Potted plant hanger

Mount an intact pallet to a wall and then attach metal potted plant brackets, available online or at many big-box retailers, to create this hanger. For interest, paint the slats in cheerful colors and use varying-sized pots.

Compost bin

Tie three wooden pallets together with coat hangers to create a three-sided bin to contain a compost pile. Built out more bays by adding pallets (each bay can share a wall, so two more pallets will get you an additional bay).

“You don’t need any fancy equipment or tools to start a compost heap,” Lamp’l says. “Start with woody materials, branches or sticks that will aid in ventilation, then layer brown, then green materials, using a formula of roughly two-thirds brown and one-third green.”

Examples of green materials, which have a higher nitrogen content, include fresh grass clippings, pulled weeds and nonmeat, nonfat kitchen scraps such as vegetable and fruit peelings and cores, coffee grounds and used tea leaves. Brown ingredients, those that furnish carbon that’s important to the decomposition process, include dried leaves, shredded cardboard or paper, small wood chips and dried grass clippings.

Pallet coffee table

Start this patio focal point by taking apart several pallets. Use two 2-by-4s for each leg, creating 4-by-4 legs. Use the slats to make the top, and face the sides with additional slats. Or, build a table up in layers, calling to mind the original design of the pallets (see photo). Then sand, stain or paint it, and finish with several coats of polyurethane.

“Pallets can be the basis for any number of projects,” Lamp’l says. “I’ve seen people create an indoor accent wall from pallet wood, build headboards or use the wood to frame artwork. Once you’ve discovered the versatility of wood pallets, you’re only limited by your imagination.