Recycling Ideas

Aluminum Foil
Flatten, wash and store used foil. Reuse at a later time.

Automotive Floor Mats (rubber/carpeted)
Use as a floor mat for leaky containers in the garage or basement.
Use as a boot tray for inside your house.
Place clean mats next to a kitty litter box to keep the litter from being tracked all over the house. Put a carpeted floor mat in a pet cage (like a cat-carrying case) as a durable and soft place for your pet to nap.
Spread across the tailgate of your truck to protect it while your dogs are getting into and out of the truck.
Put them on top of the carpeting inside your vehicle to protect it from wet and muddy dogs.
Take with you when you go on a picnic. Put them on a picnic table bench if it's wet from rain or dew or on the ground if no benches are around.
Place plastic mats under pet water/food dishes to catch spills.
Baby Wipe ContainersUse the cylindrical type with the hole at the top to dispense balls of yarn. It keeps the yarn from getting tangled.

Bags--BaggiesDON'T USE!!!
Use tupperware instead. For those of you who need your baggies, wash them out and reuse them for your next lunch. Wash and use for storage of "travel" tissues--you know, the small plastic package containing 10 tissues that you usually pay 50 cents for. Place blown-out lightbulbs in a baggie before throwing them away. If it is accidentally crushed, the pieces won't tear the garbage bag.
Bags--Paper (grocery)Use for garbage bags around the house. Use to cover school text books.
Bags--Paper (lunch)Don't use. Reuse.
Bags--Plastic (grocery)
Use the plastic bags you get from stores for liners in garbage cans around your house. Keep them in your car for garbage. Use for stuffing pouf valences. Cut into strips and tie around a coathanger which has been formed into a circle to make a Christmas wreath. Use for picking up and disposing of scoopable cat litter clumps. Take with you when walking your puppies instead of a bulky pooper scooper.
Balls
Using a long string, hang a ball from the garage ceiling indicating where a new driver should stop the car. Hitting it won't do any damage to the car and it will prevent the driver from hitting something else. Give soccer balls, footballs, tennis balls, etc. to dogs for chew toys.
Belts
Use to tie back tree branches. Use for tying young trees to supports.
Binders (three-ring)
Cut out the section which has the rings on it, drill a hole through the rivets, and then screw the strip to a wall. Use to store commonly used utensils, paint brushes or your keys. Duct tape the seams and the pockets together if they rip and continue to use it for classes. Use for orderly storage of bank statements, credit card statements, etc. Print out your favorite recipies on paper and then store in a binder. (You can find them much quicker this way than searching through several cook books.)
Blankets
Keep an old one in your car for emergencies. Fold in half the long way, sew it together, and use it as an exercise mat. If it is not cushy enough, sew two together. If you don't have access to a sewing machine, just fold it. Keep for use at the beach or when on a picnic. Take when camping so you don't destroy a good one. Use for lining a pet's cage to make it more comfortable.
Books and Magazines
Donate books to a library. Sell college books directly to other students (by-passing the college bookstore) and let them save a TON of money. Set up a table at your church where people can drop off their old magazines and other people can buy them for 50 cents. Then give the money to charity. Use cool magazine pictures as envelopes. Make bath toys by cutting pictures out of a magazine and covering them with contact paper, leaving a one-half inch lip around each piece to allow it to seal. When these pieces get wet, they will stick to the bathroom tile. Use old magazines to make cool collages for gifts.
Bottles--Beverage (Glass)
Use an old beer bottle as a candle holder--the wax dripping over the side will make pretty designs. Keep an eye on it to make sure nothing burns. Fill a clear glass bottle with small candies. Make a wine bottle into a vase. Use a larger wine bottle as a bank.
Bottles--Beverage (Plastic)
Fill with water and freeze. They make nice "blue ice" for coolers--especially longer trips. Don't forget to leave room for the expanding water. Give it to your puppy. It becomes a (noisy) toy! (My Dog) Make it into a vase. Partially fill it with marbles, stones or something fairly heavy to keep it from tipping. Then paint it to match your decor. Fill with colored sand and use as a doorstop. Use to make your own bottled water. Use large, sports drink bottles as pitchers for juice at home . Fill with homemade beer and wine. You must be of legal drinking age to use this idea.
