An old pillowcase can become a useful cleaning cloth, dusting cloth or protective cover for items you're storing.

It's soft, washable and already sitting there waiting for its second act.

Sometimes the solution isn't hiding in the shop.

It's hiding in the linen cupboard.

Before buying packing paper or other protective material, check what you already have.

Old newspapers, magazines and suitable paper packaging can often be used to wrap and protect items.

And once again, something destined for the recycling bin gets another useful job first.

Shoeboxes are already boxes.
With a label on the end, they can store cables, photographs, documents, craft supplies, tools, decorations and dozens of other things.

You might even find that the box is more useful than the shoes that originally came in it.

That old muffin tin could have a second career.

Use the individual sections for screws, nuts, bolts, beads, buttons, craft supplies or other small bits when you're working on a project.

It's already divided into compartments.

That old toothbrush may have retired from brushing teeth, but it hasn't necessarily retired from useful service.

It's brilliant for cleaning around taps, grout, appliance edges, window tracks and all those awkward little places that seem specifically designed to collect dirt.

Those sturdy plastic ice-cream containers can have a surprisingly long second life.

Depending on the container and its condition, they can be useful for storing leftovers, screws, nails, craft materials, garden bits and other small items.

Just remember: if you're reusing containers for food, make sure the container is still suitable for that purpose.

Egg cartons can be surprisingly handy for starting small seedlings.

They already have individual sections, making them useful for getting seeds started before they're moved into larger pots.

It's a simple example of looking at an everyday object and asking:

A towel that is no longer looking its best doesn't necessarily belong in the bin.
Cut it into smaller pieces and you've got useful cleaning cloths for floors, windows, spills, polishing and messy jobs.

The older towel might not be pretty — but neither is the cloth you're about to buy to wipe up engine oil.

You don't necessarily need a beautifully coordinated set of plastic drawer dividers.

A sturdy cardboard box can be cut into strips and used to make compartments in drawers, cupboards or storage boxes.

It won't win any interior-design awards — but your wallet won't mind.

That humble glass jar you were about to throw away could become a perfectly good storage container.

Use jars for dried foods, screws, buttons, seeds, craft supplies, small hardware or all those mysterious little bits that otherwise end up in a drawer.