Earlier this week, we looked at organizing a room as being Something Good we can do for ourselves. During the course of those two articles, I mentioned a couple of times that I have a bit of a geeky love for all types of containers. I’d like to take that a step further today and look at how we can use containers to make our lives easier, as well as how we can be responsible about their use.
In this context, the first thing that occurs to me about containers is the idea of reusing them. Whether you’re storing leftovers for tomorrow or sending them home with company, packing them in reusable containers is a great way to go. Plastic wrap and zip-top bags are really handy, but the less of them we can use, the less we’re sending to the landfill. Of course, I love fancy-schmancy Tupperware containers; but it can be pretty darn spendy to keep sending them out the door. That’s why I love the development of those Glad containers. They come in a variety of sizes, so they’re great for any kind of leftover; and they’re so inexpensive, that you won’t end up resenting Great Aunt Lulu when she forgets to return your container!
For an even less expensive route, don’t forget to clean out glass jars that come from the store. Empty spaghetti sauce jars are perfect for storing or sharing leftover soup, and wider-mouthed mayonnaise jars can hold anything from meat to vegetables. You can reuse those tiny little sample-sized jars from Hickory Farms to pack mustard, mayo, or other sauces in a lunch sack. I love the idea of printing up some labels that say something along the lines of “reuse me or recycle me” and sticking them to the jars full of tasty goodness before sending them out the door.
Of course, food isn’t the only thing you might want to store in your reusable containers. I happen to be sort of a crafter, so I use pencil boxes for embroidery floss, Tupperware containers for pens, and cigar boxes for spools of thread. Jelly jars hold buttons and shoeboxes hold patterns. I’m a sucker for baskets, too, and use them to organize yarn to carry from room to room. Oh, and baby food jars are just an absolute wonder in the craft room or the garage. Nail the lids in a line to the bottom of an overhead shelf and then screw each jar on after filling it with various sized nails, screws, washers, or whatever else you want to keep organized at eye level.
And as for those zip-top bags that are so handy . . . You can actually wash them out and reuse them, too. There are even special dryers for them! Some folks prop them open and send them right through the dishwasher.
Here are a few other suggestions:
1. Refill beverage containers. Bottled water containers generally get at least a dozen uses at our house!
2. Decorate cans with wall paper or fabric and use them to organize a desk. Or try one of these other kid friendly craft projects.
3. Use coffee cans to store items in an airtight environment.
4. Reuse old contact lens containers when you’re traveling.
5. And several other ideas I didn’t come up with on my own!
Obviously these are just a few ideas on how to put reusable containers to work. Just keep in mind that you only want to reuse containers that can be cleaned out thoroughly and that did not hold dangerous chemicals. Do you have any good suggestions to add? Go ahead and put them in the comments section, and help us come up with even more ways to do Something Good by reducing, reusing and recycling containers.