Alternate Uses For Common Household Items - Part 2

Two comments posted by gjfalcone and barryrutherford on the previous Hub Alternate Uses for Common Household Items suggested I continue the list. While I was creating a new list of things I reuse I began to think about my grandparents and great-grandparents. They never seemed to throw anything away and I wonder how much of that had to do with the Great Depression. Times are tough all over the globe which is evident in the success of my last Hub. Who knew the Hub I came up with while taking a shower would be my most successful to date? Looking around the house for additional ideas here are some more tips for saving money around the house.

Pasta sauces, pickles, jams, and olives are just a few of the grocery items that come in glass jars. My local market has a bulk food section where you can scoop out only what you need into a plastic produce bag. I use the extra jars to store these bulk food items. Large jars can be used as drinking glasses. Smaller jars can be used to organize the junk drawer in the kitchen or small items in the bathroom. A drawer I recently organized with 3 glass jars separates ponytail elastics, medium sized hair clips, and bobby pins. When everything was mixed together I was always digging around for bobby pins with great frustration. Now, I am able to go directly to them.

My husband loves candles and some of them come in pretty nice jars with lids such as the Yankee Candles. When the candle has been used place it in a pan of water over medium heat to melt the remaining wax and dump it in the trash. After cleaning the jar use it to store other items. I suppose you could collect the wax and re-melt it to make your own candles if you wanted to. Another option is to restock your candle jar with a pillar candle. Since they don't come with a container they are usually cheaper.

Some candles come with nice lids made of wood or metal but they may not seal as well as you'd like them to. In those instances we use them for coasters. The baby can throw them and give them to the dog and we can put our nice coasters away for awhile.

Between the toddler and 2 Labrador retrievers I use more paper towels than I wish. I've always thought I needed these towels for draining grease from foods. Place a cooling rack over a baking sheet and allow the foods to drain onto the sheet. There are more dishes to wash but if you cook your bacon on the rack and sheet in the oven you won't have a cook top to clean.

Whether you accumulate paper or plastic bags there are uses for each. When I have to clean up dog vomit with a paper towel I put one of the plastic bags over my hand to hold the paper towel. Then I simply invert the bag, tie it up, and place it in the trash. I never buy small trash can bags because these fit those cans perfectly. If you spend a lot of time in your car commuting and need a place to put the trash, drape the handles of a plastic grocery bag over your gear shift. It gives you a place to put your car trash without cluttering your car. Brown paper bags can be used for crafts, wrapping paper, book covers, and compost. Whenever I receive a nice bag from a store with handles I'll save it for future occasions. These sturdy bags work especially well for items you're giving away.

A few weeks ago I StumbledUpon the Julie Ann Art blog with several ideas for old t-shirts but the rug is the one I'm looking forward to making. The original post with step by step instructions and photographs is found on Xoelle.com. Old t-shirts can be cut into rags for dusting and other cleaning jobs. One of our dogs is prone to seizures and there can be quite a mess left behind on the hardwood floor. After cleaning the floor a few times with the Swiffer I'll grab a strip of old t-shirt to clean it again. I think the shirts clean better than the pads do. They can be washed and re-used but I generally toss it if it's a nasty mess.

If you're one of those people who always has an odd number of socks you can still put them to good use. Who knows where they go but there comes a time when you have to give up hope the match will re-appear. Slip these old socks on your hand and use them for dusting or cleaning the bathtub.

When your next painting or craft project comes around use an old sheet to protect the floor. Depending on the the quality of your old sheets they may be destined for better things than paint splotches. Cut them and use them for quilting projects or turn them into tea towels. If they're the right color use them to line your existing curtains to help insulate your windows. Instead of spending money on sheets exclusively sold for massage tables use a twin sized set if you own a table. Old twin sheets are perfect if you can find a friend or spouse to give you a body scrub or mud wrap at home.