Our grandparents appreciated of the worth of some everyday objects and would never have dreamed of tossing out these items.

We can easily take for granted some everyday objects that are thrown away daily in our disposable society. However, previous generations were far more frugal and appreciated the value of stuff that we might regard as trash. Furthermore, when times were financially difficult our forebears were incredibly mindful of unnecessary waste, and would often find surprising new uses for items.

If you have any aluminum foil that’s sustained only light use, why not reuse it to cover leftovers or pre-prepped meals? And with many people becoming more conscious of their use of plastic, it could be a more eco-friendly alternative to plastic wrap, for instance. Furthermore, foil can be scrunched up and used as a dish scrubber on stubborn, dried-on grime.

As unlikely as it might sound, during the Second World War, bacon grease was collected along with other surplus cooking fats for the manufacture of bombs. Prior to that, it was utilised for the more innocuous purpose as a replacement for butter in cooking during the Depression era. Try using it in cooking now for an extra punch of flavor.

We’ve all been there, when a button has flown off a garment, never to be seen again in what can be a potentially embarrassing wardrobe malfunction. However, chances are your mom or grandmother will have a jar full of possible replacements. Old scraps of fabric, too, can be transformed into craft projects or to rescue beloved items of clothing.

When a bar of soap reaches its end, the remaining slivers can be difficult to handle. Gather multiple slivers together, however, and you’ll have an entire new bar. Indeed, throw them in a fabric bag – perhaps made from your own scraps – for a handy soap bag. Soap slivers can also be crumbled into laundry as a substitute for detergent.