DIY Uses for Common Household Items

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13 Clever DIY Uses for Common Household Items

by Guest Posting · 0 comments

in Frugal Living

photo credit: Reilly Butler via Flickr

The following is a guest post from Adria Saracino and Tali Wee.
The instinct of many is to dispose household items after using them, but there is a whole realm of creative and useful possibilities for repurposing these everyday items. Here are some clever uses for common household items and affordably live in a more comfortable home.

1. Buttons

Transform that collection of unused, miscellaneous buttons into something charming and helpful such as earring holders. Poke an earring through each buttonhole and fix into place with its back for an easy solution to keep pairs together. Plus, buttons add a colorful organizational system to a potentially messy jewelry drawer.

2. Candle Wax

When a votive candle reaches the end of its life, use the last bit of wax as a pincushion to supplement a sewing kit. The wax works great for holding pins securely so they don’t scatter.

3. Penny

Use spare pennies to extend the life of flowers. Place a penny, along with a dash of sugar, into vase water to work as a lasting antibacterial and nourishment for healthy and long lasting flowers.

4. Toothbrush Holder

Instead of throwing a used toothbrush holder in the garbage, give it a second purpose by washing it and placing makeup brushes in the holders instead. This keeps makeup brushes clean, organized, and free from the depths of a cluttered makeup bag.

5. Clear Nail Polish

Clear nail polish has many uses beyond giving fingernails a smooth sheen. Prevent fraying and ripping by coating a button’s stitches with polish, or dipping the end of a shoelace into the liquid. Add a drop to seal screws on eyeglasses into place, or lightly brush onto pantyhose to halt a run.

6. Dresser

Stack and attach the drawers of an old dresser together to create a free standing bookcase. Add style and creative flair to the inside with paint, wallpaper or scrap booking paper.

7. Door

Don’t spend hundreds of dollars on a brand new headboard. Recycle an old door, which usually fits perfectly as a headboard for a queen sized bed. Paint the old door to coordinate with the style of the bedroom, which is much easier than trying to find a store-bought headboard to match the room’s décor.

8. Tennis Balls

Take advantage of the wide range of uses a tennis ball offers: quickly removes oils from swimming pool surfaces, cleans scuff marks off of hard-surface floors, or protects outdoor padlocks from moisture and the elements by cutting a slit in the ball and placing the lock inside. For a multi-purpose object, fix a rubber suction cup to the side of the ball and cut a slit in the other side.

9. Yoga Mat

Take care of the pesky problem of cats tracking litter out of the box with a worn yoga mat. Utilize its rubbery texture to snatch stray pieces of cat litter by placing the mat under the box; the mat helps create a barrier that contains the litter to one area.

10. Breath Mint Container

A typical breath mint container made of tin happens to be the perfect size to enclose credit cards and other small personal items. The size and secure closure of these tin boxes create distinctive and easily portable wallets.

11. Empty Pill Bottle

Glue a rock to the top of a pill bottle, place a spare house key inside and bury the bottle to create an extremely realistic hide-a-key.

12. Wine Rack

Hang a wine rack on the bathroom wall for an attractive and classy towel holder. Roll up clean, spare towels and place them on the rack for easy access and a fresh appearance.

13. Frame

Empty a decorative picture frame of its glass and backing. Screw three or four metal hooks into the inner-facing side of the top panel of the frame. Hang it on the wall next to the front door for a convenient, stylish, and space-efficient key holder.
Adria Saracino and Tali Wee collaborated on the above style guide. Adria is a fashion blogger and obsessive home décor pinner. Tali handles the Miami community outreach for Zillow and enjoys spending time on projects around the house.