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  4. New Uses for Recyclable Items

New Uses for Recyclable Items

Real Simple Author
By Real Simple Editors Updated January 27, 2014
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Paper tubes as Lincoln Logs
Credit: Aimee Herring
Before hitting the recycling bin, give these items a second chance.
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Paper Tubes as Lincoln Logs

Paper tubes as Lincoln Logs
Credit: 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.

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Cereal Box as Sweets Carrier

Cereal Box as Sweets Carrier
Credit: 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.

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Bleach Bottle as Cat Litter Scoop

Bleach Bottle as Scooper
Credit: 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.

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Cereal Bag as Crumb Maker

Cereal Bag as Crumb Maker
Credit: 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.

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Soda Bottle as Pasta Measurer

Clear plastic soda bottle holding dry pasta
Credit: 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.

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Beer Can as Noise Maker

Beer can
Credit: 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.

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Candy Wrapper as DIY Gift Wrap

Candy wrappers used as gift wrap
Credit: 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.

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Cereal Box as Photo Saver

Cereal Box as Photo Saver
Credit: 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.

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Cereal Box as Drawer Organizer

Cereal box drawer organizer
Credit: 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.

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Shower Curtain Liner as Child’s Smock

Shower Curtain Liner as Child’s Smock
Credit: 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.

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Scratched CD as Paint Palette

Scratched CD as Paint Palette
Credit: 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.)

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Bleach Bottle as Dumbbell

Bleach Bottle as Dumbbell
Credit: James Wojcik

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

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Coffee Can Lid as Twine Dispenser

Coffee Can Lid as Twine Dispenser
Credit: 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.

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Sticky Note as Keyboard Cleaner

Sticky Note as Keyboard Cleaner
Credit: 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.

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Baby Food Jar as Paint Bucket

Baby food jar used to hold paint
Credit: 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.

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Cork as Sewing Kit

Cork used for sewing kit
Credit: 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.

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Film Canister as Manicure Kit

Film canister used to hold manicure supplies
Credit: 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.

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Film Canister as Stamp Dispenser

Film canister holds spool of stamps
Credit: Mark Lund

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

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Milk Carton as Packing Material

Milk carton used to protect trinkets
Credit: Sang An

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

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Newspaper as Packing Material

Newspaper used to pack delicate items
Credit: James Baigrie

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

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Newspaper as Window Washer

Newspaper used to clean mirror
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

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

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Newspaper as Shoe Deodorizer

Newspaper used to keep shoe's shape
Credit: John Dolan

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

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Paper Plates as China Protectors

Paper plates used to protect china
Credit: James Wojick

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

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Soda Bottle as Water Saver

Soda bottle placed in toilet tank
Credit: 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.

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Soda Bottle as Boot Supporter

Soda bottle used to shape boot
Credit: 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?).

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Paper Towel Tube as Plastic Bag Storage

Paper towel tube used to store plastic bags
Credit: David Prince

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

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Wine Bottle as Boot Supporter

Wine bottle used to shape tall boots
Credit: James Wojick

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

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Wine Rack as Magazine File

Wine rack used to file magazines
Credit: James Wojick

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

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Wire Hanger as Ribbon Dispenser

Wire hanger used to dispense ribbon
Credit: 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.

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Yogurt Container as Seedling Cup

Yogurt container used to nurture seedling
Credit: 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.

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Paper Towel Tube as Wrinkle Preventer

Paper towel tube used for scarves
Credit: Aya Brackett

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

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Toilet Paper Roll as Cord Holder

Extension cord stored in toilet paper roll
Credit: Monica Buck

Contain extra extension cords by wrapping the length of one around your hand then sliding the whole thing inside the tube.

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Toilet Paper Tube as Hair Accessory Holder

0705water-tap-bangles
Credit: Monica Buck

Store hair accessories on an empty TP tube by stretching elastics around the roll and sliding clips and bobby pins on one end.

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Aluminum Foil as Wrinkle Remover

Ironing with foil under garment
Credit: Quentin Bacon

To get wrinkles out of silk, wool, and rayon clothes that can't take direct heat, place a piece of foil on your ironing board, then lay the garment flat over it. With the steam button down, pass the iron three to four inches over the fabric several times. Wet heat radiating from the foil helps smooth out wrinkles.

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Aluminum Foil as Fixture Protector

Foil-covered doorknob protected against paint
Credit: Quentin Bacon

Protect doorknobs and hardware in the kitchen and bathroom when you're painting by wrapping foil around them to catch dribbles. The foil molds to the shape of whatever it's covering and stays firmly in place until the job is complete.

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Aluminum Foil as an Antenna

Aluminum foil placed between TV and DVD player
Credit: Quentin Bacon

If your DVD player is stacked on top of the TV (or vice versa) and the picture is fuzzy, the two electromagnetic fields may be commingling, confusing the signals. (This usually happens with plastic casings; with metal it's less likely.) Slip a sheet of foil between the machines to separate the fields.