Bottles--
FoodKetchup, mustard, etc bottles make cheap, short-range squirt guns. Use old plastic bottles (such as syrup bottles) for storing homemade ice-cream sauce or other homemade food.
Bottles--HouseholdUse detergent, fabric softener or shampoo bottles filled with USED motor oil for lubricating drive chains. Fill glass cleaner bottles with soapy water and keep by the area in your house which has been infiltrated by ants. It is messier than traps, but safer than poison. Cut the top part off of a liquid laundry detergent container. Use the main part as a pooper scooper and the top portion as the pusher. Empty, rinse and reuse.
Bottles--
Perfume/cologneFill with colorful liquids and give to children for playing "store." Be sure that children don't stain their clothes with the color.
Boxes--
CandyUse for gift wrapping ties, scarves and gloves. Square candy boxes can be used for wrapping gifts, storing art supplies or carrying cross-stitch work. Save love letters in heart-shaped boxes. Make into a Valentine's Day card for next year. Cut a heart-shaped box so that you have a flat heart. Save and let the kids use it as a template. Make a Valentine's Day decoration for next year. Use a smaller box for storing paperclips, rubber bands, etc.
Boxes--
Cardboard (those which reams of paper come in)Use as individual recycling boxes for bedrooms. This will help keep garbage from accumulating on desks and dressers (or in my case the floor). Use for under-the-bed storage by cutting it to make it shorter. Make it into a bed for a small pet by cutting an entrance and lining it with a blanket.
Boxes--
ShoeboxesUse to store recipes. Tape the lids to the boxes, paint them bright colors, and give them to the kids for building blocks. Use to hold odds and ends--just paint and label. Use to store small children's toys. Make into a dollhouse.
Boxes--
TissueUse for storing plastic bags. Place in different rooms of the house for easy access. Give to gerbils, hamsters, etc. as a chew toy. They will shred it and use it for bedding.
Bricks
Salvage from other people's trash and use for a fancy trim around the garden. Salvage (or reuse your own) and make into a walkway. Use as a weight to hold down plastic garden film. Make into a bookshelf by stacking them at both ends and lying wood between them.
Briefcase
Use for storage of children's toys. It will fit under the bed and it is ready for travel to a friend's house. Give to the kids for use when playing dress up. Donate to a local shelter so that the residents may use it for job interviews. Use it for a fancy overnight bag. Spruce it up, fill it with stationary, put a bow on it and then give it as a gift to a college student. Use it for a children's suitcase. Store tools in it and keep it in the trunk of your car in case of an emergency. Use for storage of sewing supplies or anything else.
Brooms
Use for scrubbing garbage cans. Use push-brooms for pushing snow off of trucks/vans without getting wet.
Broom Handles
Insert into the soil of a large potted plant and tie the plant to it for support. This is helpful for large plants which tend to droop. Insert into the ground and tie small trees to it. This helps to prevent sagging, wind deformation, running over it with a lawnmower, etc. Tie an old cloth to the handle, leaving some cloth hang free. Rip the cloth lengthwise, and use it as a web beater for getting spiders out of the corners of your house. Use for the body of a children's stick horse.
Buckets
(5-Gallon)Fill partially with soap and water and use when washing your car. Use as a garbage can for the basement or garage. Use when picking apples, pears, etc. Use for storage of items when camping (it is semi animal-proof). Be sure to secure the lid. Put a chair pad on to and use it as a seat. Use as a muck bucket for horses. Use for collection when weeding the garden. When the bucket is full, transfer the weeds to a compost pile. Use as flower outdoor flower pots. Fill clean buckets with water for your dogs when they are outside in the summer. When the water gets dirty, use it to water the plants.
