My parents lived through the great depression. They were the best up cyclers I known. My mother used old clothing for rags, made strips from shirts to tied up the tomatoe plants, and she would take my brothers old sock, Put one sock into another sock, ties a knot and pret the process with a total of 4 socks. These was a toy for our Beagle, he love it. We would throw the sock and he chase it then run around the yard like a crazy kid. My father repurposed jars for his screws, nails, nuts and washers. He nail the lids from the jar underneath the shelves above his work benches in the garaged and basement. Then he screw the glass jars filled with his supply back onto it's lid. There it hung until needed for a project. His work bench was an old chested drawers that he mounted ply wood and Formica on top. It's in my blood to recycle, upcycle, repurpose things when possible. I love others suggestions to improve my skills of being a better citizen to our earth.

I use old tee shirts to keep my cleaning rags in . I sew the bottom and arms shut, make a snip in the neck ribbing and thread narrow strings, fabric or anything I have on hand through it to make a drawstring. I like using these for lots of little storage jobs.

I use my old medicine bottles after cleaning well for so many thing, Today I organized my crafting gems in them.

My kids elementary school class used coffee cans with lids as a base for drums. The kids were able to create simplified versions of a dr for a Thanksgiving day crafts project, Each decorated them in their own special way with colored paper and other items from the home. The coffee cans were transformed into basically musical toys.

I use the plastic tops from Milk bottles for "eyes" in art projects.