Better than trash or even recycling is reusing items. Some reuse ideas:

1. Reusable bags for groceries and items in retail stores.
2. Reuse clothing – donate, consign, or give to friends that could use (esp kids clothes), or get really creative and make a quilt!
3. Arts and crafts projects (for big and little kids ;)). Make a cool shaker with a plastic bottle, or a collage or mosaic with scraps of different papers/wraps.
4. Bottles as candle holders, holders for dish soap, oil and vinegar.
5. Use an old plastic planter as a strainer for washing fruits and veggies.
6. Use a bread tags to help organize – a drawer full of unmarked keys or label your electrical cords… you can even use them as a wine charm.
7. Loads of ideas to use ladders, old furniture and even rug scraps for decor.

I am dropping off some clothes to an awesome used children’s clothes store called Children’s Orchard in Manhattan Beach.  I love finding great clothes there and it saves me money (esp since I get credit for clothes of mine that they take), not to mention it supports a local biz.  Taking additional kids clothes that are too small for my kids to give to friends with younger kids.

Ideas are endless, check out Pinterest or Google “Reuse Ideas”.