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Spring Into Savings by Repurposing Household Items

Posted 10:00AM 03/07/13 Savings Experiment |
Savings Experiment: Repurposing Household Items

Would you use one of our organizing tips?

Did you find our video on lawn care helpful?

If you get creative, there are plenty of household items that can be repurposed to help you get organized. In fact, many disposable items can have a second life, if you know how to use them.

For instance, empty toilet paper rolls that would normally end up in the trash are great for helping to organize loose wires, cords, headphones and more. Just take a roll and cut it into rings. Place the rings inside of a shoebox or plastic bin so that they don't shift. Put individual cords or wires inside each ring to keep them untangled. You can also use an empty paper towel roll for this.

For small jewelry items and hair clips, try using an ice cube tray as a handy organizer for your dresser. Each cube is a perfect size for small odds and ends, like hair elastics and rings. The tray's rectangular shape will also help it fit nicely in your drawer.

For another great storage solution, think twice before tossing those empty tuna cans. The can be great for small things like bobby pins, paper clips, and other little loose items. They're made of durable aluminum, so they'll last a lifetime. Simply wash with hot water and bleach to get rid of any lingering odors, and you'll be good to go. Bonus: they stack, too.

Tea BagsFinally, tea drinkers have another use for their discarded tea bags. Put the damp bags in a bowl and place it in the fridge for a few days. The tea bags will absorb any odors, and offer same effect as a box of baking soda.

So, if you want to save some cash and organize your belongings, consider repurposing these budget-friendly items. It'll be good for the environment and your wallet.

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Tammy Paone

Great ideas but go go to certain stores and do the same thing for a lot cheaper.

April 13 2013 at 10:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Barbara

I thiink they should have shown this idea. Just go to the dollar store and get something for your small items and this will look much neater. Just incace you have meat, chicken,fish ready to throw in the garbage can under the sink or even out doors put it all in a plastic bag marked garbage and put in the freezer. Keeps everything from smelling and getting your out side can knocked over by animals.

March 19 2013 at 5:49 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Barbara's comment
brittwedel

If they had a tip about going to the dollar store to buy something to put small items in like you suggested, it wouldn't make sense. The whole idea of this article and video is repurposing household items. Going and buying something new isn't repurposing a household item. I'm not saying I would use all of these tips particularly because I would want something that looked a lot nicer, classier, and more functional.

April 05 2013 at 8:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
coleenie

The empty ice cube tray/egg carton looks like a good idea. That is, until you want something out of it. Unless you have tweezers, it is nearly impossible to get little items out of these without tipping them over, which effectively spills the entire contents.
EPIC FAIL on that one.

March 19 2013 at 4:17 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
charmainefromwa

YOU NEED TO FIX THIS SITE...CANT POST TO A REPLY AND IT IS HORRIBLE...GET REAL PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN THSI.

March 19 2013 at 12:06 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
jadennis100

you could use a plastic egg carton instead of the ice cube tray. Also any metal can would work as well as the plastic icing ones in sweet roll cans or individual fruit servings or puddings.

March 19 2013 at 11:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
lynnbrown45

I clicked into the site for info on the refrigerator (smells) THAT is what I wanted to see and hear about
I don't want to wait until several other "TIPS" are thrown in my face. Why can't you just keep to what you say ?

March 19 2013 at 8:41 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to lynnbrown45's comment
rataywo

Agree wholeheartedly Why waste our time

March 19 2013 at 11:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
brittwedel

If the only tip they used was the one about refrigerator smells, then the article and segment would be 10 seconds long or less and really not worth the space, time, and effort of the site. It's sad that we as a society are in such a hurry we can't listen to a few more seconds of useful information or scanning through the article to the part and tip that interested you, but you did take the time to comment and complain. If time is so precious and important then don't take the time to complain about wasting time. You got your refrigerator smell tip, so it's not like they misled you.

April 05 2013 at 8:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
funinvita

I especially like, and will use, the tea bag idea to absorb odors in the Fridge.

March 12 2013 at 8:09 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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