My Top Ten Favorite ways to REuse Tights:

1. Treat yourself to an oatmeal bath. I learned, after receiving the worst sunburn of my life, that filling pantyhose with some dried oats, and using it in the bath with you (get it wet in the tub), soothes red skin and prevents peeling.

2. Keep your drawers fresh. Fill your tights with potpourri and tie in a knot. Put in your drawer or hang in your closet to keep it smelling fresh.

The Daily Green has a few awesome ideas:

3. Chemical free pest control. Wrap your melons and squash in pantyhose to keep pests away.

4. Fun with Photography. Experiment with putting tights over your camera lens while you take a photograph to see what types of textures it creates.

5. Keep it dry. Fill pantyhose with kitty litter and hang in moist-prone areas to keep them dry and prevent mold and mildew from appearing.

6. Make your own hair tie. Just cut a 3 inch section across the legs and viola! you have a new hair thing.

7. Patch a hole. Have a window screen with a hole in it? Before you replace the screen, use an old pantyhose to repair it temporarily. Use rubber cement to secure the pantyhose to the screen.

8. Save room in your suitcase. Do you roll your clothes when you pack? I do. The smaller the luggage the better! So, the next time you roll your clothes, put them inside pantyhose (with the toes cut off so they are open on two sides) to keep them from unrolling.

9. Stay Warm. Fill part of a leg (size is your choice) with some rice and tie the top in a knot. On a cold night, stick your rice tights in the microwave for a short time to heat them up. Put the hot rice on your neck, feet, or legs to warm up quickly.

10. Keep trash tight. Use a circular strip of your tights and place it around your trash bag at the top of the can to keep it from moving when it starts to get full.

As always, I have referred to one of my favorite books Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things for some of these ideas.

I would love to hear your favorite reuses for an old and tired pair of tights. Please share them in the comments below!

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Keep your drains flowing free.  To keep my drain from clogging I keep up a weekly routine of pouring 1/2 cup of salt followed by 2 cups of boiling vinegar.  Follow that by hot water from your faucet for about 30 seconds.

Brighten your dingy digs.  Take 1 cup of vinegar combined with 1 gallon of water and brush your tired and old rugs and carpets with it.  Let it dry and watch the life come back into them.

Make your microwave shine.  Combine 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe bowl.  Place the bowl into the microwave and cook on high for 5 minutes.  Let the bowl cool, then dip a sponge into it and clean away!

Clean up that candle wax.  If candle wax drips onto your wood table, use a blow dryer and vinegar to remove it.  First, heat up the wax with a blow dryer and use a paper towel to dab up as much of the hot wax as you can.  Then, with a cloth soaked in equal parts water and vinegar, wipe up the remaining wax.

That comfy leather couch.  Combine vinegar and boiled linseed oil (equal parts) in a squirt bottle.  Mix it up, spray it on the leather.  Spread the liquid evenly with a cloth and give it a couple of minutes.  Use another cloth to wipe the couch again.

Have longer lasting nail polish.  Wipe each nail with a cotton swab of white vinegar and let it dry before you paint them.

Clean your pups ear.  Use a cotton ball with vinegar to clean your dogs ears.  MAKE SURE your dog has no current cuts in his/her ears.

Breath life back into your paint brushes.  I am a lazy artist and sometimes get so excited about the work I just made that I forget to clean up.  So, a few days later I soak my paint brushes in vinegar to let the dried paint loosen up.  Then rinse them in hot, soapy water.

Keep the grease clean.  Use a damp cl0th with equal parts water and vinegar and wipe down your kitchen tables and counters to remove grease stains. MAKE SURE you don’t use vinegar on anything marble, travertine, or limestone.

Get rid of wrinkles.  Spray your wrinkled clothes with 1:3 ratio of vinegar to water and hang them to dry.

If you want to see 115 more uses for vinegar check out my resource for this blog post:

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My husband and I own a great deal of books.  Some we have read over and over, others we have yet to open.  We are big dorks for books and always walk away from a book store with something new in our hands.  So, what can you do with those books you love when you can’t read them anymore.  Or, what if you buy a book you already own?  Who does that, right?  Um…me.  Here’s a list of some fun ways to reuse a book, be it old, a repeat, or something you downloaded on your kindle for easier reading.

Trade it in.  A good book is always worth sharing.  Start trading your old books with friends or strangers to liven up your collection with something new.  A super easy way to keep your library the same size too.  Try bookmooch or bookins if you are looking to trade worldwide.

Headboard. Need to add some color or structure to your bedroom?  Why not use old book covers and create your very own headboard.  Make it personal and use your favorite books!  Get the tutorial here.

Keep your stuff safe.  Hollow out an old book and hide extra cash in your bookshelf.  Just don’t forget the title of your new safe!

Step up.  Use old hardbacks as a new cool looking stepping stool.

