Real Simple is one of the few magazines I have ever really enjoyed reading. Before my gift subscription ran out, one of my favorite regular features was called “New Uses for Old Things”. It was a wonderfully creative little section where they would take everyday items (like felt pads for chair legs) and give you a new use for them (like quieting slamming cabinet doors).
Even without my subscription to Real Simple, I’ve been able to find a few New Uses for Old Things myself. Necessity is the mother of invention, right? And, I’m sure that all of you have a few tips and tricks of your own, so please share!
The first one I have uses the same felt pads as the magazine example. However, I currently use them to quiet loud children’s toys. I have no idea why toy manufacturers have decided that volume control is unnecessary, but they have. Enter sticky felt pads! The pre-cut circular ones work nicely on many speakers, but you can also buy the plain sheets and cut them to fit any size. Duct tape also works well for this purpose, layering it can tailor the volume to your specifications nicely!
I recently needed a new solution for storing bath toys. The little frog mounted on the wall was cute, but after it fell off the wall for the 3rd time, I decided we needed something else. Ever heard of mesh lingerie bags? They are these lovely little bags (usually with a zipper closure) for putting your dainties in when you wash. Now, I have never used them for that purpose, but when I saw one at the store decided that it was the perfect size for keeping all of our foam letters, fish, and mermaid dolls in between splash fests. It even has a little loop to hang it up, which speeds drying. And, it was $1.50!!
Next is an idea I got from the Simple Mom blog on making your own composting bin. You can link to the site here for the full explanation, but the project basically involves turning a large garbage can into a fabulous compost bin in a few simple steps. I love it and I’m heading to Home Depot to get a trash can ASAP!
Finally, a tip for any of you making your own baby food. (It’s simple, healthy, and usually much cheaper than the jarred stuff). Ice cube trays make perfect little cubes of frozen fruits and veggies! Yes, I know that lots of places sell those little freezer cube storage things, but ice cube trays are much cheaper and work wonderfully. Each little cube is about 1 oz and they can be popped out and stored in Ziploc bags in no time. Just warn your husband so that he doesn’t go for ice and end up with frozen peas : )
I’m sure there are tons more that you all know that will leave me saying, “Wow! Why didn’t I think of that?” Let the creativity commence!