Business Cards
Write new information on the back and reuse. Cut them up and use them as the tags in the dividers of filing cabinets or binders. Use as those cards you put in luggage tags. Write notes or messages on the reverse side. Glue pictures you have cut out from magazines, coupon ads, etc. onto the business cards and over the printing on the cards. Use for gift tags.
Buttons
Save in case you lose one.
Calculator/Adding Machine
Give to someone who can fix it and use/sell it. Let kids use for playing school, store, etc.
Calendars
Save the torn off pieces from a day-by-day calendar and use for scrap paper, phone messages, etc.
Candles
Melt down all of your old candles into one big, multicolored one. Use when making charcoal fire starters. Use to make matches damp-proof. Use for coating newspaper logs to make them burn more efficiently.
Cans--
CoffeeUse as a double boiler when you are melting wax for your newspaper logs. Storage of nuts, bolts, small parts, etc. Use for baking bread. Make a child's drum set out of coffee cans and plastic lids. Attach long, looped strings to the cans and let children use as stilts. Use to scoop dog food out of a bag. Cut a hole in the lid and use it as a bank. Make it into a camp stove by cutting a square into the side of the can and placing a piece of coal under the upside-down can. Fill with worms when going fishing. Put a slit in the lid and use it as a piggy bank. Decorate the can, punch 3 or 4 holes (spaced evenly) around the top rim for string, put a plant in it, and then hang it from the ceiling. Push the upside-down can into the ground where you want to place a plant and then remove it. The can will pull out the soil, making digging a hole easy. Fill partly with sand and use as an outdoor ash tray.
Cans--
SoupFill with batter for bread, muffins, etc. and bake in your oven. When ready to serve, cut out the other end of the can and pop the bread out. Use as a crayon holder. Punch a hole in the bottom of two cans and attach them with a long string for a children's telephone.
Carpet
Place in the back of an enclosed truck or van. Cut into small squares or circles and place under the feet of heavy furniture. Place carpet remnants at doors to catch mud and water. Use as summer floor mats in cars. Take with you when cabin camping to keep the dirt/snow out of your "home." Cut into strips wide enough to fit between the rows in your garden. This will minimize weeds and create real indoor/outdoor carpeting.
Carpet Protectors
(Plastic)Cut to the desired size and use as a boot tray. Keep on the floor in front of the back seat of the van to keep snow/mud off of the carpet. Use as a drop cloth.
Chair Pads
Use to kneel on when gardening. Take on campouts and use as pillows or for sitting on around a campfire. Keep in the trunk of your car and use for kneeling on when you have a flat tire. Use as a stadium seat for ball games. Line a cardboard box or laundry basket with a chair pad and use it for a pet bed. Whip stich extra length to the ties on the pad, and then tie the pads around your chest and waist. Use when learning to fence. Use as pillows for children's sleepovers. Use for storage of fragile boxed items. Try using the stuffing to re-stuff decorator pillows. It probably won't be comfortable, but it will make them fluffy again. Take them on picnics or to parades. They are easier to carry than folding chairs. Line a car crawler with chair pads to make fixing your car a little more comfortable. (Joe) Put on top of a five gallon bucket and use as a seat.
Clocks
Remove some of the gizmo's from inside and mount onto a pin back with a hot glue gun. Wear it as jewelry. Use a cuckoo clock as a birdfeeder. (Tina) Use clocks with hands for teaching kids how to tell time. Take off the hands (and anything else that sticks out) and use as a picture frame by cutting a picture to the correct shape and size, and slipping it between the glass and the clock face. If it is a clock with a picture built into it, leave it up for decoration.
Clothes--
Baby ClothesLet children use for dressing up baby dolls.
Clothes--
JeansCollect old jeans, cut them into usable pieces, and sew together into a duffle bag, change purse, etc. (Some sewing skills required.) When making cut-off shorts, save the pantlegs and give them to your puppies. They make great tug-of-war items. Cut into 6x6 squares, sew together and fringe out to make a quilt.