Light it up.  Make yourself a book lamp.  There are tons of options out there for you to be inspired by.  Click the image of your favorite for more info.

Plant it.  Plants and books are both good for your mind, body, and soul.  Why not put the two together?  Watch the video here for a tutorial.

Photo frame.  Use your old hardback as a unique way of showing off the special someones in your life.

Business card holder.  A book is a beautiful thing.  Business card holders are usually so boring.  Use a book as a business card and I guarantee more people will notice them.  For more information on the sample below click here.

Shelve it.  Keep your books on a book, that’s crazy talk.  But, kind of cool too.  My favorite version is the simple one book shelf, seen here by sheknows.

And, of course, I am always a stickler for making your old stuff into a new work of ART!

(left image source here.) (right image source here.)

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Obvious answer. Make more popsicles! Over at The Mother Huddle you’ll find a list of fantastic choices for recipes.

In case of an emergency. If the kiddos (or adults) are running around and someone gets hurt, use that popsicle stick for a readymade splint!  Then, of course, get yourself to the doctor.

Keep your stuff tidy. Make yourself a popsicle basket to hold pens, mail, and other important stuff.  Paint them fun colors first to add a bit of spice!

tutorial HERE

Name that plant. Use popsicle sticks make wonderful plant label.  Just write the name of the plant on one end and stick the other end in the ground near your plant.  You will never get lost in your garden again.

Keep cool.  Make yourself a paper fan and stay cool on those extra hot days.

tutorial HERE

Paint tracker. The next time your home needs a painting update, keep some extra popsicle sticks around to keep track of which paint color was used where.  Dip one side in the paint and let it dry.  Write the name of the paint color and where that paint was used on the opposite side of the popsicle stick.

Make a bracelet.

tutorial HERE.

Wall art. Need or want a simple work of art that feels sculptural?  Create abstract mixed media works with painted popsicle sticks.  This is great for kids and adults.  A simple way to have a unique work of art for your home.

tutorial on this work HERE

Say something. You can decorate a children’s bedroom with his/her name or come up with a nice message to hang on the wall.  Cut your sticks, glue together the letters, paint it and you’re done.

One of the most unique purses you will ever own. Don’t know if you would call this practical, but certainly fun.

tutorial HERE

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Here are my favorite 10 things to do with Baking Soda (there are about a million and one, by the way)

Most of my favorites are found in Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things, by Reader’s Digest.

1.  Produce soap. Even if you buy organic, the tap water you use to wash off the dirt can contain harmful chemicals.  To reduce the effects your tap water can have on your fruits and veggies, either wash them in a cold bowl of water that has 3 tablespoons of baking soda mixed in or wipe down with a sponge that has a small amount of baking soda on it.  Delicious!

2.  Clean your cutting board. I make a promise to myself to scrub the island in the kitchen along with the cutting boards with a sponge of baking soda each week.  Although this doesn’t really happen weekly, when it does they all look new again.  And, they feel and smell much better too.  A lot safer than store bought chemical sprays too!  Please note, that I also scrub them down with a bit of bleach every once in a while to in order to sanitize them.

3.  Make your garbage smell good. Yes, I know we all are trying to reduce how much we are throwing away, but garbage cans still get full.  And, sometimes they still stink.  To avoid this, sprinkle a bit of baking soda in the bottom of your trash can before you put the garbage bag in.  I have been doing this for a few months now and it works miracles.  No more stinky trash can!

4.  Clean rugs and carpets. I have a dog and, although we bathe her once a week, she never seems to smell fresh more than a day.  We are lucky to have a non-carpeted house which helps keep it from smelling like a dog too much.  But, we do have a few rugs that need a good vacuuming once in a while.  To rid the rugs of the Nekoness (my dog) smell I sprinkle a bit of baking soda on it and let it sit for a few minutes before I vacuum.

5.  Ease the pain of sun scorched skin. I am a redhead.  As much as I may try to stay a nice pale freckled skin tone, there are occasions when I turn myself into a lobster.  When that happens, I turn to my trusted bag of baking soda.  Just soak a gauze pad in 1 cup of water with 4 tablespoons of baking soda mixed in.  Carefully apply to sunburned areas and feel the relief.  If your entire body is covered in red, then take a warm bath with 1/2 cup of baking soda.

6.  Freshen up your do. Baking soda can be used as an alternative to shampoo.  It is especially helpful to those suffering from any type of dandruff.  Use about a handful of baking soda when you wash your hair.  You only need to use it about once a week!

7.  Protect your sidewalk from weeds. Sprinkle the cracks in your sidewalk with baking soda and use a broom to sweep the soda into the cracks.  Weeds are less likely to grown due to the excess sodium baking soda has.  Yay for a safe weed eater!

