Okay, a little contact paper I found these items now have a second useful life.

1. Square icecream plastic tubs: My buttons are now neatly stacked and stored by colors.

2. Oatmeal round containers: Zippers, velcro, ribbon ends, salvage edges (or crumbs.

3. Zippered pen/pencil holders for notebooks: Pens, marking pens, seam rippers, small rulers

4. Shoe Boxes: Perfect with for patterns, projects (UFOS)

5. Paper bags from stores (like Bath and Body Works) with handles: Keeps my projects, supplies, patterns, etc. all in one easy to grab project and go place.

I am sure that there are dozens of other ideas I hope that everyone shares. I have been buying plastic container forever and when we move or I reorganize it seems that they are no longer useful and I am left with expensive plastic containers I sell at a yard sale at next to nothing only to wish months later I had them. Now all I don't feel so guilty if I have to throw them away after a while.

Good ideas and going green is great!! :D
I also use lots of plastic tubs- seems like I fill them up and then empty them all over the house.
Just yesterday my son needed some and took a bunch of empties :) We use them a lot b/c with all our cats it keeps things cat hair freer :)

I save all my plastic for small things

Great ideas thanks!!

I like your ideas Lisa! Going green IS a good idea, always, & you can color coordinate your contac paper to your room. We used to do this all the time for our kids toys that had small pcs -- don't know why I didn't think of it for quilting stuff! Duh!

These are great ideas. Thanks for sharing. I like to go the 'square' route because I don't have any round shelves heheheh I know, duh. :)

When both daughters were still home, they fixed up their room with shelves all along one wall. They were allowed to buy huge concrete blocks with 2 holes. Then they padded them and covered them with heavy knitted old bedspread material and sewed it tightly to fit. Then they covered old boards they sanded down (under parental pressure) with matching or contrasting fabrics and thin padding. THEN they took old cardboard boxes and cut them to fit the bookcases, taped and glued them together and covered THEM with matching fabrics to store things in. They also made lids to fit. This kept them from arguing for weeks as they worked together!!!!
I've more or less added some like that to my shelves to store this and that.
Now if I'd only remembered to label them~

sams sells mini brownie bites.. Well who doesn't love brownies!!!! I recycle the container for my scrap blocks.. Put the lid back on and its stack-able..

Fabulous

I love the new school supplies they bring out each fall and to find unique ways to use in my sewing room. The magnetic pencil holders are great on back of sewing machine for scissors, seam rippers or reading glasses. If your machine is plastic, just use velcro. The retractable name tag holders are great to keep scissors close by either on table or on your clothes. Everyone has such unique ideas that I always love to use.