Never throw these things away

Throwing stuff out is a waste in more than one sense. It goes to landfill, which spoils our countryside, but it also costs you money because you’ve paid for it and now you’re dumping it.
 
But what if you could reuse that junk elsewhere? If you’ve reused something then not only do you cut back on waste, but you also don’t need to make an additional purchase. Savings all round.

Here are 18 things you should think twice about before putting in the bin or recycling:

Rubbish you can re-use

Foil: Never throw out aluminium foil, stack a few used pieces together and use your scissors to cut them – it sharpens the blade.

Ziplock bags: Don’t tear open ziplock bags, give them a rinse and you can use them again.

Post: If you have letters and unwanted documents that haven’t been printed on both sides, chop them in half and staple them together to make scrap notebooks.

Cardboard and containters: When you have children, you can spend a fortune on art kit but there is almost nothing they can’t use for crafting. Cereal boxes, old perfume bottles, bottle tops… It’s all gold to an imaginative kid.

Jars: Keep old jam jars and make your own jam or marmalade, as a lovely homemade gift. Or use them as desk tidies, for paintbrushes

Newspapers: Old newspaper can be kept for padding out parcels but also for cleaning windows. Use scrunched-up paper to polish the glass to a brilliant sheen.

[Related link: How home-made cleaning products stack up]

Plastic drinks bottles: Fill old drink bottles with water and put them in the freezer to make cheap ice blocks for picnics. You can also use full bottles as weights or chop the bottoms off to create seedling covers for your garden.

Plates: Transform old-fashioned plates into a quirky cake stand by super-gluing them together using sherry glasses for the stem. You can also use broken plates (and other crockery and pottery) to keep drainage holes at the bottom of garden pots clear.

Tubs: Keep old margarine tubs, you can use them to store food in the fridge or freezer.

Carrier bags: Use unwanted carrier bags instead of bin bags for small bins and it’s handy to keep a few in your car or bag. If you pop into a shop unexpectedly then you have them ready – particularly useful in places where you pay for single-use bags.

Takeaway containers: Keep those plastic takeaway tubs and you won’t need to wrap sandwiches in foil.

Cereal boxes: Chop the side off old cereal boxes to create document storage boxes. Spray paint or cover each box so that it doesn’t stick out.

Christmas cards: Keep old Christmas cards and cut out the pictures to use as present tags the following year.

Toothbrushes: Save on scouring pads by keeping old toothbrushes. They’re great for cleaning between tiles.

Towels: Worn towelling can be chopped up to make face cloths or cleaning cloths.

Clothes: Revamp your wardrobe without spending anything by attending a ‘swishing’ event and swapping old clothes. Old socks make great dusters. Or puppets.

Magazines: Rolled up magazines work just as well at keeping boots shapely as shop-bought boot shapers.

Phones: You can almost always get at least a few quid for even the oldest mobile phone. Dig them out of your drawers and send them off to one of the many companies offering phone recycling.

[Related feature: Turn your mobile phone into money]

Finally, here are a five more general ways you can make like a Womble and make good use of things that might be destined for a landfill:

Buy reusables

While reusing your rubbish saves you cash, buying reusable items to begin with can save even more.

For example, reusable batteries and cloth nappies keep harmful rubbish out of landfill and could save you some real cash.

Upcycle

If you have a crafty streak then maybe you can add value to old junk and find a new use for it. Read our article ‘How to turn your junk into a fortune’ for tips on making the most out of old furniture and fabrics.

Reuse ‘grey water’

If you have a water meter, you can save money by reusing spare water, in places like the garden (especially useful during a hosepipe ban). For example, if you’re running a tap to get it hot or cold, store the wasted but clean water in a bucket and use it in the garden. Leave the plug in the bath (after showering or bathing) and you can use this water to pre-soak clothes, on the garden or even use pour it in the toilet instead of flushing.

Just be careful not to use water that’s full of chemicals like bleach on your garden and never reuse water from the toilet or dishwasher. Don’t store used water for more than 24 hours.

Repair

The best way to reuse something is obviously to repair it so that it can be used again for its original purpose. While you should never mess with electrics, there are plenty of instructions online for repairing and trouble shooting all sorts of household items. Read our article ‘Can you still repair things yourself?’ for some tips.

Give it away

Finally, if you can’t find a use for something but you think someone else might then advertise it on your local Freegle, Freecycle or Don’tDumpThat group. These groups exist to keep things out of landfill and there’s almost always a home for anything useful that you no longer need but can’t sell.

Of course, junk like old toothbrushes can’t be re-homed, but I’ve found homes for boxes of old jam jars (marmalade maker), beaten-up cushions (cat rescue) and a bag of clothes hangers (professional ironer).

If you occasionally give items away through a group like Freegle then the community is more likely to respond when you make a request – saving you money and helping the environment. Everyone benefits.

Share your tips for reusing old stuff with other readers in the comments below.