REUSE it BEFORE you RECYCLE

What could be more penny pinching then finding a way to reuse something that you have already paid for? Before you discard that item in the trash, think, is there something else it could be used for.

I don’t claim to use all of these ideas myself; they have been collected form all over the place and are just presented here for your convenience. They may give you some ideas you hadn’t thought about before and help save a few pennies and generate a little less trash.

KITCHEN

• When you boil potatoes, always save the water. Use it in soups and stews, or cool it and reuse it to fertilize your house plants.

• Empty plastic liners from cereal boxes make good freezer bags or wax paper. Can be reused for lunch bags also.

• Save plastic mesh bags to hold small items you want to run through the dishwasher, reuse to scrub dishes, or place items in to drip dry.

• Save the packaging from convenience food and make your own. Fill TV dinner trays with your own leftovers; jello and pudding cups with similar food, etc.

• Reuse old TV dinner trays to reheat food in the microwave.

• Cut off the tops of empty plastic milk cartons to reuse as funnels.

• Pour old baking soda from the refrigerator down your drain to freshen.

• Use pantyhose to hang onions and potatoes in your pantry. Store in the leg section, with knots in between vegetables. Hang from the ceiling.

GARDENING

• Roses love crushed egg shells. They help keep snails out of the garden.

• Save money growing your own food. Get a jump on the gardening seasons by starting your plants indoors in potting soil placed in empty egg cartons.

• Use old garden hoses to drip irrigate your garden. Cut holes along the length of the hose, and lay along plants.

• Be creative when it comes to containers. Some possibilities:

- Egg cartons; reuse to start plants.

- Old shoes, cute for ornamentals.

- Plastic milk and ice cream containers; cut to size and add drainage holes, or use to transport soil, rocks, or water. Cut tiny holes and place by plants for drip irrigation.

- Cracked mugs and bowls; break them up and use on the bottom of containers for good drainage.

- Cardboard boxes; reuse on a temporary basis for short-lived plants.

- Old tires; stack them up, and fill with straw to grow potatoes.

CLEANING

• Use old newspapers for cleaning glass and windows.

• Reuse old dryer sheets to dust. Place them on the bottom of garbage cans and other areas of the house to eliminate odors.

• Cut up old, worn clothes for cleaning rags. Use old socks for cleaning rags. Place them over your hand for easy dusting.

• Cut the top off empty milk jugs, and reuse to store bathroom cleaning accessories. Use to hold your toilet brush cleaner, and then just discard when dirty.

STORAGE

• If you can, buy your ice cream in big 2 gallon buckets. They can be used for all kinds of storage, from food to toys, as well as sand buckets for children.

• Use empty soda bottles to store water. You can also use them to water house plants when you are away. Cut small holes in the bottom, fill with water, and set inside the plant pots to slowly drip.

• Cut off the top of empty plastic milk containers to desired height to make storage containers to fit in drawers.

• Use ice cube trays for storage of small items.

• Reuse baby food jars to store small items. Screw the lid to the top of a shelf to save space.

• Use film canisters to store small items (like sewing notions) and small amounts of paint.

• Use empty luggage to store blankets, seasonal clothes, or gift items purchased in advance during sales.

• If you have items in storage areas with empty space, fill them with smaller items, and label them. Try to group things in a logical manner. Keep a master list on your computer.

• Store extra blankets in pillow shams that you can set on sofas and beds.

• Decorate large oatmeal containers and other similar empty containers with contact paper, pictures, etc., and reuse for storage of smaller items.

• Save empty plastic eggs that come out of bubble gum type machines: They can be used like plastic Easter eggs at Easter or to store small pieces of jewelry and keep earrings together.

• Reuse old shower curtains to cover wood stored outside.

LINENS & SEWING

• Make potholders out of old ironing board covers.

• Make kitchen towels or table runners out of soiled tablecloths and towels. Make drapes out of tablecloths.

• Cut off the unworn part of old sheets to make pillowcases.

• Store sets of buttons on diaper pins, or keep organized in egg cartons. Take off the lids and stack to save room.

• Use scraps of fabric to make quilts.

HOME OFFICE & COMPUTER

• Make your own postcards from heavy junk mail. Use the lighter pieces for notes.

• Use both sides of printer paper, whether it is to run through the printer again, or other purposes.

• Use unwanted CD's as coasters, hang as shiny decorations for festive occasions, or use them to decorate the wall in your computer room.

• Decorate empty tin cans, and fill with pencils, pens, markers, scissors, etc. and place in each room as needed.

• Before you discard plastic gloves, make large rubber bands by cutting the top at 1/2 inch intervals.

DECORATING

• Reuse the tabs on aluminum cans to hang pictures. Just tack them to the back of the frame, or glue on with a hot glue gun.

• Use worn out sewing machine needles to hang pictures.

• Reuse the plastic bags you get at the grocery store to stuff your drapery toppers. Keep extra plastic bags stored in another plastic bag.

• Use plastic bags for trash. Great for wet items.

• Use colorful toy building blocks as handles on children's dressers.

• Reuse old shower curtains as drop cloths when you paint.

GIFTS

• Save old Christmas paper and shred for use in gift bags.

• Make postcards, gift tags, or ornaments out of old Christmas Cards.

• Save leftover wallpaper to wrap presents.

• Save empty glass jars for gifts and storage.

MISC

• Reuse empty plastic milk jugs, filled with water, in the freezer to fill dead air space.

• Save and Recycle plastic peanuts. Use them at the bottom of planting containers instead of rocks or gravel for water drainage.

• Reuse old diaper pins to hold socks together when washing.

• Save the plastic bags that come with your newspaper for packing items for trips and camping.

If you can think of more ways to reuse, please let me know so I can add it to the list.