IN THE KITCHEN/
KITCHEN TOWELS
Kitchen towels are super useful. For example:They can be folded to use as hot plates to protect a counter or table top or used as potholders.
Use them to cover and ripen fruits or to cover freshly cooked foods to keep them warm before serving.
Use them to absorb extra grease from deep fried foods; there's no need for paper towels.
Use one folded up to cover a blender that has a missing lid.
Or use one to keep pieces of a coconut from flying all over the room when whacking it open.
When an apron is not available, a large kitchen towel can be tucked around the waist or draped over the shoulder for hand wiping and so on.
STRETCHING DISH SOAP-
Dilute the last bit of dish soap to get every bit out of the bottle. Very diluted soap can be put into a spray bottle for a cheap general household cleanser and window cleaner.
PLASTIC NETTING
Use instead of purchasing nylon scouring pads. They are often found as netted bags for produce. Cut off a large piece (If you have only a small netted bag, use more than one). Curl it up with the raw edges turned inward and tie the ends with a square knot to fasten.
(An extra large netted bag can be used to store bath toys. Hook two strong rubber bands together and attach one end to the filled bag, the other end hook onto the shower head to hang bath toys up when children are finished playing with them.)
SCRUB PADS
The best quality for heavy duty scrubbing are made by Scotchbrite and these may be cut into smaller pieces to make them last longer. Use them for fine cleaning after scouring most of the food off with a scouring tool described above or a coarse dishcloth. Baking soda further extends the life of a pad by enhancing its scrubbing power when slightly worn out.
RUBBER BANDS
Reseal boxed items and packets in the kitchen with rubberbands to keep fresh longer. (Clothespins are also helpful).
TWISTY TIES
Twisty ties of various sizes come on many grocery items. These can be saved for various reasons. One is for lighting a hard to reach burner on a stove or inside the oven. Burn the paper off extra long ones and use the wire for various craft project. Also, several can be twisted together to make an extra tough, wire scouring pad. This may be backed with a dishcloth to make its use easier on the hands.
PLASTIC GROCERY BAGS
Plastic grocery bags have many reuses. The simplest is to reuse them as trash bags. Since most grocery bags are smaller than normal trash bags, a smaller garbage can makes them easier to utilize. Sure, the trash needs to get emptied more often, but that really isn't a bad thing. If the bags have holes in them (Often there are holes punched in the bottom of larger bags to prevent suffocation), either use tape to patch the holes first before lining the garbage bucket, or use the smaller bags produce comes in, that have no holes, to keep soggy kitchen scraps before tossing them into the larger holey bags. That will prevent a dripping mess in the bottom of the garbage can.
A much better idea is to compost all kitchen scraps into a separate compost bucket with a lid. This may be lined with a bag for easy bucket clean up after taking it to the compost heap.
Also use baggies to wrap disposable diapers, etc., before tossing.
Plastic bags around the hands can be used when spray painting instead of plastic gloves.
PAPER GROCERY BAGS
Perfect for ripening pears and other fruits.
TRASH COMPACTING
Instead of putting a whole butter box, for example, in the garbage bag, first fold or tear it down to a smaller size or it can be filled up with smaller trash before tossing. Milk jugs and cream containers that are crushed first fit more in a bag.
The same goes for any other item being disposed of that may be compacted or filled with trash first. This habit extends the life of the garbage bags, but it would require separating household trash from kitchen scraps, because you don't want to keep decomposing scraps sitting in the house more than a day or two.
REUSABLE SHOPPING BAG
It is an important way to prevent throwing out countless plastic bags into the landfills and oceans, but then you wouldn't have all the fun using them as described above.
MORE IDEAS
MILK JUGS
Cut the top off to make a container for holding the toilet brush.
Or use it as a large mug for bathing.
Use them as storage containers for miscellaneous items in a garage or closet.
Fill clean jugs with water and freeze to fill any empty freezer space (saves energy) or for having extra water in an emergency..
Punch holes in the top of one for a watering can.
WATER OR SODA BOTTLE
Use the cut off top portion from the middle upward as a funnel.
METAL CANS Use for cookie or biscuit cutter, candle holder, oil lamp, lantern or hanging planter, a planter with knitted cover, storage container...
DISH OR LIQUID LAUNDRY SOAP CONTAINERS: Use as a children's water play toy, for dishwashing and hand washing while traveling, or cut off the top to make a bucket or storage container.
