Don't throw it away if you can give it a second chance! Take a look at some of the ways you can re-use some common household items.

Empty Tin Cans:

1.Wash them out thoroughly. Cut out both the top and bottom ends and use to protect young seedlings from animals.

2. Paint and hang in trees to discourage birds from eating your ripening fruit.

3. Punch them with designs and set candles in the middle of each. Use as lanterns to line sidewalks, steps and gardens. To punch: do not cut out both ends. Fill the cans with water and freeze. Mark a pattern (of your choice) on the outside of each can, use a nail and a hammer to hammer out the designs. Let the water thaw, then put tea lights in each for lanterns.

Junk Mail:

1. Instead of throwing away coupons, envelopes and letters, use them as scrap paper instead. They are great to use for shopping lists, notes or drawing paper for children.

2. Newspapers can be used as mulch to keep weeds down. You will need to cover them with dirt or rocks to keep them from blowing away, but they will work great to keep down weeds and they will ultimately dissolve into the soil.

Faded Curtains and old shirts:

1. Old curtains and shirts that are not made from polyester, are compostable.

2. They can be used for dust cloths or even cut down for something like packing material or a tarp.

Brown Paper Bags:

1. Use brown paper bags for wrapping paper. If there is writing on them, turn them inside out and add colorful ribbons or have your children color on them.

2. When baking cookies, place hot cookies on brown paper bags. This will help to soak up excess oil from the cookies.

Egg Cartons:

1. Use empty egg cartons for storing small pieces of jewelry.

2. Take the lid off an egg carton and place the bottom in a drawer. Use it to hold and organize buttons, paper clips, small screws or nails.

3. Line the bottom part of an egg carton with small cupcake papers. You can place small homemade candies or cookies in each compartment. Wrap the whole carton with clear plastic wrap, top with a ribbon and give as a gift.

4. Use them to start seeds. If the egg carton is made from cardboard, the entire container can be planted when the seeds germinate.an be rinsed out and used again.

5. Use egg cartons as a paint holder for children. When they are finished painting, simply throw the carton away. If the carton is made of Styrofoam, it can be rinsed and reused.

Coffee Cans:

Coffee cans are really good to have in the shop. They are perfect for holding all sizes of nails and screws. The sizes of the nails and screws can be printed on the lids with a marker.

Yogurt Containers:

1. Use old yogurt containers to store left-overs in or to pack lunches.

2. Cut the bottom out of a yogurt container and place it around delicate plants to protect them in the spring from chilly weather.

3. Make your own herb garden. Put a hole in the bottom of a yogurt container, add a large rock, soil and seed.

Empty Thread Spools:

1. String empty thread spools together and separate by knots to use as part of a gentle wind chime strand.

2. They make really cute miniature dried flower holders or take-home souvenirs with children's names on them when used for seating at a party.

Shower Curtains:

1. Clean and disinfect an old shower curtain by soaking it for a couple of hours in a bathtub filled with warm water and vinegar. Then use it as a tablecloth for the picnic table.

2. Use an old shower curtain as a drop cloth when you are painting or as a ground sheet under your tent or sleeping bag.

3. Make a windshield cover for your vehicle to prevent frost build-up. Cut a shower curtain to fit your windshield and hem magnets in along the edges to hold it on your vehicle.

4. Make an apron from an old shower curtain to use for really messy jobs.

Old CDs:

Old CDs make excellent coasters for holding beverage glasses or cups, protecting furniture from water spots and damage.

Free Box:

1. On garbage days, put out a box filled with items that have value (but not to you) with a sign that says "Free". Sometimes your trash is someone else's treasure.

2. Use Freecycle. This on-line, non-profit community is made up of local groups which allow you to list and give away (and get) stuff for free in your own area. It is all about reusing and keeping good items out of landfills.

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