10 Household Items That You Can Reuse
The lifespan of our household items is only limited by our imagination. Reusing not only helps us to sustain the environment for future generations and also reduces the amount of waste that will need to be recycled.
Footprint Calculator released by the Earth Day Network shows, we can always do more to consume less. Plus, by re-using items in your home, you’ll save money.
Here are some items you needn’t toss after one use:
Tea bags – Keep your shoe odor-free by inserting dry (used) tea bags into the shoe. You can also put your used tea bag in the refrigerator and re-purpose it later in the day to relax your eyes. Cool tea bags do wonders for eye puffiness and irritation. Dampen the used tea bags in warm water. Open the tea bag and spread the damp leaves on the rug. Leave it till the leaves dry up and vacuum. You can choose a flavored tea like lemon or mint to leave behind a nice scent!
Old Towels – Cut old towels and use them as washable cleaning rags to take care of dirty floors, as a duster for cars, as a dog towel, rugs, bath mats, pot holders and more. If you love to sew, here is an idea.
Egg Carton – The egg cartons have perfectly sized compartments for growing seedlings. Cut off the lid, fill each cup with potting soil, and plant some seeds. Once the plants are big enough, just cut out the individual cups of the carton and place them directly into the soil. You can also give them to your friends who own chicken.
Glass Jars – Reuse glass jars and bottles for homemade sauce, stock or use them to store art, office, or bathroom supplies.
Citrus Rinds – I use orange or lemon rinds to make an antimicrobial, antibacterial all-purpose cleaner. Add the peels to a jar of vinegar, make sure they are completely submerged keep them for 4 weeks and then strain into a bottle. To use as a cleaner, fill a spray bottle halfway with the citrus vinegar and then add water to fill the bottle. Shake well before use. Here is how you can make a homemade potpourri with citrus peels.
Candle Jars – Reuse candle jars to store makeup essentials, seasonal decor items. Set it up as a desk caddy. Bigger candle jars can be used as vases.
Old Toothbrushes – Old toothbrushes can used to clean appliances, apply hair dye, clean shoe soles. Here are 37 uses for an old toothbrush.
Old Newspapers – Keep handbags, shoes, boots in pristine condition by stuffing them with old newspaper. You can also repurpose old newspapers as an eco-friendly DIY gift wrap. Use newspapers to line shelves and drawers.
Condiment Bottles – Fill a condiment squeeze bottle with pancake batter to make fun shapes for special occasions. You can also use them to store your homemade condiments. Here is a list of 20 condiments you can make at home.
Socks – Throw a sock over your hand and get to work dusting around the house. The sock will trap dirt, hair, and dust on appliances, tables. Place mothballs or moth crystals inside a clean sock and hang from the ceiling of your closet, place on a shelf, or store with winter clothes or you can fill an old, clean sock with potpourri and secure the end with a ribbon or rubber band. Stick it in a closet, gym bag, or drawer to freshen up your belongings.
Do find ways to cut down on your ecological footprint and repurpose items at home. The Ecological Footprint measures how fast we consume resources and generate waste compared to how fast nature can absorb our waste and generate resources.