so it's kinda worn out...what now?

[Thevail]

A part of being both frugal and eco-friendly is re-using or re-purposing items.

Let's think of 101 ways to re-use something!

items to begin with that we probably all have somewhere...

Milk jugs
Toothbrush
old, stained, or just plain ugly clothing

Feel free to add other items..and try not to repeat!

[Jskell911]

Ironically I just did a blog post on re purposing toothbrushes here

[hotprincesscm]

Let's see the Milk Jugs could be used to hold some homemade laundry detergent...I used to use them for mixing up plant food for my plants...Cut the bottoms off and keep the tops on and use as a dry food scooper for big bags of dog food. Cut the tops off and poke a couple holes in the bottom and use as planters for plants. Can also be used to mix up crystal light or koolaid instead of having to use extra pitchers...or what about filling with water and freezing and using in a cooler as an ice pack?

Toothbrushes...all sorts of cleaning purposes...one that was left out of a previous posters blog...what about cleaning baby bottle nipples? She covered the rest pretty good in her blog.

Old ugly stained clothing can be cut into rags...cut into squares and used for sewing or quilting projects or what about homemade cloth diapers?(depending on the fabric of course!) What about a snuggle blanket for a new puppy...to give him/her comfort while you are at work...Kids can use them as dress up clothing....Or you can always donate them to a preschool or kindergarten class for the same purpose. Old tshirts can be used as paint smocks. Use them (a big enough shirt) to line a dog crate for comfort of sleeping. What about rolling up old shirts for a door draft blocker? Or to put over small windows to insulate them for the winter?

That's about it...I'm out of ideas!!!

[lotsadebt]

I use the old clothing cut into strips and crocheted into rag rugs. They are a big hit with my "greenie" friends. X-mas presents on the way. Old jeans cut into squares make awesome durable quilts for college students. Backed with flannel are super warm.

Milk jugs.. fill with water freeze, place in storage freezer to maximize efficiency.

Tooth brushes... can't hink ouf anything except the basic scrubby.

[ladykemma2]

liter pop bottles or water bottles make dandy funnels if the bottom is cut off.

[tigo]

Milk jugs, coffee cannisters and bulk food buckets all get reused around here. I cut the tops off the milk jugs, all get holes drilled in the bottom and I use them as pots for gardening. Herbs work great in the smaller ones (milk jugs and coffee cannisters) and tomatoes, peppers and beans do fantastic in the food buckets. My "garden" is on the back deck and yard so it isn't an eyesore. I like grouping the similar shaped items together so it looks a little less haphazard.

Toothbrushes - When I replace my toothbrush, it gets plunged in boiling water for a few seconds then it becomes my eyebrow brush (to help shape them). When it gets bumped from that job it becomes my nook and cranny cleaner for around the house. When it is demoted from that job I use it on the car for cleaning. Then it gets to retire.

Old stained clothing becomes either cleaning clothes or patches for quilts (the good looking sections). We do have some "sick" blankets that the kids use when they are really ill so that if they vomit on it they aren't freaking out about ruining something nice. It can go in the wash and be bleached without worries.

[frugalbabe]

I am making an ottoman right now and while I was googling for ideas I came across a site that showed how to make an ottoman out of pop bottles...not sure if I would ever do that but it might be cool for a college apartment or something! Right now I am saving any 2 liter bottles I can find because my Cub Scout den will be doing water bottle rockets for a pack meeting this summer, they are awesome!

[MoonMommy]

I guess my biggest waste is the creamer bottles. I think I could use them similarly to pop bottles. I like the funnel Idea. Maybe Dh can use them in his shop as a funnel.

Any other ideas for creamer bottles?

[rsbs]

I like to use the tops of milk jugs & pop bottles as little mini-greenhouses in my garden! I get to direct seed & put plants out earlier that way! I even save them year to year...
Old toothbrushes are my "spring cleaning" scrubbers.
clothing? I tend to donate any that I can see being used again, the rest become my DH's oil rags for his barn!

[dolphin]

Dh's white socks (crew style). When they get a hole in them I cut them down the back to the toe. We always buy the Hanes and they have a nice terry cloth inside and are great for scrubbing the toilet or other nasty household uses. I find them great for washing windows and even dusting.

