Reusing Household items

1. Use cloth bags instead of plastic. This small measure will greatly reduce the amount of waste you bring into your house. No matter where you're shopping, you can bring your own reusable cloth bags instead of accepting plastic bags from the store. Plan ahead by purchasing several reusable bags and storing them where you won't forget to bring them along next time you go shopping, like in your kitchen or in the trunk of your car.
If you forget to bring your cloth bags to the store, you can still reduce waste! Ask the person bagging your groceries not to use double bags. Most stores now sell cloth bags, so you could spring for those instead of accepting plastic or paper - you can never have enough around the house.
Using cloth bags isn't limited to grocery shopping. Take one along when you go shopping for clothes, tools, or any other items you may need.

2. Buy food that has less packaging. If you tend to buy food that comes in boxes wrapped in plastic with individually-wrapped serving sizes inside, you're probably producing more waste than you want to. Look for ways to buy food with minimal packaging, especially plastic packaging, and you'll see your daily mound of garbage turn into a tiny hill. Here are a few tricks to try:
Use the bulk food section. You can buy rice, beans, cereals, teas, spices, and other dry foods in the bulk food section of your grocery store. Store the foods in airtight glass or plastic containers when you get home.

3. Do vermicomposting. You can make your own worm composting system.
Make dinner instead of heating it up. Take-out food and microwaveable dinners require a lot of packaging, and it all just goes in the trash. It definitely takes more time, but consider replacing some of your instant meals with homemade creations. Your waistline will thank you, too.
Buy dairy items in containers you can return. An increasing amount of dairy companies offer a return system in which you buy a glass jug of milk, cream or buttermilk and return the jug for a deposit. This is a great way to cut down on using plastic.
Buy from farmer's markets. They offer mounds of fresh produce that have never touched plastic. Bring along cloth bags to carry your purchases home.

4. Don't use bottled drinks unless you have to. Bottled water - and other bottled drinks - are a major source of waste in many places. In some places bottled water is safer to drink than tap water, but if that's not the case in your area, consider using tap water instead. You can always filter the water if you don't like the way it tastes. This is more economical and much better for the environment.
If you really want to go the distance, you can nix other bottled and canned drinks, too. For example, instead of buying a case of ginger ale, why not make your own? Homemade lemonade and limeade are also great choices.
If you do choose to buy drinks by the bottle, choose large containers, rather than small ones. Get a 5-gallon container of water with a dispenser instead of buying an 18-pack of small bottles.

5. Reduce your paper usage. If you like using computers, there are very few reasons you still need to have a lot of paper waste in your house. Taking measures to reduce the amount of paper you buy, as well as the amount of paper that gets sent to you in the mail, can save you the headache of having to sort through piles of papers.
Go paperless when it comes to bills; choose to pay them online instead.
Consider reading your news online instead of having a newspaper delivered to your house.
Take measures to stop junk mail from overflowing your mailbox.

6. Donate items when possible. If you have old clothing, electronics, or other items you don't want but are still in decent shape, donate them instead of throwing them out in the trash. Better they end up in a classroom or someone's closet than the landfill.
Old clothes and fabric scraps can be donated to a fabric recycling facility.
Schools often accept donations of old computers and other electronics.
Contact a local homeless shelter or donation center to see about donating furniture, electronics, cars, and any other items you're finished using.

7. Reuse containers. Durable containers can be reused a number of times before they need to go out with the garbage or recycling. Bottles, boxes and bags can all serve a second purpose if you know how to use them.
Use paper bags to hold recyclables, if you don't have a bin. You can also use them to fashion book protectors - a flashback to grade school days.
Reuse paper by printing on both sides, or letting your children draw on the back of used paper.
Use food-grade glass containers (that didn't previously contain anything toxic) to store dry goods and leftovers.
Plastic containers are fine to use for storage, but be careful about reusing them too many times to store food. Plastic, even if it's food-grade plastic, can eventually break down and start leaching chemicals into the food.

8. Follow your city's recycling policies. In some places you need to sort plastic, glass, and paper recyclables and and turn them in separately, while other cities allow you to place all recyclables in the same bin and be done with it. Some cities provide recycling pickup, while other places have a recycling center where you can drop everything off. Check your city's website and follow its policy regarding proper recycling.

9. Dispose of trash and hazardous waste properly. There are some household items that just can't be recycled or reused. These items have to be thrown out with the trash or disposed of at a hazardous waste facility. Try to reduce your consumption of the following items, and when you do use them, dispose of them according to your city's laws:
Batteries
Paint
TVs, computers, and other electronics
Light bulbs

10. Save your food scraps and yard cuttings from the trash. Food scraps and yard cuttings don't need to be thrown out. Instead, you can compost them and turn them into rich, nutritious soil that can be used to nourish your garden - or donated to someone else who will be able to use it for theirs. There are many ways to compost; some compost mixtures allow for items like meat and dairy to be included, while others are strictly for fruit and vegetable scraps. To start a basic compost pile, save these items:
Green items, which break down quickly, like raw vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, tea bags, grass cuttings, leaves
Brown items, which break down slowly, like sticks and branches, paper, cardboard, eggshells, sawdust