Clothes--
SocksGive old socks to your kids for sock puppets. Take old socks camping. Bunch them up for thickness and use for pot holders. Use for dusting around the house. Tie into a knot and use as a dog toy. Use as rags when stripping or refinishing furniture. Use to clean up after painting arts and crafts.
Clothes--
WinterKeep old an old hat and gloves in your car for emergencies Use old winter coats for snowblowing, camping, etc (so you don't ruin a good coat). (Jack) Remove pompons from winter hats and give to the cat to play with. (Carrie) Use old mittens for dusting around the house.
Clothes--
MiscellaneousUse for rags. Cut the elastic bottoms off of sweats and use as scrunchies. Cut small circles out of thicker material and use as "stoppers" for cabinet doors or as appliance "feet." Use old long-sleeved shirts as a smock for children who are painting. Donate to shelters or charities. Take pieces from old clothing (which are unfit to be reused) and make them into a patchwork quilt or pillow. Cut clothing into small pieces and use as dryer sheets with a liquidy dryer sheet alternative. Make a quilt out of your child's favorite clothes and give to their children.
Clothes Hangers
Make wire hangers into seasonal wreaths by bending it into a circle and then glueing on seasonal items, such as leaves in the fall. Use for making a child's mobile. Return clothes hangers to the dry cleaners so they can reuse them. Some companies will provide cardboard storage containers. Clothes Pins
Use to clip junk-food bags closed.
Coffee Filters
Put used filters (unbleached is best) and used coffee grounds directly into your compost pile. Rinse clean of debris and use it as a filter when planting in small pots. It will prevent the wash of soil and will hold in nutrients.
Coffee Stirring Sticks
DON'T USE!!! Use a spoon! REUSE!!! Use like a toothpick for testing the doneness of cakes. Use like toothpicks which get stuck in sandwiches. Use as a lollipop stick when making homemade lollipops.
Colanders
(plastic)Use for storage of children's bath toys. Use as a light bulb cover when you have a bare ceiling bulb. Keep in laundry tub for temporary storage of wet wash cloths. Use as a children's sand sifter. Use a smaller strainer for cleaning litter boxes. Let kids use as helmets when playing. Keep on the pool deck for those emergencies in which a drowning bug needs rescuing. Use as a garden sifter to remove pebbles. Invert and place over bowls when on picnics to keep bees and flies out of your food. Use as a fruit basket for your counter top. Use for storage and transport of knitting supplies.
Compact Discs
If they can still be used, give them to friends or sell them back to stores who deal in used CD's. If they are scratched and can no longer be used, hang them from your wall. They make for funky interior decorating. Use as reflectors. Use as coasters. Place a watch in the center and hang it on the wall for a funky clock. Tie mono filimant fishing line to a CD and hang it in your fruit tree. It will keep the birds from eating all of the fruit.
Computers
Donate to a local school and possibly receive a tax deduction.
Computer Ink Cartridges
Refill and reuse.
Cookie Cutters
Give to the kids and let them use when playing with playdoh. Hang on kitchen walls for decorations. Hang Christmas cookie cutters from the Christmas tree. Give to kids as templates for tracing on paper. Children can dip in paint and then press onto paper to make art. Hang from a clothes hanger to make a child's mobile. Hang outside from a coffee can to make a windchime.
Coolers
Decorate and use as a children's toy chest. Use for storage of camping gear. Keep it in the basement, closet, etc. for storage of just about anything. Decorate the outside and use it as a coffee table. It conveniently holds magazines and anything else lying about when company drops by unexpectedly. Use as a seed bed. Use a small cooler as a travel case for children. Use a small cooler for storage of paper and pencils. Use a small cooler for storage of make-up. Keep the lids which have a place to hold drinks. Use it when you are outside and need a surface to place the glass on. Allow kids to play with small coolers. DO NOT allow children to play with larger coolers as they may become trapped inside and suffocate. Use as a storage bin for the trunk of your car. They can hold sporting equipment, an emergency kit, etc. If the bottom of a small cooler is still intact, sink it all or partway into the ground in an area of the yard where people are not going to step on it. When watering the garden, fill the cooler to provide a water source for pets or birds. If the bottom of a large cooler is still intact, use it as a liner for a mini pond in your garden. Add decorative rocks, water plants, small recirculating fountaing, etc. Store toy shovels, rakes buckets, etc in them. Use to store pool toys. Leave a cooler on the gazebo with cooking supplies in it so everything is easily accessible and dry for cookouts. Use it when you go shopping if you live a long way from home. It will keep meats, butter, etc. cold until you get home. In winter, use them to store summer items for camping, clothing, etc.
