Go green and live more sustainably by reusing household items.
If you’re trying to go green, you’re likely familiar with the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle. While reducing consumption and recycling empty bottles are pretty straightforward, reusing items requires a little more creativity. Reusing items is an eco-friendly way to make the most of what you have, whether that is by reusing containers or giving old egg cartons new life. Read on for our guide on how to reuse common household items.
Why Use Reusable Household Items?
Reusing household items is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and live more sustainably. Sustainable living has impressive benefits beyond saving money: living a more eco-friendly life protects natural ecosystems and resources; empowers healthy living for humans; and drives economic innovation. Head over to our blog on why sustainability is important to learn why sustainable home products matter.
Sustainable living doesn’t have to be hard. Focusing on reusing common household items is an important first step in reducing waste, limiting unnecessary consumption, and supporting sustainability goals.
The Difference between Reusing and Recycling Items
Both reusing and recycling are important actions to take to live more sustainably. Reusing—using an item again in its intended use or repurposing the item in another way—is the best way to cut down on waste. For instance, dryer sheets can be reused (repurposed) as duster sheets to clean off electronics. Or, old CD cases can be reused as trendy, eclectic coasters. We’ve put together some ideas to reuse common household items below.
Recycling, on the other hand, is a process that occurs outside of the home in order to use an item, or its components, to create something new. Aluminum cans or glass containers are often created by using recycled materials. When you recycle glass containers, you’re continuing the recycling loop. The benefits of recycling are numerous; recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills, prevent pollution, saves energy, and creates jobs.[1]
6 Reusable Household Items
Common household items can easily be reused, cutting down on waste and saving money.
#1: Glass jars
Glass containers are an eco-friendly option for reusing. Clean out your old jam jars, pasta sauce jars, pickle jars, or baby food jars to create brand-new containers. Great for storage as well as gifting—just tie some twine or ribbon around a glass jar filled with homemade goodies, and you have an eco-friendly, thoughtful gift for holidays or birthdays.
#2: Egg cartons
You can certainly recycle egg cartons, but try reusing them as a sustainable alternative. Old egg cartons can become a 12-cup organizer, perfect for screws or bolts for any DIY-ers, or for sorting small kids’ toys that might otherwise get lost. Egg cartons are also a great paint tray for a fun crafting day with kids—just squirt different colors in each dimple. Egg cartons can also be used for starting seedlings indoors. Once the seedlings sprout, just cut each cup from the tray and plant it directly in the soil.
#3: Metal straws
If you or your family use disposable straws regularly, try making a simple swap and invest in metal straws. These are comfortable and just as easy to use as plastic straws, without the landfill-bound waste. Just make sure to clean it every day to avoid germs and bacteria.
#4: Plastic jugs
Don’t recycle the big plastic containers that milk, water, or even laundry detergent come in. Instead, repurpose these plastic jugs into weights for a home gym. Just fill with water, and you have sustainable, affordable weights for any at-home workout—all without increasing your carbon footprint.
#5: Shoeboxes
Did you know that shoeboxes are great organizational tools? Reuse empty shoeboxes, getting rid of waste and clutter simultaneously. Organize kids’ closets, holiday decorations, or cables in a tidy, eco-friendly way.
#6: Reusable wipes for taking off makeup or cleaning surfaces
If you use single-use wipes for taking off makeup or cleaning surfaces, look for reusable alternatives. Make homemade rags by cutting up old clothes—a sustainable and zero-waste alternative to paper towels. Or, invest in a home cleaning system to make it even easier to reuse products. SoClean’s PowerWipe easily cleans surfaces, while the Device Disinfector makes refreshes the cloth with just a push of a button.
Top Tips for Reusing Items
- Purchase with longevity in mind. When making purchases, invest in sustainable home products that will last longer and reuse well. For instance, look for goods packaged in glass rather than flimsy plastic.
- Include the kids. Reusing items is the ultimate imagination exercise, perfect for creative minds! See what household items they think could be reused. It’s the perfect opportunity to explain why sustainability matters, too.
- Clean everything thoroughly. Reduce the likelihood of germs and bacteria by washing any reusable items using soap and water. Or, use a device disinfector for a convenient, hassle-free clean and peace of mind.
- If you can’t reuse, recycle or compost. Some level of waste is unavoidable, but look for alternatives to the landfill when disposing of items. Donate or sell items to organizations in need or secondhand stores, or head to a recycling center. Food waste, cardboard, newspapers, and more can also be composted, a process that creates a natural, eco-friendly fertilizer.
Learn more about how to make your home sustainable here.
