Most people waste more than they need to waste. For many, once the initial use for an item has been completed, they simply throw it away. Others simply throw something away because it is a bit older, or maybe because it does not work anymore. There is no guarantee that you can salvage everything that breaks around your house, but chances are you can find some other use for many things. You can be a good steward of the environment as well as save money by reusing common items instead of pitching them in the bin.
Toothbrush as an effective cleaning tool: One such item is the common toothbrush. We go to the dentist every six months and receive a new toothbrush at every visit. Most people throw away the old one and never think twice. You can give those ‘old’ toothbrushes a new lease on life by using them to help you clean. We’re not talking about any kind of drill sergeant type punishment, but real cleaning. You can clean around water faucets, the grout in the shower, and other hard to reach areas as well. You can also use a toothbrush as a spot cleaning scrub brush on clothing stains and spills on the carpet.
Newspaper for spill and weed control: When you go out to get your morning or evening paper, I’m sure you seldom think about what you are going to do with it when you are done. Most people think no further than the recycling bin. However, the common newspaper can serve you in many ways before it is ready for the garbage tote. You can use old newspaper as a packing material to keep fragile things safe during transport. It can also be used as an insulator in an emergency situation. It might be good to keep a stack in the trunk of the car during the cold and snowy winter months. Newspaper can also be used to catch spills and potential stains when painting or doing crafts. Another great use for newspaper is as a weed barrier in your garden. The paper fibers are biodegradable and a few layers of paper will help keep unwanted weeds under control.
Old Jars as containers for edible stuff and odds and ends: Plastic and glass jars have many uses. These are great things to use to keep the nuts, bolts, screws, and other small fasteners in order and off the bottom of the junk drawer. Of course, you can use them for storing other things of a more edible nature like oils, sauces, leftover pasta, and homemade chicken stock. Use plastic jars when you are not going to freeze items or subject them to high heat. Use plastic jars if you are concerned with breakage via dropping. If you want to organize your garage and all the little odds and ends that wind up out there, you can use jars to help. Keep the lids with the jars and you can use them as a way to suspend the jars easily.
Simply purchase a box of one inch drywall screws and use a screwgun to drive two screws through the inside of the lid into on overhead board where you want to store your jars and their nick-knacks. Once the lid is solidly attached, simply screw the jar onto the lid. It will hang up out of the way and allow you to see the contents easily and from a distance.
Old trays as silverware organizer: If you have updated your kitchen, you have likely purchased a couple new silverware trays. The old ones may not be up to par with the latest interior fashion trends, but they can serve in other ways. If your house is like most other houses in the US, then you probably have at least one drawer that can be classified as the junk drawer. This is the drawer where everything goes that does not have a particular place. To make this drawer easier to manage and its contents easier to sort through and find, use the old silverware trays to help you organize. Screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, and other miscellaneous tools and hardware will be much easier to find and you will have saved one more item from reaching the landfill.