Crayons
Melt old crayons together and use cookie cutters to make fun shapes for younger kids. Make patchwork crayons. Keep worn down crayons in a toolbox for handy marking pencils. Create a vase by melting different colored crayons over an old bottle. Let the wax drip randomly. Make creative envelope seals by dripping crayon wax onto the back of an envelope. Make a special imprint in the wax if you want. Use different colors to highlight important events on the calendar. Use for drawing on easter eggs before you dip them in the dye. The dye won't adhere to the wax and it will leave pretty designs. Keep in an arts and crafts box.
Credit Cards
Use to flatten stickers to surfaces. Use a pin to let air bubbles out and then reflatten using the credit card.
Curtains
If they are in good condition, donate to a local charity. Heavy curtains can be used as a drop cloth when painting. Larger curtains can be used to cover a pool table, excercise equipment, etc. Heavy curtains can be used for lining the trunk of your car when transporting dirty stuff.
Darts
Tack messages to a dart board using the darts. Use the darts as an awl (thanks Pierre!) for marking wood or metal. Use as a plant support for small plants. Label the plastic "feathers" with plant names and use for labelling a garden. Use as large thumbtacks for a corkboard.
Diaper Wipes Boxes
Use to store arts and craft supplies. Label with permanent marker. Use as weights for when glueing two surfaces together. Use as a door stop.
Drink Mix Containers
(those with twist-off caps)Use for keeping matches waterproofed--although I wouldn't recommend submerging it in water. Use for storage of rice, pasta, etc. when camping (or at home). Use the large bottom portion to hold water to rinse paint brushes. Use the lid for the paint.
Egg Cartons
Use cardboard ones as a charcoal fire starter. (Dave) Use for potting flowers (inside) before moving them outdoors. (Jeannette) Use to keep necklaces and bracelets separate.(Andrea) Store earrings in the top of the carton to keep from losing them. Break up the styrofoam and use it as packaging material. Wash a styrofoam carton VERY WELL and use for an ice cube tray. Keep the lids attached so that you can stack them. Make into candy-filled eggs for Easter. Store golf balls inside.
Envelopes
Take envelopes which are sent by businesses (in the hopes that you will return them), place a label over the pre-printed address, write in a new address, and send it on its way. Use for writing notes to family members. Don't recycle until it is completely filled. Use for storing receipts. Use for storing or carrying coupons. Use for writing grocery lists.
Fabric Softener Sheets
Use as stuffing for stuffed animals and decorative pillows. (Liz) Reuse in your sock or underwear drawer to keep your clothes smelling fresh. (Carie) Place in front of an air vent. The heat from the vent releases the smell into the air. (Carie) Tear the sheets in half before using in the dryer to reduce the number of sheets you use. (Carie) Wrap around a few clothes hangers in the closet to keep your clothes smelling fresh. Use to dust your house. Place inside shoes at night to keep them smelling fresh.
