Raised in the wake of the Great Depression, my mom has always been very resourceful. She has always insisted on making things from scratch or repurposing items instead of buying them at a store, both traits I’ve long admired.
She also impressed on us the importance of “using things up,” meaning using an item until it was either completely gone or completely beyond repair. She has always hated throwing things out too (even if they’re considered disposable), and goes to great lengths to give things away or donate them to avoid waste.
Given these traits and tendencies of my mom’s, it shouldn’t surprise you that I’ve written extensively here on my blog about alternative uses for household items! We should all strive to be conscious of the resources we consume and waste we create, so to aid us in that effort, I’ve come up with dozens of ideas for repurposing 11 disposable items that are common around the house.
This list should be a useful resource for anyone looking to waste less and make better use of their resources — disposable or no — and I hope you find these ideas as useful as I have!
Useful Ways to Repurpose 11 Common Disposable Items
1. Cereal Liner Bags
- Make a piping bag for frosting. Rinse and dry the bag, then scoop frosting into one of the bottom corners. Snip the corner off with a pair of scissors, then pipe!
- Cut the bag into small squares, and use the squares to keep burger patties separated in a stack. Stacking up the patties like this is an easy way to save space in your fridge or freezer!
- Use the bags to wrap up homemade bread, rolls, and buns before storing them in your freezer.
- Use the bag to store leftovers or to portion out other foods. Seal it with a Foodsaver or other vacuum sealer to keep it fresh.
- Use a cereal liner bag to crush up crackers, cereal, nuts and more without making a mess. Cereal liner bags are thicker than regular ziplock bags, which makes it less likely that any sharp bits will tear through it.
2. Mesh Produce Bags
- Use a mesh produce bag as a yarn holder. Place your yarn inside the bag, thread the end through one of the holes, then pull it through.
- Use it as a scrubber for cleaning jobs around the house. Just ball it up and use it to scrub dishes, countertops, and more!
- Stretch the mesh bag over an old picture frame, staple it in place, and use it as an organizer for your earring collection.
3. Butter Wrappers
- Once you remove the wrapper from a stick of butter, place the wrapper in a ziplock bag and keep it in the fridge. You can use the wrappers later on to grease baking pans!
- Use individual butter wrappers to separate burger patties in your fridge or freezer. They won’t stick to the patties, and you’ll save space in your fridge!
- When a bread or roll recipe calls for a final brush of butter on top, use a butter wrapper! Just lay it butter-side down on top and let the butter residue on the wrapper melt into the surface.
4. Glass Jars
- Keep any empty glass jars you use, wash them out, and remove the labels. They make great flower vases that you can use around the house!
- Use an empty glass jar to collect cooking grease. It’s not good to put it down your sink! Just collect it a little at a time, and then when the jar is full, you can just toss it in the trash.
- Use an empty jar to make a beautiful water candle. These will look great around the house, or as decor for your dinner table!
Related: 14 Brilliant Things You Can Do with a Glass Jar
5. Disposable Razors
When your disposable razor gets too dull for shaving, you can still use it to remove pills from sweaters! You can also use it to remove pills from hats, scarves, t-shirts, and more.
6. Egg Cartons
- Keep any of those clear plastic egg cartons. They make the perfect packaging for mini cupcakes and muffins!
- If any of your friends or family have chickens, ask if they’d like your old egg cartons. They could usually use the extras! (And who knows, you might get a few fresh eggs for your efforts!) ;-)
- Paper egg cartons can be split up and used as seed sprouting containers. Once the seedlings get big enough to plant, just wet down the whole egg carton cup and plant it right in the ground. The soggy paper will break down over time in the dirt.
- Use an old egg carton to organize and protect small Christmas ornaments.
- You can also use an egg carton to organize other small stuff. Use one for jewelry, beads, office supplies, buttons, nuts and bolts, and more!
Scroll down to see the grocery bag pop-up in action!
7. Tissue Boxes
- Use an empty tissue box to store your plastic grocery bags. And there’s even a way to make them pop up just like tissues! Slide the bottom of each bag into the handles of the next bag, then insert them all into the box.
- Use an empty tissue box as a tiny trash receptacle on your desk. You can also place one in the living room as a handy place for discarded treat wrappers.
- Cut the tops off a few old tissue boxes and use them as drawer dividers. They can help keep smaller stuff more organized instead of rolling around in your drawer.
- Use an old tissue box as a small trash receptacle for your bathroom counters. It’s the perfect place to toss out cotton swabs, cotton pads, and other single-use cosmetic items.
- Use a tissue box as a trash receptacle in your car! You can either toss it out when it’s full, or empty it and reuse it again.
8. Newspaper
- If you park outside in the winter, you can use old newspaper to prevent ice from forming on your windows. Just lay a few pieces of newspaper over your windshield at night.
- Newspaper is surprisingly good at absorbing odors! Stuff a balled-up piece of newspaper in shoes, a diaper bag, or even your fridge to help eliminate yucky smells.
- Use old newspaper as packing material when moving, or to protect a package you’re shipping.
9. Aluminum Foil
You can use aluminum foil to soften rock-hard brown sugar, shine silver, and more! Check out 15 amazing uses for aluminum foil at the link below.
