New Uses for Old Things Hall of Fame 

Smart solutions and hidden uses for household staples like lemons, newspaper, Ziploc bags, CD cases, coasters, and kitchen appliances.

Simple Surprising Solutions

50 All-Time Favorite New Uses for Old Things
Some of our smartest ways to rethink common items.

More New Uses for Everyday Things

101 New Uses for Everyday Things
The multitasking hall of fame.

Wedding New Uses for Old Things
Surprising ways household objects help with your wedding day plans.

Basement Organizing Checklist

Create a safe and uncluttered storage space in your basement by following these easy steps.

• Assess the clutter. Start by creating three categories: keep, donate, and toss. As you work your way through the items in the basement, assign each one to a category. If you rarely use a piece, it’s probably a good candidate to donate or toss.
• Donate or toss. Contact local charities and arrange for a pickup of items to donate; put the toss items out with the trash or recycling.
• Edit the belongings you’re keeping. Separate the keep pile into new categories, such as books, sporting goods, etc. Assign each category a location: Books should be stowed in a plastic storage box placed on a high shelf (or in a corner of the attic); sporting equipment might be sent to a bin in the garage.

View The Entire Checklist