by Josephine Polifroni

Created on: May 08, 2008   Last Updated: May 20, 2008

Modern re-purposing was born when someone said, "Don't throw that away, I can make a planter out of it!" Modern, because until very recently people used everything until there was literally nothing left. Many of these items such as quilts, furniture made from different scrap woods or flour sack aprons are treasures, handcrafted with patience and skill.

Today, even if it is not strictly necessary, anything that might be headed for the trash should get a long hard look as to reuse possibilities.

Anything that is useful as it is should be sold or donated. Clothing, for instance, should not be cut up to use as fabric if it is in good condition, unless you are making a memory quilt from clothes you would not part with anyway.

Shabby clothing can be made into a variety of things. Patchwork projects can produce quilts, place mats, tote bags or pillows. Crazy quilts can put every scrap of trim to good use. Starting at the waist, cut a tee shirt around and around into a continuous strip about 1"-1 " wide. Jersey fabric curls, so the strips can be crocheted into a rug without further treatment, after sewing the ends together. Large towels with holes can be cut into smaller towels, used on the dog or sewn into a cover for a pet's bed or a beach cover.

Clean old carpet, cut away ruined portions and re-bind, or cut several smaller pieces and rebind. Use in the garage, the trunk, a child's playhouse or the doghouse. Badly stained carpet that is whole can be placed under your car tires to provide traction in slippery conditions.

Convert promotional CDs into clocks with a kit from the hobby store. Lone pieces of china make interesting clocks. Use a ceramic drill bit to drill the hole and use a kit that matches the china.

Safety standards on children's items may change and they may not be safe to use again but you can use old playpens to corral balls, pool toys or items for your next garage sale. An old wooden highchair can hold stuffed animals or plants. An old car seat can be used indoors as extra seating, add a new slipcover and padding if needed.

Put fragile items in old socks to store them or use them as mitts to dust, wash the car, the dog, the tub, etc.

Since old pantyhose comes in flesh colored hues, sew into doll bodies. Use old pantyhose to hold sachet or cedar chips to freshen closets, garages, basements or the dog's bed.

Refurbish old binders with colored duct tape. Even if they are a little wobbly for taking to school, they can be loaded with pocket folders to hold cut out recipes, craft projects, etc.

If all else fails, join Freecycle.org, for free, and offer your unwanted items for free. Someone may have the perfect way to re-purpose your stuff. Or, you can make a planter out of it.

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