Pimp Your Wheelie Bin

Pimp Your Wheelie Bin: Practical Doesn’t Have To Mean Boring   

When you think about wheelie bins, the words ‘attractive’ or ‘appealing’ probably don’t spring to mind. Why would they? They are containers to store your refuse, they sometimes don’t smell so great and they don’t look particularly pleasing to the eye; but it doesn’t have to be this way.

The change to plastic

Bins have come a long way from what they used to be; big bulky hunks of metal which were prone to rusting and were easily dented. Today, wheelie bins are made from a highly durable and easily cleaned injection moulded plastic that can withstand the harshest of weather conditions and being bumped up and down kerbs. They are far more lightweight and easy to transport, which makes for easier emptying. But the change to plastic bins has brought about another advantage we probably don’t think about; the potential for our bins to be visually appealing.  

Beautify your bins

Colours

These days, wheelie bins can be made in a range of colours. This usually signifies what kind of rubbish they are designated for, but it also makes them infinitely more attractive than the traditional green and battleship grey versions. 

Give them an arty twist 

It is possible to make bins into a work of art. Some areas commission artists to cover bins in artwork to make them look more attractive and improve the look of a local area. One person who has taken it upon himself to turn local wheelie bins into works of art is Brett Day, a former car salesman from Suffolk whose wheelie bin graffiti artwork has gone viral. Videos of his spray paint wheelie bin art have been viewed and shared millions of times online, and he now hopes to make a living from it. He said he recalls looking at his own wheelie bins, thinking that they were ugly and that he wanted to do something about it. He is now known as ‘Binsy’; like Banksy, but just for wheelie bins!   

Turn them into a tool to promote recycling   

Over the past couple of years, a company called Wheelie Bin Art, who make fun removable wheelie bins stickers has joined forces with some local councils across the UK to help generate interest in recycling and the environment. Research has shown that decorating your wheelie bin makes you more likely to recycle, who knew? In Lewisham in London, the council dotted bins painted to look like cows across a grassy area, and the idea was to ‘feed the cows’ with recycling.  Recycling rates in the area soared.

Make it personal   

You can now buy personal wheelie bin stickers as a quirky gift for the person who has everything! You can buy funny stickers, you can get a photograph printed on them or an original pretty design.

Business on a Bin

Another tool in your marketing and PR arsenal, advertising your business on a bin sticker is an affordable way to advertise and be seen by local people. They can either have a logo or a targeted message and they’re great for businesses like hair salons and estate agents. 

Get the kids involved    

Kids love expressing themselves and using their imaginations, so why not let them design some bin stickers for themselves? They will brighten up the bins in the school yard and make them more inclined to use them, it’s a win-win

No more need for boring bins

Your wheelie bin might be practical but it needn’t be boring. Brighten up your part of the world and add colour to your bin with an arty sticker or some jazzy door numbers, you’ll see your bin in a different light.