Real Simple | Life Made Easier, Every Day
Make RealSimple.com My Homepage|Simply Stated|Newsletters|Real Simple Rewards|Photo Galleries|SUBSCRIBE
  • Food & Recipes
    • Browse All
    • Enhanced Recipe Search
    • Recipe Collections & Favorites
    • Cooking Tips & Techniques
    • Shopping & Storing
    • Tools & Products
    • New Uses For Old Things
    • Family-Friendly Meals
  • Home & Organizing
    • Browse All
    • Organizing
    • Cleaning
    • Decorating
    • Home Improvement
    • Gardening
    • Green Living
    • New Uses For Old things
    • Easy Home Makeovers 
  • Beauty & Fashion
    • Browse All
    • Clothing
    • Shoes & Accessories
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Makeovers & Tips
    • Clothing Care
    • Hair Care and Color Guide
  • Holidays & Entertaining
    • Browse All
    • Holidays
    • Weddings
    • Birthdays
    • Entertaining
    • Gifts
    • Easy Valentine’s Day Ideas
  • Health
    • Browse All
    • Nutrition & Diet
    • Fitness & Exercise
    • Mind & Mood
    • First Aid & Health Basics
    • Preventative Health
    • Stay Healthy on the Go
  • Work & Life
    • Browse All
    • Money
    • Family
    • Life Strategies
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Etiquette
    • Entertainment
    • Smart Shopping 101
  • Magazine & More
    • Browse All
    • Inside the Magazine
    • Inside the Website
    • Newsletters
    • Real Simple Products
    • Real Simple Rewards
    • Books & Back Issues
    • Simply Stated Blogs
    • Subscribe
    • Subscribe to Real Simple Magazine
  • Homepage
  • Home & Organizing
  • New Uses for Old Things
New Uses for Old Things

Unexpected New Uses for Kitchen Items

These items step up to the plate in less time than it takes to heat up leftovers.

  • PRINT
  • E-MAIL
  • COMMENT
  • SAVE
  • SHARE:
  •    more
Page 1 of 5

Mark Lund

Colanders

  • Shoo flies: Invert the colander and use it as a bug tent over burgers and buns during a cookout.
  • Create a casual luminaria: Place tea lights or votives inside a metal version.
  • Wash your delicates: Don't throw lingerie into the sink for hand washing. Peroxide from some toothpastes and caustic agents from other cleansers can bleach, stain, degrade, and even disintegrate delicate fabrics. Instead, put the colander in the sink and wash the garments inside it.
  • Make a kid's Halloween costume: A stainless-steel colander is a perfect Martian helmet. Attach ribbons to the handles and tie them under the chin.
  • Sift flour in a pinch: Pour flour into a colander and shake it back and forth over a larger bowl. (Use a wooden spoon to break up lumps, if necessary.)

Next: Wine Bottles or Corks
Skip to Daily Finds slides.

Related Content

The Secrets of 4 Super-Organized Women

A peek at a quartet of particularly well ordered systems―with tips your can use for your own.

  • The Best Organizing Tips
  • Essential Kitchen Tools Checklist
  • Get Organized Using Everyday Items
  • How to Organize Your Kitchen

What do you think about this article? Share your own solutions and ideas

View Earlier Comments
  • Mouse Icon Connect
  • Camera Icon Videos
  • Checkbox Icon Checklists

Tip-of-the-Day Calendars

Browse All Calendars
Calendars
  • Daily Thought
  • Daily Recipe
  • Daily Finds
  • 400-Calorie Dinners

How-To Videos

Browse All Videos
Videos
  • Whip Cream
  • Fold a Fitted Sheet
  • Cut a Mango
  • Apply Lipstick

Checklists

Browse All Checklists
Checklists
  • Bathroom Cleaning Checklist
  • Cheese Party Checklist
  • Emergency Plan Checklist
  • Start a Book Club Checklist
Advertisement

Top Galleries

See All Galleries
  • The Art of Shaving Kit

      Heartfelt Valentine’s Day Gifts for Loved Ones

  • Ketchup bottle as batter dispenser

      50 All-Time Favorite New Uses for Old Things

  • Individual Chocolate Melting Cakes

      25 Deliciously Decadent Dessert Recipes

  • Bed covered with pillows

      23 Bedroom Decorating Tricks

  • Candy Hearts

      Shortcuts to a Romantic Valentine’s Day

Real Simple | Life Made Easier, Every Day
In The Magazine
  • This Month's Issue
  • Subscribe
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • Books and Back Issues
RSS
  • Sign up to get ideas instantly!
Inside Real Simple
  • Food & Recipes
  • Home & Organizing
  • Beauty & Fashion
  • Health
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Work & Life
  • Magazine & More
  • Weddings
  • Travel
  • Technology
 
  • Decorating
  • Gardening
  • Cleaning
  • Money
  • Family
  • How To Guides
  • Ask Real Simple
  • Simply Stated Blogs
  • Daily Finds
  • Real Simple Products
More Information
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Customer Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Print Media Kit
  • Digital Media Kit
  • Real Simple Rewards
  • Site Map
Real Simple Newsletters To receive any of these free e-mails, select the ones you're interested in and enter the required information.
  • Weekly Tips Newsletter (see sample)
  • Daily Finds (see sample)
  • Daily Thought (see sample)
  • Wedding Newsletter (see sample)
  • Daily Recipe Newsletter (see sample)
  • Ask Real Simple (see sample)
  • Keep-It-Together Checklist (see sample)
Copyright © 2010 Time Inc. Lifestyle Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.