25 Frugal Ways To Reuse Everyday Household Items.
As many of you know, I also run a blog about the environment and sustainability. And while I rarely cross-promote articles, I decided that this post (originally on the other site back in June) could probably come in handy over here, with the economy the way it is and the growing concern about the environment. People are looking for more ways to save money and reduce the amount of trash they throw away, and if you look hard enough, there are a ton of things that come into our houses that we can reuse for multiple purposes! Here are 25 that I came up with; what would you add to the list?
Milk jugs (gallon or 1/2 gallon plastic) - Clothespin holder after you cut the top off and hang from your clothesline.
Plastic soda or water bottles - Can be used as kids banks after a nice paint job; a cold pack to be stored in the freezer; with some small holes in it, fill with bird seed and you have a nice bird feeder.
Spaghetti jars - small planters for around the home.
Film canister - Cut a slit in the side and you have a holder for a roll of stamps.
Beer bottle caps - You could pick up some small magnets and some glue at a craft store and make custom refrigerator magnets.
Glass bottles - pick up a light bulb fixture and you have a new lamp; can be used for vases, decorative grass holders.
Old t-shirts - rags for cleaning up around the house; sew a couple of your favorites into a pillow.
Shoe and delivery boxes - storage containers, file boxes, etc - no need to waste money on plastic containers from the container store. Every box in my closet is a reused cardboard one!
Toilet paper roll - extension cord organizer; stuff with paper and some alcohol to make a fire starter.
Sunday comics - wrapping paper. You would never have to buy wrapping paper again if you saved this all year!
An old garden hose - make a soaker hose - poke holes throughout, seal off other end, lay in garden; bucket handle,
Baby jars - votive candle holders; storing spices or seeds.
Toothbrushes - bathroom scrubbers; clothing stain scrubbers.
Mailing tubes - cut several of them to the same length, assemble into a wine rack.
Wine corks - soaked in alcohol, they make a good fire-starter.
CD’s - one-of-a-kind drink coasters (paint, cover with paper, etc).
Altoids tins - These tins are the perfect size to make small emergency kits for camping or to keep in your car; basic sewing kits for college kids.
Shredded paper - Makes great packing material for shipping gifts; also makes good packing material for when you are moving.
Old jeans - cut up and sew into squares full of padding to make pot holders.
Tires - build an earthship! Or, maybe just a tire swing.
Old shoes - send to Nike so the rubber can be turned into new playgrounds.
Bath mat - folded just right, can be used as a new floor mop!
Shower curtain - drop cloth for painting; cover the air conditioner during winter?
Mason canning jars - canning, obviously, but they also make great drinking glasses.
Paper - Be sure to use both sides of paper in the house. Just cut up “once used” paper and make notepads with the blank sides!
So what would you add?
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jim of Blueprint for Financial Prosperity | Aug 12, 2008 | Reply
Great list you have here, I like to use milk jugs to collect rain water for watering plans, I find that they work out pretty well (sometimes I wish the handle was located a little lower though). I’m also a fan of the Sunday comics one, it also keeps people busy when they’re waiting for their turn to open gifts. You can read it rather than fidget and get anxious about it.
Ron@TheWisdomJournal | Aug 12, 2008 | Reply
I’ve used old newspapers (without color pics) as a weed barrier under the mulch in my flower beds.
david | Aug 12, 2008 | Reply
Never thought of that Jim, even more of a reason to use the comics!
And Ron, I should have mentioned that one, good one!
MITBeta @ Don't Feed the Alligators | Aug 12, 2008 | Reply
Seems like an inordinate amount of fire or firestarters here… something you’d like to tell us?
Another Personal Finance Blog | Aug 12, 2008 | Reply
We have a collection of toothbrushes that get used for any number of cleaning jobs, and I have a huge bin of leftover screws, nuts and bolts that I seem to always find a use for.
david | Aug 12, 2008 | Reply
It’s my secret MITBeta!
Kate | Aug 12, 2008 | Reply
I’m pretty sure I picked this one up from Ms. Dacyczyn’s Tightwad Gazette, but it’s a goodie that bears repeating. Use pages from last year’s phone book for cleaning glass and for blotting greasy food after frying. It’s also good for wrapping up feminine hygiene products, if that happens in your house. Basically, use this free stuff instead of paying for paper towels or TP. You can use newspaper for washing windows or mirrors, but the phone book pages are already the right size. They also leave no fuzzy debris behind.
