Reduce, Re-use, Re-Glam

We tend to talk about ‘home improvement’ as something that is expensive, time-consuming, and takes a lot of effort. While that may be the case for some projects, small adjustments CAN make a difference, and it’s possible to create a beautiful space without spending hundreds (or thousands) of dollars. It could be as simple as de-cluttering, re-arranging, or giving new life to something that’s worse for wear.

This cat tree has been a favorite lounge spot to my cats for years (can you tell?) and I was on the fence about buying them a new one. It started to become an eye-sore, and it made me feel uncomfortable having people in my space. This is when I knew I had to take the steps to make my home feel inviting again. Did I want to spend money on a brand new cat tree that was destined to end up looking this way again in a few years? Of course not. I also didn’t want it to go to waste at a landfill, when it’s something my cats could continue to use. So instead, I spent under $20 to reupholster this extremely loved cat tree.

I’m really happy with how it came out! This is also a good way to express your own unique style. If you’re curious about reupholstering your own cat tree, see below for the deets:

Materials

2-3 yards of fleece fabric
Staple gun & staples
Sharp scissors
Permanent marker
A ruler if you want to be precise.

Process

1) I started by removing any loose fabric. If possible, just cover most of the old material with new fabric to save time and effort.

2) This particular cat tree comes unassembled, which made it much easier to take apart and reupholster each individual piece. If that is not the case, some creativity may be needed to get around poles that go through the platforms. It may be challenging to reupholster some of these shapes without being able to lay each piece out flat. Even if it’s not perfect, it should look much better than how it started out!

3) Cut the fabric to fit each individual piece of the cat tree. Cut off more fabric than you think you’ll need—this is where a marker and ruler would be helpful. You want to have enough fabric to be able to wrap it around or underneath each piece, where it will be stapled.

4) Once you have a piece cut, start by making sure the fabric is going to be the right size for the section. Then, wrap the fabric around the piece so it’s snug, and start stapling.

For the platform pieces, cover the fabric over the top of the piece and to the underside, where you will staple. Make sure the fabric is snug and secure.
If you’re reupholstering the poles, start at the bottom. Wrap the fabric around the pole and bring the ends to meet. Staple once the fabric is in line and pulled tight. Next, staple the top of that section. If there’s any excess fabric at the top, it can be cut off or secured with staples. Then proceed to staple the middle, securing any loose material.

5) Make small holes where screws will need to go through the fabric.

6) Once all sections are reupholstered, re-assemble the cat tree, or admire the serious crafting that took place if your cat tree did not come apart.

7) Make sure the staples are going all the way in, and if any feel loose, I would remove it and redo that staple. Remember that your animals will be using this, so it’s important that the staples are going far enough in that they don’t become a hazard to your pet.

8) Enjoy this reinvented cat tree, knowing you saved money and the environment by repurposing this item!

Reduce, Re-use, Re-Glam

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