What things do you keep that most people throw away?

[greentea]

Are there things you keep that most people you know throw away? I save all my egg cartons for a friend who has chickens (this usually gets me a free dozen eggs each month as well). I also save the plastic pull tabs on milk cartons because I have a friend who uses them in her at work.

[snafu]

I save the composite type egg cartons to grow seedling for easy to grow annual plants for our patio's hanging baskets. I've rinsed and reused small zip bags that stored dry items as practical for craft supplies, paint brushes, small parts when disassembling something in hopes of being able to repair or take a part to HD or our big Plumbing outlet for a replacement. I like to re-purpose containers and follow 'Hacks' on You Tube for easy ideas.

[disneysteve]

We rinse and reuse ziploc bags. We save and reuse plastic shopping bags. We wash and reuse plastic margarine containers.

I do the Coke Rewards program so I temporariy save the caps and box tabs until I enter the codes. Then I get rid of them. I often take bottle caps out of the trash to get the codes.

We save the Box Tops for Education for the school at our synagogue.

I save paper that is only printed on one side and use it either as scrap paper around the house for things like the weekly shopping list or for printing things where I don't care that there is something on the other side.

[LittleMissSplendid]

Plastic and paper grocery bags
Glossy paper bags from clothing stores
Egg cartons
Boxes

[disneysteve]

We save gift bags, tissue paper, and packing peanuts. I don't think we have ever had to buy any of those items thanks to saving them over the years.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Interesting thread. I save my unbroken one-sided slippers. For some reason I have a lot of left-sided slippers. And like disneysteve I save and reuse printed paper on one side for reprinting unimportant documents on the other side (though I've heard that this practice can damage the printer). Oh and I save ink cartridges. Staples has a recycling program where 10 used ink cartridges gets some kind of rebate.

[Kasey Del Bosque]

Plastic/paper bags (I re-use for garbages), cereal boxes (I re-use as a gift box ) and bottles of cooking oil, soy sauce, vinegar (I refill them)

[cardtrick]

Toenail clippings.

[Berryskud]

Packaging

I hate the way everything is so over packaged these days. I think packaging is what I throw away the most of.

[ua_guy]

Anything within reason, really.

Plastic shopping bags...these are always useful for taking lunches to work.

Clean zip-lock style bags. If lunch meat from the store came in one, those get reused into something to take a sandwich to work.

Envelopes from junk mail tend to get reused into shopping lists. Seems like there's always one sitting on the kitchen counter for the taking.

Any extra nuts, bolts, etc from outgoing hardware or extra from new stuff. I have a big jar of them, and it's been very useful.

Certain plastic food containers, but only when I need them. I keep 1-2 empties around the house in the form of an empty salsa jar, potato salad or margerine container, etc.

Large fast food plastic cups. Rare. If one makes it home with me, it gets saved. They work great for mixing monster-sized drinks, or for taking a big cup of water outside with me when I'm working in the yard.

Anything else that's handy.... unmangled bows on gifts, gift boxes, resealable poly bags, gift bags, metal canisters, certain types of packing foam.

You'd think I have a house full of junk, but nope, all the stuff is "gone through" on a regular basis and doesn't accumulate, nor does it look like I collect junk! Every now and then I spot something salvaged that's probably been around too long for lack of use, and toss it out.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I try to recycle everything. I use backsides of paper. I also use a lot of scrap clothes for rags to clean. I throw them away after use.

[Leo]

How about prescription pills container? You can just remove the label and put any pills if you need to.

[jbax]

Plastic containers like the ones you get peanuts in are great for storing items in the garage. They also make a handy place to store your pocket change until you have enough to take to the back.

Most boxes that I receive shipments in are great for storing seasonal/holiday items (Christmas ornaments, etc.) I also keep the packing peanuts, etc. in case they are needed in the future. I just keep a box of them in the attic so they are out of the way.

Old worn out towels, t-shirts, etc. are great for cleaning cloths.

I have a friend who is a teacher and will use empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls in her class.