Did you know that the average American tosses 4.4 lbs of trash per day?

It might not seem like that much. But since there are over 300 million people living in the USA, that’s roughly 728,000 TONS of daily garbage. Or enough to fill 63,000 garbage trucks.

So in today’s article, I’m going to give you some creative ways to reuse common items you’d normally think of as trash. I think you’ll be surprised by just how useful the stuff you throw away can be.

Toilet Paper Rolls

When the toilet paper runs out, replace it, and toss the old cardboard roll, right? WRONG. This little piece of cardboard is insanely useful around the house. Here are just a few things you can make with it.

Tie/Belt Hanger

It can be tough to keep all your belts and ties organized. This craft makes it simple. All you need is an empty toilet paper roll.

Use scissors to cut the roll into about 10 equal sized circles. Then, using glue, attach it to the bottom of the hanger. Make sure to place each circle right next to each other. Now, you can hang ties and belts through these circles, allowing you to put at least 10 in one easy location.

Yarn Spool

This is an easy one. Simply make a slit around 1/3^rd of the way down the roll. Then take one end of the yarn you want to wrap up. Slide it into the slit so it holds still. Then wrap a bit of it around one of the ends.

The idea is to roll all the yarn around the toilet paper roll, forming a spool. Yet this can take a long time. So, if you use a handheld mixer, you can stick the beater inside the tube. Then turn it on and watch as your yarn rolls up almost instantly!

Homemade Decorations

When you cut a toilet paper cardboard into individual circles, these circles can then be bent and glued together to make incredible designs. For example, if you want to make a flower, cut the roll into 10 equal sized pieces. Then crease them together so they are flat. Allow it to expand out again. By combining this shape in a star pattern, you’ll quickly have a makeshift flower. You can paint this and glue it together for a completely unique home decoration I can promise you won’t see anywhere else.

Silica Gel

These little packets are found in all kinds of products. You know the look – little bags of powder with large warnings of DO NOT EAT on them. These are almost always thrown away immediately.

Well, did you know they can actually save a wet phone? Keep them in a safe place. Then if you ever drop your phone into water, put it in a Ziplock bag with a handful of these. They will almost magically suck the water right out – in most cases, making your phone good as new. 

Silica Gel packets can also be used to de-fog a car windshield or bathroom mirror. Dry a wet swimsuit in a hurry. Prevent rust on razor blades. And even keep toiletry bags dry during travel.

Tic Tac Boxes

Like Tic Tacs? Don’t throw the boxes away!

These conveniently sized boxes can be used for all sorts of things. You can put a mini pencil sharpener inside, and when you sharpen the pencil the shavings will go right into the box. Or, you can put the head of your toothbrush in it while traveling to keep it clean and dry.

Tic Tac boxes can be used to store paperclips and other crafting materials. And you can even use it to keep spices stored and organized in the kitchen.

Soda Bottles

Soda bottles are made out of a durable, water resistant plastic. This kind of plastic can take centuries to erode naturally in nature. Which is why we should reuse them if possible. Thankfully, they make perfect soap containers. Simply buy a soap pump from the store… or even better, reuse one from an old bottle. Make sure it’s the correct size to fit on the bottle. Then fill the bottle up with soap.

This works even better with glass bottles. Especially the classic Coca-Cola look. Just imagine having a glass coke bottle that stores your soap, or anything else you need near the sink. It gives a vintage style and costs pennies. Best of all, it’ll be a great conversation starter, since I’m confident none of your guests will have ever seen anything like it.

In Conclusion

These are just a few simple ideas on how you can be less wasteful at home. As you can see, even though these items are commonly thrown away, they can have a lot more value if you use a little creativity. Have fun!