New Uses For Old Things: towel rack as a ribbon dispenser

Published July 19, 2012

Is it a tissue box? Or not?

In this age of recycling and reutilizing it seems only natural to find new uses for old things. You would be surprised at how ordinary household items can be transformed into entirely new uses.

Take for example an everyday tissue box. I have to give credit to the tissue companies for launching some beautiful paper tissue boxes these days. It seems a shame to throw them in the recycle bag so quickly after their initial purpose. Why not reuse one of these pretty boxes as a plastic bag dispenser? Simply store your grocery bags in the empty box for easy access. Placing one in your bathroom cupboard makes for an easy supply for trashcan liners.

Do you have an old towel rack? These work beautifully as ribbon dispensers. The best ones are the inexpensive rods at Walmart or Zellers. Simply attach the towel rack to a wall inside your utility room or office and thread all your random ribbon spools on the rod. This idea is great for cleaning up a messy wrapping space or kitchen drawer. If you don’t have a spare towel rack, wire hangers work beautifully for this idea as well. Untwist the wire hanger and thread the spools of ribbon. Re-twist the wire to secure and hang on a nail on the wall.

Next time you order Chinese food, don’t throw away the unused chopsticks. They are fantastic for removing mud from boot treads and staking houseplants for support. I also like using them for mixing small containers of paint.

One of my favorites are corks. These are fantastic for placing on the ends of spare knives or other sharp items in your kitchen drawer. They are also great for placing under planters to allow drainage. Don’t forget that corks may be accumulated and glued together to make a great corkboard for notes and memos. Who knew that wine could serve so many great purposes?