Creative use of an item for which it was not originally designed

gailc

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As my cleaning and organizing continues I have items I don't want to toss away but would like find a different use for.
An example- I have the frame (for lack of better description) of an older humidifier that I now store potting soil in-the wheels make it easy to move!!
Are you using anything around your house for a different use than originally designed??
 

rosehawke

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I know I must be, 'cause I know I look at stuff and say "I can use this for _____" (fill in the blank) although right off hand the only one I can think of is the flower pot in the kitchen which is doing duty as a gadget organizer! Lucked up on an "indoor" pot which had a wine label motif printed, or decoupaged, or something on it, it goes quite well!
 

AbbysMom

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Hmmmm.... not much in this house yet - so far I am also using a flowerpot for kitchen utensils. I am also using an old dining room table as my computer table.

At the other house I used a quilt for a shower curtain with the matching shams as curtains. I took one of the candle firescreens and screwed it into the wall as a decoration.

I know I must have more - I'm going to have to look around.
 

pinkdaisy226

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I guess flowerpots must be popular cuz I use one too... I have 2 small ones that I painted myself (I had an artsy stage a while back) that I use as a pen holder. Other than that, I'm not sure...
 

cheeseface

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Originally Posted by GailC

As my cleaning and organizing continues I have items I don't want to toss away but would like find a different use for.
An example- I have the frame (for lack of better description) of an older humidifier that I now store potting soil in-the wheels make it easy to move!!
Are you using anything around your house for a different use than originally designed??
That sounds like a really good idea Gail. The only thing I could think of was two Lays chips tubes that I inserted in my bat bag. They work like those tubes in golf bags to keep the bats from scratching each other, except the inside ribbing at the bottom of the tube wore a line around the barrel of my bats after a while.
Oh yeah, I did eat the chips first.
 

stormy

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We have the Gazelle exerciser that is currently a coat rack!
 

pjk5900

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I like using pretty Christmas ornaments for something to hang from my rear-view mirror in the car.
Last year when I still had the blue RAV I found a beautiful blue cross ornament.
I have been looking this year but havent found one the right size or colors that I want yet. I will though.

Also, I have a white flower pot with angels on it that I got at a yard sale that has like a wide tapered stem that squares off at the bottom. I never found anything to do with it until I decided to put it in the bathroom to hold brushes and combs. It works great and looks nice.
 

marie-p

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old cds used as coasters
old computer chair used as a cat scratching post (actually, the new computer chair and the couch are also used as cat scratching posts but they shouldn't be
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I once transformed a large plastic container into a rat cage.
 

joecool

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Our family uses the stairs to the second floor to put stuff on! It is understod that when it is on the stairs, it will go upstairs with whoever it belongs to sometime.


We use the kitchen table for storing mail and other junk like my backpack and jacket for weeks sometimes, when we're not eating off of it!
 

stormy

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Originally Posted by joecool

Our family uses the stairs to the second floor to put stuff on! It is understod that when it is on the stairs, it will go upstairs with whoever it belongs to sometime.
Same here!
 

yosemite

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I use cheap shower liners and shower hooks as sun screens around our canopy that we put up outside on our deck in the summer. When the sun moves around I just pull them closed and we get the light but no direct sun.
 

valanhb

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The apartment came with a microwave/light & fan over the stove. We already had a much better microwave, so the built in now acts as a breadbox.

Unfortunately, the trash can in the computer room many times acts as a table for Earl. He'll put something on top of it (i.e. the side of a computer case) and start stacking stuff on that like a table.
Except for this time when it just got full enough (of papers, pop bottles, stuff like that - nothing gross!) to start stacking stuff on.
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

Oh yeah, I also use a coffee mug as my pen holder. Earl just got a Darth Vader head Halloween bucket for $1 and is planning to use it for a pen holder (although if I can only fill a coffee cup, that Vader head is going to be WAY too big for his pens!)
 

stampit3d

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An old wooden pully that is a flowering plant hanger out on the barn.
an old pickle crock is our Christmas tree stand.
A large plastic pretzle jar holds the birdseed in the little gazebo bird feeder my hubby made.
The birdbath, with the top turned upside down in the winter is a "table" for another bird feeder.
Used old shower curtains for drop cloths when painting something.
An old , heavy coffee mug, with the handle broken off makes a wonderful container in your bathroom cupboard for combs, hair brushes and hand mirror.
Pretty twin flat sheets make great tablecloths. (I also buy sheets to make a lot of things out of, as it`s a lot of yardage for the $ , plus it`s great for wide projects.)
2 clear window well covers that are pond covers for the winter.
A rubbermaid trash can buried next to the pond for a pond filter.
A cattle tank for a small pond.
A round fish bowl for the globe on the little lighthouse out by the pond.
Fancy goblets for votive candle sticks.
Silverware trays to organize spools of thread and small sewing items.
Clear display frames for holding rubber stamps.
Plastic dividers from boxes of chocolates for seperating jewelry.
Various sizes of plastic meat trays (from Walmarts) for seperating things in drawers.
A big plastic storage container with entrance hole cut for a litter box.
Plastic film containers to mix and store craft paints in.
Ice cube trays to sort craft beads by colors, size etc. in.
And on occassion I`ve even used my rolling pin as a hammer!
Linda
 

MoochNNoodles

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CD cases (with the cd holding part taken out) to store rubber stamps
Cracker Bucket to hold cat food
My laundry basket has flowers that belong in our bedroom (just painted last weekend)
Nails put up for hanging Christmas lights are used for drying roses. (Does that count?)
 

stampit3d

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Originally Posted by MoochNNoodles

CD cases (with the cd holding part taken out) to store rubber stamps
Cracket Bucket to hold cat food
My laundry basket has flowers that belong in our bedroom (just painted last weekend)
Nails put up for hanging Christmas lights are used for drying roses. (Does that count?)
Real, dried, silk???? PLEASE DO TELL MORE!!!
Linda
 
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