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Don't throw out your old household items. There are many unique ways to reuse those old household items. Reuse, reduce, and recycle, lessen your carbon footprint. Going green is easy, fun, and environmentally friendly. A little imagination and creativity will go a long way at unclogging our landfills.

Encourage your family to think of ways to reuse everyday household items. Everything from a toothbrush to a cinder block can be used again in an environmentally friendly way. Here are some nifty was to give second chances to your old household items:

TOOTH BRUSHES

Not just for your teeth anymore. Mix 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1/4 cup baking soda together and create a gentle eco-friendly paste cleaner. Use your old toothbrushes to get those hard to scrub areas around faucets, toilet bases, and grout tile lines. Add one gallon of warm water to your gentle household cleaning paste and use your liquid cleaner anywhere in your home without worry of little ones or pets be harmed by harsh chemicals.

OLD TOWELS AND TEE SHIRTS

Towels and tee shirts make wonderful cleaning rags. Just cut them up and save money, trees, and the environment. No more paper towels for your family. Conserve energy by washing them in cold water and hanging them up to dry.

SMALL PLASTIC CONTAINERS (butter, cottage cheese, yogurt, and sour cream)

These make great little containers for your kids lunch pails. They are reusable time and time again unlike plastic baggies. They also make wonderful containers for craft items like buttons, beads, and sequences.

OLD SOCKS

Eliminate dust throughout your home. Simply cut off the open end of the sock if it is too long. Place the sock over your hand and dust away. The sock will form to your hand making even those hard to dust areas no problem at all. Mix up a gentle eco-friendly furniture polish by combining 1/2 cup lemon juice with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

OLD CLOTHES PINS

Have a bunch of old clothes pins laying around? Keep your foods fresher longer by pinning closed your chip and cereal bags or pin skirts/pants onto your clothes hangers. Skirt hangers can be expensive. If your clothes pins are made out of wood have your children paint them bright colors it will be a fun family craft project. Make a list holder by attaching a magnet to one side of the clothes pin and place it on your fridge or glue a picture of your kids to the other side to make a picture magnet.

OLD CINDER BLOCKS

Make beautiful spring, summer, and fall planters using old cinderblocks. Place your old blocks on their side exposing the center holes. Paint them if you want to add some color. Place a little soil in and plant your favorite seeds or purchase seasonal flowers from your local plant nursery. Be sure to ask which flowers will grow best in your growing region.

Creativity and gettin everyone involved will help reduce your families' carbon footprint. You will be surprised at all the second chances many household items have. Reuse your household items in fun and unique ways.

Learn more about this author, Elizabeth Blankenship.
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