Tag Archives: Plastic

Bed in a Plastic Bag

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When I was little, I had a very hard time with allergies. I was five (and my brother was three) when we first started scratch tests to figure out what we were allergic to. Among the laundry list of allergens were dust mites. Dust mites are pervasive little critters. These microscopic mites live in upholstery, pillows, mattresses, bedding, curtains, and carpets. Back in the early 1980s when we were first diagnosed with allergies, the way to deal with dust mites was to either get rid of them or block them. Most of the carpet in the house had to go. … Continue reading →

New Uses for Straws

With all the cleaning and purging we are doing as we prepare the house to go on the market, we are coming across dozens of items that we seem to have a lot of. The other day I opened a kitchen cabinet and way in the back behind bottles of seasoning and other things, was six – yes you saw that correctly – six unopened packages of straws. Four of them have more than 200 straws in them. Why in the world do we have so many straws? I seriously have no clue, but I do know what I will … Continue reading →

Ode to the Plastic Grocery Bag

One of the easiest ways to save money is to recycle or reuse items. There are so many different types of items that we all use on a regular basis, that we forget have other uses. Recently while cleaning up the kitchen, I noticed that I had probably over 100 of those plastic grocery bags that you get from everywhere including discount chains. While there are standard uses, such as carrying items in them and getting your groceries home, there are also many other ways to use these bags. Trash Use these bags to line bathroom trash cans. They are … Continue reading →

Recycling: More Useful Yard and Garden Items

Here are a few more ideas for handy items that you can make from things found in the recycling bin. Buckets Do you need to soak tools or paintbrushes? Cut the tops off plastic milk jugs (about half way down). Fill with degreaser or detergent and pop in tools to soak. These also work great as soap pails when giving the car or your patio furniture a good washing. Milk jug buckets also make good storage containers. Store rolls of weed-eating twine inside to keep them from unraveling, or place your garden trowel, gardening gloves, and other tools inside to … Continue reading →

Make a Bird Feeder

Since plastic is a huge source of material that requires recycling, limit the amount by making cool stuff from plastic milk jugs. You will of course want to start by thoroughly washing and rinsing the plastic jug, and the rest of the steps are just as simple. Milk Jug Bird Feeder Items needed: Milk jug Scissors or tin snips birdseed This project only requires cutting a milk jug in two places, but adults should do the cutting or supervise children closely. 1. The first step requires measuring a square about 2″ x 2″ and marking it on in the front … Continue reading →