How many gallons of milk does you family drink in a week?  A month?  Before you throw away your next empty gallon jug, consider washing it really well and finding another use for it.  Here are some ideas:

Ways to Reuse Old Milk Jugs:  Practical

• Store Grains and Baking Supplies:  Bags of rice, sugar, and flour in your cupboard can be messy.  Clean, sanitizer, and dry the milk just really well. Then use a funnel to add sugar, flour, rice, oats, and other commonly uses cooking ingredients.  Not only will it keep things tidy, but it will also make it easier to dispense the right amount that she need while cooking.
• Vacation Fund:  Collect your coins throughout the year and cash them in for a fun family activity or getaway.  (This also works as a Christmas fund.)
• Lego Storage:  Stepping on Legos all the time, throw them all into a clean milk jug to keep the pieces together.
• Homemade Funnel:  In fact, if you cup off the bottom half of the jug, the top half does make a really good funnel.
• Scoop:  Cut off the top half of the jug and glue the lid on so it won’t come off.  Then you have a nice scoop for bird seed, dog food, kitty litter, rock salt, and more.
• Plastic Bag Dispenser:  Cut a hole in the top about 2-3 inches.  Then you can stuff all of your plastic grocery bags into it so they are scattered all over the place.
• Emergency Water Storage:  Clean the jug and fill it up with water.  The water may not stay fresh for drinking but that doesn’t mean you can use it for an emergency.  It can be used to flush toilets and bathing during a water main break.  It can also be boiled for drinking, washing dishes, and brushing your teeth.
• Emergency Glow Lamp: Fill the jug with water and save it for a power outage.  When the outage comes, attach a head lamp on the ourside or throw a couple glow sticks into the jug.  The water will redistribute the light creating a safe light source.
• Homemade Hand Weights:  Fill the Jug up with water for a weight.  A fill jug weighs about 8 lbs.
• Watering Can:  Use a hammer and a nail to poke holes in the lid of the milk jug and you have an easy homemade watering can.

Ways to Reuse Old Milk Jugs:  Fun and Creative

• “Ghost Lights”:  Check out this great and super frugal Halloween decoration using milk jugs.

• Make Milk Jug Bird Feeders
• Toys for Kids
• Home Decor/Gifts

Ways to Reuse Old Milk Jugs:  The Bottom Half

• Toilet Brush or Plunger Holder:  Cut off the top half and use the bottom as a place to keep your toilet brush or plunger.
• Crayon and Marker Holders:  Cut off the top half and use the milk just as a place to keep crayons and markers.
• Paint Caddy:  Carry and store bottles of paint mess-free.
• Storage Bins:  Cut off the top half, cover them with fabric, and use them for storage bins for anything from office supplies, baby socks, to hair barrettes.
• Tray Under Houseplants:  Catch the access water from houseplants after watering by placing the entire pot into the bottom half of a milk jug.
• Seed Starters:  Plant your seeds in milk just before transplanting them to the garden.