8.  Dinner not sitting well? Baking soda can relieve Heartburn!  Thanks to Life Hackery for this tip! Heartburn?  Take a teaspoon of baking soda mixed with one-half glass of water.

9. Paintbrushes seen better days? Here’s another great tip from Life Hackery.  Restore stiff brushes by boiling them in a solution of 1/2 gallon of water, 1/4 cup of vinegar, and a cup of baking soda.

10.  Pet Toy Cleaner. From Arm & Hammer themselves:  Don’t play catch with chemicals. Clean plastic and rubber toys by washing in a solution of ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda (4 tablespoons dissolved in 1 quart of warm water). Give furry toys a dry shower by sprinkling ARM & HAMMER® Baking Soda on, and brushing off after 15 minutes.

What are your favorite ways to use Baking Soda?

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image courtesy of Icy Brian

I hope that everyone reuses their aluminum foil to cover their leftovers a couple of times before recycling said aluminum foil.  I would like to carry that ambition a bit further.  Let’s REUSE aluminum foil for more than just a cover for that plexiglass or tupperware whose lid has been stolen by the kitchen troll (or gnome, whichever you prefer).  Let’s find 10 awesome ways to REUSE aluminum foil.  Come on, it’ll be fun.  AND great for the environment (:

I love this tip from The Huffington Post:

Use aluminum foil to sharpen your scissors

• Fold used foil so that it’s six to eight layers thick, then cut thru it a few times with dull scissors to instantly sharpen them.

And here’s a great kitchen use from Chasing Green:

Scrub your pots and pans

• Wadded up foil can be used as a scouring sponge to clean stubborn, stuck-on food from pots, pans, ovens, barbeques, grills, etc.

If you always forget to buy dryer sheets like me, this tip from The Daily Green is just for you:

Replace your dryer sheets!

• I don’t understand how it works, but if you throw a crumpled piece of aluminum foil into the clothes dryer, it seems to magically reduce static electricity. A true miracle of cheapskate science.

The Daily Green also shares a great tip for fixing a striped thread (I’ll be sending this tip to my DIY husband for our shower faucet that needs fixing!)

Fix a striped thread

• People often say that I have a screw loose. When I do have a nut, bolt or screw with stripped threads, I wrap a little aluminum foil around the bolt or screw and try gently tightening it again. A quick temporary fix.

According to Greenopolis you can:

Cut ironing time in half

• Put a sheet of aluminum foil under your ironing board. It will help to reflect the heat and iron both sides at once.

Keep silverware shiny!

ehow.com says:

• Keep your silverware shiny by storing it on top of a sheet. This foil will slow the tarnishing process significantly. To polish silver, place a sheet on the bottom of a pan along with some spoonfuls of baking soda. Add boiling water to the pan and it will remove all tarnish from your silverware.

I found a couple of tips in my book, “Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things.”  Here are my favorites:

• Clean up your necklace. Place aluminum foil at the bottom of a bowl and fill it with hot water, one tablespoon of bleach-free powdered laundry detergent.  Soak your jewelry for one minute.  Rinse the jewelry well and let it air dry.

• Keep your drink safe. When you enjoy a sweet drink outside cover the top of it with aluminum foil when you aren’t sipping away at it.  It will keep the bees and other bugs away.

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Here are my Top Ten Favorite Reuses for Cardboard (for today anyway):

• Turn a favorite photograph into a favorite new puzzle. Thanks ehow.com!

• If you have a leaky car, put the cardboard underneath it while you try to figure out the problem. This will keep you from having to clean up a huge oil mess after your car gets fixed.

• Create a space to hang your drying art.

• There’s a great how-to from Disney on how to turn cardboard into a table and chairs. Check it out!

• Create a space to hang all of your jewelry.

• Or, make your own earrings!

image courtesy of http://hubpages.com

• And, if you are a jewelry artist, make your own necklace displays!  There is a great tutortial HERE.

• Inhabit shows us that old cardboard can be refreshed and upcycled into a new lampshade.

And, don’t forget, you can always make ART!

• Artist Chris Gilmour makes AMAZING sculptures from cardboard.

photo courtesy of www.chrisgilmoure.com

• Paul Ahern uses cardboard like a canvas and turns his and other’s snapshots into new pieces of art.  Check him out at http://www.cardboardistry.com/

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Sharing means caring. Be cool like my bro and send them off to friends after you are done reading them.  Then they can send them to their friends and then so on and so forth.

Make more paper. If the sun would ever come out in the Bay Area this summer, I would be making piles of new paper in my backyard.  Alas, the fog has taken over, so I will have to wait.  If you are feeling the heat of the sun in your neighborhood, shred those old rags and make some new handmade paper!  I will give credit where credit is due.  I was first inspired to make paper by this Instructables tutorial.

