Showing posts with label Repurpose ideas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Repurpose ideas. Show all posts

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Repurposing Old T-shirts

     We strongly believe in reusing and repurposing items.  We live on a fixed income and make do a lot of the time.   One way we save money is by not buying tissues.  Instead I make "sneeze rags" from old t-shirts.  I have all of our friends and neighbors give us their old t-shirts they would normally trash and I cut them up into sneeze rags and "personal cloths".

    A personal cloth is a fancy way of saying emergency TP.  If we ever run out of toilet paper, we will use these instead.  They are cut out of super soft t-shirt material and would be used in place of toilet paper.  I always keep a big supply of toilet paper on hand but if we should get snowed in or some other emergency should happen, I like having other options.  And for those of you saying "gross" or what have you, it is no different to me than having to wash out a cloth diaper which I have done many times.

frugal living tips, how to recycle old t-shirts, personal cloths, Repurpose ideas, repurposing, sneeze rags
A t-shirt given to us by a friend.  Their child had outgrown it and it did not fit anyone in our household either.

      The "sneeze rags" we have been using exclusively in our home for over a year.  I just fill up a coffee can with them and if you need one, you use it and when you are done, put it into the dirty clothes hamper.  Again, no different than washing a hankie.  :-)

    When it comes to making these, the older and more worn the t-shirt, the better and softer it is.  I start off by cutting off the neck area of the t-shirt and the sleeves.

personal cloths, sneeze rags, repurposing, repurpose ideas, how to recycle old t-shirts, frugal living tips
Remove the neck area and the sleeves.


    Next, cut a strip of fabric that is about the same size as a normal tissue.  Sometimes I make them a bit longer and sometimes I cut them square like a handkerchief.  Just cut them as you like.  Be sure to cut off the hems and any rough area.

personal cloths, sneeze rags, repurposing, repurpose ideas, how to recycle old t-shirts, frugal living tips
One of the sneeze rags.


  I usually cut up the front of the t-shirt and use them for sneeze rags and I cut up the back of the t-shirts for personal cloths.  The personal cloths I cut up a bit larger.  Generally I cut the personal cloths about the width of a wash cloth and about 12" long.

personal cloths, sneeze rags, repurposing, repurpose ideas, how to recycle old t-shirts, frugal living tips
One of our personal cloths.


   From a youth large t-shirt I generally can make 5 personal cloths and 6 sneeze rags.  I just cut them up as I watch a movie or in between doing stuff on FB or online.  I store the sneeze rags in a large coffee can in each bedroom and in the living room and the personal cloths I store in large coffee cans and keep them under the sink in each bathroom.

I also make my own Homemade Air Freshener that is even better than Febreze!!!!

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Sunday, January 4, 2015

Repurposing Old Socks & Clothes

    I believe strongly about recycling, reusing and repurposing.  Before I throw out anything, I check it out thoroughly to see if any part of the item can be used again.  For example, whenever we throw out any shoes we remove and save the shoelaces.  If we cut up shorts or underpants (or anything with strong elastic in them), we cut out the elastic and save it.  A button up shirt is too stained to wear, we cut off the buttons and pockets and save them.

Repurpose ideas, how to reuse and recycle household items, sneeze rags, personal cloths saving money, living frugally
Elastic bands from shorts and underpants.

      In regards to paper towels, we don't use them nor do we buy and use tissues.  We cut up old t-shirts, shorts, and holey towels and make "sneeze rags", "personal cloths" and hand towels.with them.  It is no grosser than using cloth diapers on your babies (which I did also).   It just makes sense for us to do this.

Repurpose ideas, how to reuse and recycle household items, sneeze rags, personal cloths saving money, living frugally
These are some of the sneeze rags and personal cloths we have made from old t-shirts.


   When a pair of socks becomes too holey to wear, we cut them up and make hand warmers/fingerless gloves  with them.
Repurpose ideas, how to reuse and recycle household items, sneeze rags, personal cloths saving money, living frugally
Hand warmers/fingerless gloves made from old worn out socks. 


     I am an ultra organized person.  Everything is labeled and has its place on my shelves.  I have 11 six foot tall shelves wrapped about my living room and things are in easy reach.  Nothing is thrown in an obscure place never to be seen again.  If we need a button, my family knows they can find one in the cookie tin on the shelf.  My hubby is out on the homestead and is working on something that requires some heavy elastic, we don't run to town...I have it on a shelf.   Too many people live in a way that if they need something, even if they only slightly need it, they just jump up and run to the store and buy it without ever stopping to think if they have something lying around that could be used instead.
 
    There is no reason to buy things you don't need.  There is no reason to throw away something you can repurpose. Be smart.  Live smart.  Save money and use it towards making yourself more self sufficient.

Would you like to learn more about how we live and save?  If so, check out the posts below:




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