100 Reusable Household Items You Should Never Throw Away

Keep egg cartons and use them for organizing smaller items around the home. They're perfect for separating nuts and bolts, jewelry, or office supplies like paper clips and erasers. 

Instead of tossing an old T-shirt, you can always repurpose it! Grab a pair of scissors and reinvent the shirt, cut it up and use the scraps for rags, or designate it as the shirt you clean or paint in.

Storage containers like these can be used in so many different ways, so you’ll be able to repurpose each container plenty of times. 

Bonus: Since you'll have created a storage system in your home based on a standard shoe box size, you can easily keep shoe boxes you acquire and add them into your storage routine without messing up sizing. 

The most sustainable thing to do would be to make or buy soy-based candles and drop them into your own jar at home, but there will be plenty of times when a beautiful, pre-jarred candle will find its way to your home. 

When the candle burns all the way down, instead of tossing out the jar and lid, use it to organize makeup, self-care essentials, or office supplies instead.

If you have a photo frame you love yet don’t feel like keeping a cluttered surface with too many framed photos, use it as a jewelry tray instead. Insert a solid-colored piece of paper and lay it down to create a pretty catchall.

Before you get rid of your jeans, make sure there’s nothing else you can use them for. If the bottoms were fraying too much, consider snipping them to give yourself a new pair of casual jean shorts to wear on beach days.

If you have a surplus of paper bags hanging around at home, whether from the supermarket or brown lunch bags that didn’t make it to school or work, you can grab some scissors and make book covers. Depending on the type of paper, you might be able to get away with some sustainable wrapping paper, too.

If you just worked on a major paint project at home, yet you’re not sure what to do with all of the extra paint, peek around your home for older pieces of accent furniture that could use a fresh coat. 

Instead of throwing away your dumbbells when a cooler pair comes into your hands, keep them stored somewhere like the garage. You can use them as cover weights for outdoor furniture or air conditioners to prevent a disaster on windy days. 

Sometimes, we take up hobbies that don’t always stick. If you’re not sure what to do with an art easel that’s not getting used at all, transform it into an eclectic flatscreen TV stand. 

Essential oils are all the rage, and it’s such a shame to toss away the empty bottles the oils come in when all of the essential oil is used up. Save the bottles and use them for your own mixtures. We love the dark ones by Vitruvi, which keeps light away from delicate ingredients. 

If you shop online, it’s tempting to just toss out all of the packing peanuts that come in the package. Instead, store them somewhere safe at home so you can use them again when you’re shipping items out. 

If you have a ton of toys at home that are in good condition, yet have completely lost the interest of your kiddos, don’t throw them away. There are so many ways to donate toys, and so many children at just the right age who don’t always get to play with really cool toys. 

Taper candles are a classic addition to a tablescape, but they sort of lose their beauty when they’re burned down to the very bottom. When there’s just a bit left, keep it instead of throwing it away. After you’ve collected enough, you can melt down the neutral wax, add your own scents and colors, and create a brand-new candle the easy way. 

Bento lunch boxes will keep you on track for living a sustainable life. They can also be repurposed and used for organizing travel essentials, makeup, teas, and more. 

Pool noodles can serve a ton of different purposes outside of the water. If you cut your pool noodles in half, you can use them as edge protectors — or even as a wrist rest. If you’re really crafty, you can use a piece of fabric so it blends in with the decor of the room. 

Baby clothes are the cutest thing ever, but it doesn’t take much time until they no longer fit. Instead of throwing away all of those adorable outfits, save them for a future baby or donate them. 

Halloween costumes are a perfect example of something that gets used once and then really has no other purpose beyond that single day. Instead of just storing it (because who wants to wear the same costume twice?) donate it, or see if you have kids in your life who would love to add it to their dress-up box. 

When you have an empty milk or water jug laying around at home, you can cut off the top and use it as a scoop. It’s the perfect scoop for things like sidewalk salt, dog food, or cereal.

When you find yourself with a beautiful bottle of soap, keep the bottle even when the soap is gone. You can take a gorgeous hand soap dispenser and use it for your shampoo instead. 

You’ll feel like you’re having a luxe experience all the time, and it will save on plastic in the long run if you can buy your liquid soaps and washes in larger quantities.