Have you ever wondered to yourself, “What to do with old bowling balls?” It is an absolute no-brainer that a bowling ball is a bowler’s most valuable piece of equipment. Inevitably, they become less usable over time — we all know that!
The average lifespan of a bowling ball is roughly five to seven years. Instead of throwing them away, there are a few innovative things you can do with old bowling balls. You may donate or sell your old bowling balls for a few bucks. Or, if you have a creative edge, you may recreate them to give your home an artistic feel.
Utilize them innovatively for your child’s school projects. If you stay away from art, give them to local communities for their constructive use.
If you’re a bowler, you know the pain of throwing away your old bowling balls. It is tough to discard bowling balls because they don’t come at an easy price. So, spend your time learning about these easy ways to do something constructive with them. Before you think of disposing of them, be sure to give this article a read.
Donate Them
There can’t be a better way to use your sports valuables for societal welfare. If you plan to replace your old bowling balls with new ones, donate them to the needy. Of course, you must ensure that they are in usable condition. Feel free to approach local bowling alleys. Ask them if they are interested in taking used bowling balls. There is no end to the list of people keen to get bowling equipment for free.
Bowling balls do not come cheap. Several beginners in the game fear pursuing it on a professional level due to the funding it demands. It’s not difficult to find such people. They could be your staff’s kids, the local bowling team, or others in general. Reconnect with your school and college bowling teams and the local community teams. You can also contact authorities that conduct championships on a smaller scale.
Sell Them
Several people are willing to take old bowling balls, even for a price. If you are not eager to donate your bowling balls, you can quickly sell them. A variety of options come to your rescue here as well.
Local sports authorities are among one of them. They are in constant need of equipment for training and championships. Sports academies and complexes are other alternatives. If you can’t come across such organizations in your locality, you need not worry. You can browse through social media and resell apps to find your best buyer.
DIY Creative Pieces for Your Backyard
If you are an art enthusiast, then this is the best way to enhance your creative skills. You can convert bowling balls into a lot of art pieces to adorn your backyard. Utilize your leisure time to try out some very thoughtful DIY crafts with bowling balls.
Every lawn and backyard generally have mysterious showpieces that attract the curiosity of the birds. You obviously can’t build a birdhouse from a bowling ball, but another option can help. Paint your bowling ball in vibrant colors. Decorate it with stones, mirrors, and pebbles to give it a new feel. Make it interesting enough so that birds perch on it frequently.
DIY crafts can also create flashy yard balls that represent your painter’s side in general. Again, there are a lot of diversifications where to choose. You can paint them into giant ladybugs and other insects. If you are a doodler, don’t hesitate to use your pen all over it. Doodles can turn out beautifully. If you want to let the sports touch remain, paint it as a football.
1. Make Flashy Lanterns
If you are prepping for a house party and clueless about the decorations, this is a good idea. Paint your bowling ball mono color. Arrange for sparkles, stones, mirrors, and all things apt for a party feel. Arrange all of them neatly on the painted bowling ball, and carefully place the ball over a lantern for the final touch.
If you have many bowling balls to recreate, make similar lantern balls out of them. Hang them on your terrace if it is an open area party. You can also scatter them in your garden so that the entrance talks about the theme of a party.
2. Give Them Away for Craft Projects
If you are not willing to recycle your bowling balls, you can go for another option. You may head out to approach local DIY crafters if you know about leads in your area. You can also meet them via social media. Some craft businesses are eager to take up used materials and junks for their DIY projects. It is helpful for society as a whole: less trash and more fun!
3. DIY Home Decor Crafts
You can use your imagination to try your hands on some DIY showpieces to adorn your home in general. Get all the little crafty things that are lying unused in the drawers. It all depends upon your creativity to get the most creative outcome you can have. So, get to work and let your DIY ball speak for the artist in you!
4. Create an In-House DIY Solar System
It is another out-of-the-box idea if you want ideas on what to do with old bowling balls. It will be fun for science and craft lovers. If you are a parent looking for ways to fascinate your kid with science, we have come to your rescue. However, excellent painting skills are a prerequisite for the same.
Paint the balls as different planets of the solar system. Build an in-house solar system to increase your child’s curiosity. If you are good with your brushes, your DIY solar system is sure to come out as perfect as can be.
5. Souvenir it
We know the value of a bowling ball for every bowler. You might be a national-level bowler or just a bowling enthusiast who plays daily. What makes both equal to each other is their love and respect for the game. This attachment might be the sole reason to pull you back from discarding your old bowling balls. Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to recreate and turn things into new ones.
It is normal to see football fans fight over Chelsea and Manchester United. Similarly, if you practice bowling on a small scale, you can paint logos and texts of your favorite bowlers. If you are a high-level bowler, you can recreate scenes of your most memorable victories in the game. It can help you make a personalized bowling ball and display it for your guests to admire.
6. Innovative Alternatives for Flower Pots
Maintaining plants in a garden is not an easy task. Besides, everyone does not have sufficient time to spend looking after plants. Some of us are also not that fond of gardening as a hobby. But the desire to own a beautiful and green garden is something everyone wants.
It is another opportunity to use your old bowling balls creatively. You get the added benefit of not having to maintain natural plants.
First, paint the bowling ball in a single color. Decorate it according to your imagination and what look you prefer for a flower pot. You now have a decorated sphere ready. All you have to do is get an earthen pot where you can place the plants. Put the sphere on top of the pot. The bowling ball will roughly look like a plant. It won’t look like an actual plant, but it is a good idea for those reluctant to maintain a garden.
7. DIY Piggy Banks for Kids
It is one of the most quirky and cute DIY ideas to try out of old bowling balls. You can use them as round piggy banks for yourself as well as your kids. The three-finger holes on every bowling ball can serve as the openings for the piggy bank.
You can paint the bowling ball in any color or even paint something abstract. If you are crafting with your kids, you can paint their favorite cartoon characters on the ball as well. It is an excellent way of utilizing your leisure time.
Final Words
There are several ways you can use old bowling balls. Selling or donating them is among the easiest if you want to get rid of them. More thoughtful ideas are the ones that involve DIYs to turn them into newer things. You should give it a second thought and think wisely before throwing them away.
Bowling is a sport that has fans all around the world. However, in these unprecedented times of the Coronavirus-hit world, bowling alleys are devoid of players. Players wonder what to do with old bowling balls. There is no clarity on how much the sport is going to suffer post lockdown. So, understand the worth of your old bowling balls, and don’t be tempted to discard them.