Fast Food "Clam Shells"
Cut in half, poke holes in the bottom of one half, and use as a seed-starter for gardening. (Liz)
Film Canisters
Storage of thumbtacks, rubber bands, paper clips, etc. Fill with quarters. Put in your child's backpack for emergency phone calls. Use for mixing small portions of paint. Fill with suntan lotion and carry with you when hiking. Fill with aspirin and keep in your backpack or purse. Fill with shampoo, soap or lotion. (Courtney & Christina) Fill with water or sand as a souvenier from a vacation. (Courtney & Christina) Fill with household odds and ends (such as nuts, bolts, etc.) and store them in an old purse. Use for storage of seeds. Put a few loose buttons or beads inside and use as a cat toy. (Amy)
Flower Pots--
Small/MediumFill partially with sand and use as an outdoor ash tray. Use when placing flowers at a cemetary so that good ones are not vandalized or lost. Use small, plastic pots as scoops for pet food or potting soil. Use for making sand castles or snow forts. Use for storage of change on a dresser. Use small pots as fruit-picking baskets. Use "tree-size" pots for storage of pet toys (or childrens toys). Keep a small pot by the dryer to collect lint. Use a medium size pot for storage of fruits and vegetables on the counter top. Use a small pot as a candy jar. Paint different colors and use to decorate around a garden. (Edie)
Foil Trays
Wash and use for baking brownies (or anything else). Use when feeding your puppies leftovers.
Garbage Cans
(small/indoor)Relocate to the basement or garage. Use it as a recycling bin next to a desk. Use as a small toy box for balls, dolls, etc. Keep in backyard LINED and COVERED TIGHTLY and use for storage of pet droppings until garbage day. Use as a larger flower pot. Use for storage of potting soil.
Garden HosePoke
holes throughout the length of the hose and make it into a soaker hose. Make into an outdoor extension cord protector by slitting the hose along its length and pushing the extension cord inside. Poke holes throughout the length and make into a sprinkler for kids. Cut into smaller sections and attach to the thin, metal handles on buckets to make it more comfortable to carry. Cut a small section off, clean it, and use as a funky napkin ring. Cut a small section off, clean it, and use it as a sturdy key chain. Use to tie up a young tree for support. (Sweet Chickie) Use it to make a martian costume for Halloween. Use under a skirt for a crinoline.
Glasses
Take out the lenses and use for Halloween costumes. Have your optometrist make them into sunglasses. Save the screws in case you lose them from your current glasses. (Although dabbing clear nail polish on the screws will prevent them from falling out.) Save old ones and use them when doing messy work (like painting the house). Donate to an organization which takes old eyeglasses and puts new lenses in for people who cannot afford to buy new pairs.
Glasses CaseUse as a protective case for your cellular phone.
Greeting Cards
Use as bookmarks. Reuse old cards with some strategic editing. Make into an ornament. Make into gift tags by cutting an old card with pinking shears, punching a hole in the corner, and tying the pieces together. Add the name and a note inside. Cut off the side with the picture (if there is no writing on the reverse side) and reuse as a post card. Pay only postcard postage!
Gym Bags
Use for neat storage of infrequently used shoes.
Hairbrush
Transfer to your camping gear. Give to your kids for when they are playing with their dolls. Remove some of the bristles (depending upon the kind) and use for a pet brush. Keep in the basement or garage for removing dirt from jeans or sneakers so it doesn't become mud in the washing machine. Use for scrubbing larger tools. Use for scrubbing garbage cans/buckets.
Halloween Costumes
Donate to charity for another person to use. Save and let children use for Dress-Up. Donate to schools as props/costumes for school plays.
Hooks
(plastic, candycane-shaped hooks which socks hang on in stores)Use for hanging Christmas ornaments on the tree. Use for keeping similar buttons together by attaching them to the hook using a twistie and keeping in a box. This will make for easy location. Use it as a unique key chain. Attach to the end of a ball of yarn for easy location of the end piece. Use for hanging decorative pot holders on the wall. Paint as candy canes and hang on the Christmas tree. Use for hanging a gear-loft inside a tent. Use to hang the homemade pseudo-sixties chains from your doorway.
Inner-Tubes
Cut to the width you need and use as rubber bands for very large items. Use as patching material for punctured inner tubes. Cut the inner-tube so it is no longer in a circle. Cut off the valve and then drop a chain through the tube. This will keep the chain from clanking.