New Uses for Old Things

One of my absolute favorite things to do is find a new use for an old thing.  When confronted with a need I try to think of all the junk I have lying around.  What could possibly fill my need?  This not only saves me money but also grants me points on my eco-scorecard.  Most of the things I re-purpose are hidden away so no one can see the ugly box in a drawer or are pretty things that can be displayed with no shame.  I will say, I do love it when someone comes over and compliments me on my creative use of a tea container!

The following are examples of stuff I've re-purposed.  Some definitely require more effort and preparation than others.  I may have gotten a few ideas from various website, but many things I just come up with on my own.

 A previous roommate left this jar in the apartment when she left.  For a while my other roommate kept onions and garlic in it but it eventually ended up empty on the counter.  It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I realized it was the perfect container for my new collection of Sharpies!

 This is an obvious re-use: milk jar turned flower vase.  This jar was, in fact, a hot chocolate mix container.

 I began collecting corks a long, long time ago with a hot plate in mind.  I think I saw the idea online somewhere.  At any rate, after collecting a very large amount of corks I've made three of these hot plates and I really like the way they look and their excellent ability to keep hot dishes off the table. (Thanks to my Aunt Liz for making the frame!)

 Whenever I come across an interesting kitchen item at Goodwill I think about what I could use it for.  I don't remember why but I bought two boxes of apple and pear candles a long time ago.  Then I saw this tray thing (for olives?) at Goodwill and put two-and-two together.

 I will admit to buying this set of teas partially for the pretty container.  After the tea was gone I saved the container for a year until I realized I could use it for earrings and other jewelry.

 Another jewelry holder, this jar of pimentos has the perfect edge for hanging dangle-y earrings.  Plus, since it has a top, I can use it as a travel container for stuff too.

 I had a conundrum - where to keep the pens, twist ties, and rubber bands?  Then my roommate recycled her check box and I had an "aha" moment.  This box fits perfectly in one of our kitchen drawers.

And finally, one of my best ideas.  Slicing up corks has two uses: stabilizing furniture and keeping the feet of chairs and tables from scraping the floor.  For stabilization just slice up a cork and shove it under the leg/foot/stand you're trying to steady.  For a scrape-free chair I bought some aluminum tacks and attached the cork slice to the foot of the chair by tapping in the tack.  If you can recess the tack a bit it won't scrape either.  I'm sure wood glue would work as well.