10 Ways To Recycle / Reuse Flat Sheets

 Over the last decade ( or there abouts ) it has become the trend to ditch flat sheets on beds.  Maybe for some of you,  you've never used them.  For others,  the fitted sheet has worn out before the flat one and you've been left with a small pile of flat sheets.

Please don't throw those flat sheets out.  They are great source of material that can be made into a variety of crafts or even repurposed around your home.

Here are 10 ideas to help you use up those sheets and save money along the way

*  If they are 100 % cotton bed sheets and in excellent condition,  cut them up,  hem and use as tea towels.

*  Flannelette sheets are great for wrapping around a clothes horse full of wet washing.  Use clothes pegs to fasten all the openings closed then place over a floor ducted heating vent.  The clothes will dry quicker.

*  Cut the sheets up to make kids dress up costumes.  I made princess skirts and wedding veils for my girls when they were little.

*  Repurpose the sheets into table cloths.  I have an old bed skirt that is the perfect size for our folding trestle table.  

*  Let your kids make a cubbyhouse with a flat sheet and your dining table.  Give them a couple of torches and let them play camping.

*  Make curtains from flat sheets and line with block out material.  If you don't have the width,  make them into side curtains ( for decoration ).

*  Make pillowcases.  This is a very simple sewing project.  Personalise the pillowcases and give them as presents.

*  Flat sheets can be made into super cheap cushion covers.  The envelope style cushion cover is super simple to make.  Have you seen the prices of cushion covers in the shops ?  You'd be likely to pay $20 or more.

*  For the environmentally conscious  person,  make them a set of hankies.

*  Make a library bag for your children to use at school.  You could personalise it with a colorful pocket on the front made from a scrap bit of material.

Have you found ways to reuse your flat sheets ?

This Little Water Tip Could Save You Lots Of Money

Have you ever thought the shower warm up water draining down the plug hole seems like such a big waste ?

If you place a bucket under the shower head,  this clean water could be used elsewhere.  Of course you could pour it into the washing machine and this is something I do often.  It's not going to save you much money but you'll feel better about reducing the waste.

Here's an even better tip that will feed you and save lots of money.  Reuse the shower warm up water to water some veggie seedlings.  If you love lettuce, you can grow it all year round in many climates.   A $3 packet of seeds will last a few years and could save you over $100 a year.  This figure is based on buying one small $2 bag of lettuce leaves every week for one year. If you have a larger family,  you would be buying more lettuce so the savings will be even bigger.

Such a simple tip yet the impact is huge.

What could you use the saved water for ?

Reusing Old Plastic Cereal Containers.

 Over the last couple of years I've gradually changed my pantry storage containers from plastic to glass where possible.  This has left me with a dilemma of having lots of plastic containers to find other uses for.  The cereal containers in particular were too good to throw out,  which is not an eco friendly option.   Some were 20+ years old and not BPA free so finding non food related uses proved to be a challenge.

I love neat and tidy organisation in my cupboards and after much thought came up with these ideas for the containers -

*  Storage for clothes pegs.  This has been a fantastic way to use a container.  The pegs don't fall out ( or very few do ) if the pegs are knocked over by accident.  Having a lid on the container keeps the spare pegs dry and clean when waiting for the washing to dry on the line outside.  This will also extend the life of the pegs.

*  Dry cat food storage.  No longer do I have tiny crumbs from the cardboard box fall out on the tiles or in the laundry cupboard.  The little opening in the lid makes it easy to reach in with a scoop to get the exact amount Princess needs to eat.  Portion control at it's best.

*  Plastic bag storage.  I have two cereal containers under my kitchen sink for plastic bag storage.  One holds recycled bread bags that are really clean and suitable for food storage.  I use them many times over to store my home baked bread in the freezer.  When they start to look a little ratty,  I store them in the other container to be used as bin liners.  I can squash a lot of bread bags in those containers and the lid helps to keep them tidy.

*  Storage for kitty litter scoop bags.  I also reuse bread bags to scoop up kitty litter messes.  Having a container in the laundry cupboard makes it easy for quick clean ups..

Under my kitchen sink

Laundry cupboard storage

My new peg ' bucket '.

Have you found other uses for old plastic containers ?

Is There Gold In Your Shed ?

 I'm sure I've got your attention now.  You're probably thinking ' what the heck is she talking about ? '  I'm not talking about real gold,  but things that are of value,  especially when you can't get to the shops due to either lockdown,  sickness or if money is tight.

Have you stored things away you have forgotten about that could be used to save money or even make you money ?  Here are a few ideas of what could be lurking in your shed or garage -

*  Icecream containers.  It's hard to throw them out when they seem so useful.  Do you need storage containers in your pantry,  laundry or bedrooms.  They make great biscuit containers,  freezer containers ( for soups and stews ),  hair tie containers if you have girls or even storage for batteries,  household hooks,  screws and nails.  Maybe you are looking for a container to put your homemade laundry powder in.

