Here’s a starter pack of 30 ideas for reuse of everyday common items.

1. paper – take printed paper and make it into scrap notepads
2. ziploc bags can be washed an reused repeatedly
3. clothing can be turned into quilts, bags, blankets, dog beds, rags, pillows to name a few
4. boxes & packaging try finding someone else to reuse your boxes with BoxCycle
5. plastic bags have tons of uses, here’s a few ideas from green daily
6. scrap wood can be used for kindling
7. disposables – food containers, cups, pens, razors, paper towel
8. mattress can be broken down or even used to soundproof
9. tennis balls – 50 things you never knew you could do
10. print cartridges – here’s some suggestions to reuse printer cartridges
11. coat hangers – to charity or your local dry cleaner
12. paper bags can be used to make popcorn or pack lunches
13. rubber bands can be saved or donated to a local charity office
14. rechargeable batteries – saves energy too
15. business cards can be used to label boxes or as notepads
16. newspaper can be used to clean windows or line kitty litter
17. plastic food mesh can be used as suet holders or even made into scrub pads
18. citrus peels can be frozen and used for zest or thrown into the fire for aroma
19. cereal bags to restore food or to replace wax paper
20. cd’s could be used as coasters
21. bread tabs – everything has a unique use. Here’s some great ideas for bread tabs
22. bread bags can wrap your other food or scoop your dog poop
23. bread - instead of composting your old bread give it to the birds or squirrels
24. plastic pop bottles make great bird feeders
25. T-shirts are obvious as rags or patches
26. shoe boxes are great containers for taxes or storing supplies
27. toothbrushes become great scrubbers for shoes and cleaning around the house
28. old carpet can be reused as mats or to make things / line things (at least donate it)
29. broken or chipped dishes make great garden ornaments or planters
30. seeds from fruit and veggies can be planted

Wants some more ideas for reuse, here’s a few terrific sites:

How Can I Recycle This

My Zero Waste

AltUse

Next week we are going to move onto our next theme, which you probably think is the next stage of the 3R’s, recycle. Before we visit recycling we are going to look at two forgotten stages in the loop – repair and re-house (find another home for something).

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