4 Everyday “Disposable” Items to Reuse

Our lives are full of “disposable” items. With so much packaging and materials used today it’s hard to keep my recycling bin empty. So, while recycling is a-mazing! It’s even better to reuse. Finding ways to reuse our seemingly useless items can be difficult, especially when we see something as only a milk jug. Our brain is wired to grab it from the fridge when we need a drink, then pitch it when it’s empty. Right?

I hope some of you will find this post useful and hopefully starting reusing things you already have for a different purpose than what it was intended for. When we reuse things we already have, we do not require as much new stuff.

 

1. Newspaper.

I have not purchased wrapping paper for years. It’s expensive and let’s face it, kids don’t really care what the wrapping paper looks like anyway. I have newspaper from 2006 still! To dress is up a bit, I made stencils and used acrylic paint to label them. So easy and cheap, just the way I like it.

2. Round Containers

Believe it or not this is a decoupaged baby formula container. It’s decoupaged with homemade Mod Podge, way cheaper! I just used old tissue paper to cover it and a simple little print out. If you don’t have an infant or a job where you raid the recycling daily, you could use Pringles cans or old-fashioned oat containers. I then wrapped my actual gifts in tissue paper as well and stuck them in there.

 

 

3. Old, Dirty T-Shirts

We don’t really use paper towels around here, so we go through rags like crazy. Who really wants to pay for something that they are just cleaning up messes with? My favorite rags are socks, gotta tell ya, you just slip them right on your hand and you’re ready to go. I also cut old t-shirts into small sections and then I’m surely not to run out of rags!

 

4. Milk Jugs

Last one for today, here is an old milk jug cut and folded in such a way that you can use it for a sandwich or snack holder.  I use a rubber band (that came off produce). Here are the directions.

What everyday, disposable items do you reuse?