The Best of Real Simple's "New Uses for Old Things"

Today I was checking out Real Simple's new 50 All-Time Favorite New Uses for Old Things list. Since I've been an avid reader for quite a while, I didn't figure I'd find many new ideas...but did I ever! Several of these will also make great ways to meet my monthly green goal to "find a new use for something that would otherwise be thrown away," which makes it doubly exciting. With so many ideas available there's definitely something for everyone, but here are five of my favorites:

Wrapping the corners of hangers with rubberbands to prevent spaghetti-strap sundresses from ending up on the bottom of the closet...

Using a hotel shower cap as a handy-dandy "shoe wrapper" when packing extras for a trip, preventing them from tracking any dirt into your suitcase...

Using a magnet to stick tweezers or nail clippers to the inside of a metal medicine cabinet...

Using shower-curtain hooks to hang purses and other items from the pole in the closet...

And my #1 all-time favorite "New Use for Old Things":

Using an old contact case as a compact, non-rattling pill case for traveling. Basically, this is brilliant. I'm constantly forgetting to take my medication and vitamins with me when I go out of town, so now I'm planning to load up an old contact case (well-washed, naturally) with all those irritatingly forgettable little capsules, and just leave it in my purse permanently. Dilemma, SOLVED. Life, SIMPLER.

And that's just how I like it. ;)

This post is part of Works for Me Wednesday, over at We're THAT Family. Check it out for more great ideas and tips!!

6 comments

  1. I am all for making things easier!! Thanks.

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  2. the magnet to the medicine cabinet idea is great. now if only i had a medicine cabinet

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  3. Haha! The lack of medicine cabinet would definitely make that one problematic... Maybe gluing a magnet inside a closet? That sticky putty stuff teachers use might even work if the hold is strong enough...

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  4. I love the shoe bag idea!! I will for sure use that one. I just subscribed to Real Simple...now I just need to read it, lol.

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  5. OMG! Contact case! I agree. Brilliant. I have the same problem, forgetting my thyroid medicine & then I feel like crap the whole time.
    Wonderful ideas. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. The contact lens case as pill box is brilliant!! I have a bunch of unused lens cases because my enzymatic cleaner includes a free case with every bottle. Now I know what to do with them!

    Click my name for my ideas for reusing stuff.

    I love your flowery background!

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