Have you ever reused something for a different purpose? A lot of people say that used dryer sheets make for great dust rags or scrubbing rags for the bathroom. Old t-shirts are ideal for cleaning glass.
Do you reuse an old item for something else?
Be sure to catch up on all the previous Let’s Save Some Money posts.
I reuse envelopes that come in credit card applications and bills (I use an electronic bill payment through my bank) to hold my coupons in a shoe box. This makes easy filing and I didn’t have to spend anything.
Also, I reuse glass spaghetti sauce jars and Mayonnaise jars for items in the bathroom such as cotton balls and Q-tips! It looks nice arranged on a shelf and again, it didn’t cost me anything but what I paid for the spaghetti sauce.
I don’t know if anyone mentioned this with the dryer sheets, but to make my dryer sheets and my liquid fabric softner last longer, after you have used the dryers sheets you can throw them in the washer with the laundry to use for fabric softner and then throw them straight in the dryer with the laundry you just washed them with. My mom gave me this idea and I have been doing it for years. She was growing up during the depression and had to use rations to get bread, milk, flour, etc…so she is always giving me tips like this and I love it. It has definitely saved me alot!!
We use wipes containers to store crayons/markers and art supplies.
We always save bows/giftbags for another gift. The kids love to play with paper towel cardboard tubes for various crafts and imaginitive games-sometimes they pretend they are swords or telescopes.
When my last little one was still in diapers I cut up two of her old receiving blankets (one thermal, one regular), cut them into squares, and sewed the two sides together. We used an old spray container (used to hold spray conditioner) with a drop of baby shampoo and the rest water. Worked like a charm! I read it on Craftster, there were people using them to make cloth diapers even – I’m not that talented though! :)
I made a few wind chimes with the old AOL cd’s you got in the mail all the time. Fishing line, a few CD’s and some old fake flowers – the kids loved them!
OH yes I reuse stuff all the time for new uses. Feel free to feature them but link it back to me. Here’s my ideas:
Reuse plastic baby wipes containers in many different ways
Reuse Classico brand spaghetti sauce glass jars
Reusing cereal boxes for holding magazines (not my idea but on my blog)
Reusing milk jugs to hold picked huckleberries in the garden
Reusing egg cartons in a few different creative ways
GO here for pictures and explanations: http://designingandmotherhood.blogspot.com/search/label/A%20greener%20life
Staci from http://www.designingandmotherhood.blogspot.com
I have a ton of those glade candle holders (little tins with holes in them) for the scented oil candles. After I used the candle I filled up the cans with baking soda and put them at the bottom of all of my trash cans and diaper pails. Or, if you are crafty, you can use scrap paper to decorate the tins and use them to put small gifts in.
When my son was on formula, I reused the mini M&Ms tube to hold his powdered formula on the go. The small ones holds 2 to 4 ounces (one to two scoops). The larger ones hold 6 to 8 ounces (three to four scoops). These work perfect for the diaper bag. My daughter (4yrs) was saving and washing every M&M tube she got.
I use ice cube trays as holders for earrings — it’s the perfect size and fits right in a drawer — now my earrings are organized and never messed up. (Kind of an old tip since I’m sure everyone has automatic ice makers in their freezers now).
To save money, instead of using shaving cream or gel, I use conditioner. It takes very little and my legs are never dry anymore. It seems there’s always deals on free conditioner but rarely shaving cream — and since you use so much less, it has saved me money and my legs feel great! (Not sure this fits the “reuse” tip — more for a “use something for a different purpose” tip, but wanted to share).
Thanks for the idea of using conditioner as shaving cream :)
You can reuse the plastic shells that fruit & veggies come in to start seeds for your garden. It’s a natural little hot house. I’m using plastic gallon milk containers to store rainwater in so it’s mosquito free and easy to carry. Cereal boxes can be opened and covered with scrapbook papers and make into little folding gift boxes and gift tags. That just gave me an idea. Gotta go…
Dryer sheets also great to use if you have burnt something in a pan.
