Many perfectly good items are thrown away daily. People often may feel that when they no longer have use for something, they should discard it. However, learning to reuse and recycle can be an excellent way to save money and help the environment.
If you’re not convinced of the financial benefits of repurposing old items, take the example of salvaged cars. If you are handy enough to rebuild a car, you can own a vehicle for a portion of the cost compared to buying it new. Plus, if you opt for liability coverage, you can often find cheap car insurance for salvage cars.
Repurposing doesn’t have to end with vehicles. There are many items you likely have on hand that can easily be recycled into a new life — allowing you to waste less and save money.
Give Old Clothing a New Life
One of the most commonly discarded items is clothing. Many families, even low-income ones, simply toss their old clothes in the trash when they no longer have use for them.
But the possibilities are endless when it comes to recycling your old clothes. Items like shirts and sweatpants can be cut up and turned into rags for cleaning. Even old socks can serve as dusters for hard-to-reach places.
If you don’t want to turn your clothes into cleaning supplies, you can create something entirely new with them. Many people turn old shirts into quilts for bedding, cut down clothing to create outfits for their children, or even create pillow covers from items they are no longer using.
While some projects require a little more creativity than others, there are multiple ways to reuse your old clothing items rather than throwing them away.
Find a New Purpose for Broken Furniture
When furniture breaks, it’s easy to throw it away and buy something new. While finding a replacement isn’t bad, you don’t have to discard your old item either.
You can find plenty of uses for furniture that can no longer serve its original purpose. A quick internet search can give you various inspirations to give your old pieces new life. You can turn old dressers into benches, picture frames into jewelry holders, and shutters into wall-mounted bill slots.
While the idea for what to do with your broken furniture may not come instantly, take some time and get creative. You can make a unique piece for your home.
Try Your Hand at Composting
Starting a compost pile is an excellent way to recycle kitchen scraps and waste. By having a compost pile, you can, on average, throw away 30% less trash from your kitchen.
A compost pile can save you on fertilizer bags if you have a lawn or garden. Composting is excellent for the environment, as it is a natural fertilizer with no chemical additives. Your garden can also benefit, allowing you to grow healthier food, and making it easier for you to get in shape.
If you don’t know what to compost, quickly searching the items you plan to add to your pile can help. There are plenty of sources to help ensure your compost pile is healthy and thriving.
Saving Money by Recycling
While it may be easier to discard an item when you no longer need it, opting to reuse or recycle can have many benefits. Almost anything can be repurposed with creativity, from old clothing to kitchen scraps.
There is no limit to what you can create when you start repurposing. By choosing to recycle instead of throwing things away, you are saving money and positively impacting the environment.
Alexandra Arcand writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, AutoInsurance.org. She is passionate about recycling to save the environment and hopes to share her tips with others looking to do the same.
