The interviews and reporting for this story were conducted in June 2024.

“Why don’t you throw these old/waste items to the kabadiwallah?”

This was a statement frequently told to Surbhi Yadav, but it often fell on deaf ears. How does one discard years of memories, carefully preserved by a loved one who passed away too soon? Instead, by reusing these items and bringing them back to life, you not only help the environment but also honour the memory of your loved one.

In Surbhi’s case, it was her mother-in-law who passed away during the second wave of COVID-19. She left behind a pall of grief in the life of the Meerut resident, along with a roomful of cherished belongings. Having joined the family just two years before this tragedy, Surbhi and her mother-in-law shared a strong rapport. Their bond was so profound that coping with the loss was particularly difficult for the 30-year-old.

After moving from disbelief to despair, which later turned into depression, she began channelling her inner creativity as a coping mechanism. The devoted daughter-in-law found great solace in transforming her mother-in-law’s ancestral bottles, matkas (jars), lanterns, and even a fan into beautiful planters.

The logical next step was to add plants to the planters, which kicked off Surbhi’s journey into gardening in April 2023. Today, her thriving terrace garden boasts over 300 plants, with most of the planters made from repurposed materials. To share her tips with the world, Surbhi started a YouTube and Instagram channel called @chalocreativitykaren.

Want to breathe life into your house too by making the most out of waste?........

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