Just add water and let the dryer sheet soak in there for bit. i do this all the time when DH cooks. He tends to burn alot of pans. LOL
Makes clean up so easy
We use the cardboard in paper towel rolls to keep electrical cords neat and tidy.
Take old board game pieces from the games that have lost most of them and use them to decorate picture frames or use in a scrapbook.
Cut up old t-shirts and use them to make tote bags or a pillow. (These make great gifts!)
I bought the Lysol no touch soap dispenser and instead of buying the Lysol refills, my husband made a whole with the drill on top of the refill bottle, that way I can just refill it with any other kind of soap instead of buying the Lysol refills wich are about $4 ech.
That is a good one. DH just pried the lid off the other day of ours, it worked too so now it can always be refilled. No way am I paying what they want for those refills!
Growing up, my mom used my old white cloth diapers as cleaning rags. Now that I am an adult, I also use newspaper to clean my windows.
I use baby wipes for everything (!) and then use the containers for storage. They are perfect for stacking and I can use my label maker to tell me what’s in there.
In my classroom, I reuse lots of things for storage and crafts. Although I don’t have kids yet, they could be used at home too…
I keep manipulatives and blocks in coffee canisters with lids. The kids can go grab a bucket and take it to their seats for lessons and play time.
I use the plastic trays from Lean Cuisines (or other microwave meals) to hold tiny things and paint for craft time. For little things (think sequins, pom-poms, etc) the kids can see everything in the tray, but the raised edge keeps the items from spilling everywhere. For paint, I can put some colored paint in the middle and the trays are big enough that the paintbrushes can rest in the trays without falling out.
For Easter, we take plastic milk jugs, cut out the top front piece (across from the handle) and turn it into a plastic bunny egg/candy basket.
I use the boxes and labels from food items to teach my kids how to read by finding chunks of words they know and sounding out the rest. We use these for our word wall. Example: Chips bag–they can sound out the digraph “ch” and then sound out the rest of the letter sounds. The kids LOVE this and they learn to read the packages they recognize, not just guess by looking at the pictures.
We reuse so many throw-away items for crafts, too…toilet paper rolls, newspaper, yarn/ribbons…you can Google some awesome recycled crafts.
Our one that has not been mentioned yet: Take an old t-shirt, spray with perfume or cologne, and hang it near our garden. It keeps the deer from trouncing through it or eating it. A dear friend gave me the idea.
A deer tip from a dear friend – hee hee
As others mentioned I rinse out plastic bags that have only had ‘dry’ items in them.
I cut up my worn dishtowels and use them as dishrags. I also use all the older dishtowels as spill cleaners instead of using a gazillion paper towels (just need hubby and kids to get in that habit!)
During our cloth diaper days I found by accident that baby wipes wash up really well at least once, and some of them a 2nd time. I would fill a tub with these and add my own wipe mixture to resuse for the same purpose, or use them elsewhere in the house for other things. The washed wipes made a good diaper liner too since they come out a little thinner and softer than prior to washing.
Oh, I love this topic! Last year I got on a big reusing kick and started scouring the internet for ideas. I found alot of great ones but a few of my favorites:
I use the little plastic tabs from the bread to use as food scrapers.
The mesh bag from onions can also be used as a scouring pad for pots and pans
Use the inner lining of cereal boxes as wax paper.
I use baby wipes for everything (the unscented work best). These are great for wiping hands, wiping up spills and wiping counters etc. I keep a box in the kitchen and a box in the bathroom and in the car as well.
I saw the coolest one where this lady used empty soymilk (1/2 gallon) containers and made them into drawers under her bathroom sink! I’m not that crafty or creative! :)
I still love the idea of reusing but I started watching Hoarders and it put me into clean out mode! LOL!
we reuse glass jars from spaghetti sauce ect as drinking glasses, if ones breaks no biggie just make spaghetti for dinner :) I also save the plastic kids cups you get at some restaurants for my son to use at home.
Oh, we have a TON of those kids cups (our “fine plastic stemware” as we call them!) and use them pretty much all the time at meals. They are also great for holding water and brushes when my kids want to paint, as a drip cup under the grill, as a pencil holder… pretty much anything that you need a cup for.
