Reuse and recycle

I am all about reusing or recycling just about whatever I can. We keep recycle bins for paper and glass/aluminum under our sink in the kitchen.

I also reuse paper when I print something. If it's something like a grocery list or menu for the week, after I'm done with it, I just put it back in the printer to print on the back of it. I bought 2 cases of paper a few years ago when I ran across a super deal where I got them both for roughly $5 after rebates. I've only used one case which is 8 packs of paper.  Most of my printing is recipes, grocery lists, menus, coupons or something that's not important. Coupon manufacturers don't care if something is on the back of your printed coupon, as long as the coupon is legible. Just make sure no personal info is on the back of it.

See that blank space above? I cut my coupon out and then cut the white part in half, so now I have 2 nice size pieces of scrap paper. See all the paper below? No need to buy notepads!

I reuse grocery bags for our cat litter findings and small trash can bags. We keep a container by the litterbox and if it's full and I have more bags, I take them to the library when I go once a week. They are always in need of bags for people who don't bring their own, and not many people do. I have a cloth bag to use for M's books that we check out.

Diaper boxes are the perfect size and shape to use in closets for organizing items. I have a few in Madison's bathroom closet to hold extra sheets.

I clean any good jar with lid and keep a box in the guest bathroom. As I've said before, I like making my own seasonings when I can. Instead of buying new containers, I just reuse glass ones that applesauce, salsa or pasta sauce come in. I also use them for Q-tips, cotton balls or other small items. They also make good containers for soup or salad for lunch. Did you know you can put dressing in the bottom of a container, then layer your veggies then lettuce on the top(not touching the dressing) and you won't need a dressing container? Just make sure the veggies are touching the dressing and the lettuce is not, that way your lettuce stays crisp and not soggy!

What do you recycle or reuse?

What to do with scrap wrapping paper

I saw this on Rachel Ray this week and thought it was a genius idea! I know I'm not the only one that saves those small, odd-shaped scraps of wrapping paper. I always think "I will be able to use that one something one day" then it eventually gets crumpled up at the bottom of your wrapping paper holder. So take all of your paper and cut it up, tape it together to make a one of a kind wrapping paper! I guess one could question what the point of saving paper is, only to waste a half a roll of tape. Cause it's fun, that's why :)

Take your leftover paper and cut it into shapes. You can do 2 papers or 12, coordinating or not. I did mainly triangles but some rectangles and whatever I decided to cut into. If the strip was pretty long, I cut it in half to be able to handle it better.

Then take your shapes and tape them together on the pattern side. You can try to make a square or rectangle shape for easy wrapping but it's nearly impossible without having to trim. 

I didn't finish making this and actually added some leftover white paper and I didn't have a present to wrap since I had already wrapped all of ours before seeing the show but I do have one more gift to get that very well may end up with this one of a kind paper!(depending on how big what I buy is)