Make throw pillows from old t-shirts and sweaters. Throw pillows make the couch more comfortable and welcoming. It is also a chic look to have many pillows of different size and shape on your bed or couch. Store-bought pillows can be kind of expensive, so creating a pillow from one of your old t-shirts or sweaters is a great crafting project to try.
•Pick your fabric. Sweaters are soft and comfortable, and tend to have great textures and prints. T-shirts are a fun idea, as well, because they can be a good conversation starter and they can make a room more personable. Which ever fabric you choose make sure that you really want to cut into it. There’s nothing worse than saying “actually, I still wear that!” Tip: try working with a material that won’t give you much trouble for your first pillow, like a cotton t-shirt.
•Trace out the area that you want to make into the pillow (remember, you aren’t limited to a square shape, however, this maybe the easier route to go for beginners). You can cut out two separate squares or keep the sides of the shirt connected, this all depends on the style you want in the end.
•Stuff it! Next you want to turn the shirt inside out if the sides still connected. Sew one side together, allowing only the other side of the shirt-pillow case to be open. Turn it right side out. If you cut two squares out, face the squares backwards to each other (wrong sides together, as if it's inside out) and sew three sides together. You should be able to turn this right side out to reveal what the pillow should look like. Then begin to stuff. And don’t be cheap with the pillow stuffing either. You want a nice firm pillow right?
•Using your sewing machine, finish sewing the open side. Voila! You have a pillow made out of your shirt. This is a perfect accent to your couch or bed or even for traveling. Enjoy!
•If you have feline friends, you can also Make a Cat Bed from an Old Sweater.

Turn an old boot into a planter. Do you have a pair of boots that have been with you through thick and thin? Are they too worn for you or anyone else to make use of them? Give them a new life with plants. These can be used inside or outside.
•Line the inside of boots with wax paper. The wax paper will prevent water from leaking through the boot. Place the middle of one sheet of wax paper over the opening of the boot. Carefully move wax paper into boot with your hand until your fingers hit the bottom of the boot. There will excess wax paper over the edge of the boot. Repeat for second boot.
•Fill each boot about three fourths way with potting soil.
•Place one flower/plant in each boot.
•Remove excess wax paper from the boots with a pair of scissors. Wax paper should come no lower than an inch underneath the top of each boot.
•Fill the remaining fourth of the boot with potting soil.
•Add a small amount of water to each boot.
•Place the boots in sunlight. There you have it! A simple and easy way to reuse those old boots that you cannot bear to part with.

Turn old photos and cards into place mats. It's cleaning time, and you stumble upon a box of old cards. They could be Christmas cards, congratulatory cards, or even birthday cards. Perfect for adding personal touches to your home! One of the easiest and cheapest ways is to make your own place mats for your kitchen table. You can do this using any kind of card, and use the place mats as part of your seasonal decorating. A lot of times, birthday and congratulations cards can have many beautiful fronts that can be used year round.
•Select different cards or parts of cards that you like. You can cut similar shapes like circles or squares from each, or you can keep them whole.
•Remove the backing from one sheet of contact paper and arrange the pictures. You can either line them up side by side, or layer them over one another. You can even lay down a piece of construction paper first as a background, and glue the pictures on in shapes or letters. Be creative! Add your own personal family photos if you'd like too!
•Once you've gotten everything put out to your liking, remove the backing from another sheet of contact paper. Now, with a steady hand, lay the sticky side down without creating bubbles in the paper. Smooth out any bubbles the best you can.
•Cut the place mat to whatever shape and size you wish. Now you have fun, creative place mats that you can truly call your own!

Hold onto your wine bottles. Wine tastes great and looks great. However, have you ever looked at a wine bottle's label? They're quite often pieces of art in and of themselves. Learn How to Use Wine Bottle Labels As Art. You can also Recycle Wine Corks Into a Corkboard, and find other ways to Recycle Wine Bottles. There are even kits sold which allow you to turn any bottle into a lamp!

Make Art from Guitar Strings. After changing your guitar strings, you don't have to throw the old ones away. You can be creative and turn them into a work of art. The finished product can make an interesting centerpiece or even a wonderful gift for a musical friend!

Turn old drink cartons into baskets. Alternatively, you can use them to make picture frames or bird houses!

Reshape old vinyl records. Did you know that you can Make Bowls out of Vinyl Records? Or use them to Make a Salvador Dali Clock?

Carrier bags can be reused in the shops or as bin bags around the house. Paper bags make useful wrapping paper and twist ties can be used to secure loose items together, such as computer wires.

By sticking labels over the address you can reuse envelopes. Alternatively, old envelopes can be used as scrap paper to make notes on.

By cleaning glass jars and small pots, you can use them as small containers to store odds and ends.

Make useful packing material when moving house or to store items.

– can be made into other textile items such as cushion covers or teapot cosies.

Such as foil and egg cartons can be donated to schools and nurseries, where they can be use in art and craft projects.

Can be used to make notes and sketches. Don’t forget to recycle it when you no longer need it.

Old tyres can be given to your local petrol station where they will be recycled. Or you could make a tyre-swing by tying a strong rope around a tyre and attaching it to a tree.

Can be used in woodcrafts for making objects such as a spice rack or a bird table. Alternatively it could be used as firewood.