Decorate photo albums. When I was younger my friends and I used to cut old magazines apart and tape cool quotes and images we found to shoe boxes and plain photo albums to hold all of our keepsakes and memories.  I still have them!

Keep Wet Shoes in Shape. If you have to run in the rain and you come home with soggy shoes, stuff them with magazines so they keep their shape as they dry.  Magazines make cheap shoe and boot trees.

Never buy gift wrap again! Save those magazines for Christmas time or a birthday party or whatever and wrap your gifts in them.  A cheap and fun alternative.  You can also shred the pages to use as filler for a gift bag or box.

Make a dozen. The next time you think of buying your sweet someone a dozen roses, make them instead!

Here is a wonderfully easy to follow tutorial for one version of a magazine flower done by alamodestuff

And here another version of a paper flower

Save a place for everybody. How about turning old magazines into placemats for your next themed party?  I just got the idea while I was blazing through my Entertainment Weekly magazine.  James bond is on this week’s cover.  Just cut out your favorite images, take an old manila folder (or something sturdy), glue the images on top, and there you go!

Make some accesories. You can turn old magazines into beads to make necklaces, earrings and bracelets.  I think I just figured out what you can make all, or atleast most, of your friends for the Holidays!

I found a great tutorial from Sweet Tea Please from making a bead bracelet.

Hold some stuff. Make a bowl out of your pile of magazines.  Found a tutorial on IndiePublic.com

Make Art! I recently discovered artist Derek Gores and his magazine art.

There you have it, the Top Ten Reuses for Magazines.  The great thing about magazines is that there are so many more uses for them.  Make a flower vase, a card, decorate a wall, a photo frame, a mirror frame.  What do you do with your old magazines?

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In February of this year, Dutch designers SpaceOperaForm used the technology behind fabric softener sheets/dryer sheets for an art installation.  When a person would walk through two sheets they would react to that person’s presence because of the static electricity.  Those large scale dryer sheets created a beautiful experience for viewers.

Dryer sheets seem to have endless possibilities.  I have collected 10 amazing ways to REUSE a dryer sheet.  Yes, this is AFTER you have used it to soften your clothes and get rid of that annoying static cling.  Amazing!

From www.apartmenttherapy.com

*When you are baking bread and you spill a little flour, reuse an old dryer sheet to clean up your mess.

*If you are like me and love to buy old books at random book stores, then you will love this one.  Stick your new old smelling books, stick them in a plastic bag that seals with some used dryer sheets and leave them there for a few days.  They will come out smelling fresh and new.

*Keep mice from coming into your house by stuffing any open spaces in your walls with used dryer sheets.  Mice will steer clear of chewing through them.

*If you have flyaway hairs, wipe them down with a dryer sheet and watch your hair relax.

*If your scissors feel a little dull wipe the blades down with a dryer sheet to make them smooth and sharp.

From http://blog.thereusesite.com

*Keep your luggage smelling fresh.  Just toss a few dryer sheets in when you pack.

*If you suffer from smelly feet and, therefore, smelly shoes them stuff them with a dryer sheet.

*Keep a dryer sheet at the bottom of your trash can (before your stick your bag in) t keep the odor from your trash filling up your house.

From Reader’s Digest

*Wipe your shower doors down with a dryer sheet to get rid of soap scum.

*If you just baked some lasagna and have some of it burned into your casserole pan, no worries.  Just fill the dish with hot water and stick a dryer sheet in the water.  Let it do its thing overnight.  The dish will be easy to clean in the morning.

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1. Carry sugar and spice and everything nice. The next time you go camping or have a BBQ at a park, take your spices in a film canister.

2. Light your fire. (From ehow.com) Keep your matches dry and neatly contained in a film canister.

photo courtesy of replayground.com

3.  Film screening. I love this idea for a screen!  This would take a while, but just glue your film canisters together and wha-laa.

4.  Curl your hair. Yep, just take the top off of the canister and wrap your hair around it.  Clip it to your hair by the open end.

5.  Jewelry box on the go. Film canisters make a great traveling jewelry box.  Put your earrings and necklace in a safe and secure place when you are at the gym or going for a swim, etc.

6.  Mix your paints. Create your favorite colors and paint away.

7. Protect your toothbrush. (via www.sageandsassy.com) Cut a hole in the cap that is large enough to fit your toothbrush.  Every time you travel, just push your toothbrush into its traveling case.

8. See things a little differently.  Incredible Art Lessons gives a tutorial on how to make a Film Canister Kaleidescope.

9.  Keep your pills safe. Film Canisters make great cases for pills.  You can use them in your first aid kit for aspirin and the like, or when you travel to take your prescription pills with you.

10.  Keep your cats entertained. Put some dried beans or rice in a container and watch your cats go wild.

11.  Bonus!  Season your stuff. Make yourself some super cheap salt and pepper shakers.

.

photo courtesy of www.livegreatonless.com

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