Plastic Foldgers Coffee Cans. I try to keep atleast 3 of these. Right now I'm using one as a paint can. They have that great built in handle and just tall enough to keep your brush in and still be able to close the lid so you can stop and restart without worrying about your paint drying out. They also make great scoops for spreading fertilizer, bird seed, and lots of other loose items.

Plastic Milk Jugs. We use them for weights. We get a lot of wind here and find they work great to hold down a tarp that's covering something that we want to leave outside but want covered. Fill the gallon jugs up with either water or sand or gravel. Then attach a rope to the handle and the other end of the rope to the rings of a tarp (cut up pieces of old t-shirts in 2 inch strips is great to use for rope). Filled milk jugs can also be used to hold down plastic or netting in your garden to protect it from frost in early spring or late fall.

Old Bed Pillows & Denim Jeans. Makes a great dog bed. Cut the legs out of worn jeans, the backs are usually the best pieces. Depending on the jeans size it should take about than 3 or 4 pair of adult sized jeans (less if you can use the front of the jean legs) to cover a standard up to king sized pillow when sewn together. Sew pieces together lengthwise, use a pillow case as a pattern and cut off any extra fabric, sew 1/2" seams on 2 sides and bottom, then stuff pillow in and fold under the top and either machine stitch or whip stitch by hand to close it up. These will last a long time and are great for dogs who like to claw or chew their bedding.

Great thread by the way! Thanks for all the info. everyone.

[rowdy35]

coffee can = grease can

glass vases and glass platters can be made into bird feeders/bird baths with some epoxy (these are really cute)

bowls can be used as flower pots

old metal shelves can be used to store flower pots/statues outside - re-spray paint when they get weathered

pasta sauce jars can be filled with soup to take with you for work

plastic buckets from cat litter & detergent can be used to store your gloves, mittens, garden tools, homemade laundry soap etc

egg cartons recycle or freecycle for people who have chickens

[Thevail]

Used toothbrushes are great for cleaning vegetables and can safely be run through the dishwasher.

A milk jug with one tiny hole (toothpick sized) in the top and one tiny hole in the bottom can act as a slow waterer for garden plants all day long.

A milk jug washed and thoroughly dried is a great holder for cous cous, rice, or barley bought in bulk.

You can make a simple camping stove out of a metal coffee can and anything from chicken wire to a used stove rack or even a piece of old fence.
http://www.castbullet.com/makeit/hobo.htm


Old towels or terry cloth robes can be cut up (avoiding the holes or super worn spots) into nice wash cloths, just do a simple stay stitch around the edge.

Cut up ruined panty hose to:
(upper parts) make soft stretchy ties to hold plants to stakes in the garden.

(cross section of the leg) make wonderful hair bands

(A laddered leg) makes a great holder for onions, garlic, dried peppers.

[shadowfax]

For horse people

Plastic milk jug- put a couple of rocks in it and hang it from the stall ceiling makes a dandy horse toy. Or cut a small hole in the bottom and put in some small horse treats and let them bang it around to get them out.

Tooth brushes- perfect for getting the tooling on your tack and your silver accents clean.

Old clothes- use for cleaning eyes, rub rags, and cleaning and oiling tack.

[frugalfriend]

Toothbrushes - When I replace my toothbrush, it gets plunged in boiling water for a few seconds then it becomes my eyebrow brush (to help shape them).

Great tip!

I use a toothbrush and Comet to clean around the faucets of the bathroom sinks. Also use a toothbrush and toothpaste to clean rings. Makes them sparkle!

[frugalwarrior]

When I worked for a dog rescue group in the country we always had trouble with bee going after the dog food (sugary). Sometimes dogs would get stung. We repurposed pop bottles into bee catchers. You cut off the first third (funnel) of the bottle and invert it into the body of the bottle. Then punch three holes to hold it together. tie it together with string and hang. If you fill it with apple juice it will go rancid in the sun. Once you get one bee in there and he can't fly out other will come to help and also get trapped. Sorry bee lovers.