New Uses for Old Things

Screw off the caps of spare salt and pepper shakers and use the receptacles to display flowers on a bedroom night table, a guest-bathroom sink, or line up a bunch on a table and make an adorable centerpiece.

 

 

To keep your bracelets and necklaces nice and tidy, look no further than the garage. You would be surprised at how well a vintage rake head keeps necklaces untangled and hanging beautifully on the wall. Simply detach the handle and nail the rake head to the wall to create a unique and rustic jewelry holder — for free!

 

 

GLASS CANDY JAR: Don't let those bottles of nail polish take over the bathroom. Instead stash them in an old-fashioned glass candy jar. The glossy colors look as pretty as a scoop of jelly beans. Available at Target, Walmart or area craft stores.

WRAPPING PAPER: Here's a quick and inexpensive way to add style to your birthday party, wedding or dinner gathering - the WRAPPING PAPER RUNNER! Such an easy way to add color and liven up a boring table.

3-Ring Binder: Here's a new job for 3 ring plastic photo protectors: Use them to keep recipe cards organized and free of spills and spatters in the kitchen. Protectors are available at office-supply stores and come in a variety of sizes; choose ones to accommodate your recipe cards taken from magazines as well as handwritten ones received from friends. Store the pages in a three-ring binder.

SILVERWARE TRAY: Hate the toothbrushes on the counter? (I do!) Having a hard time remembering whose toothbrush is whose? Need a way to separate the toothbrushes from the hair brushes? Head on over to the Dollar Store and pick up a plastic silverware tray to put an end to all that. To be uber organized, you can even designate each slot with the family member's name.

SHOWER CAP: A tip for mid-winter break packing. Store shoes inside shower caps to stop dirty soles rubbing on your clothes. And you can find them in just about every hotel!

RAIN GUTTERS: Don’t have the yard space for a garden? Or simply just don't want to risk your kids running through it? Attach rain gutters to the side of your house to create a lovely herb and salad garden. Simply fill with topsoil and get planting. These gutter planters are perfect for herbs as well as lettuce, and any other vegetables that have shallow roots and don’t spread out too much.

TIC-TAC CASE: Keep your bobby pins all in one place by using a Tic Tac holder. Great for keeping an organized stash in your purse or car.

SILVERWARE CADDY: Give your remote controls a good home and they'll be less likely to wander. Try a flatware caddy for TV and DVD player remotes and train everyone to put the remotes back in their home -- and nowhere else -- when they're not in use.

COFFEE BEANS: Organize and energize your morning routine by storing your make-up brushes in coffee beans.

GARDEN HOSE: If your hubby hasn't taken down the Christmas lights just yet -- this is the perfect solution to keep your lights tangle free. To streamline your holiday decorating, use a garden hose holder and coil strings of lights around the rack for hassle-free clean-up and organization.

YARN: Isn't this use of yarn just fabulous!?! I love this creative wrapping idea found on Pinterest. For $3.99 at your local JoAnn Fabric store, you won't have to hassle with making perfectly tied bows. Or head on over to your Grandma's house to get some free!!

CUPCAKE WRAPPER: Around the holidays so many people give homemade gifts in jars. For an inexpensive festive way to package your gift, use a holiday cupcake wrapper for the top. Hold in place with a ribbon and wah-la you have adorable packaging within minutes.

FESTIVE SOCK: With the holiday season comes numerous parties so before your next party, slip a (clean) holiday appropriate, patterned kneesock over the bottom of a bottle of wine, then knot the top to create a decorative carrier. Better yet, offer your hostess two bottles so she can later enjoy toasty toes.

PUMPKIN: For a festive seasonal table-topper, cut off the top and hollow out the seeds. Then arrange fresh flowers, such as daisies or mums, in a water-filled jar and place inside, or use dried leaves and twigs.

PAPER TOWEL HOLDER: Bye bye messy spools of unraveled ribbon. A paper towel holder is an inexpensive, simple way to have easy access when you're wrapping gifts. Slide spools of ribbon with at least a one-inch diameter opening onto the towel post. Stack the spools from largest to smallest, bottom to top, and tape the ribbon ends to their spools when you're not using them.

DICE: Trying to get your picky eaters to eat their vegetables? Use dice to decide how many more bites of dinner your child has to eat before being excused. Let your child roll so he’s the one controlling his fate. You'll end up with a more peas-ful family meal.

RETURN ADDRESS LABELS: Stick or tape return address labels on anything you don't want to lose: school supplies, books, magazines, umbrellas, Tupperware containers, cell phones, the stapler on your desk at work. That way your stuff will see many happy returns.

DENTURE TABLETS: Drink a lot of red wine? Can't seem to scrub away the wine stains? Now you can with Denture Tablets! Fill the glass with warm water, drop in a tablet, and let it dissolve. Easy-peasy.

