7 Clever Ways to Repurpose Household Items

Pool Noodles and Pipe Insulation

Why let extra pipe insulation and unused pool noodles go to waste? They’re great options for keeping your space safe and organized. These repurposed items will save you money and time; you won’t have to find specialty made options for each individual problem.

Baby-Proofing

Use foam pipe insulation or pool noodles to baby-proof your home. Cut the tube to length and slip it onto edges and corners that could be dangerous to a small child. The pressure of the curved foam will keep it in place for an easy-to-remove baby-proofing solution. Or, use the adhesive strip to hold the insulation in place for a more permanent safety fix.

Silverware Drawer Stabilizer

Silverware is a notoriously difficult part of kitchen storage and organization, especially in small kitchens with oddly sized drawers. Reader Roy Allison found a solution for keeping his silverware drawer organizer from moving around each time he opened or closed the drawer: a pool noodle! He cut the noodle to size, so that it fits snugly between the back of the organizer and the back of the drawer.

String-Dispensing CD Bins

Here’s a great way to reuse empty CD bins. Drill a hole in the top of the bin for the string to slide through, then screw the lid under a shelf and snap on the string-loaded bin. Pull down and snip off the desired length and never worry that your ball of string will roll away across the floor dragging its tail behind it!

Power Cord Coilers

Got a shelf loaded with drills, saws, sanders and routers but can’t untangle the cords to safely pull one off the shelf? There are plenty of ways to utilize repurposed items in your workshop.

Pony Tail Holders

Hunt down extra elastic ponytail holders and use them to keep the cords neatly coiled while the tools are stored. Snugly loop the ponytail holder around the cord so it stays on the cord while you’re using the tool.

Light-Duty Extension Cord Storage

To keep light-duty extension cords organized, slide them into toilet paper or paper towel tubes. Write the length of the cord on the tubes before you put them in a drawer or bin. You’ll be able to find the right cord easily, plus you’ve made good use of the tubes.

Double-Lid Cord Reel

Make a handy cord reel using extra bucket lids. Cut a 5-in. length of 4×4 and then cut a groove in the side the same width as your cord. Fasten the lids to the 4×4 with 1/4 x 2-in. lag screws. Make handles from an old 1-1/8 in. diameter broom handle and drill a 1/2-in. hole through the center. Fasten the crank to the lid with bolts, nuts and washers, and apply Loctite sealant to the end nut. Fasten the handle to the 4×4 through the lid with a 6-1/2 in. lag screw. Just insert your cord and reel it in.

Milk Jug Scoop

When we talk about repurposed items we mean all kinds of items. Instead of tossing empty milk jugs, consider turning them into kitchen tools. Cut off the top of an empty gallon or half-gallon milk jug with sharp scissors. It helps to draw the cut line with a marker first. Clean up the cut to make sure there are no sharp or rough edges. Replace the jug cap and you have a handy (and pretty much free) scoop for pet food, potting soil, etc. Remove the cap and you can use the scoop as a funnel!

Pie Plate Storage Pockets

Screw cut-in-half pie tins and heavy-duty paper plates to a shop wall and you’ve got space-saving storage for the sanding discs, circular saw blades and abrasive discs that like to hide in a drawer. Be sure to tape the sharp edges on the cut pie plates to protect your fingers!

DIY Planters

You can make planters out of just about any repurposed items you can think of. Just take stock of what you have lying around and mix and match them with these ideas to create a lovely and sustainable garden.

Pallet Wall

This is a great way to reuse an old wooden pallet. You’ll need some landscape fabric to attach to the back side of the pallet, then fill with soil and plant your flowers. Prop the planted pallet up against a wall or fence.

Wine Bottle

If you’re up for cutting glass, try using empty wine bottles as planters. You’ll need to cut either the side or the top, depending on the look you’re going for.

Coffee Cup

Try using an old coffee mug or tea cup to grow some small plants. Then use an oversized mug to hold the cut flowers on your dining table.

Plastic Jugs

Those plastic milk jugs can be cut and used as planters. Try hanging them from a fence with wire coat hangers.

Cardboard Carton

Instead of tossing that cardboard milk or orange juice carton in the recycling bin, cut off the top, wrap it with fabric and use it as a planter for herbs or flowers.

Greenhouses from the Salad Bar

Reuse a plastic clamshell container from the salad bar as a mini greenhouse for starting seeds in the spring. After washing the container, punch a few holes in the top. Fill the bottom with potting soil and plant your seeds. Close the lid and place the container in a sunny spot. It acts like a mini greenhouse, allowing the sun to reach the plants while holding in moisture.

Repurpose a Dresser

Repurposed items can also be large furniture pieces that you no longer need. In this case, an old dresser can be turned into a printing station. Keep wire baskets near for printer discards and store ink and paper supplies in the drawers for easy access. Drawers also make for a sturdy storage solution for extra notebooks, binders and books.

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