By trash I meant what non-frugal people would just chuck it in trash bin like empty boxes, plastic containers etc I love upcycling this "trash" , not only it saves me some money all though a little bit but it's something. I also get a dopamine hit from it every time because its one less item in the landfill and helps the environment.
Please chime in and give me more ideas, I'll have listed some of mine below:
- l use empty ferrero rocher boxes as kitchen, stationery, makeup organizers
- I cut up an empty plastic bottle and now I have a funnel to neatly transfer my items.
- The empty frozen food box container now sits on my kitchen counter where I keep all my kitchen cleaning supplies like dish soap, sponges etc.
- I use mini pringle boxes as soap holders, poked some holes in it to drain the water and it works great
- I use a piece of cardboard as floor matt where I place my going out shoes – it catches all the dust and if there is little water (if your shoes are too wet then it wouldn't work or idk maybe double the cardboard). It also dries quicker atleast the way I use it.
- My food bin is literally an empty container of rotisserie chicken
- When I go for grocery shopping, I take extra food bags and then reuse them as my trash bags. They are small but thats a good thing because they fill in 1-2 days and keeps me on a schedule to keep the trash moving out.
- In true frugal fashion, of course im reusing pasta glass jars as my food and spice organizers
- Binder clips are much more stronger than the usual chip clips that always slide off. Bread tags also work great to seal off things
- My dust pan is a thin cardboard from a cereal box and it has never failed me.
- I use those sturdy costco plastic containers that has croissants, baked goods as my organizers too
Please let me know what are some unusual or new ways you upcycle "trash"?
byu/More_Pension4911 inFrugal
Posted by More_Pension4911
9 Comments
Clear squeezy bottles are die applucators for tie die crafts. Small sauce pots with lids arw used for beads, sequins, and small craft bits. Glass jars are for washing paint brushes or plant propagation. Old icecream containers make great storage for tools, & cleaning supplies under the sink. I’ve not bought wrapping paper or ribbon for years, as I just reuse the stuff I recieved (careful with the tape so I can save bigger pieces). Old clothes (ie, undies with holes) are ripped into strips & turned into rag rugs, or scrunchies from salvaged elastic pieces. Pieces of sturdy cardboard for macrame bracelet “frames”.
Might be specific to my situation, but I don’t throw away ANYTHING paper. I currently WFH and ship a lot of equipment and it makes me crazy to use new packing materials. I save everything: boxes, catalogs, junk mail, junk mail *envelopes* and of course packing materials in big boxes under my basement stairs. I tear off the address labels (and any other identifiying information) and wad the pages up individually. It doesn’t take much time and my recycling bin thanks me.
I feel a little crazy but we started collecting our metal recycling and taking it to a scrap yard when we fill up our bins. Its only about 20-30 bucks but that’s enough for us as a passive thing.
(1.) I order a lot of stuff online, realizing that they’re priced cheaper, and they usually come in a bubble wrap. Since I sell my old paperbacks, I have used a lot of these bubble wraps, and I only spent on packaging tape!
(2.) I turned an old cardboard box with dividers into an attractive sewing/utility box by using a technique called decoupage and wax paper.
(3.) I’m into cardmaking and after I’m done with my projects, I’m left with lots of scraps of cardstock and paper. I turn them into gift tags and bookmarks.
(4.) I make accessories out of beads, and Ferrero Rocher containers make excellent dividers for my tiny beads.
(5.) I wrap junk food canisters with leftover gift wrapper and use them to store my pencils, scissors, paintbrushes, etc.
(6.) Large, sturdy boxes are turned into magazine holders.
(7.) Instead of throwing away my old planners, I use them as base for junk journals.
(8.) Pages of books that have turned brown can be used for bookmarks, cards, or scrapbook layouts with a shabby chic theme.
(9.) Plastic food containers with dividers can be used for organizing spools of thread.
(10.) I use empty cans of Danish biscuits as containers for my ribbons.
I take the free flower buckets from
Trader Joe’s and use them as trash cans and gardening help around the yard!
We rebuilt an old/damaged cat tree for the price of a little flour, a sheet of sandpaper, and some heavy duty staples.
The structure needed an entirely new platform. Built that starting from one of the corrugated box flats which carried purchases home from Costco: built it up using scrap fabric and wheat paste by layering fabric mâché. Then finished the surface by trimming carpet remnants to fit and stapling them in place.
The new platform needed a larger base to support it, so we cut and sanded a piece of scrap plywood. Covered the base and the verticals with carpet remnants too. Then drilled holes into the platform and the base, and used the original hardware to attach the verticals.
It came out looking good for a DIY job. We keep it in the bedroom and the cats love it.
The pringle soap holder is a genius idea!
we buy UTZ pretzels in the big plastic containers and use them to store rice, beans, sugar, etc.
the tall thinner containers we use for pastas
the best part is they are often cheaper than buying the empty containers
Someone mentioned the big Utz containers – my kid uses them for her small toys.
We also hang onto big pieces of cardboard to put under her paper when she paints or does messy crafts, or paints her nails.
Junk mail gets cut into smaller pieces and I keep them on my work desk to make notes or lists. Also for grocery shopping lists.
My state no longer allows plastic grocery bags so I hold onto plastic packaging and big mailing envelopes for when I scoop the cat box.
A local record shop says they’ll take vinyl record packing material so they can ship stuff out. I’ve ordered a few records recently so I’m saving it for my next strip to the shop to see if they want it.
We have a lot of small furniture and decor pieces made from reclaimed wood.