If you’re anything like me, you’re throwing out too much with the trash. Even though I recycle, I often think that I could surely be doing more to cut down on waste. With a little creative thinking, I’ve come up with a list of 10 household items I could be saving rather than tossing out. Here they are, along with some of the ways they can be reused in a creative way.
1. Tin Cans = Kitchen Utensil Holders
Empty tin cans make ideal holders for kitchen utensils and gadgets. To free up counter space, use a drill bit to create a hole just below the rim on the back of each can, then hang each can from an S-hook on a towel bar. You can even decorate the cans with spray paint, washi tape and stickers.
2. Shoe Organizer = Pantry Storage
Add an over-the-door shoe organizer to the back of your pantry door (or on an empty wall) and use it to sort small items like granola bars, fruit cups and disposable cutlery. The clear pockets make it easy to grab a snack on the go without having to dig through the entire pantry.
3. File Organizers = Shopping Bag Holders
Between grocery store runs, keep your reusable shopping bags organized and out of the way in a file organizer mounted on your pantry wall. This hack also works great for paper grocery bags.
4. Tension Rods = Spice Shelves
Think beyond window treatments and put your old tension rods to work in the kitchen. Mount them inside of a cabinet to put your spices on display — you’ll never have to hunt for basil or bay leaves again.
5. Baby Food Jars = Spice Storage
Free up kitchen cabinet space by storing your spices on the fridge in upcycled baby food jars. Just add magnets to the lids and labels to the bottoms of the jars so you know which spice is which.
6. Magazine File = Plastic Lid Organizer
Plastic food storage containers can easily take up an entire kitchen cabinet if you stack them with their lids on. Save space by storing the containers on a cabinet shelf and the lids in an old magazine file mounted on the cabinet door.
7. Magazine Rack = Pot Lid Holder
Get all those pot lids in line with a metal magazine rack. Just hang it inside a cabinet or on the back of a cabinet door and arrange the lids by size.
8. Soda Boxes = Canned Food Storage
Stacks of canned foods can be precarious in a pantry. Keep your canned goods tidy and topple-proof by storing them on their sides in empty soda boxes. Cover the boxes with decorative paper, attach labels, and cut openings in the back so older cans rotate to the front.
9. Loaf Pan = Baking Supply Holder
Small baking supplies like sprinkles, cupcake liners, food coloring bottles and piping tips can easily get lost in a pantry or kitchen cabinet. Corral these items in an old loaf pan — the next time you feel like baking, everything you need will be at your fingertips.
10. Magazine File = Produce Storage
Garlic and onions are best stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated space. A metal mesh magazine file on a pantry shelf is the perfect solution. The open design lets the veggies breathe and allows you to easily see what produce you have on hand.
