51 Uses for Ordinary Kitchen Items
Copyright 2001 by Michelle
Jones
Here are some great uses for ordinary items that you’ll find in your kitchen. Recycling not only saves money, but it creates a mindset of making the best with what you have. Kind of like that old saying "If you’ve got lemons, make lemonade." Well, here’s what you can make with...
1. Cut off a portion of the top, leaving the handle in place. Add birdseed
and make a bird feeder, hanging it on a clothesline or tree branch.
2. Make a garbage caddy for the sink, especially great if you don’t have a garbage
disposal.
3. Make a caddy for tools or painting supplies.
4. Cut off the bottom and use the top as a funnel.
5. Fill the entire jug with beans and use for exercise weights, or just storage
for the beans.
1. Make a homemade tornado, place two bottles together, top to top - filling one
with water. Tape the tops together and swirl around to make a tornado effect.
2. You can also make a funnel from the tops of soda bottles.
3. Add some sand or rice and use for a homemade bowling game for
the kids, just be sure to glue the caps on.
1. Add a squirt of lemon to your ice cube tray and you'll have lemon flavored ice for
your tea.
2. Kool-Aid flavored ice for the kids, mix the flavors up for fun.
3. Use trays as drawer organizers for paperclips or sewing notions.
4. Ice cube trays are the perfect size for freezing small portions of left over baby
food, or making your own homemade.
5. Freeze tablespoon sized amounts of broth or special sauces for cooking soups
and casseroles.
1. Remove labels and use for gifts, placing a pretty piece of fabric on top
and tying with a ribbon.
2. Great for pencil holders.
3. Fill with candy.
4. Use for storing cotton balls or q-tips in the bathroom.
5. Store sewing notions, crafts or hardware.
1. Perfect for lost buttons.
2. Store small nails.
3. Keep beads or small craft items sorted easily.
1. Great seed starters, get a head start on Spring.
2. Storing plastic Easter eggs.
3. Make a memory game for children, matching up items from around the house.
4. Storage for collectible rocks.
5. Jewelry box, great for earrings.
1. Mix with a little salt for cleaning copper or brass.
2. Remove odors from hands or cutting boards.
3. Keep a supply on hand for seasoning poultry and seafood.
1. Use the peelings to freshen your garbage disposal.
2. Cover with cloves and use as an air freshener or Christmas ornament.
3. Place open halves inside a turkey or chicken before baking to add a great
flavor.
1. Remove grease and stains from pans and dishware.
2. Put out a grease fire.
3. Clean a sticky iron plate by sprinkling salt on a piece of paper and moving
the hot iron over it.
4. Ease the pain of beestings.
1. Add to a damp cloth and remove crayon and marker from walls and furniture.
2. Pour a little down the drain with some vinegar, let sit 5 minutes and wash
down with warm water to clear clogged drains.
3. Mix with facial cleanser to make an exfoliator.
4. Ease the pain of beestings.
5. Line a litter box to prevent odors.
6. Keep an open box in the fridge to prevent odors, put one in the freezer too.
7. Use ¼ c. on a damp food burned pan, let sit for 5 minutes and scrub clean
easily.
1. Place two plates together, edge to edge, fill with beans or rice, staple
the edges together, let children paint and decorate for a fun musical toy.
2. Use as a cover for food to keep warm.
3. Place ½ of a plate on top of a full sized plate, edge to edge, staple edges
to create a letter holder. Great for kid's Valentines.
1. Use food bag labels and create unique storage containers for flour, sugar, cornmeal, etc.
1. Add leftover pieces of soap and make a scrubber.
2. Contain small items while in the dishwasher.
3. Cut bag open and scrunch together to make a dish scrubber.
1. Create a memory game for young children, by filling the muffin cups with small items from around the house.
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