Reusing Small Containers

Sometimes, small containers are the hardest to reuse. They are too small to hold some things, and too big to hold others! Here are 10 ideas that I can think of for reusing smaller containers.

1. Use it to hold game pieces like checkers, chess pieces, mosaics or poker chips.
2. Use it as a money bank for the kids. Once it is full, empty it on the floor with the kids, separate out the pennies, nickels, dimes and such then roll them up. I still do this with my dad.
3. Use it as a discipline tool for the kids. My mom used to do this with little orange plastic chips used in games. We had to earn the chips with chores and each of us had a little “bank” (enter the small container) with a slot cut into the top. We could cash in the chips for rewards like a trip to the mall for new clothes, supper in our favorite restaurant, hair coloring or a movie.
4. Use it at your desk to store small portions of snacks like almonds, pistachios, wasabi peas or peanuts.
5. Save them and take them with you to the beach in the summer. Let kids use them as molds when making sandcastles.
6. Reuse it as a water or food dish for the pets.
7. Reuse plastic gum containers (such as 60-piece Juicy Fruit or Excel ones) to dispense more gum or snacks like nuts, seeds or wasabi peas. Wash and reuse.
8. Reuse it to make a signature coffee or hot chocolate mix. You can make it at home and spoon it out at work. Once it is gone, just take the container home, wash it and make more.
9. Use them in crafts to hold buttons, needles, beads, stitch markers, or other doodads.
10. Use them in the garage to separate out different sized nails, washers or bolts.