No one likes clutter, and we're often tempted to just purge everything that's seemingly useless, but you'll be surprised to find out about some of the things you should never throw away. Of course, turning into a hoarder is never a good idea either, but you can find great uses for some of the objects around the house many usually just toss in the trash. Here are just 7 things you should never throw away.
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Bones
The family dinner is over and you're getting ready to toss the leftover bones into the bin? You might want to rethink it. Chicken, turkey and beef bones are among the things you should never throw away. Instead, save and freeze them, as you can make your own homemade meat stock out of them. Why spend money on those tasteless chicken stocks you can find in the supermarket when you can easily make your own?
Aluminum Foil
Next time you use a sheet of aluminum foil to wrap your sandwiches or cover leftovers, don't throw it away afterwards. Rinse it and save it for later, as it can come in handy in numerous situations. For instance, you can ball it up and use it as a pot scrubber, to remove the stubborn grime from your pans and pots. Or you can wrap the bases of your plants and shrubs with aluminum foil to protect them from deer or other such "visitors". And did you know you can also sharpen your scissors by simply cutting through an aluminum sheet?
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Squeeze Bottles
Squeeze bottles are also very useful things you should never throw away. Fill old ketchup bottles with your own homemade salad dressing or pancake batter to squirt out the exact amount you need, without spills or drips. And you can use them outside the kitchen too. If you have kids, you can fill them with paint and let your little angels get creative (preferably outdoors, far away from your white sofa).
Old Toothbrushes
I don't know how my brother brushes his teeth, but his toothbrushes are so worn down in about a month or so of use that they look like they've been through a war, so they're pretty much useless afterwards. If you're not like him and your brush still has some life in it when you change it for a new one, don't toss it away. It can be very useful for cleaning your razor and scrubbing tiles or the sink.
Small Bits of Soap
Before throwing away that small bit of soap left, imagine how many of them would pile up in a few months or a year. Save the leftover soap bits to melt them down and turn them into a useable bar. You can save a lot of money in the long run this way.
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Old Owner's Manuals
If you've stumbled on some old owner's manuals of your grandpa's car or other equipment, you might want to think twice before tossing them away, as they can be strikingly valuable down the road. There are antique collectors or car enthusiasts that would pay great money for them, some manuals even sell for 600-700 bucks!
Plastic Bags
Every year, over one million sea birds and thousands of marine animals die because of ingested plastic bags and other plastic waste. So don’t just discard yours, unless you are sure they will be used in a recycling program. You can find great uses for old plastic bags around the household, such as protecting fragile packages by stuffing the boxes with them or using them as gloves when cleaning the bath. Among all possible things you can do with them, my favorite is making a comfy pillow for pets out of them. Simply stuff a bunch of them in a pillow case and you're done!
These are just some items around the house you can surely find a second or even third life for. What other things you should never throw away are there and what great uses have you found for them?
Sources:
howstuffworks.com
homesessive.com
pioneersettler.com
buzzfeed.com
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