Fast-food toys can become a large collection quickly. Some are easy to toss or donate, but others seem destined to sink to the bottom of the toy box. Dig them out and put them to use. Make a wreath, give some away on Halloween, use some as cake toppers, ornaments or stocking stuffers, or attach some to gifts, jacket zippers, backpacks or lunch boxes. The first tip shares another way to reuse them.
RECYCLE TOYS: I used to take the large glass pickle jars and fill them up with all the Happy Meal toys the kids would collect, positioning them so they look pretty and you can see most of them. Then I would take an old lamp piece (the part with the cord and the part for the bulb) and cut a hole in top and then find a shade for it and make the kids a nice lamp for their rooms. — Louise, Georgia
DRAIN GREASE: I use a layer of newspaper topped with one layer of paper towels to drain grease. The newspapers absorb the grease while the paper towel(s) keep the food clean. — Deb L., e-mail
REUSE PACKAGING: A great use for those air-filled plastic bags used as cushioning in shipments of catalog and Internet purchases is to put them into your purses, not presently in use, to keep their shape. — Joyce C., e-mail
HOMEMADE GIFT: You can fill a knee-high stocking with potting soil and sprinkle grass seed (winter rye works well) along the top before tying off the end, then hot glue on wiggly eyes, a pompom nose, and a felt or pipe cleaner mouth. It makes sort of a homemade Chia Pet. They are super cute and look like chubby little worms when they grow! Put it together with a little watering can, an “adoption certificate” with cute clip art, even some scissors for “haircuts,” and it makes a fun gift. — Melody, Arkansas
MINI BLT’S: Just wanted to share a party food idea. My mom and I threw a baby shower for a friend of mine, and one of the things we made were mini BLTs. We used Sister Shubert’s rolls, but you could easily make your own. We put leaf lettuce, a slice of cherry tomato, a small piece of bacon and added a little mayo and voila! Mini BLT! Easy and delish! They were a hit! — Kelli, Tennessee
CLEANER: We use shaving cream at school to clean desks. Works great and is good for anyone with allergies. — North Carolina
BODY WASH FROM BAR SOAP: Grate two bars of soap with a fine cheese grater. I used 4.25 ounces Olay Shea Butter bars. It took about 20 minutes while watching television to grate. Pour 2 cups of water and grated soap in a saucepan. Heat together over medium low until soap is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly. My soap had the consistency of whole milk at this point. — Constance, New Jersey
Sara Noel is the owner of Frugal Village (www.frugalvillage.com).