WD-40: With back to school soon approaching, crayons will be everywhere. If you made the mistake of buying non-washable crayons, use alittle WD-40 to remove crayon marks. Apply just a small amount to almost any surface (plastic, metal, TV screens, freshly painted walls) and rub away with a clean cloth.

TOOTHBRUSH: Save yourself some time in the kitchen this summer by using a clean toothbrush to remove stray threads of silk from freshly shucked ears of corn. The hard bristles will lift them away quickly and efficiently.

TRAVEL SOAP CASE: Going on a trip? Lose your camera case? Worried you'll scratch it up? Protect your picture taker from getting knocked around in your carry-on or purse by placing it in a hard plastic travel soap case. An inexpensive alternative.

TOOTHPICK: Can't seem to find the end of the tape? Mark the end of a roll of clear packing tape by sticking a toothpick under the flap. No more wasting time and half the roll just to seal one box.

MEDICINE BOTTLES: Never be without change again. Once the meds are gone, an old pill bottle is ideal for stashing quarters in the car for tolls or meters.

BREAD CLIPS: Bread clips make perfect labels for all of your TV and computer wires. It's best to label all of your cord twice—once near the device and once near the power strip or electrical outlet. That way if you need to move one of your electronics, you can easily identify which cord needs to be unplugged at both ends.

VINEGAR: Dislodge a stubborn price sticker with Vinegar. Paint with several coats, let it sit for five minutes, then wipe away.

KLEENEX BOX: Forget unruly plastic bags that seemingly regenerate under your sink. An empty tissue box keeps them neatly corralled and ready for use.

BINDER CLIPS: Repurposing a plain ol' binder clip as a cord organizer is an easy way to keep all of your chargers organized on the side of your desk when you leave them plugged into a surge protector. Imagine how nice it would look with some fun brightly-colored binder clips?

KETCHUP BOTTLE: Make no-mess pancakes with the help of a ketchup bottle: Pour in batter, then squeeze out precise portions.

SILVERWARE: Breathe new life into mismatched and old flatware by turning it into -- ta-da! -- useful hooks.

TWISTER GAME MAT: A Twister game mat makes a spot-on tablecloth for a child’s birthday party or colorful backyard BBQ. No worries; sticky food and spilled juice wash right off.

PLASTIC EASTER EGGS: Give Easter eggs a year-round use (and save on resealable bags) by filling them with snacks like crackers or Cheerios.

EGG CUPS: Although egg cups may only find their way to your dining table once (or less) a year, you can put them to work every day decluttering your desk top.

RUBBER BANDS: As you get all the supplies ready for decorating Easter eggs, make sure you have some rubber bands on hand. Get creative by positioning bands around the eggs in a pattern before dipping them into the dye.

NEWSPAPER: If you need to ripen tomatoes, wrap them individually in newspaper and leave them out at room temperature.

HAIR STRAIGHTENER: No time to drag out your iron and ironing board? A straightening iron works perfectly between buttons where a regular iron doesn’t fit. And it smooths collar creases and minor wrinkles. So you can look perfectly pressed when you're pressed for time.

CUPCAKE LINER: Do you find yourself not giving your kids Popsicles because of the mess they'll make? Now you can make everyone happy by using a cupcake holder as a dripper catcher. Before serving that Popsicle, slip the stick through a foil liner to catch drips and keep hands from getting sticky.

RUBBER GLOVE: Say bye-bye to pet hair (at least while your guests come over). Put on a damp rubber glove and run your hand over hair-covered upholstery—the hair will cling to the glove, not the sofa. Rinse off the glove in the sink (with the drain catcher in place, of course).

DRYER SHEET: Dryer sheet as scum buster?? Yep, remove obstinate soap build-up from glass shower doors by sprinkling a few drops of water onto a used fabric-softener sheet and scrub away!

PAPER CLIP HOLDER: End the frustrating bobby pin search by keeping them all in one place - in a paper clip holder.

ICE TRAY: Repurpose an unused ice tray to corral small pieces of jewelry like rings and earrings.

SHOE ORGANIZER: Repurpose a canvas shoe organizer to organize craft supplies.

VASE: No cabinet to store extra toilet paper? Re-purpose a clear vase as a simple, chic way to store the t.p. You can find a tall, glass vase like this at Target for $14.99.

WINE RACK: I love creative storage! Re-purpose a wine rack as a functional, decorative towel rack.

MAGNET: I don't know about you but I'm always searching for my tweezers. Stop tweezers from going astray by installing a magnet on the inside of your medicine cabinet and they'll always be at your fingertips.

SHOWER CURTAIN HOOKS: Organize purses, belts and other loose items in your closet by hanging them on shower curtain hooks.

COAT RACK: Wondering what to do with your children's artwork? Display their favorite pieces by hole-punching the top and hang with a colorful ribbon. Rotate their artwork weekly or monthly.

CONTACT LENSE CASE: Going on a quick trip? Sick of lugging around bulky bottles in your handbag? Easily transport non-prescription pills in a contact case.