Reusing Household Items

Boro-Wide Recycling Corp.

Maspeth, NY 718-416-1656

www.BoroWideRecycling.com

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zirconicusso / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Anyone can throw away old or unused items; that's easy! But have you ever thought of what you could do with them instead of kicking them to the curb? With a little time and effort, even the simplest items can be turned into something great, and they could even save you a little bit of cash! Check out our list of 10 household items that can easily be saved and reused to reduce waste:

1. Dish Soap Bottles: Any dish soap bottle can be used as a container for another product. Try using one to filter out the perfect amount of pancake batter (or any ingredient) to enhance your cooking experience. You can also use a dish soap or squeeze bottle as a way to fill an iron with water or water plants that you can't seem to reach. 
2. Egg Cartons: Used egg cartons are great for freezing individual products like cookie dough batter or meatballs. You can also use empty cartons as a mold for Jell-O treats! Besides food, egg cartons are a great way to nurture plant seeds, store golf balls, or organize change. 
3. Floor Tiles: Floor tiles make for the perfect arts and crafts activity. With extra floor tiles, you can create a piece of mosaic art such as a tabletop or trivet. First, break the tiles into pieces in a cloth bag, then arrange them in a pattern on any solid surface, adhere with a floor-tile adhesive, and push grout into the cracks after the adhesive drives. 
4. Old Socks: Socks that lose its pair are great to keep small toys organized or to keep odds and ends in one location. You could also use old socks to cover your shoes if you're doing something messy. Lastly, old socks make for great dog and cat toys - include a tennis ball or catnip toy inside and sew shut! 
5. Old T-Shirts: Instead of throwing out a T-shirt that has one too many holes, put it towards making a pillow cover or quilt. T-Shirts are also great to keep for cleaning rags or to wrap breakable items in. 
6. Paper Towel Rolls: Rather than having plastic bags all over the place, use old paper towel rolls to keep them contained. Paper towel roles can also be used to keep extension cords untangled, hair bands organized, and linens crease-free! 
7. Plastic Shopping Bags: Now that you know how to preserve your plastic bags, it's time to learn how to reuse them. Plastic bags can be used to line the bathroom garbage as well as keep flour and sugar from spilling all over your kitchen cabinets. 
8. Shoe Boxes: Shoe boxes are perfect for creating storage bins for your closet or dresser-drawers. To spice them up, cover them in a wrapping paper print that shows off your style. 
9. Shower Curtains: Reuse unwanted shower curtains as tablecloths at an outdoor gathering or as drop cloths if you're painting. Shower curtains can even be used as a windshield cover to prevent frost from forming. 
10. Wine Corks: Though they may be small, wine corks are great if you're looking for a safe way to store knives in your drawer. These also make for an arts and crafts activity where you can create a key-chain or wreath for your door.

The next time you go to throw away one of these items, think twice about what you could do with them instead. Remember, most items can serve more than one purpose, and aside from helping yourself, you're also helping the environment! How cool is that?

At Boro Wide Recycling, we work to keep our planet safe by providing comprehensive recycling services to commercial and residential customers. Join us in our efforts! Contact us to learn how we can help you in your recycling efforts, and don't forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date with the latest news in recycling efforts and eco-friendly tips.