OTHER CONTAINERS
Reuse food containers w/lids. Great for storage, picnics, or a take out lunch. A yogurt container with a lid, for example, can be used to store children's play dough. Save clean one's for soaking and then storing beans, dahls.
A bottle that contained syrup can be reused again to store homemade syrup.
Large sour cream containers may serve as small bowls while cooking.
Save one quart containers to reuse as a measuring cup. Mark the container at measured intervals.
Plastic lids- Use for a drain stop in the shower or sink; cut into a stencil; use as a circle template; put under plant pots...
Jars- Wash and reuse for gifts of homemade jam, candy, or bath salts or for storing spices...
What to do with zip lock baggies? Wash well and dry. Reuse to store game pieces, flash cards...
What to do with paper and cardboard food containers? Reuse to store extras. A flour bag can be reused to store home ground cornmeal or chickpea flour or granola.
What to do with old ice cube trays or large plastic lids? They make a great pallet for children's painting fun.
NO COST SEWING KIT
This sewing case used to be an ice cream container. After washing it, the label was soaked off the lid and most of the super sticky glue beneath it was rubbed off with a little vegetable oil and a terry cloth along with a little help from a razor( used gently) to remove any tough spots.
The two cases within used to be spice containers. Their labels lifted off easily and the cases thus became a place to store stuff like salvaged buttons, sewing needles and other small sewing tools. The small roll of brown cotton thread is also something that was collected and use for sewing. They were found on the yogurt containers at the marketplace in India. Each strand is at least a few feet long and therefore useful. In America they are found sewn on large bags of dried goods and can be dyed various colors.
NO COST SPONGES
Now and then there are sponges coming from various sources. For example, the set of sponges below were from a child's insulated lunchbox that was no longer useable. They can be used in housekeeping or crafts such as cutting small pieces to attach to a clothespin for painting.
Another example of sponges are those found at the bottom of alfalfa sprout containers. They are extra thin and can be painted in bright colors, dried and cut into shapes as a fun replacement for the popular foam used in craft projects (But that would be another post altogether).
FABRIC
OLD CLOTHES
Before tossing anything, look at the trim, zipper, Velcro, strap etc. that is still useful and in good condition. These may be salvaged and reused in new sewing or art projects. For example,
Old cotton saris may be torn into long strips to crochet or weave into a rag rug, asana, or door mat. A long single strip of cloth from the edge of old saris or dhotis can be used to make a cord. Such is especially useful for holding up slips or yogi pants or to make into a braided belt. A single cord may also be tied around the waist to hold up thermals (brahmana underwear style, see below) that are still wearable but the waist band is too stretched out. Ditto a pair of underpants. A thicker strip can even be used as a clothesline when nothing else is available.
Clean, soft, absorbent cloth can be repurposed as towels or cloths for cleaning and dusting. Save clean, white, thin, 100% cotton cloth for paneer making rather than purchasing cheesecloth.
How to make a simple shoulder bag: Tie the corners together at each end of a rectangular cloth. This will make the arm holes.
When boy's pants get a hole in the knee, make shorts, saving the pant legs from the cutoffs for patches as needed or other purposes.
Old, holey socks can be pulled over good ones of a matching color (or worn underneath). This gives extra warmth, strengthens news socks and gives extra mileage to the old ones.
The top of an old sock can be cut off and used to both keep a large band aid in place on an extremity and give the wound extra protection.
Warm stretchy pants can do extra duty as long underwear worn underneath a sari to keep legs warm or something warm to sleep in.
Turn a blouse into a choile by shortening or removing the sleeves and also shortening and casing the bottom for adding an elastic band to go around the midriff area.
Tear worn sheets down the center, so to remove any really worn out parts, then join the usually less worn outer edges together and resew to be in the center instead..
What to do with extra pieces of cloth.
BRAHMIN UNDERWEAR
Traditionally worn in India, brahmana underwear are a thrifty alternative for men's underwear, are easy to make. It only takes two strips of comfortable cotton fabric to make. One strip is tied around the waist. The second strip (wide enough to cover the pubic area) hangs over the tied strip in the front to cover the pubic area, then it is tucked between the legs to be hung and secured from the back end.
