Waste not want not...

BilberryCharlotte

This may not be of much use to everyone, but I know of a lady who used to collect any sheep`s fleece that had become snagged on barbed wire (we lived in the Peak District - lots of sheep). When she had collected enough she used a spinning wheel to make it into yarn and knitted herself a jumper.

I used to have a little booklet about how many uses there were for carrier bags, apart from the obvious, but our dogs provide a use for them! I also use any plastic bags that are sent with junk mail inside for the poo patrol. (sorry if anyone has just had their breakfast)

Sarahsaver

Hmmm what are people going to do if plastic bags are phased out, for the dog poop?

Mind you from a walk this weekend it looked like a lot of people do not bother :eek:

I am reusing shredded paper for hamster bedding and also making paper logs.

cammumof3

If carrier bags are phased out then I will be ok for a while as I thousands in the garage.
Built up from when I had bin under my sink that I used carrier bags in for rubbish, I used to get loads when I went shopping. Plus my neighbour gave me loads.
After carrier bags I suppose it would be nappy sacks.

You are right though a lot of people dont clear up after their dog, some one even had the nerve to leave one on my front garden.

I have to egt dressed and go shopping

Purple_Sparkles

I try not to buy things in plastic whenever possible but if I do I always reuse the container/bag, here’s a bit of what we do at home;

Carrier Bags - I don’t often use them but when I do – I reuse them as bags, if they have holes in I keep them until I have enough to knit into another bag (these don’t rip either).

Tin Cans – Garden Night lights with punched patterns, money boxes, storage in shed/studio or if I don’t need any recycle them.

Plastic Bottles – storing dry goods, rice, pasta etc... I usually use large milk containers for this. Pop bottles are used as cloches in the garden.

Socks – dusters, sock puppets, used for stuffing in draught excluders.

Clothes/Towels/Fabric – if beyond repair, I remove buttons, zips etc for use in something else later, cut up the fabric for rag rugs, patchwork, dusters, soft toys, bags (anything I can sew) or more stuffing for draught excluders!

Food Peelings – animals or compost.

Leftover Food - eaten the next day or if that’s not feasible frozen for later use.

Junk Mail – envelopes/jiffy bags are reused I stick a hm label over the top if necessary, scrap pads, shredded for the animals, paper mache modelling.

Water from fish tank - water the garden/greenhouse.

Garden Waste - chickens or composted depending upon what it is.

Plastic margarine/ice cream tubs – used for storage

Cardboard boxes – Decorated and used as gift baskets, household storage, animal houses, even plantpots.

Glass Jars/Bottles – jars I save and use or preserves, nuts & bolts etc... in shed, paint them with glass paint and make lanterns, bath salts, flavoured oils, wine!

Candle stubs/crayons – melted down and made into new candles or crayons.

Soap slivers – grated up and added to hm washing powder.

Old Toothbrushes – used for cleaning or as paint brushes – great for splattering paint!

Old hairbrushes – used for grooming the animals

Egg shells – I grind them up and add to compost or sometimes to chicken feed.

Hair – human and animal goes out for the birds, if they don’t want it then into the compost bin.

Anything I can’t reuse is freecyled, recycled or given to charity.

I’m sure I’ll think of more later

BilberryCharlotte

That is a brilliant tip about using the empty milk containers to store dry goods. It is much easier for me to hold something with a handle than to try and grip a smooth sided jar, and easier to pour out whatever is in it.

It is the sort of thing that makes you wonder "why didn`t I think of that!"

Primrose

carpool - if you have an open fire I guess you could stuff your loo rolls with damp shredded newspaper, let them dry and then use them as mini logs.

junior_j

Hello , i do a lot of child minding , and often have baby food glass jars spare , and have found out i can use a lot for them for example

-Storing change
-Storing broken bread sticks for the baby when we go out
- Dog treats for car rides and trips to the vets can be stored in there
- Any animal treats from a bag can be put in there!
-Bus ticket reciepts from every month (i keep mine to add what i spend on public transport and then find out how i could reduce that!)
-Grapes/strawberries(halved) or chopped apple for a lunch box
-Chewing gums!

Any other ideas! hope that helps anyone else who could get use out of baby jars.
Jess x

Olliebeak

Being a sewer (that is needle and thread sort of sewer NOT dirty water sewer :rolleyes: ), I would use them for storing small buttons, press studs, hooks and eyes etc. Though personally, I have an empty tic-tac box that is ideal for press studs .

Just thought of another use - spare fuses for plugs or spare christmas light bulbs .

moggylover

junior_j wrote: »

Hello , i do a lot of child minding , and often have baby food glass jars spare , and have found out i can use a lot for them for example

-Storing change
-Storing broken bread sticks for the baby when we go out
- Dog treats for car rides and trips to the vets can be stored in there
- Any animal treats from a bag can be put in there!
-Bus ticket reciepts from every month (i keep mine to add what i spend on public transport and then find out how i could reduce that!)
-Grapes/strawberries(halved) or chopped apple for a lunch box
-Chewing gums!

Any other ideas! hope that helps anyone else who could get use out of baby jars.
Jess x

I find them invaluable for storing herbs and spices - I even went to the trouble of decorating them with some special paint for painting on glass - which you then heat to "bake" it on! They are really pretty, and much nicer than the ones you can buy in the shops:D

junior_j

:beer:Thanks for replying! :T

My mum hates the amount of 'junk' i keep some times! But i usually always find a use for it!

For exmaple i have 2sweet and sour jars , one holds 1s and 2s and another jar holds 5ps

A glass empty canister holds my reciepts ..

A old shoe box holds the craft stuff the children i childmind play with..

A old box that held my mobile i decorates using a photo me and my Godson and and in front of the photos i folded the box in a way so it holds my pins for my pin board!

:rotfl:Give me a jar and i will find a use for it:rotfl: unlucky for my mum we have 2 meals a week which give me a jar a time

Jess x:cool: