Think Thrifty Thursday: Around the House

Alot of times in the past when we would do crafts, or projects with the kids we would end up running out to buy alot of supplies. I started looking around at things and decided to start saving what would ordinarily get tossed in the garbage. There are alot of thrifty uses for what I like to call "stuff leftovers".

What I do with my "stuff leftovers":

• Plastic baby wipe cases (the ones that you buy pampers/generic/huggies wipes in) - can be used for all sorts of goodies. Crayon storage, snatch the top off of it and stick it in a kids drawer to organize rolled up socks or small toddler undies, manicure storage box (holds everything!), make up little "surprise" boxes for a day spent indoors or for fun in the car - I keep one ready and full of small toys, mini books, etc., and it's ready to go!


• Empty paper towel or tp rolls.... we use these for LOTS of stuff!! You can decorate them with child safe paints, then fill them with rice and beans, seal off the ends with some foil and top that with contact paper to seal and you have yourself a shaker!! OR you can use these to keep your boots standing upright in the closet... just tuck one or two down in each boot and there you have it! The tp rolls are good for clever organization of jumbled up cords behind furniture, no one will know that it's there but you and your cords are neatly out of the way!


• Empty milk or OJ cartons can quickly transform into a "build a house" craft project. Our oldest made one of these for Halloween a few years back. Endless possibilities with the design and theme!


• Old nylon pantyhose? Cut off the feet (about 6-8inches) and fill with potpourri, then tie off with a ribbon or string, and stuff that in the back of your drawers or on a shelf in your closet to freshen up the space.


• Uses for Aluminum foil that I've ran across in the past few years... to sharpen dull scissors: layer about 7 pieces of foil and cut through with the dull scissors, it sharpens them! Another use for foil, wrap your doorknobs and/or hardware in foil before painting a room and you don't have to worry about drips of paint getting on them. My most recent tip for using aluminum foil is when baking a pie, about 1/2 way through baking wrap foil strips around the edge crust and secure with a metal paper clip to prevent your crust from getting too dark.


• Re-use your holiday cards in a "make a placemat" craft. Cut out the picture part of the cards, place them between two clear sheets of contact paper and the kids have a special holiday placemat or a mat to color on and do crafts.