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Aluminum Foil as Glassware Scrubber

Ball of aluminum foil used to scrub glass pan
Credit: Quentin Bacon

To get baked-on food off a glass pan or an oven rack, use dishwashing liquid and a ball of foil in place of a steel-wool soap pad, says Mary Findley, president of the cleaning-products developer Mary Moppins. It's one way to recycle those used but perfectly good pieces of foil you hate to throw out.

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Aluminum Foil as a Funnel

Aluminum foil spout
Credit: Aya Brackett

Fashion a funnel of foil to neatly transfer salad dressings or condiments from tacky plastic bottles to pretty carafes or back again. Place it in the bottle and pour away.

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Aluminum Foil as a Piecrust Protector

Aluminum foil wrapped around crust of a pecan pie
Credit: Quentin Bacon

To prevent a piecrust from burning while the filling cooks, make a foil collar to deflect heat. Take a piece of foil about 25 inches long, fold it into thirds lengthwise, and fasten the ends with a paper clip. Halfway into the baking, slip the collar over the crust (as shown). Leave it on until the pie is done.

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Aluminum Foil as a Grilling Helper

Aluminum foil on grill
Credit: Quentin Bacon

Really hot grill bars equal dramatic grill marks on your porterhouse. To concentrate the heat and keep it from escaping, lay a sheet of foil over the grill for 10 minutes. Peel the foil off just before cooking, scrunch it into a ball (it cools fast), and use it later to scrape any residue or ash from the bars.

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Apple Container as Ornament Storage

Ornaments stored in plastic apple containers
Credit: John Lawton

Store delicate tree decor where the fruit once went to protect items from bumps and bruises. (You can also use wine boxes or egg cartons.)

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Can as Biscuit Cutter

Using a can to cut biscuits
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

Most biscuit cutters make overly wide biscuits, anyway―more beret than top hat. Use a tomato-paste can to achieve the proper size. First, scoop out the paste and freeze it in Tupperware or a storage bag. Then remove both the top and the bottom with a can opener and wash the interior. To prevent sticking, dip the can in flour before each cut.

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Citrus Peels as Bowls

Citrus peel as ice cream bowl
Credit: Yunhee Kim

Serve sorbet in a memorable way. After juicing (or eating) grapefruit, orange, lemon, or lime halves, scoop out and freeze the peels. Cut a small slice off the bottom to create a level surface (without creating a hole), then fill with ice cream.

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Gift Box as Cupcake Carrier

Cupcakes in a shirt box
Credit: John Lawton

If the forecast calls for iced roadways, stabilize your sweet cargo by cutting X’s into the tops of gift boxes and inserting the cupcakes. (A shirt box will hold about eight.)

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Greeting Cards as Gift Tags

Greeting cards cut for gift tags
Credit: Quentin Bacon

Create a gift tag by cutting a greeting card down to size, then punch a hole in the corner and slide a ribbon through it.

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Last Year's Holiday Cards as This Year's Table Runner

Cards as table runner
Credit: Francesco Lagnese

Rescue last year’s heartfelt wishes by turning them into a festive table runner of winter wonderlands. Place the cards facedown on a color copy machine (they should cover most of the glass). Next, put a piece of colored fabric or paper on top of the cards to serve as a border. Print out multiple copies (enough to cover the length of your table) on 11-by-17-inch paper. With double-stick tape, join the copies along the top and the bottom.

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Ketchup Bottle as Dessert Decorator

Ketchup squeeze bottle decorating desert plates
Credit: Rick Lew

Run an empty plastic ketchup bottle through the dishwasher, then fill it with your favorite sauce or condiment. Drizzle some rosemary-scented olive oil across a bowl of white bean soup, a squiggle of fudge or raspberry sauce around the rim of a dessert plate. (If calligraphy is not your strong suit, practice on a paper plate or stick to abstract designs.) You'll have a five-star-chef presentation in less than five minutes.

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Ketchup Bottle as Pancake Batter Dispenser

Ketchup bottle as batter dispenser
Credit: Mark Lund

Portion pancake batter with precision―without the usual mess of transferring batter from the bowl. Squeeze out baby-size or plate-size rounds, or add Mickey Mouse ears to a batch of silver dollars.

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Lightbulb Carton as Photo Protector

Lightbulb container holding photos
Credit: Formula Z/S

Protect photographs when you send them via snail mail. Flatten the corrugated cardboard box, then slide photos of loved ones (the true lights of your life) inside. Grandma will appreciate the wrinkle-free snapshots.

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Newspaper as Wrapping Paper

Gifts wrapped with newspaper
Credit: Rick Lew

Save the comics section for a child's birthday surprise or use the wedding announcements for an engagement.

