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Clever ways to use 20 things you'd normally throw away

Posted May 12 2008, 06:40 PM by Karen Datko
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We're quite sure it never occurred to you to cut up cereal liner bags and use the pieces  between hamburger patties when you're stacking and freezing them.

Empty tissue boxes? Fill them with those flimsy plastic shopping bags so you can easily pull out one when you need it. And those bags? Line the garbage pail or the paint tray (or our own personal favorite -- pick up doggie deposits).

You'll find the complete list of these clever tips at TipNut.com, a site we immediately bookmarked after it was recommended to us by Abby Freedman.

"These are just ideas intended to spark looking at things a little differently instead of just automatically throwing stuff away," "TipNut" writes.

For instance, we never would have thought to freeze orange peels so we have some handy whenever we need orange zest. TipNut also suggests wrapping cleaned plastic foam food trays in foil and reusing them when you're giving cookies as gifts.

Here's one we're going to adopt as soon as we use up our bag on onions: Mesh from veggie bags can be wadded up and used as a household scrubber.

Bonus: TipNut's readers responded with lots of tips of their own.

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Comments

 

Dryer sheets can be used as lint rollers, so save them. If you go camping, save your dryer lint, toilet paper rolls, and candle leftovers. Fill the rolls with dryer lint and melt the leftover candlewax over the ends. These make great firestarters.

Amanda (Posted 02.27.09 10:35 PM ) Report Abuse

To a clean and fresh up your bathroom, you make a misture in a gallon of water with 1/3 cup of bleach, 2 table spoons of baking soda,and 1/2 cup of anti-bacterial dish soup. Then, re-using empty and clean spray botles from old produts; remove the brand lables and place a new one with the list of the new ingriedients above. My bathroom is always clean and fresh.

Rosan, Fl 2/6/09

Rosan (Posted 03.06.09 6:34 AM ) Report Abuse

In the discout stores, get a package of shower caps, usually you get a lot of them in one single package. They can be use while you in the out doors for a pick-nick; they protects your food from the flying  insects by using them to cover your dishes, bowls and plates.

Rosan (Posted 03.06.09 6:59 AM ) Report Abuse

use white vinegar in your dishwasher jetdry dispense instead of jetdry to eliminate water spots.  It is so much cheaper and does not smell like vinegar.

thrifywife (Posted 03.07.09 9:30 PM ) Report Abuse

i have used my onion bags as a holder for my slivers of soap ...i have a place i hang this from in the bathroom that no one will see if they come in....and save those slivers.the holes in the bag help the soap dry back up...maybe once a year or so i shave them up with a grinder and use it as laundry soap...or even make my own hand soap with oatmeal...(which is really really good)

heather (Posted 03.29.09 12:08 PM ) Report Abuse

I like to reuse plastic spoons and silverware over and over again until they break.  It's pretty simple: I take them to work, eat my lunch, and then toss them in the dishwasher with all my other dishes.  It's a handy way to help the enviroment, and save on plastic silverware expenses!

n FLoyd (Posted 04.05.09 2:40 PM ) Report Abuse

Onion bags work great for suet to feed my birds. I always remove all buttons before tossing a piece of clothing.  Plastic bags work to store Christmas lights.  One string per bag then all like colors are put in a tote.  For kid's toys and electronic gadgets, rechargable batteries.  

Pennie (Posted 04.14.09 9:18 PM ) Report Abuse

I use empty bread bags or plastic shopping bags to pull up poison ivy vines. I put my hand inside, mold the plastic around the hand, and pull the small vine up. Then I pull the pastic bag down over the vine  tie the bag closed and throw it away.  I got the idea from The Mother Earth News Magazine. Just be careful not to let the ivy touch you. If it does, be sure to wash well with soap and water.

Jane duBois (Posted 07.22.09 6:40 PM ) Report Abuse

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