Reusing household items anytime you can is key to any green lifestyle.  From bedroom furniture to kitchen appliances, thrift stores are hot spots for picking up used household items. However, you do need to be a little selective, and buy items that are durable enough to withstand reuse.  Here are a few thrift store shopping tips:

Furniture:  If you’re looking for a sofa or arm chair, check out the condition of the frame by attempting to wiggle the arm of the furniture or looking at the underneath side.  Loose frames made of quality wood can often be tightened up, but beware of furniture made of particle board. Don’t worry about finishes or upholstery; you can always refinish with a non-toxic paint or no VOC wood finish.

Electronics:  Most electronics on the shelves at thrift stores work just fine, and have been left there simply because they’ve been replaced by newer models.  Kitchen blenders, mixers, radios and alarm clocks are usually in plentiful supply.  Avoid items with frayed cords or signs of overheating, unless you know how repair them.

Clothing:  From blue jeans to winter coats and everything in between, green living gurus can find great deals at thrift shops on gently used, and sometimes brand new clothing.  Avoid stains that probably won’t wash out at this point, and fabric that’s already worn out.  Learn how to replace a zipper and sew a button, and you’ll be able to salvage many perfectly good items.   Don’t forget about all the things you can do to recycle blue jeans.  Thrift shops are a great place to pick up  whole bags of fabrics for craft projects.

Don’t forget about your wardrobe, especially your blue jeans, when it comes to household recycling. There are dozens of things you can do to recycle blue jeans just when you think its time to toss them in the trash. Here are just a few ideas:

Make a Reusable Shopping Bag: Ditch plastic shopping bags forever by making recycled shopping bags with your old blue jeans. Here’s a recycled denim bag pattern that looks fairly simple for someone with basic sewing skills.

Insulate Your House: Recycled denim insulation is becoming popular for green building projects and environmentally friendly remodels. Read more about recycled denim insulation at Idaho Blue.

Make a Recycled Area Rug: Need some environmentally friendly area rugs or a door mat for around the house? Clean out your closet! You can reuse your old jeans with this recycled denim rug pattern.

Make a Purse: Who needs a designer handbag when you can make your own one-of-a-kind! Make a recycled denim purse with this pattern.

No one likes the thought of parting with their favorite, ultra-comfy pair of blue jeans, but when yours have reached the point of no return, keep them out of landfill by finding ways to reuse them.