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Drink Carrier as Condiment Kit

Six-pack box used as a condiment holder
Credit: Beatriz da Costa

Cart condiments to a backyard barbecue. Slot flatware, ketchup and mustard in the compartments for easy transport.

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Drink Carrier as Car Caddy

Six-pack carton as car caddy
Credit: Levi Brown

Stash the compartments with granola bars, hand wipes, tissues, and such, then reach for the cardboard savior when your backseat drivers are steering you toward Crazytown (population: one frazzled mom).

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Tea Bag as Bug Bite Soother

020607tea-bag
Credit: Dana Gallagher

A smart way to soothe itchy mosquito bites: Place a cold, used tea bag on the sting and let it sit for five minutes. Tea will help ease sunburn, too: Brew a pot and pour it into a bath of lukewarm water. Soak until you feel relief.

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Tissue Box as Plastic Bag Holder

Tissue box filled with grocery bags
Credit: Beatriz da Costa

Dispense plastic grocery bags with ease. Stuff your empties into and old tissue box and store under the sink. Then pull out one at a time when you need it.

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Wine Box as Shoe Storage

Shoes stored in a wine bottle carton
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

Warehouse your shoes in an empty wine-bottle carton wrapped in pretty paper.

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Wrapping Paper as Table Runner

Table runner and candles
Credit: Elizabeth Zeschin

Cut wrapping paper with pinking shears to craft a runner. (Use double-stick tape to secure the runner to the tablecloth.) You can also use cupcake foils as tea-light votives that require no wax cleanup; simply toss the foils when the wick is snuffed.

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    1 of 56 Paper Tubes as Lincoln Logs
    2 of 56 Cereal Box as Sweets Carrier
    3 of 56 Bleach Bottle as Cat Litter Scoop
    4 of 56 Cereal Bag as Crumb Maker
    5 of 56 Soda Bottle as Pasta Measurer
    6 of 56 Beer Can as Noise Maker
    7 of 56 Candy Wrapper as DIY Gift Wrap
    8 of 56 Cereal Box as Photo Saver
    9 of 56 Cereal Box as Drawer Organizer
    10 of 56 Shower Curtain Liner as Child’s Smock
    11 of 56 Scratched CD as Paint Palette
    12 of 56 Bleach Bottle as Dumbbell
    13 of 56 Coffee Can Lid as Twine Dispenser
    14 of 56 Sticky Note as Keyboard Cleaner
    15 of 56 Baby Food Jar as Paint Bucket
    16 of 56 Cork as Sewing Kit
    17 of 56 Film Canister as Manicure Kit
    18 of 56 Film Canister as Stamp Dispenser
    19 of 56 Milk Carton as Packing Material
    20 of 56 Newspaper as Packing Material
    21 of 56 Newspaper as Window Washer
    22 of 56 Newspaper as Shoe Deodorizer
    23 of 56 Paper Plates as China Protectors
    24 of 56 Soda Bottle as Water Saver
    25 of 56 Soda Bottle as Boot Supporter
    26 of 56 Paper Towel Tube as Plastic Bag Storage
    27 of 56 Wine Bottle as Boot Supporter
    28 of 56 Wine Rack as Magazine File
    29 of 56 Wire Hanger as Ribbon Dispenser
    30 of 56 Yogurt Container as Seedling Cup
    31 of 56 Paper Towel Tube as Wrinkle Preventer
    32 of 56 Toilet Paper Roll as Cord Holder
    33 of 56 Toilet Paper Tube as Hair Accessory Holder
    34 of 56 Aluminum Foil as Wrinkle Remover
    35 of 56 Aluminum Foil as Fixture Protector
    36 of 56 Aluminum Foil as an Antenna
    37 of 56 Aluminum Foil as Glassware Scrubber
    38 of 56 Aluminum Foil as a Funnel
    39 of 56 Aluminum Foil as a Piecrust Protector
    40 of 56 Aluminum Foil as a Grilling Helper
    41 of 56 Apple Container as Ornament Storage
    42 of 56 Can as Biscuit Cutter
    43 of 56 Citrus Peels as Bowls
    44 of 56 Gift Box as Cupcake Carrier
    45 of 56 Greeting Cards as Gift Tags
    46 of 56 Last Year's Holiday Cards as This Year's Table Runner
    47 of 56 Ketchup Bottle as Dessert Decorator
    48 of 56 Ketchup Bottle as Pancake Batter Dispenser
    49 of 56 Lightbulb Carton as Photo Protector
    50 of 56 Newspaper as Wrapping Paper
    51 of 56 Drink Carrier as Condiment Kit
    52 of 56 Drink Carrier as Car Caddy
    53 of 56 Tea Bag as Bug Bite Soother
    54 of 56 Tissue Box as Plastic Bag Holder
    55 of 56 Wine Box as Shoe Storage
    56 of 56 Wrapping Paper as Table Runner

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