101 Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things

Unexpected New Uses for Laundry Room Items

A few surprising spins on utility-room essentials can give you new appreciation for laundry day

Unexpected New Uses for Laundry Room Items
Mark Lund
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Laundry Basket
  • Have a beach picnic. Tote items to the shore in the basket, then flip it over and use it as a table. Hose the basket off when you get home and it’s ready to go back to wash-day duty.


  • Serve drinks al fresco. Line the basket with a trash bag and fill with ice to make a cooler for impromptu parties.


  • Tame the sprinkler. Store a coiled garden hose in a basket; stash sprinklers, nozzles, and other attachments in the middle of the coil.


  • Protect plants. Place a laundry basket upside down over delicate plants during a rain- or hailstorm.


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