Be Like Grandma! 12 Genius Ways to Reuse Household Items
My grandparents were incredibly resourceful: They discovered countless ways to reuse household items so that nothing valuable was wasted.
These days, while many among us harbor a single-use mindset, generations past had ingrained reuse within well before zero-waste living ever became a ‘thing’.
We can learn an awful lot from our grandparents: Below, find 12 ways to reuse household items just like Grandma.
12 genius ways to reuse household items:
1. Aluminum foil
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Grandma knew it to be true: Aluminum foil is not a single-use item.
Indeed, one sheet can be used again + again. Simply wash it, lay flat to dry + reuse as you would a new piece.
Still, aluminum foil won’t last forever. When it’s time to get rid of it, you can:
– Recycle it. Wash it + crumble it into a ball first. (Note: Many municipalities accept foil for recycling; some do not. Check your local guidelines.)
– Scrub pots. Crush foil into a pancake + wash away.
– Polish the silver. Line a glass pan with old foil, pour in boiling water + add your silver.
2. Worn clothes, towels + sheets
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Fabric was expensive; that’s why Grandma never tossed a garment or fiber.
If an item needed mending, she mended it. Grandma had the skill set necessary to fix zippers, patch holes, hem pants + more.
[Related: Easy Clothing Repairs You Can Do without a Sewing Machine.]
If a garment presented an unfixable problem, my grandmother repurposed that piece of otherwise decent fabric into something new, including:
– Quilts
– Pillowcases
– Oven mitts, by sandwiching + sewing square pieces of towels in between fabric
– Curtains
– Doll clothes
Not a sewer? Say adios to paper towels once + for all by repurposing old fabric into rags. Rip old clothes, towels + sheets into a variety of sizes, fold them nicely + store them in a basket under your sink.
3. Glass jars
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My grandparents recognized the varsity of glass jars; as such, they had a swoon-worthy collection of glass jars.
Jars ensure both organization + tidiness. Use them to separate:
– Spices, grains + loose leaf tea
– Hairties, cotton swabs, cotton balls + bobby pins
– Nails, screws, paper clips, buttons + safety pins
Alternately, use them when gifting. I collected jam jars last year then made beeswax candles as Christmas presents for my family.
Have yourself a smelly jar? Place the washed jar + lid outside in the sun for a few hours. Next, soak both the jar + the lid in a bath of equal parts baking soda + vinegar overnight, making sure that the solution is completely inside the jar.
4. Butter wrappers
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Grandma didn’t buy margarine in a plastic tub; she used butter, instead. And what did she do with all those wrappers? She reused them, of course!
Store butter wrappers in your refrigerator + use one or two to grease a pan before baking. Doing so will ensure that you’ll never need to buy cooking spray again.
5. Newspaper
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My grandparents saved newspapers 7 days a week.
There are many ways to reuse household newspaper. You can use it to:
– Insulate walls
– Clean glass + windows in place of paper towels
– Use to start fires
– Compost it (newspaper is the perfect brown matter!)
– Line a pet cage instead of purchasing bedding at the pet store
– Wrap gifts
A quick note: The above list of reuse ideas is not meant to advocate for receiving the headlines in printed form. Consider transferring your newspaper subscription to a digital version, instead.
6. Stumpy candles
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Repurposing old candles into new ones is an easy way to reuse a common household item. Simply scrape out leftover wax, place it inside a coffee can, then create a makeshift double boiler by placing that coffee can inside a bigger pot.
Next, melt it down, insert a wick into a repurposed jar + create a new candle with your scraps.
For detailed instructions on candle making at home, click here.
7. Ziplock bags
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My grandma never threw away zippered plastic bags ( Ziploc wasn’t invented until 1968!).
I hear it all the time: How did humans survive before Ziploc? How, exactly, did we store food?
Alternatives to plastic bags for food storage include the following:
– Store bread in a pillowcase then place it in a breadbox.
– Wrap sandwiches in wax paper.
– Lay salad greens on a towel, roll it up + store in the crisper.
– Place peas + beans on a damp towel, then fold.
– Freeze food in glass jars, glass tupperware or stainless steel boxes.
– Invest in silicone bags as an eco-friendly alternative.
– Wrap cheese in homemade beeswax wrap.
Still using plastic bags? Know that unless you use them to store raw meat, you can wash, dry + reuse them again + again.
8. Soap scraps
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If you’ve switched from bars to liquid soap, I urge you to consider returning to bars. Here’s why:
First, there’s the plastic problem. Liquid soap is packaged in unnecessary plastic.
Second, the sanitation argument has been debunked. If you assume bar soap harbors germs, know that science has determined that residual germs on a bar do not constitute a health hazard.
Finally, remnants of bar soap can be repurposed. My grandma put her slivers aside in a jar, then she added water. Her solids melted into a liquid overnight which she then used as normal.
Consider supporting a soap maker at your local farmers market (these soaps will likely be, non-toxic, too!) + boldly go for the bar.
9. Old toothbrushes
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Save your toothbrush to clean the little cracks + crevices in your home that often go unnoticed (like the grout between your shower tiles, for instance).
Use a bamboo toothbrush? Nice job! This tip works well for you, too: Since the handle of bamboo brushes are compostable but the nylon bristles likely aren’t, extend the life of that brush by using it for cleaning.
When it’s ready to be composted, snip off the head, toss the nylon bristles + compost the handle as normal.
10. Dryer Lint
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Dryer lint is the perfect fire starter.
Store it in a bag so you have it in advance of your next fire.
Going camping? Bring it on your journey (lint is weightless!) + save yourself unnecessary hassle.
11. Eggshells
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My grandma proudly used the entire egg, shells included.
Crush up eggshells using a mortar + pestle, then mix the crushed shells into the soil of both your outdoor garden + your house plants.
Eggshells give much-needed calcium to your plants; they deter insects, too.
12. Bread tags
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My grandparents reused bread tags into an eco-friendly hack for sorting electrical cords.
If you have a tangled cord pile, write a gadget on a bread tag (i.e. alarm clock) then affix it to the correct cord. Make sure the label is facing outward so you can easily read it. Voila! You’ve just organized your cord pile.
Were your grandparents pros at the art of repurposing? In what ways did they reuse household items? I’d love to hear your best tips in the comments!
3 thoughts on “Be Like Grandma! 12 Genius Ways to Reuse Household Items”
My gramma used to recycle the liner/bag from her cereal boxes.
I’ve heard of this! Do you remember how she reused them? Trash collection, maybe?
My good friend taught me how to tear apart the plastic cereal box liners at the seams, wipe them down, cut off where it was glued together then use that piece for patterns for things like dolls, or clothing. Using a black sharpie you simply lay your pattern piece under the plastic then trace on it with the sharpie. Instead of a thin, fragile piece of tissue paper you might get a few uses out of you now get a sturdy plastic pattern.
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