Home New Uses for Old Things at Home New Uses for Old Things: 10 Ways to Rethink Household Items Go find that purse with the stuck zipper. We know how to fix it—with something you probably already own. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 16, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Getty Images Common objects do double-duty around the house with these clever new uses. 01 of 10 Attach Gift Cards With Photo Corners David Prince Use this reader tip from Linda D'Onofrio of East Brunswick, New Jersey, and your gifts will always look a little classier: Attach gift tags to presents with the photo corners you usually use for scrapbooking. Neater and more attractive than Scotch tape (but just as easy to apply), they make even the simplest wrap job look impressive. 02 of 10 Hone Scissors With Sandpaper David Prince Sandpaper can do more than smooth wood; it can also sharpen shears. To hone dull blades in a pinch, just snip a piece of sandpaper a few times. 03 of 10 Baking Soda as Hair Cleanser David Prince If daily use of mousse or gel is weighing down your locks, add a pinch or two of baking soda to your shampoo once a week to remove product buildup. Getting squeaky-clean strands is a piece of cake. 04 of 10 Candle as Zipper Fixer David Prince Release a stubborn zipper by lightly rubbing a candle along the teeth on both sides to smooth the way. 05 of 10 Paper-Towel Tube as Plastic Bag Holder David Prince Store and dispense plastic bags by stuffing them in a cardboard tube, then place it in a drawer for handy retrieval. A tidier kitchen is in the bag. 6 Smart Hacks for Cardboard Toilet Paper Tubes 06 of 10 Flat Iron as Touch-Up Iron Kana Okada No time to drag out your iron and ironing board? A straightening iron works perfectly between buttons where a regular iron doesn't fit. And it smooths collar creases and minor wrinkles. So you can look perfectly pressed when you're pressed for time. 07 of 10 Wine Corks as Cabinet Silencers Gemma Comas and James Merrell Silence cabinet doors that slam by slicing a cork into thin disks and sticking them onto the inside corners of cabinets to muzzle the closing noise. 08 of 10 Tape as Scoop Scraper John Lawton Attach the sticky side of a shorter piece of masking tape to the sticky side of a larger piece. Then place the tape across the top of a container of, say, cocoa so that the ends adhere to the sides of the can. The next time you scoop, you can easily level off your helping and avoid cocoa-verload. 09 of 10 Cast-Iron Pan as Recipe Board John Lawton Hang a skillet on a kitchen wall and you'll have a convenient magnetic spot to display recipes, important reminders, and anything else your brain is too, well, fried to remember. 10 of 10 Key Protectors as Jingle Stoppers John Lawton You love your dog and can even tolerate the occasional barking. But you could do without the incessant jingle-jangle of his tags. Well, here's a new trick for you, courtesy of reader Jayne Burns of Sebastopol, California: Cover them with rubber key protectors. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit