I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t recycling or reusing something for a secondary cause other than it’s intended purpose.
As a kid, it was just fun. Like, building miniature towns from leftover cereal boxes and toilet paper rolls.
I think I saved every single shoe box ever and kept papers and old letters in them.
Different topic but…now that I write all this out, I think I was a bit of a pack-rat child. Note: I have given up most of that tendency.
So back to recycling.
I wanted to list for you some of my favorite and/or most consistent re-uses for everyday items.
a) plastic grocery bags. Of course, I wouldn’t have these if I could remember to bring my cloth or paper bags with me every time I shop, but the reality of it is I forgot often.
So with these bags I:
>line trashcans
>seal up dirty diapers & stinky leftovers before they go in the trash
>keep in the car as trash bags
>wrap gels/toothpaste/leakable toiletries when traveling
>transport whatever (clothes for goodwill, etc)
b) glass jars.
I cannot for the life of me bring myself to throw away old salsa jars, peanut butter jars, spaghetti sauce jars, maple syrup jars, etc. I mean, sometimes I actually purchase a particular brand of these things based on the glass jar shape and design they’re in.
So when the food is gone, I wash them, and scrub the labels off. Then I use them for:
>leftovers
>kombucha (back when I was making it)
>buttons
>small craft supplies
>small groups of toys (Isaiah’s African carved wood animals)
>we drink out of them as cups
c) old t-shirts and sweaters.
My favorite hat of Zoe’s was once my t-shirt. I stopped wearing it, decided I should just get rid of it, but then I needed a stretchy soft material to make a “house cap” for Zoe to wear around the house in the winter. I cut a triangular shape out, sewed it into a tube (wide enough for her head at one end, down to a little ‘tail’ at the other end), and perfect-o!
Sweaters can be made into hats too, as well as leg warmers (from the arms), and neck warmers/scarves.
d) mail.
I use the blank backs of envelopes (junk mail/bank statements/invitations, etc) for my lists. To-do lists. Grocery lists. “What do I want out of life?” lists.
e) magazines.
There are some pictures/photographs/quotes from Real Simple, Victoria, Glamor and the like that are totally wall-art worthy. I discovered one of my favorite quotes (featured in the right side-bar of this blog!) in Real Simple. It has hung on my wall ever since.
Good second hand frames come in handy for this– rip the ugly 70’s print out and replace.
What are your proudest recycles? What do you always remember to recycle? What of my ideas do you do as well?
.feedback.
4 Responses to “you know how you’re supposed to recycle?”
I always recycle plastic soda and water bottles. John gets mad if something goes in the trash that should have been recycled. He’s our recycle nazi.
~i turned a an old picture frame (it used to have an eagle picture–ew) into a glass top for my coffee table.
~i use food lion bags for everything, too.
~i use tote bags for luggage. there are more, but they’re easier to pack into small cars, and easier to organize. oh and way, way cheaper.
~i paint on the same canvases over and over, until i actually like what’s on it.
~i used an old hair ribbon to tie back my curtain.
~etc… i like this kind of thingey.
amen to wrapping up stinky diapers in plastic bags…
we do the plastic bag stuff for sure around here.
AND I DIDN’T KNOW YOU MADE KOMBUCHA!!! i love that stuff!
I make Delilah little baby yoga pants out of old T-shirts. If you cut off the arms and cut off the neck( just straight across) you have a pattern for pants!!! So if you have something with a cool design on the front it is now on the leg! I have made some very cute ones!!!!!! I will also make them for the boys out of the hubbys old shirts!