Sharing what I Reuse ...

[Cymbaline]

Hi everyone,

I'm new obviously so I've been doing a lot of reading around here. I don't believe I saw the following ideas mentioned so I'm sharing.

Glass or Plastic Jars are used for storage in the pantry or freezer. When storing gravy or broths in glass jars make sure you leave enough room for liquid to expand.

Plastic bottles: Same thing, I use them in the freezer to store liquids. When I make too much sauce I use one of these plastic bottles. When I use the sauce again for another dinner I recycle the bottle at that time so I don't have to do a lot of extra cleaning. This is nice when the sauce maybe greasy. Plastic bottles also make good ice packs. Freeze regular water in them and they help keep a cooler cold. When the ice starts to melt you don't have to deal with messy water or water getting into your food.

Cans: I keep regular size cans around to dispose grease in, use as a dog food scoop and as garden soil scoop. I use large, gallon size cans as planters. You can also use them as craft projects by poking holes in them with a nail and placing candles inside of them. I also use them as a biscuit or cookie cutter.

Newspaper: I use newspaper to help protect frozen food. I start by wrapping the food in butcher paper and then wrapping newspaper around the Butcher paper. This way it adds an extra layer of protection without wasting my butcher paper. I don't have the newspaper sent to my house but instead pick up a few Greensheets (local advertisements) when I go out.

Glass bottles: I keep an empty vodka bottle which has a screw on top in my pantry. When I'm making anything that needs a rolling pin I use the vodka bottle. It's especially good for making pie crusts since pie crusts benefit from being cold, I fill my bottle up with ice water and it helps to keep the dough chilled.

Junk mail: Junk mail and any confidential mail gets shredded and used as kitty litter, or garden mulch. Pretty colored Junk mail is used to stuff packages.

Old Shirts: Used as rags or with T-shirts I have been made until tote bags (thanks to Martha Stewart).

Coffee Grounds: After making coffee with them I store the used ground in the fridge to help keep the fridge smelling good. When I make more coffee the next day I I had in the fridge, replace them with the new grounds and use the old grounds in my garden.

[tbs727]

Wow! These are excellent ideas, I may have to use some of them myself. I'm always interested in new ways of using things.

[latierra84]

nice junk mail uses! just yesterday I remembered that my gma has a shredder. Think I might need to borrow it pretty soon

[Jeanna]

Also for coffee grounds--I have found that if I need to make more than one pot I just reuse the grounds and add only one new scoop of coffee. I have never had anyone know the difference. You can also put the old ones from the day before in a ziplock bag or jar and reuse them the next day.

[Cymbaline]

Also for coffee grounds--I have found that if I need to make more than one pot I just reuse the grounds and add only one new scoop of coffee. I have never had anyone know the difference. You can also put the old ones from the day before in a ziplock bag or jar and reuse them the next day.

That is a great idea, thanks! I'm going to try that this weekend just to see if my Fiance notices anything. Question , how often do you reuse the old grounds? Is it good for just one additional use??

[redbug29]

I'm using my worn out jersey sheets to crochet grocery bags to take with me to the store.

Tiffany

[shortstack]

Thanks for sharing
Andrea

[FrugalMomof3]

Wow, thanks for the tips

[hippytreehugger4ever]

I'm using my worn out jersey sheets to crochet grocery bags to take with me to the store.

Tiffany

And you can crochet plastic bags into beach bags

[MomToTwoBoys]

Ooooh, I'm all for the coffee grounds reuse. I'm starting to prepare my front yard's garden section for already grown perennials and this would be good to go with the peat moss. It's fantastic!

My question: What do you put the grounds in when you put them in the fridge? Will an open bowl work?

[Jeanna]

As far as reusing the coffee grounds I never reuse them more than twice. I usually just take the filter and all out of the coffee pot, kind of fold it in half and put it in a ziplock bag. You could put them in a bowl but I would cover the bowl as I would not want other foods to mingle with the grounds.

[larabelle]

Everyone drinks coffee at work and they purchase it in the plastic containers. I reuse these containers as:
1.) Store popcorn. I pop the popcorn at home and then pop it into one of these containers and take it to work to eat as a snack. If I put it into the container then it does not get crushed in my back pack.
2.) I drill holes in the bottoms and use as planters
3.) I use to store buttons, paper clips as well as other office supplies.

[MomK]

I'm using my worn out jersey sheets to crochet grocery bags to take with me to the store.

Tiffany

I'd be interested in seeing these when you're done! Sounds great!

[alarosalpn]

Do you just throw the grounds into the garden on top of the soil? My garden is already planted. Would I just scatter them on top of the soil? I would love to do that! My soil could use anything that will improve it!