Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...
I've been trying really hard lately to be better about reducing the amount of trash at our curb each week. To that end, I've stepped up our efforts towards recycling and also am trying really hard to reuse things that I'd often throw away. I can't always do it; sometimes stuff still just goes out in the trash! But I am trying. Here is a photo of some of the stuff I'm reusing right now.
First, a Whole Food's reusable insulated bag. Excellent, I adore this bag because often with lil' miss in the car we wind up taking a while to get home. So not only is it reusable, but it keeps my stuff from going bad even if it takes a while to get home. On top of that a cloth diaper; this one is a fitted (needs a cover) from Dream-Eze.
Next, one of my most recent efforts; making a shoe box into a toy for Bella. I cut a slit into the side with a utility knife and gave her a stack of flash cards to practice putting into the slot. She loves this and plays with it all the time! It was divine inspiration because while she is very, very into shape-sorters right now, they frustrate her a lot. This is something a little simpler for her to play with that is kind of the same idea. I used tape on one side of the box to keep the lid on, and that way she can take the lid off and on too, to practice even more motor skills!
On top of the shoe box is a rice tub which is our new cough drop home.
To the left of that is a spaghetti sauce jar which is now housing a mix of nuts.
Peeping out from the back is a Robeez shoe bag which I'm now using to hold clothes for Bella's dollbaby.
To the left is another rice tub which is now holding tons of spare change, though you cannot see it.
On top of the spare change tub is a Foogo straw cup for Bella. LOVE this! Keeps her drinks cold, stainless steel, very little plastic.
Below that is a handmade pouch which I use to hold Bella's hair goods. (Back in the day, I would've just used a ziplock bag.) I didn't buy the pouch for this purpose; actually I wasn't sure what I got it for when I got it, but it works perfectly. I can keep her little brush and comb and all her hair stuff in one place!
Here's a close-up.
You can see a Sargento cheese bag lying flat; I couldn't get it to stand up! Anyways these are tough because I don't *think* you can recycle them. (Please correct me if I'm wrong.) At least I don't think our area has facilities to recycle them. So this one is housing a bunch of thumbtacks and a few loose razor blades (for a utility knife) that had all been dangerously floating around our odds n' ends drawer. It's perfect because this bag is tougher than a ziplock bag and stuff doesn't poke through. It doesn't look very pretty, but who cares? It lives in a drawer!
What are some ways you are reusing things? I'm looking for ideas!