Friday, April 20, 2012

Repurposing and Recycling Your Rubbish: A to Z Blogging Challenge



I have been fascinated lately by the term, "repurposing," which to me is a fancy way of saying "recycling"...or is it?


When I googled the term, I found a few blogs and sites that promoted repurposing.  Then, I went to Pinterest, and found boards with that theme, and hundreds of photos and projects related to it.  So, I began a board of my own, which you can find HERE.


Then, I looked online and at the library for some good books on the topic, and here is what I found:


Product DetailsRealSimple: 869 new uses for old things
Edited by Rachel Hardage and Sharon Tanenbaum 






Here are a few examples from the book:




Cake stand..cluster pillar candles on it for a centerpiece,
use it to hold soap and washcloths on vanity for guests, or, display perfume bottles.

Cassette case...roll up ear buds and store inside to prevent tangles


 Citrus peel...drop down disposal with ice cubes to freshen it.  Serve sorbet in half a scooped out citrus peel,or, clean stains from mug with the inside of a citrus peel sprinkled with salt.

Contact lens case...carry salt, pepper and spices for camping trip, or pills for a weekend trip.

Rice... Mill a handful of uncooked rice in your coffee grinder to clean out oils, stale odors and grounds.  Can also be used to remove odors if you use the same mill to process whole spices, and then back to coffee.  Or, place rice in plastic bag with artificial flowers and shake to remove dust particles.

Rubber bands... wrap ends of hangers with rubber bands so camisoles won't slip off hanger, or, use several colored bands on a small gift to add pizzazz instead of a bow.  Slip a few around a drinking cup so young children can get a better grip on a glass of milk. Hard to open jar?  Encircle lid with rubber band to get a better grip.

Egg slicer... Use to cut strawberries, mushrooms, and mozzarella.





Product Details




And this one: 1,000 Ideas for Creative Reuse
By Garth Johnson







I discovered many websites with creative projects.  Here are a few:


http://ragsbysockmonkey.blogspot.com/2011/10/t-shirt-shag-rug-tutorial.html 




http://www.homemadeginger.com/p/30-days-of-repurposing.html




















http://savedbylovecreations.com/2012/04/50-button-crafts.html


Button50+ 50+ Button Crafts




http://www.makeit-loveit.com/category/re-purposing


Re-purposing: Women’s Skirt into a Girl’s Shirred Dress


I hope these links and resources will stir the creative juices within you, and help you REPURPOSE items at home that are no longer useful in its present form.


What repurposing ideas have you put into practice?

16 comments:

  1. That's amazing ...I remember when I was in my school every weekend that is Thursday we were suppose to bring all the trash from our home which used to go for recycling that was good things are being used.
    Great Post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just goes to show you can reuse just about anything you throw away...I'm sure it was a way of life in the past!

      Delete
  2. I've re-purposed many old cans, covered them over with scrapbook paper and mod podged them over to use as pencil tins all over the house! I love to re-use old plastic containers (like peanut butter jars) with screw tops for storing all sorts of things. Tim usually uses them to store the screws that normally come in paper boxes (they always fall apart). I also love the idea of using "Altoids" tins to store small items because we go through a lot of mints!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good ideas, Daisy! My Dad saved my baby food jars, attached the lids to a metal wheel which was hammered into a wooden post in our basement. He would fill them with nuts and bolts, screw them onto the lids and voila...a hardware roulette! Sounds like your husband and my Dad would have been "kindred spirits"!

      Delete
  3. You can also add rice to your salt shaker to keep the salt from sticking together in humid weather. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's right, Julie...I forgot about that use for rice. Very effective, too!

      Delete
  4. Where have I been lately, under a rock? Never heard the word "repurposing." What good ideas. Since I tend toward ratpackishness (please feel free to use my new word), I always hesitate before throwing away almost everything. But my brain is not geared toward inventiveness, so I usually just go ahead and chunk whatever it is. Now with all of these new ideas, my house is going to be even more cluttered. But thanks, Jarm.

    Your arrangement of this post is delicious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Pat...I spend quite a bit of time arranging my posts, because I am a visual learner. I'm so glad you've discovered something new today!

      Delete
  5. Hi Jarm - I've finally gotten round to your blog. Phew! These past three weeks have been hectic...

    Thanks for all these wonderful links... and all the examples that you've posted... they look very interesting... it just goes to show that there's an extra use for every item, no matter how tiny/insignificant it may seem...
    Repurposing? I wonder about the word... my first time hearing it.
    For some reason, it seems user-friendly and also inspirational, encompassing a wider variety of items/objects than the word re-cycling which is linked directly to environmental/ecological issues...?
    Enjoy the rest of the challenge. I will pop in again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I understand, Michelle...it's been hard for me to keep up, too. Thanks for taking the time to visit me. Repurposing was a new word for me as well...it was intriguing!

      Delete
  6. I love these ideas, Jarm! It is so much fun to think up new ways to use old stuff. My most recent came out of necessity. Envision babysitting an 18 month old who wanted a drink and me with no sippy cup. I tried a regular cup and had to remove his shirt and hang it up to dry. Then I noticed an empty honey container shaped like a bear. I threaded a straw down the little hole in the cap, ran it to the bottom and then cut off the straw about 1.5 inches above the cap. It fit tightly, didn't leak, and the little guy loved drinking out of the bear-shaped "glass".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like that idea, Pam...you could have written a few of these tips! When we have kids, necessity is the 'mother of invention'!

      Delete
  7. This post is a goldmine. I save all sorts of odds and ends to use as art projects in my classroom, but this takes it to a whole new level.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm happy you found a few ideas for your classroom, Leslie! I bet the books would offer many more...thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
    2. Nice tips:-)

      'Repurposing' - strange word - has been going on for decades if not centuries. I hate throwing away containers that could be used for other purposes. I have a wine box that my late mother used for storing tapestry wools. Odd buttons live in a tin that once held sweets.
      Pill bottles are just right for small training treats for dogs.

      Delete
    3. You are right...an old activity dressed up with a new word! The tapestry wools in the wine box idea sounds intriguing...thanks for stopping to visit.

      Delete

I would love to have you comment...thanks!

Journey into the Promised Land

Journey into the Promised Land
From Egypt to Israel