Creative Ways to Reuse Old Stuff

Recycling is no doubt important but reusing old stuff is the need of the day. Recycling and reusing are two different things. Recycling consumes a lot of energy, time and fuel to get the old stuff back in brand new condition, whereas reusing simply means to exploit the maximum potential of the simple items around. Reusing old stuff rather than disposing it, not only helps in protecting the environment but also helps you tickle your gray cells to think of innovative ideas to use them creatively. It is actually amazing that materials we considered trash serve multiple purposes yet again. You would be surprised to know about many simple items that lie around in your house which can be reused in a creative way. Every single item we buy has a second life, all we have to do is just explore our creative minds to find innovative ways and put them to use. This Buzzle article equips you with such innovative and creative ways to reuse old stuff.

Ways to Reuse Old Stuff

• Wine Bottle Vases- Old wine bottles can be used as vases, that will hold your favorite flowers. All you have to do is get rid of the label, if any, and paste something of your own or just let it be transparent. You can also break the neck of the bottle to broaden its mouth. So, next time before you plan to dispose those old wine bottles, may be, it's time to rethink.
• Newspaper Bags- You can make creative paper bags and in fact decorate them or paint them in colors you like to make them look attractive, just like in the picture above. You can also play with the size of these bags. So, you know what you have to do with the old newspapers!
• Tires Planters- Old tires can be used to make planters. Read on how to make tire planters, to explore this creative way of reusing old stuff. Paint these tires with vibrant colors to liven up your garden along with some sweet-smelling flowers planted in them!
• Floppy Disc, CDs, DVDs Coasters- Floppy discs, CD's and DVD's that you don't use anymore can be used as coasters. This stuff is all around the place gathering dust, instead, just put them to some constructive use. You can just directly use these CD's as coasters or you can paint them or cover them with some attractive paper!
• Turn Your Old CPU into a Barbecue Grill- This is one of the most creative ways to reuse old stuff. If you have your computer which you are going to be disposing, then wait! The CPU can be dismantled and made into a hollow rectangle, correct? Now, you have to place some coal in there and begin grilling the chicken. Simple, isn't it?
• Skirt Bags- An old skirt, (which you would want to discard) will help you create a fancy bag and very simple to make. You have to overlap the ends of the skirt and stitch it along the length. Now, sew a fancy strap at the other end and be proud of yourself for channelizing your creativity the right way. You can decorate the bag as you like or let it be plain, whatever you do, you are sure to make a style statement.
• Quilt- Sometimes, we have a stack of clothes we do not use, but we do not want to discard them either. So, what you can do? Well, gather all such clothes; cut them into rectangles or squares, and stitch them all together to create a nice quilt. Your old sweaters will also serve the purpose, in fact they would make cozy blankets for winter.
• Pen Stand- You will be surprised, but toilet paper rolls make fantastic pen stands. All you have to do is cover one end of the roll with a thick cardboard and then cover the entire thing with a colorful paper. You can use the comic section of your Sunday newspaper to do so.
• A Wall Mural with Your Old Greeting Cards- You cannot throw away the greetings cards, however you cannot pile them up either. Here is what you can do, make a collage of all the cards you have on the wall of your room. You can add borders around the entire collage, making it look neat and attractive.
• Socks Toys- Old socks can make good show pieces or bean toys. At first, wash your socks properly; see that they are not stinking. Now, stuff bean seeds or rice grains in the socks. Use rubber bands to create the toy's head, hands, body and legs. Place it in your show case or just anywhere you like, they look cute!
• Old Tire Swings- If you have a garden with some tall trees in them, just get a solid, strong string and an old tire to make a swing. Tie the string to a strong branch of the tree and hang the tire at the other end. You can sit in the hollow part of the tire and swing away. Your kids are sure to be fascinated with this entire project!
• Styrofoam as a Mini Fridge- Waste Styrofoam, that comes in as packing material with your crockery or electrical appliances can be cut and made into a small box. This will act as a mini fridge if you put some ice cubes in there. It can store cold drinks or chilled beer bottle while you are on a road trip.
• Piggy Bank out of Empty Cereal Boxes- Empty cereal boxes make good piggy banks. Firstly you have to seal the box with an adhesive or glue. Then just cut a slit on the top to facilitate money or coins in easily. If you do not want people to know you have made it out of a cereal box, just cover it with a fancy paper or something!
• Save Small Bottles of Cosmetics- Save small bottles of cosmetic, as they can be of great help when you are traveling. You can refill these small bottles with lotion or lip balms, so that the hassle of carrying big bottles is waved off. Hence, making your packing more organized and compact.
• Refrigerator Magnets- Your favorite biscuit and butter packets make good refrigerator magnets. You have to just seal the openings and fix a magnet behind the packet and place it over your fridge. Old scrabble tiles too can be converted into refrigerator magnets.
• Use the Blank Side of the Paper- We normally stack papers that are not used completely, meaning just one side of it is used, while the other side is blank. Gather them together and get a spiral binding done. You can use it as a rough dairy!
• Glass Jars as Planters- Do not dispose glass jars, they can be used to plant saplings. And the advantage is that you can place it anywhere in the house or on your desk at the workplace. The transparent quality allows you to see the plant grow at each stage. It is indeed wonderful.
• Cutlery Hooks- Old spoons or forks can be bent, which looks like the English alphabet "C". Get it fixed into the wall in a way which will make it look like the English alphabet U. This will exactly resemble a hook and act like one too. You can hang napkins, clothes and many other things.

Whoa! Indeed creative. So, the next time you happen to dispose old stuff, think again! You might want to consider reusing them in the most creative way possible and participate in the go green mission.