*  Glass jars.  Have you stashed them away and forgotten about them.  They make great storage for dried herbs and spices in the pantry.  Jam making season will be upon us in a few months.  Maybe you could check to see if you have enough jars.  

*  Old shoe boxes.  Can they be used for craft storage,  for present giving or craft activities with the kids.  

*  A piece of furniture that's seem better days.  Can it be repaired or restored and used in your home ?  Could it be sold ?

*  Pieces of timber.  There are a million uses for timber but I'll name a few - make veggie garden markers,  make a picture frame,  build a vertical herb garden,  make a wall hanging.  Maybe you have enough timber to make things to sell.

*  Abandoned exercise equipment.  Could you use the equipment instead of buying into an expensive food / shake / exercise program or gym ?

*  Pantry / cleaning supplies.  Have you been using your shed or garage for your stockpile ?  Maybe it's time to see if you can refill your pantry or laundry cupboard.

*  Sporting or camping equipment that's no longer needed.  Could you sell it for a little extra money?

*  Vegetable or flower seeds.  Could you be planting them now for almost free food ?  No need to go to a florist when you could pick flowers straight from the garden.  Maybe you don't need another trip to Bunnings for more seeds.

*  Suitcases.  Do you have old suitcases that could be used as storage instead of buying more plastic tubs ?    

Only you know what's in your shed or garage.  Do you have any gold ?

Don't Throw Out Your Dishwashing Liquid Bottles.

At a time when many people are trying to reduce their plastic waste,  finding ways to reuse what they have is a money saver as well as reducing the  environmental  impact.

Before any plastic container is thrown into the recycling bin,  I always try to find ways to reuse it around the home.  The humble dishwashing liquid bottle is no exception. Large and small bottles can be used as follows -

*  Disinfectant comes in large bottles and is hard to pour out in measured / portioned quantities.  I decant it into dishwashing liquid bottles to use on smelly washing in the washing machine.  The squirty lid makes it easy to control the flow.

*  Decant white vinegar into a dishwashing liquid bottle to squirt into the mop bucket.  Use with boiling water to wash your floors.

*  Those large bottles of laundry liquid are heavy to use and the lids seem to leak over the outside of the bottle.  Trying to measure out one capful of liquid without it dripping everywhere is challenging to say the least.  Carefully fill up  a dishwashing liquid bottle,  screw the lid on and use the squirty lid to portion the liquid into your washing machine.  Go one step further and dilute the liquid 1 part liquid to 4 or 5 parts water for fantastic laundry savings.

*  Keep a bottle of heavily diluted dishwashing liquid in your bathroom for cleaning showers and sinks.  Super cheap and works really well.

*  Foaming hand wash is a great product to use.  Make your own by diluting shower gel 1 part gel to 4 parts water.  Store it in a large dishwashing liquid bottle for refilling your hand wash pumps around your home.

How do you reuse dishwashing liquid bottles ?

The ' Use It Up ' Challenge Update

For the month of March we've been trying to use up items from around our home.  This is a great way to save money,  declutter and to feel like we are not wasting goods.

During the challenge I used up -

*  One lipstick by digging down to the very bottom with a cotton stick.- Value $8

*  One bar of soap for hand washing instead of refilling the foaming hand soap pump - Value $2

*  Ate 8 single serves of leftovers from the freezer - Value $8

*  Used a few little shampoo and shower gel  bottles - Value $1

*  Decluttered the pantry and put aside items that need using up.  Darren is gradually making his way through the gnocchi,  nuts and rice cakes.  Value - $15

*  Used some guest soaps to add to  decorated hand towels.  This made  lovely packages to sell  at a  craft market a week or so ago.  From my understanding a couple of them sold to the value of about $14.

*  Reorganised the freezers to see what I have.  I wrote a menu plan to include a few bits and pieces - Value $10 in eaten items

Total value for the month $58

We've used a few

Egg custard to use up excess milk and eggs

Using up freezer meals

Did you use up anything from around your home ?

Reusing Old Socks

Just about every household has a collection of odd socks.  It seems such a shame to throw out perfectly good socks just because the pair is missing.  How about those old socks that are getting thin,  or the ones you don't like anymore ?

 Here are a few ideas to give the socks a new lease on life -

*  Old socks make great dusters for skirting boards and table tops.  Just pull the sock over your hand and dust away.

*  Use old socks,  odd buttons and a few pieces of wool to make a hand puppet for your littlies.

*  Store safety googles / glasses in a sock to prevent scratching in the garage.

*  Use old socks to cover golf clubs to prevent scratching.

*  Make a soap pouch for outdoor hand washing.  Just place a bar of soap inside an old sock,  close it up with a knot and hang it from the tap.

*  Slip a sock over an ice pack to prevent freezer burn.