If you’re like me and have built a relationship with your computer throughout the years, you might cringe at the thought of kicking it to the curb or throwing it into a recycling bin once it stops working. With the average lifespan of a CPU being somewhere around four years, you’ve probably had enough time with your special processor to form a close-to-lifelong bond.
Every question you’ve ever had, any paper you’ve ever had to type, or any insomnia-filled night spent on Facebook…your computer was there with you through it all. But there are options for preserving your special bond even after your computer’s demise. A laptop or computer is truly the gift that keeps on giving, and you can easily make gifts for others (or yourself!) out of old computer parts.
For Men:
Whether Father’s Day is around the corner or your husband’s birthday is approaching, we all know men are hard to shop for. Sure, you can give them a new tie or a gift card to their favorite fast food joint, but wouldn’t cuff links made from computer keys be so much cooler?
It’s easy, all you have to do is remove the keys, attach them to cuff links, and patiently wait for the day to come when you can “wow” the special man in your life with a homemade and technologically creative gift. You could also take the hard drive and with a little heat and elbow grease, shape it into a business card holder that’s sure to be a conversation starter. And, best of all, your old laptop or computer will be “ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive!”
For Women:
While shopping for men comes with its own set of problems, so does shopping for a lady. The most obvious gift is jewelry, but what if your woman loves technology and robots more than flowers and chocolates? You can easily make the perfect gift for that quirky and fun-loving female in your life.
Earrings can easily be made using the power buttons of a Mac, but if your girl shuns Apple and favors PC’s, there are options for her, too. You can make earrings using the snap-off parts of inkjet printer cartridges or make necklaces or bracelets using letters from a keyboard (similar to the cufflinks). If you choose to make a bracelet using letters from a keyboard, you can spell out something romantic or an inside joke. If you’re ready to take it to the next step, you could even spell out “M-A-R-R-Y-M-E-?” But shhhh! You came up with that one yourself!
For Anyone:
When it comes to housewarming gifts or presents for a co-worker, you’ll want something useful without coming across as being too generic or under-thoughtful. Large monitors that accompany desktop computers can be hollowed out and given to fish-loving friend as a unique and interesting fish-bowl holder. For friends that love to garden, a monitor can be filled with dirt and transformed into a mini green house for growing plants. You could even go the extra mile and plant your friend’s favorite flower in the soil before handing over the gift.
The motherboard and computer chip components of a CPU can be mounted on a board and converted into an interesting piece of wall art; they can be painted, left as is, or combined with other household items to create a collage or mosaic made of completely recycled products. Ribbons that connect the electrical components of a computer can be turned into a belt or pretty jewelry, and old floppy discs can be turned into neat, pocket-sized notebook for students. Circuit boards can be turned into mouse-pads, clocks, coasters or magazine racks! Be creative, the options for gifts made of recycled computer parts are endless!
For all those extra parts you have left over, send them in to Cash for Electronic Scrap USA and get paid!
Photo credits:
http://www.lnbbc.com.cn/geeky-computer-key-glass-tile-silver-metal-cufflinks-cuff-links-blackwhite-any-2-characters-clkgtb01-p-6713.html
http://www.cartoonbarry.com/2007/11/apple_macbook_power_button_ear.html
http://www.geekalerts.com/circuit-board-mouse-pad/
