by Beverly Gore

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

Ten Repurposing Ideas

During the 1930s Great Depression, families repurposed just about everything. With few exceptions Americans are recyclers. Most recently, the EPA's slogan, "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" has become the rallying cry.

Here are ten simple ideas to get more life out of items that might otherwise end up in a landfill.

1. Berry and tomato cartons can be used in drawers to organize small objects like folded socks and belts, and in kitchen and desk drawers.

2. Egg cartons can be filled with potting soil to use as seed starters, and work equally well to hold small jewelry items or in the garage for spare screws and nails.

3. Tear up bigger styrofoam items and mix with potting soil - this gives roots needed air circulation in addition to cutting down on the amount of soil needed to fill pots.

4. Invest in a waste can with side handles that is designed to accommodate plastic shopping bags.

5. Plastic newspaper sleeves are excellent for cleaning the cat litter box. Stuff a couple in your pocket when walking the dog to clean up after it - just put it on your arm like a glove.

6. Make it a point to donate or swap clothing. Organizers stress that if you have not worn an item within a year, you are not likely to wear it ever. Take these to the Goodwill or other charity. Or have a clothing swap with friends. Otherwise, take a basket to work and put a "Free" sign on it.

7. Small wooden picture frames can be recycled as earring holders by tacking window screen into the grooves in the back. Insert the ear wires through the holes in the screen. Hang these in the area where you dress or inside the doors of cabinets.

8. No-longer-used napkin holders make great organizers for mail and to hold recipes in the kitchen.

9. Reuse dryer sheets to remove dust and static from TV screens and computer monitors.

10. Save broken pieces of dishes, pottery, and colored glass to use in cement stepping stones as you would mosaic tiles. Pizza boxes (about 10 inches square) can be lined with foil or thick plastic and used a molds for quick-set cement.

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