Real Simple
New Uses for Old Things
New Uses for Recyclable Items

New Uses for Recyclable Items

By Real Simple

Updated January 27, 2014

Skip gallery slides

Aimee Herring

Before hitting the recycling bin, give these items a second chance.

Start Slideshow

1 of 56

Paper Tubes as Lincoln Logs

Aimee Herring

Cut squares out of the sides that are roughly the same diameter as the tube (see bottom left of photo) for a DIY version of Lincoln Logs perfect for little hands. Stack the “logs” perpendicularly to one another. It's a no-cost way to let the good times roll.

2 of 56

Cereal Box as Sweets Carrier

Philip Friedman; Styling: Linden Elstran

Attention, PTA members: Here’s a practical Transport Alternative for the bake sale. Tape a cereal box closed, then cut away the front or back panel to create a tray for those top-selling brownies. Best of all, you can just "donate" the box.

3 of 56

Bleach Bottle as Cat Litter Scoop

Photos: Erica McCartney; Styling: Linden Elstran

Cut diagonally across the middle of an empty, clean bottle, toss the base, and use the half with the handle to scoop up soil or cat litter.

4 of 56

Cereal Bag as Crumb Maker

Philip Friedman; Styling: Linden Elstran

These durable bags can take a beating. Fill one up and give it a whack with a rolling pin to make crumbs out of crackers, cornflakes, or candy. Remember to twist the top closed to prevent flyaways.

5 of 56

Soda Bottle as Pasta Measurer

James Wojcik

Said good-bye to soda? Fill the mouth of a dry 20-ounce bottle with uncooked spaghetti; the opening holds enough for a hearty single serving.

6 of 56

Beer Can as Noise Maker

James Wojcik

Cut down on drinking? You can still start 2012 off with a bang—or at least a rattle. Drop a dozen coins into a clean, empty beer can and seal the opening with tape. When the clock strikes 12, shake some noise.

7 of 56

Candy Wrapper as DIY Gift Wrap

James Wojcik

Sworn off candy? Use the leftover wrappers to sugarcoat small-scale presents: Cut a wrapper into a flat sheet, then fold and tape as usual.

8 of 56

Cereal Box as Photo Saver

Philip Friedman; Styling: Linden Elstran. Photo in box: Renee Keith/Getty Images

Sending Grandpa a shot of the all-star soccer team but don't want the postal journey to bend it (like Beckham)? Sandwich the picture between the large panels of a flattened box.

9 of 56

Cereal Box as Drawer Organizer

Levi Brown

If you're the flaky type, cereal boxes (including the single-serving minis) can corral desk-drawer chaos. Slice off the tops and the bottoms and fill them with loose odds and ends.

10 of 56

Shower Curtain Liner as Child’s Smock

Philip Friedman; Styling: Linden Elstran

Finger-painting on the day’s agenda? Cut a new shower curtain liner in half or in fourths, and then cut a hole in the center for your little one’s head to pop through.

11 of 56

Scratched CD as Paint Palette

Philip Friedman; Styling: Linden Elstran

When you're working on an art project, dab the colors you need onto a CD. (Place one finger in the hole to keep the CD stable.)

12 of 56

Bleach Bottle as Dumbbell

James Wojcik

Outfit a home gym by filling two empty bottles with sand and using them as dumbbells.

13 of 56

Coffee Can Lid as Twine Dispenser

James Wojcik

Save your coffee can's lid from the recycling bin and use it to dispense twine. Simply poke a hole in the lid and run the twine through.

14 of 56

Sticky Note as Keyboard Cleaner

James Wojcik

To make your QWERTY cleaner, slide the adhesive strip of a sticky note through the crevices to collect and lift out dust and debris.

15 of 56

Baby Food Jar as Paint Bucket

James Wojick

Simplify paint touch-ups by pouring a few ounces of each new wall paint into a jar for when those times it’s needed to cover the inevitable nail holes and scuffs.

16 of 56

Cork as Sewing Kit

James Wojick

Make a compact sewing kit by sticking needles and pins in a cork. For a little zip, wrap it with a few lengths of thread.

17 of 56

Film Canister as Manicure Kit

Anson Smart

Assemble a mobile manicure kit by cutting a sponge into small pieces, saturating them with nail polish remover, and storing them in the canister.

18 of 56

Film Canister as Stamp Dispenser

Mark Lund

Unspool stamps by cutting a slit in the side of a film canister and threading the end of the roll throught it.

