The bedding item you can repurpose in surprisingly useful ways
By Stuff NZ|
Repurposing the things around us makes more sustainable use of resources and helps reduce waste going to landfill.
It also saves us money in the long run.
Whether you know it or not, there are almost certainly a few everyday items in your house worth upcycling, or making better use of.
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Here are five common items you can always use again:
1. Homeware bags
When you next buy a duvet, quilt, electric blanket, set of sheets, pillowcases or other bedding item, save the clear plastic zipper bag that these items come in.
Use the bags to protect your clothes and save space in your luggage when travelling. Use the smaller bags for toiletries or first aid items.
Use the large zip bags to better sort and organise the clothes in your wardrobe. Put out-of-season clothes away in bags to create space. Protect extra quilts and bedspreads from dust and bugs while in storage by keeping them in the zipped bags, with natural moth repellents.
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2. Brown paper bags
As single-use plastic bags are being phased out in supermarkets, basic brown paper bags are becoming a staple in many stores.
Paper bags have a much nicer look and feel than plastic. They can be recycled afterwards or flattened and saved for many future uses. For them to be truly sustainable, they need to be used more than once.
Paper bags are ideal for storing fresh produce in your pantry. This includes onions, potatoes, pumpkin, squash, kumera, tomatoes and other fruit and vegetables that should not be kept in the fridge.
Growing up my Gran always kept a neatly stashed selection of paper bags in her farmhouse kitchen.
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Paper bags are useful for holding sandwiches together in a packed lunch. They're recommended for storing sourdough buns and loaves. They can also be used as compostable bin liners.
Plain paper bags can be reused as gift bags for birthdays and other occasions. If you open them up along the seams, they can be used as wrapping paper. Finish off the parcel with some coloured twine.
Stiff brown paper is also ideal for parcelling up items to be posted. This creates less plastic waste than using plastic postal bags.
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3. Plastic takeout containers
If you get takeaways on a regular basis you can end up using lots of takeout containers, including some that lend themselves well to being repurposed.
Take the rectangular, clear plastic ones with lids. Give them a good wash and these takeout containers are perfectly sized as handy lunch containers, food prep containers and more.
Cook extra rice or pasta, fill up multiple containers, and stack them in the freezer for using in quick meals on those days when time is extra tight.
Prepping for a party or special dinner? Prepare ingredients in advance and store in takeout containers, stacked in the fridge ready for use.
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4. Glass jars and bottles
Glass jars and bottles are one of the easiest items to repurpose. Think tall pasta sauce jars, pickle jars, jam jars, syrup concentrate bottles. These types of containers can be reused as pantry storage containers, vases for flowers and houseplant propagation vessels.
Collect a matching set of medium-sized jam jars with the labels soaked off to make a cost-effective and tough set of drinking glasses. These are especially great for children to use because they rarely break when dropped, and can be easily replaced.
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5. Ziplock plastic bags
Many supermarkets supply ziplock bags for use at bulk bins. Don't throw the bags out when you unpack your groceries. Rinse them out and hang them up to dry, ready for repurposing.
Keep a stash of zip lock bags in your reusable shopping bags, ready for your next grocery shop.
Re-use ziplock in packed lunches or when marinating meat or tofu. Use them when freezing homemade breadcrumbs, made from yesterday's bread. There are tricks to know about closing a ziplock bag.
This story originally appeared on Stuff and was written by Sarah Heeringa. Read the original here.?
