Out of the Box Uses
You know how Real Simple magazine has all kinds of nifty new uses for old and faithful stuff? As the frugal mavens that I know you all are, I'm curious to know how YOU use old things in new places to save money.
Some of my favorite ideas are using orphaned stemware for vases, candle holders and displaying little things the kids drag in. Using clothes dressers to hold normal everyday stuff, like my good dishes or games in the family room. And decorating with plates.
Have to many to list? Choose your favorites!
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4 Responses to “Out of the Box Uses”
May 16th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Am I missing something? Or are there NO comments here?!
My laptop is currently sitting on a dish draining rack. (That was hubby’s brilliant idea; I didn’t come up with it.) It keeps it from overheating and shutting itself off four times an hour when it’s hot in here.
(I recently read somewhere online how it is possible to make a laptop stand from a cookie cooling rack, too.)
Aside from that, I am totally drawing a blank. I know I use some things in unorthodox ways, but I’m not coming up with them. Maybe that’s why no one else has posted?
May 16th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
I love using anything to hold flowers–teapots, glasses, whatever!
My latest repurposing is to use a silverware basket for a napkin holder. Lately if I really think about it, I can almost always avoid going to the store if I just make do.
May 18th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
We were browsing Ikea, after buying the one item we needed, and spotted some very utilitarian stainless steel cutlery holders. I liked the idea of putting the cutlery on the counter but NOT the containers. So I browsed at home until I found three flowerpots (painted ceramic, meant to house a plant in a plastic pot, with no drainage holes). I scrubbed them to get rid of the dust from the ‘potting’ shelf on the carport, and repurposed them. They look beautiful!
November 22nd, 2008 at 7:22 am
I needed a coat closet and had a recessed space alongside a fireplace, but did not have funds to pay somebody to built a closet in that space. I was given a cedar chest that was too large to put anywhere in the house. So…I moved the chest to that empty space and stood the chest on end. Since I didn’t want to damage the chest, I carefully added a pole (made from an old, fat dowel-type curtain rod) from the inside. I placed some decorative baskets and pottery on the top. Voila! The closet cost me nothing. My out of the box idea WAS a box.
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