The Re-use thread

[Andrea]

Ok guys, I'd like you to put your thinking hats on here and come up with all the ways you can think of to re-use normal household items rather than putting them out with the rubbish.

Hopefully between us all we can come up with some great ideas.

[Claire]

One of us is psychic andrea, I was going to start a thread called "I reused a ... to make a ..."
Anyway here's one to start us off...

I reused rachel's organic yoghurt pots (the big ones, plastic with plastic lids) to make slug traps (sunk into soil, put beer in the bottom, add twigs so nice bugs and mice etc. can get out), and for storing other food.

These pots are rubbish (excuse pun) for throwing away, must be much more energy intensive to make - but brilliant for reuse!

[arno]

Go to the salvage yard and buy a seat belt buckle. Purchase strap material from the local frabric store. Then sew the strap to the seat belt and you have an awsome belt to wear around your waist. I wear mine all the time and people really think that it's cool

Don't throw your old torn nylons away. If you are a gardener you can use them to tie up vines, roses and such. Invent new Ideas to use them.

Cardboard toilet paper, wrapping paper, paper towel rolls make wonderful castle/log house building materials for kids to play with! Also, old tennis ball plastic containers are great for storing pencils, paintbrushes,etc. And two holey socks tied together make a dog and cat toy! Dogs also like old tennis balls.

Old t-shirts can be cut up to make great single-use handkercheifs. They are very soft and kind on your nose, and by making them smaller and using them often, you can avoid the gross-out factor that comes from carrying around a big dirty hankie. Keep a covered basket or container in the bathroom to toss the dirty ones. Wash and reuse (save trees and do your nose a favour!)

[seven]

If you're into unique and weathered furniture, take an old window, with as many or no panels as you wish. Wash it up a bit and make that glass shine. Take cement blocks or any other means of supprt and place strategically underneath the window. Voila!- you've made a coffee-table. Assemble in desired place where piece will stay.

[Haanu]

Un-matched sock- Ok where did the other sock go? Did the dryer eat them again? We are always missing socks. So what do you do with the one sock? Do you have aches and pain? Make your own hot pad. Just fill one plain ordinary sock (no plastic or rubber) with dry, unused rice (brown rice is ok too) sew up the end of the sock with string only. Place this rice filled sock into another un matched sock. sew that one up too. Now you place in your micro wave oven. Depending on the power of the over. Micro wave the rice sock for around 3 minutes. Your heating pad is ready. It usually lasts about an hour. Becareful when you re heat. You dont want to burn your rice. These rice socks will give off a damp heat.

[Claire]

I guess you could also keep one in the freezer for a cold pack?

[Haanu]

Originally Posted by Claire

I guess you could also keep one in the freezer for a cold pack?

Haha, yes you could