David | Aug 12, 2008 | Reply
Great tips, thanks Kate!
Abby | Aug 12, 2008 | Reply
You can also use rags as substitutes for dish sponges. Best of all, these can get thrown in the laundry and used again and again. So you’re not creating waste.
And, of course, newspaper can substitute for bubble wrap in packaging things for mailing. It works well and is easy to recycle.
david | Aug 12, 2008 | Reply
Newspaper as packing material (and wrapping paper) is always a good idea!
Vinessa | Aug 13, 2008 | Reply
Those gallon milk jugs also make great storage containers for plastic shopping bags (and encourage you to reuse those bags, as well!) I cut a large hole in the side of the jug, push the bags in the top and pull them out through the side.
david | Aug 13, 2008 | Reply
Good one Vinessa!
picaro | Aug 13, 2008 | Reply
You can make disposable funnels from the tops of milk jugs and soda bottles.
You can buy a set of funnels from the dollar store, but these work well for oil changes.
…or if you’re making tomato sauce and require a larger drain hole.
Oh, we funnel our homemade sauce into empty applesauce jars.
Sara at On Simplicity | Aug 15, 2008 | Reply
I’m loving all the milk jug ideas; that’s definitely something that ends up lying around. I use cereal boxes as magazine files (with top and a corner cut off) and cappucino and cocoa containers (the round ones) to hold office supplies. I keep thinking I’ll decoupage them all into a matching set, but to be honest, they’re fine just the way they are.
I’d love to hear more glass bottle ideas. Can you believe that they don’t recycle glass in my area?
David | Aug 15, 2008 | Reply
No glass recycling, wow…and I thought my “no plastic” town was bad! Anyone have any more ideas for glass bottles? I use ours for storing nails, screws, bolts, nuts, etc…along with making pencil/pen holders for different rooms, and for storing rice/seeds/grains/etc.
learning the ropes | Aug 17, 2008 | Reply
Yoghurt cups:
They have a good shape and size to be recycled over and over again. I use mine for a variety of puroses, the best of all is as containers for my smaller plants.
Crystal | Aug 17, 2008 | Reply
I use glass jars for dry food storage, the spaghetti sauce size works great. I store all my pasta and beans in them. It also makes a great looking display on the back splash of my stove!
Michelle | Aug 19, 2008 | Reply
Fill bottles with water and put them in the toilet tank to reduce water every day!
crazyliblady | Aug 27, 2008 | Reply
How about using glass bottles/jars to accumulate to save for later deposits to a bank account?
I re-use plastic shopping bags for small trash cans. I am re-using old towels and washcloths for cleaning rags.
We found a metal shelving unit by the trash in our neighborhood. There was nothing wrong with it.
We also had one of those shelving units from Walmart made of pressed wood. The shelf completely feel apart, but I re-appropriated the shelves in it for a different use.
A co-worker was getting rid out of her house because she is renovating. I bought a cabinet with doors on the front from her and also a small bookshelf. I had to replace the door handles on the cabinet, but that was only a few dollars. It was well worth not having to spend money to buy something new.
A church in my neighborhood had had several yard sales to raise money to replace their roof. At the end of the summer, they had a “giveaway sale” where everything was free. I told home a big box of stuff. I paid them $3 for the stuff and they seemed really confused, but I told them I can afford to pay something and would feel bad going home with so much stuff without paying. They were ecstatic.
david | Aug 27, 2008 | Reply
Great tips!
Jenn | Sep 11, 2008 | Reply
I got a bottle cutter from a friend and cut the necks off glass bottles to make vases and drinking glasses. You can get etching fluid and stencils from the craft store to personalize them, or if you make candles you can put them inside for your home or for gifts.
You can cut the bottoms off 1 gallon wine jugs to make garden cloches.
kitchen OCD | Oct 19, 2008 | Reply
Yogurt lids under pepper grinders and olive oil bottles. If you keep these items on the counter or in a cupboard the lids will keep the mess in line and will also remind you where the item goes. Probably standard in many homes.
david | Oct 31, 2008 | Reply
razor blades last forever if you dry them off well after shaving
vivian land | Nov 3, 2008 | Reply
I sew and use the glass jars for storing buttons,pins and etc. I use the plastic coffee cans to hold my knitting thread to keep it clean .Just cut a small round Hole in the plastic top for the thread to come through.