19 of 56

Milk Carton as Packing Material

Sang An

Safely deliver fragile trinkets by wrapping them in bubble wrap, tucking them into a clean carton, and pinching the top closed.

20 of 56

Newspaper as Packing Material

James Baigrie

Wrap frames and figurines with several pieces of newspaper, then crumple the remaining sections to fill extra space in the box.

21 of 56

Newspaper as Window Washer

Antonis Achilleos

Newspapers deposit less lint than paper towels do and don't leave any streaks. Just spray on a glass cleaner and wipe.

22 of 56

Newspaper as Shoe Deodorizer

John Dolan

Help shoes keep their shape and smell fresh by stuffing them with newspaper after wearing them.

23 of 56

Paper Plates as China Protectors

James Wojick

Prevent good china from chipping by layering paper plates between each piece of your formal dinnerware.

24 of 56

Soda Bottle as Water Saver

Aya Brackett

Waste less water. Fill a plastic bottle with liquid and place it in the tank of an old toilet (not a high-efficiency one). That way, it will require less resources to refill.

25 of 56

Soda Bottle as Boot Supporter

Antonis Achilleos

Insert an empty one-liter plastic bottle into a tall boot to keep it from sagging, creasing, or toppling over. Bonus: Upright boots create space on your closet floor to fill as you please (hmm…more boots?).

26 of 56

Paper Towel Tube as Plastic Bag Storage

David Prince

Contain plastic bags in a drawer or under the cabinet by stuffing them into an empty tube and pulling out as needed.

27 of 56

Wine Bottle as Boot Supporter

James Wojick

Preserve the shape of tall leather boots by placing a bottle into each one's shaft for reinforcement.

28 of 56

Wine Rack as Magazine File

James Wojick

Roll up the most recent issues and slide into the spots usually reserved for your favorite reserves.

29 of 56

Wire Hanger as Ribbon Dispenser

James Wojick

Dispense ribbon for wrapping gifts. Untwist the hanger—or pop out the cardboard-tube bottom of a hybrid hanger from the dry cleaner—and slide on spools for easy storage.

30 of 56

Yogurt Container as Seedling Cup

James Baigrie

Poke a few drainage holes in the bottom of a yogurt cup and start growing seeds there before transplanting them to larger pots or garden beds.

31 of 56

Paper Towel Tube as Wrinkle Preventer

Aya Brackett

Ward off wrinkles in silk scarves by wrapping them around the tube between wearings.

Account

More

New Uses for Recyclable Items

1 of 56

Paper Tubes as Lincoln Logs

1 of 56

2 of 56

Cereal Box as Sweets Carrier

2 of 56

3 of 56

Bleach Bottle as Cat Litter Scoop

3 of 56

4 of 56

Cereal Bag as Crumb Maker

4 of 56

5 of 56

Soda Bottle as Pasta Measurer

5 of 56

6 of 56

Beer Can as Noise Maker

6 of 56

7 of 56

Candy Wrapper as DIY Gift Wrap

7 of 56

8 of 56

Cereal Box as Photo Saver

8 of 56

9 of 56

Cereal Box as Drawer Organizer

9 of 56

10 of 56

Shower Curtain Liner as Child’s Smock

10 of 56

11 of 56

Scratched CD as Paint Palette

11 of 56

12 of 56

Bleach Bottle as Dumbbell

12 of 56

13 of 56

Coffee Can Lid as Twine Dispenser

13 of 56

14 of 56

Sticky Note as Keyboard Cleaner

14 of 56

15 of 56

Baby Food Jar as Paint Bucket

15 of 56

16 of 56

Cork as Sewing Kit

16 of 56

17 of 56

Film Canister as Manicure Kit

17 of 56

18 of 56

Film Canister as Stamp Dispenser

18 of 56

19 of 56

Milk Carton as Packing Material

19 of 56

20 of 56

Newspaper as Packing Material

20 of 56

21 of 56

Newspaper as Window Washer

21 of 56

22 of 56

Newspaper as Shoe Deodorizer

22 of 56

23 of 56

Paper Plates as China Protectors

23 of 56

24 of 56

Soda Bottle as Water Saver

24 of 56

25 of 56

Soda Bottle as Boot Supporter

25 of 56

26 of 56

Paper Towel Tube as Plastic Bag Storage