Related: 15 Brilliant Uses for Aluminum Foil That Will Save You Time
10. Cardboard Tubes
Don’t toss out the tubes from toilet paper and paper towel rolls! Use them to keep pants crease-free, make fire-starters, and organize extra cables. Check out 12 smart ways to use cardboard tubes at the link below!
Related: 12 Clever and Useful Ways to Reuse Cardboard Tubes
11. Paper Bags
And finally, don’t toss out paper bags either. Use them to ripen fruit faster, make homemade popcorn, serve snacks, and more! Check out 9 useful things you can do with paper bags at the link below.
Related: 9 Unexpectedly Useful Things You Can Do With a Paper Bag
What are your favorite things to keep for repurposing?
NEW! Can you guess the 5-letter word related to today’s post?
More Ideas You'll Love
I use a Mason jar as a sugar shaker at the table. I poked small holes in the lid for shaking, but then I found a nifty little tablespoon measure that fits around the top. We use the sugar ‘canister’ both ways. Handy!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I used tin coffee can for kids handcrafts. I took the label off and covered it with stickers or kids drawings winch I overed with clear “mac tac”. I use them for crayons, sparkles, glue, etc. I put a cute sticker on the cover to identify what’s inside.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can also dry the razor with your hair dryer. The same applies with your kitchen knives. Never put them in the dish drainer to dry. Always use a towel to immediately dry them.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You’ll have to click the link for the pant crease tip! Sorry for the confusion Susan!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Unfortunately the city I live in has discontinued glass recycling. I cringe every time I have to put glass in the garbage, but there’s only so much storage space for the bottles & jars we use.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have cut tissue boxes with pretty designs into strips and used them to mat pictures a few times. Also I have cut them apart to fit inside of small frames and written quotes, holiday sayings etc on them for inexpensive decor lots of times.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I throw my old grease out too but I use the plastic container that you can’t recycle. Seem there are other more purposeful things you gan do with the glass instead of throwing it away.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This article just makes me grin! I think my mother wrote it!! She too grow up during the Depression. We were taught to never waste anything. I have seen most of these ideas in our home growing up. She also reused bread bags, sandwich bags, any kind of plastic bag. We washed them, turned them inside out and let them drain in the drainer! This article brings back many wonderful memories of my mom! Now we live in a disposable everything world!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Using cereal bags with my vacuum-sealer? Brilliant! I can’t wait to try that. Also, other snack, cracker, cookie bags would work too!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Some great ideas. I do some & had forgotten others over time. I use the tissue box cubes (like the one pictured) in my SUV. I can fit two in my console & it doesn’t even take up half of the console space. They both sit against the side with one in the front & one in the back. The front one is new tissues. The back on is empty for trash. When the front box is empty I pull the trash box out, slide the empty box into it’s place then add a new box to the front.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.my grandmother always kept newspaper to put under anything messy, Making biscuits, peeling potatoes… then she just rolled it up and no mess.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I never knew that! Wow, what a savings!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I saw this, I figured I might be able to add to it, but I think you’re covered them all. Except this one, (unless I missed it!) I save my coffee containers. (Actually, I’ve made my kitchen canister set out of them! AND used the newspaper trick to remove the smell of coffee) I have used them for small loads of laundry! You know, that one thing you wanted to wash and it didn’t make it to the basket! Actually, I have lymphedema in my right arm (from removal and damage to lymph nodes during breast cancer treatment). Sometimes I have to wrap (bandage) it from finger tip to armpit. It’s a bit uncomfortable, but less than the swelling! I have to wear them for a couple of days and unwrap, wash and wrap again. Those bandages have to be washed. I’ve used a mesh bag, but the suggestion from the manufacturer is they be washed alone for the medical cleanliness factor. I just plop them into a large plastic coffee can with a little detergent and shake. The exercise is also good for my arm!
I think I remember from Girl Scouts, they taught to use a jar or large tin can for washing. I save this one for this purpose alone! And now that I’ve learned the benefits of essential oils, like Tea Tree, I may add that to my wash water!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great tip!! Thanks Leanne :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I save mine coffee containers too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a empty plastic coffee container, i open my boxes of green tea bags & fill it up with them, keeps the tea fresher longer..you can cut plastic bags into 5″ or so sqs. When i measure shorting i line the measuring cup with it & add shorting pull out & dump into recipe. No greasy measuring cup.then save that plastic with the grease, to rub the grease to cake pans, cup cake pans etc so not stick. Reuse paper plates or bowls that only had a sandwich or chips in it, as only got crumbs to shake off. I also reuse paper bowls under another, so not as hot to hold when i eat soup.also thicker so won’t bend & spill. Paper towels i used for drying hands, i reuse to wipe up spills
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I also put mesh vegetable bags in the bottom of flower pots. If you fold them a couple of times they work well in preventing soil from coming out of bottom hole.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What a clever idea!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.In that same vein-styrofoam packing peanuts ((which I DETEST) are great when potting plants. Use instead of rocks in the bottom of the pot for drainage. The planter is much lighter and easier to move.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You could use a tin can, however, so many more things come in jars these days rather than a tin can. that I use the jars for grease rather than send it into my septic system. Extra glass jars can be recycled.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I Looooove this post! Thank you so much for the great ideas on how to reuse!
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