2020-04-01 Real Simple

Your Words

What’s your favorite way to

reuse or recycle items in your home?

I repurpose lonely

Tupperware contain-

ers without lids as

drawer organizers.

Hair elastics, paper

clips, and other

small items have

a home, and my

Tupperware cabinet

contains only

matching sets.

@SARAHGROTENHUIS

I turn old clothes

into dog toys.

Just cut strips of

fabric, knot one

end, braid, and knot

the other end.

@KIKAMERIKA

You can use empty

cereal bags as you

would waxed paper.

JANET SCHERMAN,

WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS

I plant succulents

in old candle jars.

@LAURA_TRAP

For years we lined

our trash cans with

grocery bags, but

then our city banned

plastic bags, and we

had to get creative.

So far we’ve used

shipping envelopes,

rice bags, and cereal

boxes for trash.

It’s become a fun

challenge for our

family to look

for potential trash

bags from any

large package.

PATTY LUI, ALHAMBRA,

CALIFORNIA

I save all my glass

jars to reuse. My

favorites are the

little pimento jars.

They’re perfect

for packing salad

dressing in your

lunch.

@GLENDANDAVID

An extra-large

pickle jar is great

for compost.

I haven’t had a

fruit fly problem

since using it!

@LULUMARIEMAYOR

After I’m done with

my favorite maga-

zines (Real Simple!),

I give the issues

to my girlfriends

who are teachers.

They are always

looking for pictures

or words for their

elementary school

students to use

in projects.

IRENE SOTIRIOU,

WILMINGTON, NORTH

CAROLINA

Mini M&M’s tubes

keep a few crayons

contained in a purse.

@KEEKLIVINGSTON

#RSLOVE “HOLD ON TO EMPTY JARS TO FILL WITH

WATER AND A TEA LIGHT FOR DECORATION!” @EJFASS

The Instagrammer who shared this photo will receive our

new special edition, The Power of Less. Want to be considered

for this column? Tag photos on Instagram with #rslove.

14 REAL SIMPLE APRIL 2020

0420WRD.V1.indd 14 FINAL 2/19/20 10:20 AM