Recycling: Make Useful Household Items

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

29 Apr 2006 05:02 AM

What keeps us from re-using items before finally sending them off for recycling? Nothing. We can make useful household items from recyclable goods and save money at the same time.

Here are some simple, useful ideas:

Disposable Dishes

If you're leaving on a trip and don't want to leave dirty dishes behind or take the time to wash up, cut the bottoms from soda bottles or other containers ahead of time and use them for disposable cereal bowls. When finished eating, rinse and toss in the recycling bin on your way out.

Funnels

Cut the tops off 20 oz. soda bottles to make extra funnels. The smaller size is handy in the kitchen. Use the bottom half of the bottle to store pens, pencils, crayons, and markers.

Scrub Bucket

Plastic ice cream buckets can be washed out and used as scrub buckets. They are great for use when scrubbing floors or even washing walls or cabinets.

Soaking and Mixing

Cut off the bottom of a two-liter soda bottle and use it for soaking and cleaning paintbrushes, or for mixing and thinning paint.

Toilet Plunger Storage

Wash out a plastic milk jug and cut off the lower half to use as a container for storing your toilet plunger. You can also rinse out plastic coffee cans and use them for the same purpose. These ideas work for storing toilet brushes and other cleaning tools as well.

Make a Kitty Litter Scoop

Follow the directions for the poop scoop in Recycling: More Useful Yard and Garden Items to make a kitty litter scoop.

Pet Dishes

If your puppy tends to chew up his food dish, make disposable ones by cutting off the bottoms of appropriately sized plastic containers.

Rag or Bag Storage

Cut off the top of a plastic milk jug, leaving the handle intact, and use the container to store clean rags or plastic grocery bags. Another good option for bag storage is using the carton from a twelve pack of sodas or a pop up tissue box.

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

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