Save your brown paper grocery bags—even the damaged ones—for a rainy day. Tear the bag into pieces, then loosely scrunch and shove them into damp shoes or coat sleeves.
Broken Tile
Too much moist soil can cause rot and mold in potted plants. Add broken tile, stepping stones, or concrete to the planter bottom to elevate houseplant roots and increase drainage.
Cooking Oil
Save those last oil drips! To quiet a noisy door hinge, dab the bottle bottom with a cotton swab and apply the residual oil. Remove excess to avoid dripping.
Plastic Jug
Use empty gallon and half-gallon drink containers as mini-shovels for pet food, gardening, and snow removal from automobile tires.
Cardboard Tube
Toilet paper and paper towel roll cardboard tubes make a basic drawer organizer for accessories or office supplies. Trim each roll to slightly below drawer height.
Old Knob
A few old drawer pulls might make attractive key or hat/scarf hooks on a stylish rack. After removing the flat screws from the knob backs, spray paint if desired.
Baby Food Jar
Make gorgeous salt and pepper shakers from empty baby food jars instead of throwing them away. Spices stay fresh and dry in the glass, which you can customize.
Bread Tag
Never know which wire goes to which item in that mess of cables behind your desk or TV cabinet? Label a plastic bread tag with a fine-point permanent marker and attach it to its cord.
Tea Tin
Tea always has the prettiest metal containers, right? You should reuse them! Our favorite: Use empty tea tins to make gorgeous, giftable candles with poured wax and wicks.
Leftover Bones From Cooked Meat
Use leftover bones from other meat dishes to make chicken or beef stock. Add flavorful vegetables to spice up homemade stock. Freeze it for later use.
See Also
10 Must-Try Mediterranean Breakfast Recipes for Busy Mornings