Before you toss those worn-out items at home that you had earmarked for the landfill, you might be able to give them a second lease on life. Your home is brimming with hidden treasures, so how about giving those everyday items a second chance to shine? Let’s look at 17 ways to breathe new life back into ordinary household items.
Cardboard Tubes
Empty cardboard tubes from paper towels, toilet paper, and wrapping paper can be used to organize tangled cords and cables. They can also be transformed into simple bird feeders by spreading peanut butter and birdseed on the surface. House Digest called it the “easy way to transform an empty cardboard tube into a perfect DIY bird feeder.”
T-Shirts
Transform old T-shirts into trendy and eco-friendly shopping bags. Upcycling your old tees not only reduces waste but also adds a personal touch to your grocery runs. With a simple sewing project or no-sew techniques, you can create sturdy and stylish bags that are perfect for carrying your essentials.
Glass Jars
Empty glass jars are extremely useful to have in a variety of shapes and sizes. They make versatile storage containers that can add a touch of rustic charm to your kitchen, bathroom, kids’ room, or garage. From storing pantry staples to organizing craft supplies, these jars are perfect for keeping your belongings tidy and accessible, for free!
Wine Bottles
Repurposed wine bottles can be utilized as stem vases, string light fixtures, and more. Using wine bottles as plant-watering bottles is a splendid solution for an irrigation drip system. Just put water in a clean wine bottle and insert it upside down into the ground. Taste of Home says, “The weight distribution of the water in the inverted bottle means the water won’t rush into the soil all at once. Instead, it will slowly trickle out over the next few days.”
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds are really useful. They’re able to fertilize your plants, naturally ward off insects and pests, and absorb and neutralize unpleasant odors. Coffee grounds work well for do-it-yourself tasks as well! You can use the coffee grounds to exfoliate your skin and remove dark bags under your eyes, or you can prepare your own face and body scrub.
Toothbrushes
Store used toothbrushes in all areas you clean, such as the laundry room, kitchen, and bathroom. Toothbrushes are excellent scrubbers and may be used to clean a wide range of objects, including your computer keyboard, jewelry, and stains on cloth. Just be sure to indicate which toothbrushes are meant for brushing your teeth and which are for cleaning the house!
Towels
Don’t throw away those worn-out towels just yet! Repurpose them as cleaning rags for a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to disposable wipes. Cut them into manageable sizes and use them to tackle spills, dust, and grime around your home. You might have to eventually throw them away, but they definitely have a little bit longer left in them.
Food Scraps
You may compost or repurpose a lot of food products rather than tossing away extra food or leftovers! Vegetable ends and onion skins can be used to make a delicious vegetable stock that tastes far better than store-bought varieties. Lettuce and green onion ends can be readily regrown in a cup of water. Additionally, everything that cannot be cooked or grown can be composted, as long as it doesn’t include dairy, meat, or oil.
Broken Crayons
Don’t let those broken crayons go to waste. Melt them down and create colorful candles, or use them for various art projects. Children will love getting involved in these kinds of projects too, seeing their old art supplies crafted into something new. From crayon drip paintings to tie-dye creations, the possibilities are endless.
Plastic Bottles
The war on plastic is a real thing, but you can help counter it by repurposing your plastic bottles into vertical garden planters, providing a space-saving solution for growing herbs, flowers, or even small vegetables. Cut, decorate, and arrange the bottles to create a unique and eye-catching garden display.
Shoe Boxes
The rigid cardboard that shoeboxes tend to be made from lends itself well to being repurposed as drawer dividers to organize socks, underwear, or other small items. The ones with a flip-up lid are particularly useful for storing craft or garage supplies. They can also be kept intact and decorated to be used as gift boxes for special occasions.
Old Tires
Old tires can be repurposed into fun swings for children or adults. They can also be cleaned, painted, and decorated to create unique planters or used as decorative elements in your garden or yard. Trees.com recommends that “depending on what sort of planters you are creating, you might want to consider lining them and creating drainage holes.” So make sure you consider the drainage requirements for your specific plants before you get going.
Newspaper
Nothing is more frustrating than needing an item that you already threw away and then having to buy it. While you might not need your old newspapers on a daily basis, there will certainly come a time when you need them for moving, wrapping, shipping, or storage. So think ahead and save those old newspapers! It can also be used as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional wrapping paper.
Broken Ceramics/Glass
That feeling of dread we get when we drop or smash something can be removed by repurposing the broken pieces into an art, craft, or DIY project. Think about adding color and sparkle to an old tabletop by creating your own mosaic or having a bash at making your own mural or piece of art. That way, it doesn’t have to be a sad ending, but the beginning of something fresh.
Tissue Boxes
Why is wrestling a plastic bag out of a drawer so stressful sometimes? If you save your old tissue boxes, then you can use them as a convenient method of taking bags one by one. The Kitchn said that “an empty tissue box makes a lot more sense when it comes to wrangling all those loose bags.” Place them in strategic locations around the house, so you can always grab a bag when you need one.
Condiment Bottles
When the ketchup or mustard has come to an end and you would normally toss that bottle in the trash, think about saving it! Repurposed, empty condiment bottles can be filled with pancake mix or frosting to make stunning cupcake toppers and decorative designs. Alternatively, you might want to use them for your intricate craft designs, such as making detailed glitter lines.
Face Cream Pots
Don’t toss those empty face cream pots; these little jars are going to be lifesavers next time you want to travel, or they can be repurposed for countless uses around the house. Use them to pack pills, vitamins, or contact lens solution for on-the-go convenience, or re-fill them for hand luggage on planes that are required to be under 100 mL. On top of that, you can keep them to organize your jewelry, keeping earrings, rings, or small hair clips neatly organized on your vanity table.
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