OLD WOOLEN CLOTHING-
A fun project for children. First, felt the wool by washing in hot water and drying in a hot dryer. Next, cut to the shape of the child's hand and teach him how to blanket stitch around the edges to make a pair of cozy mittens.
OLD BLANKET
What to do with old comforters? Recover with colorful, matching patch work, or recover with an entire length of fabric or duvet cover. Or cut into squares and cover with new cloth to make mats, chair cushions or asanas.
Wash, dry the filling. Fold to fit into a pillow case for a soft new pillow with the option of sewing a new quilt top and backing in the future.
Or fold the comforter lengthwise, stitch together (optional) and use as a mattress or bed roll while camping.
OLD TOWELS
Finish the edge with a zigzag stitch to make washcloths, dish cloths, cleaning rags and dishtowels. The edging is not always necessary, but it will make the cloth last longer and create less lint for the washer and dryer.
OLD PILLOWS OR STUFFED TOYS
Wash, sun dry and reuse good stuffing for a new pillow or toy.
LEFTOVER CARPET
These make good mats to sit on, doormats, a place to store wet boots or extra protection from heavy traffic on carpets.
STRING AND YARN
As mentioned about, 100% cotton string can be found binding together a large bag of rice or other dried goods. Wind collected pieces around a small piece of stiff cardboard for future use or roll them into a ball. Use them to mend clothing, for fine crochet and other uses. White cotton string especially, may be colored with permanent markers and used the same as embroidery floss. Collected pieces of twine can be used in the garden or macramed for other purposes.
Cotton string can also be tripled up and twisted to form candle wicks (soaked a few minutes in salt water solution and dried before using helps wicks burn longer).
Sometimes it is possible to unravel cotton yarn from discarded sweaters and other knitted items.
Bits of yarn and small fabric scraps can be saved for stuffing.
REUSABLE SHOPPING BAG
It is an important way to prevent throwing out countless plastic bags into the landfills and oceans, but then you wouldn't have all the fun using them as described above.
MORE IDEAS
MILK JUGS
Cut the top off to make a container for holding the toilet brush.
Or use it as a large mug for bathing.
Use them as storage containers for miscellaneous items in a garage or closet.
Fill clean jugs with water and freeze to fill any empty freezer space (saves energy) or for having extra water in an emergency..
Punch holes in the top of one for a watering can.
WATER OR SODA BOTTLE
Use the cut off top portion from the middle upward as a funnel.
METAL CANS Use for cookie or biscuit cutter, candle holder, oil lamp, lantern or hanging planter, a planter with knitted cover, storage container...
DISH OR LIQUID LAUNDRY SOAP CONTAINERS: Use as a children's water play toy, for dishwashing and hand washing while traveling, or cut off the top to make a bucket or storage container.
OTHER CONTAINERS
Reuse food containers w/lids. Great for storage, picnics, or a take out lunch. A yogurt container with a lid, for example, can be used to store children's play dough. Save clean one's for soaking and then storing beans, dahls.
A bottle that contained syrup can be reused again to store homemade syrup. Large sour cream containers may serve as small bowls while cooking.
Save one quart containers to reuse as a measuring cup. Mark the container at measured intervals.
Plastic lids- Use for a drain stop in the shower or sink; cut into a stencil; use as a circle template; put under plant pots...
Jars- Wash and reuse for gifts of homemade jam, candy, or bath salts or for storing spices...
What to do with zip lock baggies? Wash well and dry. Reuse to store game pieces, flash cards...
What to do with paper and cardboard food containers? Reuse to store extras. A flour bag can be reused to store home ground cornmeal or chickpea flour or granola.
What to do with old ice cube trays or large plastic lids? They make a great pallet for children's painting fun.
NO COST SEWING KIT
This sewing case used to be an ice cream container. After washing it, the label was soaked off the lid and most of the super sticky glue beneath it was rubbed off with a little vegetable oil and a terry cloth along with a little help from a razor( used gently) to remove any tough spots.
The two cases within used to be spice containers. Their labels lifted off easily and the cases thus became a place to store stuff like salvaged buttons, sewing needles and other small sewing tools. The small roll of brown cotton thread is also something that was collected and use for sewing. They were found on the yogurt containers at the marketplace in India. Each strand is at least a few feet long and therefore useful. In America they are found sewn on large bags of dried goods and can be dyed various colors.
