Today’s society is very concerned with the environment and with saving the resources we have on our planet. Due to this, there’s a worldwide call to reduce, reuse and recycle. Not only do those things help us to keep our planet intact, but on a day to day level, they help us to save money in our homes.
By taking everyday items that you would normally throw away and repurposing them, you’re using them for a new task and saving money on buying new commodities. Of course, this helps the Earth, keeps our homes environmentally friendly and reduces our waste, but it also keeps us in pocket.
Why not try some of these basic ideas.
New Tasks for Spaghetti Jars
Spaghetti jars are a great utensil to repurpose. Once washed out, they provide a waterproof, airtight containers which can be used for storage, decoration and gifting.
Why not use spaghetti jars to store things such as rice, or herbs. As they’re airtight, they keep these things sealed from bacteria in the air.
- You can also use them to store small home office accessories, such as paper clips or drawing pins. Additionally, why not give them a new home in your child’s bedroom for hair accessories or small games pieces.
- Having a cocktail party? Don’t run out and buy a cocktail shaker, just repurpose an old spaghetti jar to shake up your drinks.
- Not really a morning person? Don’t have time for breakfast? Why not fill your spaghetti jar with cereal or muesli the night before, and take it with you. Just add the yoghurt or milk when you get to work!
Reassign Your Empty Milk Containers
Old plastic milk containers can usually be recycled, but unfortunately, recycling centres only take plastic by the pound. If you’ve only got one or two, give them a new job to do in your home.
- Have a lot of house plants that need your attention? Poke a few holes in the lid of a milk container and you have a brand new watering can!
- Perhaps you have pets that need to be served the correct amount of dry food? Just cut off the bottom of the milk container and you have a scoop to use. This can also be used as a pooper scooper, or a dustpan.
- But don’t throw away the top! Use it to seal bagged food, like chips or pasta. Unscrew the lid, feed the opened end of the bag through, pull it back over the top of the plastic and screw the lid back on. Easy!
Don’t Need Your Old Cutlery Tray?
Don’t throw cutlery trays away. Anything that was originally for organising something in your home, can go on to organise something else!
- Try turning it up on its end and adding a few funky door knobs at the top of each section. This turns it into a lovely way to organise your jewelry without it getting tangled.
- Why not slip it inside the top drawer of your dresser and use it for organising hair accessories, or makeup?
- Maybe you could give it a new home in your office and use it to organise pens, paperclips and other stationery.
Use Your Bread Tags To Get Organised
What do you do with those little bits of plastic that come on the top off your loaf of bread. Most people just throw them away. But why not put them to a new purpose as mini organising tools.
- Loop them through the whole in spare keys and write the key’s purpose on them. That way you don’t have to worry when you come across a lone key, or sift through a whole bunch when you need to find the right one.
- Having a party and don’t want to get wine glasses mixed up? Write names on the tags and slot them over the step of the wine glass.
- Or perhaps you just have a whole plethora of tangled cords for your laptop, desktop, monitor, printer etc and you want to separate them and know what they’re for. Just label the bread tags and hook them to the cords.
Repurposing is easy when you start to think what you have in your house available to you.
To do your bit for the planet and save money, you don’t have to power your home with portable solar power generator or cover your house in grass, just reuse what you already have! You just need to be creative, think outside the box and think about how much money you’ll save if you stop wasting it on new items and start using old ones for new jobs!
Image source: http://freepak.co.za/
Rick Mercado is a freelance writer, with a passion for outdoor pursuits. When he’s not working, you can find him out in his kayak or hiking through the woods. Because of this, he believes in preserving nature, and recommends that people go to http://www.go-green-solar-energy.com to understand what they can do to help preserve the planet and respect the world around us.