Don't Throw It Out: Recycle, Renew and Reuse to Make Things Last

by Lori Baird

Discover wonderful old Yankee ingenuity in this clever guide that's packed with ideas to help you extend the life of household objects Each month more than 2 million readers turn to Yankee magazine for its resourceful advice, traditional wisdom, and inspired creativity. The editors at the magazine have honed ingenuity to a fine art, and now they show off their considerable talent for making things last longer and work better. Don't Throw It Out more than a thousand ways to maximize the value of everything you own, from furniture and fishing reels, to cell phones and ceiling fans, iPods and earrings, lawn mowers and linens, area rugs and air-conditioners, and much more#8226; a wealth of practical, money-saving ideas for making things last longer-from giving batteries staying power to keeping a washing machine at its best#8226; fix-it-fast tips for making simple, inexpensive repairs when belongings go on the fritz#8226; inventive new uses for things that wear out, such as transforming an old shower into a hothouse . . . or an old sheet into a great rainy-day activityFrom the secrets that smart shoppers use to advice on saying good-bye to possessions when it's time, whether by recycling, donating, selling, or tossing, this wealth of ideas is certain to save homeowners and apartment dwellers alike considerable time, money, and frustration.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sustainability, Reference, Environment, How To, Green

Paperback

First published December 26, 2007

Reviews

[LibraryCin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of the book kind of says it all. It’s more of a reference book to check when you have something you might need to fix or if it’s time to get rid of, you can look up some alternate ways to use those things.

There are lots of suggestions in the book, some of which I already know about or do. Many, though, (especially the fixes, but even some of the maintenance to help things last longer) require someone handier than I. I am not handy at all. That being said, I do plan to hold on to the book so I can check if there is something I might be able to do with something when it’s time to get rid of it. I already try to use most things until they die.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe it's because I was taught a lot of what's in this book before I left home, or maybe I'm just old and learned a lot from experience. Whatever the case, I found it disappointing. Some of what's in it is very helpful, that is if you didn't know how to clean your iron or make a croquet wicket from an old coat hanger. Some of it is just stupid. Cut holes for your head and arms in a large garbage bag and keep it in your car for those sudden showers? Puleeze! If rain is THAT much of a problem for you, invest in a slicker already!

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is worth flipping through. The strangest suggestion was to make bracelets out of old tooth brushes. I will not be doing that. I might try to take apart my toaster as recomended for uneven toasting. I could even try the suggestion of spraying stain remover on the dead bugs for easier removal when car washing. Many of the tips are things I am already doing such as making my own fire starters out of lint, paper egg containers and used candle wax.

[Loren · Rating 2 out of 5]

not as useful as I thought.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thought I’d find some good tips but mostly common sense stuff

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

So scattered with information, only useful if owned as a reference and the internet is easier to search.

[Cecile · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4

[Melissa]

The first book I've read about making old stuff into other stuff.

I've started reading it today and man, I could read this book cover-to-cover, although that's not what I usually do with nonfiction (I usually read the parts I'm interested in and look over the rest).

I like the idea of taking something that might be trash and doing something actually useful with it. Not like, keeping an orange juice can to use as a pencil holder, but like, crocheting an apple bag (that webbed plastic stuff) into a pot scrubber. Weird stuff like that.

I also don't make trash into art; the resulting thing has to be useful.

[Adriana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title is a bit misleading. More than a guide to recycling and reusing, this is a maintenance and care manual for things around the house.
Aside from a couple of pretty good cleaning/maintenance ideas, every single one of the suggestions are things that I’ve read before. There are no particularly creative or original ideas.
Read this only if you’ve never read a Real Simple/Good Housekeeping type of magazine in your life or if you don’t have internet access.

[NanCy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is fun and full of surprises. It is a browse book. When a page has an idea that I already knew I feel reaffirmed and gratified. When I find a suggestion I had never heard and yet expect to use, I feel like I discovered a rare and precious new possession. This book is a treat to hoarders, collectors and environmentalists. Get a copy to play with!

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a great idea, but I wanted more tips on simple things I can do to keep my high-ticket items lasting longer.

A lot of the tips seemed to create more waste then they're worth (including way too much encouragement of the use of paper towels.)

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good tips and ideas. But some of the suggestions are just too corny to implement. An empty paper towel roll to store an electrical cord just wouldn't look good to me.

It does make you think about how much we waste.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of her ideas are really stupid. Do I really need to use the sponge till there is not a bit of it left? But other suggestions for how and why to maintain household goods were enlightening. Again, a book you don't just sit down and read, but might be good on ones reference shelf.

[lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some useful information, some ridiculous information, but a good book to have on the shelf when you are desperate to find a way to fix things, or just for ideas on ways to stretch the budget, or the life of your products.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another "reduce, reuse, recycle" style book that just felt like an updated rehash of Tightwad's Gazette. Nothing really new here there I could tell. Worth a look if you're new to the whole "DIY, Reuse" thing, but for old hats it's just a lot of repeat.

[Dawn H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always looking for new uses for worn, broken or unused items. I discovered a good amount of additional ideas in this book.
It covers nearly every household item found within each room of a house as well as things used outside the home.
It was actually almost too much info!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK as a reference book, but not as detailed as some other do-it-yourself resources.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay - not as much new information as I hoped. A lot of retreads of stuff I'd already seen elsewhere.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the tips were a little too complicated or far-fetched for me to implement, but some were helpful and ones I plan to use. Worth a skim.

[Ami · Rating 1 out of 5]

More of a reference book than a cover-to-cover read, but really, it doesn't have very much of anything that's new to me. I'd like to see a version that is, though.

[Patti · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book (2007 copyright) is 9 years old. Most of the information is dated. There are many, many more current books to learn from.

[Bunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some really fantastic ideas in here.