NO COST SPONGES
Now and then there are sponges coming from various sources. For example, the set of sponges below were from a child's insulated lunchbox that was no longer useable. They can be used in housekeeping or crafts such as cutting small pieces to attach to a clothespin for painting.
Another example of sponges are those found at the bottom of alfalfa sprout containers. They are extra thin and can be painted in bright colors, dried and cut into shapes as a fun replacement for the popular foam used in craft projects (But that would be another post altogether).
FABRIC
OLD CLOTHES
Before tossing anything, look at the trim, zipper, Velcro, strap etc. that is still useful and in good condition. These may be salvaged and reused in new sewing or art projects. For example,
Old cotton saris may be torn into long strips to crochet or weave into a rag rug, asana, or door mat. A long single strip of cloth from the edge of old saris or dhotis can be used to make a cord. Such is especially useful for holding up slips or yogi pants or to make into a braided belt. A single cord may also be tied around the waist to hold up thermals (brahmana underwear style, see below) that are still wearable but the waist band is too stretched out. Ditto a pair of underpants. A thicker strip can even be used as a clothesline when nothing else is available.
Clean, soft, absorbent cloth can be repurposed as towels or cloths for cleaning and dusting. Save clean, white, thin, 100% cotton cloth for paneer making rather than purchasing cheesecloth.
How to make a simple shoulder bag: Tie the corners together at each end of a rectangular cloth. This will make the arm holes.
When boy's pants get a hole in the knee, make shorts, saving the pant legs from the cutoffs for patches as needed or other purposes.
Old, holey socks can be pulled over good ones of a matching color (or worn underneath). This gives extra warmth, strengthens news socks and gives extra mileage to the old ones.
The top of an old sock can be cut off and used to both keep a large band aid in place on an extremity and give the wound extra protection.
Warm stretchy pants can do extra duty as long underwear worn underneath a sari to keep legs warm or something warm to sleep in.
Turn a blouse into a choile by shortening or removing the sleeves and also shortening and casing the bottom for adding an elastic band to go around the midriff area.
Tear worn sheets down the center, so to remove any really worn out parts, then join the usually less worn outer edges together and resew to be in the center instead..
What to do with extra pieces of cloth.
BRAHMIN UNDERWEAR
Traditionally worn in India, brahmana underwear are a thrifty alternative for men's underwear, are easy to make. It only takes two strips of comfortable cotton fabric to make. One strip is tied around the waist. The second strip (wide enough to cover the pubic area) hangs over the tied strip in the front to cover the pubic area, then it is tucked between the legs to be hung and secured from the back end.
OLD WOOLEN CLOTHING-
A fun project for children. First, felt the wool by washing in hot water and drying in a hot dryer. Next, cut to the shape of the child's hand and teach him how to blanket stitch around the edges to make a pair of cozy mittens.
OLD BLANKET
What to do with old comforters? Recover with colorful, matching patch work, or recover with an entire length of fabric or duvet cover. Or cut into squares and cover with new cloth to make mats, chair cushions or asanas.
Wash, dry the filling. Fold to fit into a pillow case for a soft new pillow with the option of sewing a new quilt top and backing in the future.
Or fold the comforter lengthwise, stitch together (optional) and use as a mattress or bed roll while camping.
OLD TOWELS
Finish the edge with a zigzag stitch to make washcloths, dish cloths, cleaning rags and dishtowels. The edging is not always necessary, but it will make the cloth last longer and create less lint for the washer and dryer.
OLD PILLOWS OR STUFFED TOYS
Wash, sun dry and reuse good stuffing for a new pillow or toy.
LEFTOVER CARPET
These make good mats to sit on, doormats, a place to store wet boots or extra protection from heavy traffic on carpets.
STRING AND YARN
As mentioned about, 100% cotton string can be found binding together a large bag of rice or other dried goods. Wind collected pieces around a small piece of stiff cardboard for future use or roll them into a ball. Use them to mend clothing, for fine crochet and other uses. White cotton string especially, may be colored with permanent markers and used the same as embroidery floss. Collected pieces of twine can be used in the garden or macramed for other purposes.
Cotton string can also be tripled up and twisted to form candle wicks (soaked a few minutes in salt water solution and dried before using helps wicks burn longer).
Sometimes it is possible to unravel cotton yarn from discarded sweaters and other knitted items.
Bits of yarn and small fabric scraps can be saved for stuffing.