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:


RealSimple: 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.










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







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





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?