September Reuse-It Item: Jars

Here at the Reuse Centre, we accept mason jars and baby food jars. They're great for canning, making preserves, storing food or small items, and home organization. This month, our blogger team has shared some other fun and useful ways to reuse old glass jars!

Michelle

Here is a tutorial I found a few months ago that teaches you how to turn your mason jar into a sippy cup.

For a special touch, you can also use chalkboard paint to make a label area. Nobody will get their cups mixed up at your next party!

Check it out at Instructables.

Siao

Old jars, new lids! Just top the old lids with figurines or plastic animals.  All you need are some solid paint and strong glue to create this refreshed look.  The jar maintains its function, but the new lid adds a pop of colour and personality.

These is great for party favours, kids' storage, and general modern décor.  Looking for some cute topper combinations? Try rabbits for Easter chocolate jars, a nutcracker for nuts, cats or dogs for pet treats, a bride and groom for wedding favours, and lego men for organizing building blocks.

See the instructions at Paris Bourke.

Emma

I love to make mini pin cushion and pin jars from baby food jars. They make a great little stocking stuffer for sewists and other crafty people, and they are so cute. There are many different methods to make these, but PrettyPrudent.com has a quick, easy to follow tutorial.

Tamara

One of my favourite foods is jam. Homemade jam is even better. Glass jars are perfect to store jam, and reuse over and over again, because who would ever get sick of jam? Glass jars are also great for storing a variety of items, or food that doesn't spoil (e.g. sugar and spices).

I've also used jars for decoration. When I first moved into my place, I didn't have any vases for flowers so I just used jars instead. I liked the look so much that I decorated with various assortments of jars and fake flowers. This blogger spray painted her glass jars and the outcome is awesome!

Lana

Autumn, while beautiful, makes me a bit sad because it reminds me of the winter that's coming.

Here's a way to save a little of the lush greenery of summer indoors, by making a glass jar terrarium!

Makezine  and Design Sponge give the basics on just what to do. I can't wait to customize my own!

Tips for Green Spring Cleaning!

Now that the snow has finally disappeared (fingers crossed), it’s time for get ready for spring and summer! One thing that I do, as I’m sure most of you do too, is spring-cleaning: one of those things you kind of dread, but feel so satisfied afterwards. 

Here are some reminders of what you may want to clean, with some tips that will hopefully make the process a little less arduous and leave your house looking spring-fresh! And the great thing is, you don’t really have to spend any money; most of the cleaning items are probably already in your home.

• Looking for a great cleaning agent? Currently throwing away your eggshells? Great reuse news! You can make a great cleaner with a mild abrasive by pulverizing old eggshells with a touch of water and detergent: http://www.fivespotgreenliving.com/eco-friendly-uses-eggshells/

• Organize your closet – this is a great time to donate unused winter items! If you didn’t wear it this past winter, is it really worth holding on to for another winter of gathering dust? Or, host a clothing swap! (see earlier Clothing Swap blog post)

• Use old paper towel holders and muffin tins to hold all that extra jewelry – displays it nicely and helps you remember which pieces you own! You can also use old candle jars to store loose items such as hair ties, bobby pins, make-up, etc.

• Dust books and shelves, and rearrange them in a fun new way.

• Dust lighting fixtures and other items that aren’t dusted on a regular basis, e.g. artwork on walls.

• Clean painted walls – start with clean cloth / sponge and water. If this doesn’t work, add some dishwashing liquid. For the full details, Check out HouseBeautiful. 

• Clean bathroom tiles with a cleaner with a “neutral pH.” Check out HouseBeautiful for more information.

• Wash window screens – scrub with a brush in warm water and dishwashing liquid, and rinse. Don’t forget about washing the windows and window sills!

• Clean our your fridge and oven with baking soda and water.

• Clean your  microwave by heating some water with lemons for 3 minutes for it steam the interior. Let it sit for five minutes, then wipe it clean.  Website, Clean Mama, has other great appliance cleaning tips.  

Feeling a bit daunted? PopSugar has a printable 30-day spring cleaning challenge, so you just do one item a day, and in a month, you’re done!

Have fun cleaning house and enjoy the warm weather!

- Tamara (Volunteer)

How to lose 20 pounds and get organized

Spring is (hopefully) on its way and with that comes spring cleaning! So how can you lose 20 pounds of extra, no longer used stuff in your house and get organized? Well the first step is decluttering.

We found a number of websites with tips on decluttering you space. Here are some of your favourite ideas summarized below.

15 Great Decluttering Tips, suggests implementing a clothing rule: if you haven’t worn an item in 6 months, sell or donate it. Another idea is creating a one-year box. Take all your items that you haven't used in a while and don't know if you should get rid of and put them in a box, seal it and date it for 1 year in the future. When the date comes, and you still haven't opened it, donate the box.
Impulse buyer? Keep a list labelled “Don’t Need It – Don’t Want It.” When you run across some kind of item you crave, note it down on the list. This will slow you down long enough to reconsider.

Apartmenttherapy.com also has some great decluttering tips in its piece Pro-organizer tips: What not to do when decluttering your home. The article suggests organizing items before purchasing storage pieces and supplies so that you will know exactly what you need for each space. How about making decluttering not just a spring activity but a daily or weekly one? Another Apartmenttherapy.com post 5 Strategies for Decluttering recommends doing a little bit of decluttering each day. Try to take 10-15 minutes in your day to focus on at least one small space or project.

Once you have decluttered, give your unwanted, in good condition items a second life by donating them to an organization or charity. Check out the Reuse Centre's list of acceptable items or the Reuse Directory to learn where you can donate them.

So now that you have decluttered, here are some ideas on how to get organized:

• Plastic storage bins are ideal for organizing as they are durable and come in a variety of sizes. Larger containers can be used to store seasonal decorations and smaller containers are perfect for organizing craft supplies.

 

• Sort small household items into shoeboxes. They can be decorated with paper to match any room and are easily stackable in a closet or corner.

• Coffee tins are another neat way to keep all of your smaller items organized. Perfect for storing pens, pencils and other school supplies and they can be decorated too!

• Wicker baskets are stylish ways to keep things tidy and organized. Baskets are great for storing magazines, toys, or blankets.

This is what we gathered through our research. Hopefully they will help you through your spring cleaning. If you have any tips, suggestions or helpful hints, please share them below!!

- Hayley (Staff) and Vanessa (Volunteer)