10 Weird Waste-Reducing Tips That Are Actually Genius
Apparently, I'm not weird. I've just found my people.
In my videos, I share a lot about reducing waste, saving money, and making the most of the things I already have. After sharing some of my family's frugal habits, I started reading through the comments and realized something: so many of you do the exact same things.
But you also shared plenty of tips I'd never thought of before.
Some of them were things I already do, some made me think, "That's actually genius," and a few were ideas I decided to try for the very first time.
So here are 10 of the most unusual waste-reducing and frugal tips from my comment section.
1. Turn the Back of Envelopes Into Notepads
This one immediately brought me back to my childhood.
My mom used to save envelopes and cut them up wherever there was a blank section. She would staple the pieces together to make a little notebook.
This was especially useful when she was on the phone and needed to write something down. Instead of searching for a fresh piece of paper, she always had a little notebook made from scraps right beside the phone.
It's such a simple idea, but I love it because it turns something that would normally go into the recycling bin into something useful.
And, of course, it costs nothing.
2. Use Cereal Boxes as Flashcards and Craft Supplies
Someone in my comments said they use the cardboard from cereal boxes to make flashcards.
I wish I had thought of that when my kids were younger!
The cardboard is already sturdy enough to make little cards, so there's no need to buy a special pack of blank flashcards.
When my kids were little, I used cereal boxes in a slightly different way. I kept a little stash of them for crafts. They would draw cars on the cardboard, cut it into different shapes, and create things with it.
We also reused yogurt containers for art projects.
Kids already have incredible imaginations, so sometimes giving them a pile of things that would otherwise be thrown away is all they need to get creative.
3. Make Art With Things From Your Kitchen
This was another comment that made me stop and think.
Someone said they use tea bags to create art. Fruit-flavored teas can leave beautiful colors on paper, so they use them like little natural stamps.
I've actually done something similar in the past.
I used pieces of beetroot as a natural lip and cheek stain. You can also experiment with things like berries, coffee grounds, or other foods that leave behind natural pigments.
Instead of buying something specifically for an art project, sometimes your kitchen already contains everything you need.
4. Turn Bottles Upside Down to Get Every Last Drop
If you've ever tried to get the last bit of lotion, serum, olive oil, or another product out of a bottle, you know how frustrating those final few drops can be.
My solution is simple: turn the bottle upside down.
For products like creams and serums, I like placing the bottle over a shallow dish or tray. That way, whatever is left can collect at the bottom where I can actually reach it.
You'd be surprised how much product can still be hiding in a bottle that looks completely empty.
Even if you're only saving 30 or 50 cents worth of product, you already paid for it. Why throw it away?
5. Make Chips From Potato Peels
This might be my favorite idea from the comments.
Instead of throwing potato peels into the compost, you can turn them into crispy little chips.
I had my kids peel the potatoes, then I soaked the peels in cold water to remove some of the starch. After drying them, I tossed them with a little oil, salt, pepper, and garlic salt.
Then I air-fried them until crispy.
The result?
Crunchy potato peel chips!
Now you've got your potatoes for fries or whatever you're cooking, plus a snack made from something that would normally become food waste.
And they were actually really good.
I'm also curious about trying this with other vegetable peels, especially squash and pumpkin skins in the fall.
6. Reuse Sturdy Plastic Bags as Bowl Covers
I have silicone bowl covers, but sometimes I don't have one available. And, unfortunately, I've also managed to break a few.
One suggestion from my comments was to reuse sturdy bread bags or other thick plastic bags as covers.
Here in Canada, we also get milk in bags, and those bags are surprisingly sturdy.
I cut them open, place the plastic over whatever I need to cover, and secure it with an elastic.
Instant reusable-ish cover, using something I already had.
I also keep sturdy bags in a drawer so that when I need a quick bag for something, I don't have to go out and buy one.
7. Put a Bucket in the Shower
This is one I had never tried before.
The idea is to place a bucket in the shower while you're waiting for the water to heat up.
Instead of letting that perfectly good water disappear down the drain, collect it and use it for something else, such as watering your garden.
I tried it myself and was surprised by how much water collected in roughly a minute.
I then used that water on my cedar hedges.
It may not feel like a huge amount of water, but these little habits add up, especially when you make them part of your everyday routine.
8. Make a DIY Slow Watering System From an Old Container
Someone suggested taking an old container, such as a mayonnaise container, making holes in the bottom, filling it with water, and burying it in the soil.
The water can then slowly seep into the ground and water the plants.
I already use a similar trick when I'm away from home.
I'll take an old wine or liquor bottle, fill it with water, turn it upside down, and place it into the soil.
The water slowly releases while I'm gone, which means I don't have to worry as much about my plants when I'm on vacation or during particularly hot weather.
It's essentially giving your plants their own tiny watering system using something you already had.
9. Reuse Yogurt Containers as Seed Starters
Don't throw away those little yogurt containers just because you've finished the yogurt.
They can make fantastic little seed-starting pots.
Just make sure there's adequate drainage, add your soil and seeds, and you've got a free container for starting plants.
I've also used old strawberry containers and other produce containers for growing seeds.
They're essentially free little gardening supplies hiding in your recycling bin.
10. Use Mushroom Containers to Propagate Plants
Another gardening tip I loved was reusing mushroom containers.
Instead of throwing the container away, I use it to start cuttings.
For example, I've used one to start little bok choy cuttings. Add a little water, let them grow, and after a few days you can transfer them into the garden.
It's a tiny example of something I really love about frugal living: you don't necessarily need more stuff. Sometimes you just need to look at the stuff you already have differently.
Maybe We're Not Weird. Maybe We're Just Frugal.
Reading through all of your comments made me realize how many of these habits aren't really about being "weird" at all.
They're about using what you have.
People shared that they learned these habits from their parents, their grandparents, their cultures, or simply from living in places where wasting things wasn't an option.
And I think there's something really valuable about that.
We're surrounded by messages telling us that we need the newest thing, the better thing, or the more expensive thing.
I prefer a different approach.
I like appreciating what I already have and finding creative ways to extend its life.
For me, frugal living isn't about making life miserable or never spending money. It's about being grateful for what I can afford, avoiding unnecessary waste, and getting as much use as possible out of the things I already own.
Sometimes that means turning potato peels into chips.
Sometimes it means making a notebook from old envelopes.
And sometimes it means watering your garden with the water that would have gone straight down the shower drain.
So maybe we're not weird after all.
Maybe we're just frugal.
And honestly, I think that's a pretty good thing to be.
