs and connects directly to the screen’s ribbon cable. I built a simple wooden frame for it, and now I have a super thin, lightweight, portable HD monitor that I use as a second screen for my new laptop.
I Made a Smart Mirror with an Old Tablet and a Two-Way Mirror
Living in the Future on a Budget
I saw those fancy “smart mirrors” online that show the weather and news headlines, but they cost over $1,000. I decided to build my own. I took my old, slow Android tablet and created a simple, high-contrast webpage to display the information I wanted. Then, I bought a custom-cut piece of two-way mirror for $80 and built a simple frame to go around it, with the tablet mounted behind. Now, when I’m getting ready in the morning, my mirror shows me my calendar and the forecast.
My Old Webcam is Now a Pet Cam I Can Watch from Work
My $0 Window Into My Dog’s Life
I was always curious about what my dog did all day and considered buying a $100 pet cam. Then I found an old Logitech webcam from a decade ago sitting in a box of old cables. I plugged it into an old laptop I use as a server, installed some free webcam streaming software, and pointed it at my dog’s favorite spot on the couch. Now, I can pull up a live video stream on my phone at work anytime I want. I get peace of mind for free.
I Turned an Old Mac Mini into the Perfect Media Center PC
The Best Streaming Box Apple Never Made
I had an ancient 2012 Mac Mini that was too slow to run a modern OS but too beautiful to throw away. I realized it was the perfect shape and size for a media center. I wiped the drive and installed a lightweight version of Linux, along with media software called Kodi. I plugged it into my TV, and now it’s a silent, powerful, and elegant-looking hub for all my movies, TV shows, and music. It’s more versatile than a new $180 Apple TV, and it cost me nothing.
How to Use an Old Smartphone as a Universal Smart Remote
The One Remote to Rule Them All
My coffee table was a mess of remotes: one for the TV, one for the soundbar, one for the Apple TV. I took my old smartphone, which has an infrared (IR) blaster, and downloaded a universal remote app. I spent 20 minutes programming it to control all my different devices. Now, that old phone lives on the coffee table and is the single point of control for my entire entertainment system. It decluttered my living room and made a useless device incredibly useful again.
This “Dead” PC is Now a Dedicated Ad-Blocking Machine for My Whole Network
Declaring War on Ads in My Apartment
I was tired of seeing ads on every website and in every app, especially on my smart TV. I took an old, slow Raspberry Pi (a tiny computer) that was lying around and installed a free program called Pi-hole. It works as a network-level ad blocker. I configured my router to use it, and now, every single device in my home—laptops, phones, even my TV—is automatically protected from thousands of ads and trackers. My internet feels faster and cleaner, thanks to a repurposed gadget.
I Turned an Old Digital Camera into a High-Quality Streaming Webcam
Upgrading My Zoom Game for Free
During the pandemic, my laptop’s built-in webcam made me look grainy and unprofessional on Zoom calls. A good external webcam was sold out everywhere or cost over $150. I dug out my old Canon digital camera from 2010. I learned the manufacturer had released free software that lets you use their cameras as a webcam over USB. The image quality from the big camera lens was incredible—it looked like a professional studio shot compared to the webcam. I looked better than everyone in my meetings, for free.
How to Build a Network Attached Storage (NAS) from Old PC Parts
Your Own Private Dropbox, Built from Junk
I needed a central place to back up all my family’s photos and documents, but a pre-built Network Attached Storage (NAS) device costs at least $300. Instead, I gathered all the old PC parts I had in storage: an old motherboard, a slow processor, some RAM, and a few mismatched hard drives. I installed a free operating system called TrueNAS. Now I have a massive, multi-terabyte, ultra-secure file server that I can access from any device on my network. The total cost was zero.
How to Use an Old Kindle as a Distraction-Free Weather Display
The Perfect, Power-Sipping Information Screen
My old Kindle’s battery was weak, and I’d already upgraded. Its e-ink screen, however, is amazing because it only uses power when it changes what’s on the screen. I did a simple software hack to turn it into a dedicated display. I wrote a script that grabs the 7-day weather forecast, creates an image, and sends it to the Kindle once a day. Now it hangs by my door, displaying the weather all week long on a single battery charge. It’s the perfect, glanceable, distraction-free information hub.
I Turned an Old Scanner into a Digital Archive for Family Photos
Preserving Memories from a Dusty Box
My parents gave me a huge box of old family photos, and I was terrified they would fade or get damaged. A professional scanning service quoted me over $500 to digitize them all. I remembered I had an old flatbed scanner in my closet from my college days. I dusted it off, connected it to my laptop, and spent a few evenings scanning batches of photos while I watched TV. It was a slow but easy process, and it saved me a huge amount of money while preserving priceless family memories forever.
This Old Laptop is My Kid’s First “Sandbox” Computer
The Worry-Free Introduction to Technology
I wanted my 7-year-old to learn how to use a computer, but I was terrified she would break my expensive work laptop or click on something dangerous online. The solution was my old, slow laptop from 2012. I installed a kid-friendly, simple version of Linux on it and created a heavily restricted user account. It’s her “sandbox” computer. She can play educational games and learn to type, and I don’t have to worry. If she spills something on it or downloads a virus, it’s a no-stakes learning experience.
How to Use an Old Tablet as a Second Monitor for Your Laptop
The Portable Productivity Boost I Already Owned
When I work from a coffee shop, I miss having a second monitor. I was about to buy a portable USB-C monitor for $200. Then I found an app that lets you use a tablet as a second screen. I installed it on my laptop and my old, slow iPad. Now, I can prop my iPad up next to my laptop, and it instantly becomes a wireless second display. I can keep Slack open on my iPad while I work on a document on my main screen. This huge productivity boost was completely free.
I Made a Car Diagnostic Tool with an Old Phone and a $10 Adapter
Becoming My Own Mechanic
My car’s “Check Engine” light came on, and I dreaded the $100 diagnostic fee at the repair shop. I decided to investigate myself. I bought a cheap $10 Bluetooth “OBD2” adapter online and plugged it into a port under my car’s dashboard. I downloaded a free diagnostic app onto an old Android phone I had in a drawer. The phone connected to the adapter and gave me the exact error code, which turned out to be a faulty gas cap. I tightened it, cleared the code, and saved myself a trip to the mechanic.