We use these in the summer time for lemonade and margaritas!
This one is pretty obvious but butter and sour cream tubs. I reuse them as planters.
I reuse gift bags when I’m given gifts.
I save 2L bottles, wash them really well, fill them with water, and put them in the freezer when there is a hurricane threat. This does two things – it helps keep the freezer colder longer if there is a power failure and, as the water thaws, we have extra (cold!) water to drink.
I reuse sandwich bags. I wash them out and dry them. I reuse the tubs that lunch meat comes in as food storage. I also use the styrofoam containers that produce comes in as food prep dishes.
I make homemade household cleaners. I use the plastic syrup bottles, parmesan cheese containers with the green lid (for scented baking soda), Eucerin jar (large one), and old towels and wash clothes to clean with. I use old wash clothes on my swiffer instead of buying the refill pads (saves a ton of money) and use my homemade scented vinegar and water to clean my floors. I also use the empty soap pump containers to add homemade soap to.
There are so many items you can recycle with and save money.
Will you share your recipe for scented vinegar?
We use old book cases as garden beds – just fill with dirt
We fill old non-matching long socks with RICE and microwave when we need a heating pad or to warm the bed sheets.
We use old jars a cups and to hold homemade jelly :)
I reuse sandwhich bags when there is no meat products in them. Also I reuse aluminum foil when it is possible to save it. I use the old t-shirts as dust rags and I also use fabric napkins instead of papertowels for eating saves me tons.
If you have a dish that you baked something in and you can’t get the baked on food off the bottom and sides, put a dryer sheet in it and fill it up with water and let it sit. After a little while the baked on gook will wipe right off!
Whoa! What a great tip!
We save the plastic baby wipes containers (well not all of them). DH uses a ton in the garage on his work bench for screws etc, and I use them in the house for other things. For example my coupons for my coupon trains are stored in a baby wipes container.
Hey Tara,
Saving some of the plastic baby wipes containers to hold the coupons is a great idea-I never thought of that.
Thanks so much!!!
Cathy from FL
That is my coupon system, I have 3 baby wipes containers, and small envelopes inside with categories written on them, stored alphabetically.
I use old tins for organizing my drawers..the square and rectangle ones are the best.
If you use similac formula in the ‘square’ plastic containers…just rip th elabel off when finished and they make fabulous storage containers,,,hand grip and all.i removed the lids, labeled for the kids smaller toys and stacked away…very sturdy!
You can toss those dryer sheets in the backs of drawers or closets as well to keep them from getting too musty…also pull out those panty hose from the eighties and use then when you stake your garden plants…while you are out there toss your coffee grounds and crumbled egg shells in your garden as well…I use yogurt cups to make our own “jello cups”…save an equal number of lids from creamy and chunky peanut butter (same brand) and you can play outdoor checkers or tic tac toe with some sidewak chalk!
I save the plastic coffee can with the finger grips on the side to use when painting. These coffee cans make the best thing to put paint into to paint trim.
I have been known to wash out and dry ziploc bags that only had bread/crackers/etc. in them. Also, I purchased a wrap n mat and snack pouch for my husbands lunch so I don’t have to keep using plastic bags/wrap/foil. Cheap and green!
Love the dryer sheet tip!!!
I use blueberry and strawberry containers to start new plants from cuttings or seeds. The holes are perfect for drainage. Also, I use old dryer sheets in the bottom of these containers or plant pots to help keep the dirt from going out the drainage holes.
I use the 30ct egg trays that I buy from Save-A-Lot to reuse for our plants for the spring. I use them to start our garden, since we use seeds instead of buying the plants. They are perfect to use because there are 30 spots where you can plant your seeds. But before I plant them, I use a sewing needle to punch a small hole in the bottom of each for draining. And then fill the holes with a mix of dirt and top soil and then plant the seeds.
I like to re-use old coffee cans w/lids, powdered formula cans w/lids and plastic containers w/lids. Near Christmas I re-use these items to hold goodies I make. I either paint the container or glue wrapping paper to it so no one can tell what it was originally used for. These are great to use for baked goods, candy, small toys and trinkets.