There are many everyday household items that can be saved and used in ways other than for their intended purposes. So whether you’re looking to save some money and be thrifty or are creative and are searching for your next DIY project, you should consider repurposing items you already own. Repurposing old items is a great way to give them another life and add to their value. This is also an excellent way to keep items out of landfills and reduce waste if you were originally planning on tossing an item away.
Below, we listed 5 popular household items you may already have laying around and ways you can repurpose them:
Candle Jars
Not sure what to do with an old candle whose wick has burnt out? Place your old candle jar into your freezer for a few hours and this process should make the remaining candle wax easy to pop out. The empty candle jar could then be reused in plenty of ways such as a makeshift vase for flowers, a pencil holder, a container for your bathroom essentials, and much more. You can also make use of the leftover candle wax and turn them into wax melts!
Empty Cans and Glass Jars
Empty food cans and jars can have a variety of different uses. For instance, soup cans are the perfect size to house your small cacti and succulents. And old coffee cans can be used for larger plants. Simply remove the paper labels, rinse your cans, and drill drainage holes on the bottom. You can also reuse empty glass jars from pasta sauces, jams, or pickles to use for dry food storage in your kitchen.
Wine Corks
Popped corks from your wine and champagne bottles can be saved and used in many different art projects, so get creative! Some crafty ideas include upcycling your corks to create trays, drink coasters, or even rugs. Wine corks can also be incorporated into your home decor and be used to create unique holiday decorations.
Plastic Shopping Bags
Like most others, you probably own a large stash of plastic bags saved from previous shopping trips. Instead of tossing these plastic bags out, you can use them in many ways such as liners for small trash bins, handling dog waste or cat litter, stuffing them into your shoes and purses to help retain their shapes, and more!
Shower Curtains
Time to change your shower curtain? Don’t toss your old curtain out and instead reuse it as a tarp to protect your floors. This will come in handy for times when you decide to paint the walls of your home, when your children are doing arts and crafts, or any other time you’re working on messy hobbies or projects.