Refrigerators offering automatic ice makers are a more convenient way to make ice. It requires little to no thought. For many households, ice cube trays are rarely used. But don't throw away your old trays just yet!
There are many ways to re-purpose ice cube trays into new, useful products. If you don't have any trays, most dollar stores sell them for less than a dollar each. You can even find interesting silicone ones with all types of shapes. Check out these awesome ideas for a lot of ice cube tray inspiration!
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1. Make your herbs last
Nothing beats the flavor of fresh herbs in your cooking. The problem most home chefs run into is an over abundance of herbs at certain times. If you purchase herbs, you usually are buying a bundle which offers more than you need. If you grow your own, herbs perform best and feature the best flavor when regularly trimmed.
Nothing beats the flavor of fresh herbs in your cooking. The problem most home chefs run into is an over abundance of herbs at certain times. If you purchase herbs, you usually are buying a bundle which offers more than you need. If you grow your own, herbs perform best and feature the best flavor when regularly trimmed.
Don't waste your herbs with this creative herb ice tray hack. Freeze your herbs in a good quality olive oil to preserve their freshness. Once the cubes are solid, you simply dump them out into an airtight container and return them to the freezer until you need their fresh flavor!
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2. Impress a toddler
Toddlers are notoriously picky eaters. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort just to get a little bit of food in them! Most parents will tell you that toddlers don't eat meals -- they are champions at snacking.
Toddlers are notoriously picky eaters. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort just to get a little bit of food in them! Most parents will tell you that toddlers don't eat meals -- they are champions at snacking.
This creative take is a toddler trick. Make something really fun, and they will enjoy it. A ice cube tray snack is perfect for organizing those bite-size foods they love to eat. Call it their "special snack tray" and they may just try a few new things without even realizing it. Get more inspiration for your own toddler snack tray at Honey and Lime.
3. Melt your way to relaxation
Coconut oil and fresh citrus zest combine to create these incredible coconut oil bath melts. You can use your ice cube tray to make these bath melts in only thirty minutes! In little time and with just a few supplies, you've created an excellent gift for yourself or someone you love.
Coconut oil and fresh citrus zest combine to create these incredible coconut oil bath melts. You can use your ice cube tray to make these bath melts in only thirty minutes! In little time and with just a few supplies, you've created an excellent gift for yourself or someone you love.
Jennafer at Paleo Hacks recommends experimenting and adding dried lavender, vanilla or other dried herbs to create your own unique bath melts. See how easy it is to make your own coconut oil bath melts here.
4. Give crayons a new life
Crayons are a lot of fun -- but they can also be a lot of heartache for little ones. They break so easily. That nice new box of crayons is soon a pile of broken pieces.
Crayons are a lot of fun -- but they can also be a lot of heartache for little ones. They break so easily. That nice new box of crayons is soon a pile of broken pieces.
You can easily create new (and even better) crayons by melting down your scraps in the microwave! Ice cube trays provide a great molding shape as the large size is easy to grip by little hands. Sharla recommends popping your ice cube tray crayons in the freezer for easy removal.
5. Grow a garden
The gardening industry is a huge industry. Don't fall for the hype at the garden store. You don't have to spend a ton of money to start a garden.
The gardening industry is a huge industry. Don't fall for the hype at the garden store. You don't have to spend a ton of money to start a garden.
Walk right by those expensive seed starting kits and create your own with plastic ice trays. Each tray will hold 12 seedlings. Mr. Brown Thumb says the key to this gardening hack is to drill a small hole for draining in each tray. The sturdy material means your seedlings are easier to move and transport to your garden than the flimsy plastic seed starters you buy commercially.
6. Organize your jewelry
Jewelry can be hard to keep nice and neat. Small pieces become jumbled together. You can never find that one specific earring you are looking for when you need it. It is a headache to find a great jewelry storage solution.
Jewelry can be hard to keep nice and neat. Small pieces become jumbled together. You can never find that one specific earring you are looking for when you need it. It is a headache to find a great jewelry storage solution.
Look no further - cheap plastic ice trays are an excellent way to store your jewelry! They hold 12 pieces in deep divots, allowing for even long necklaces. You can stack them and easily organize a large number of earrings, pins, necklaces, and bracelets in a small area. Check out how Makely Home created customized labels to organize her trays.
7. Wash your dishes
Dishwasher tabs are so easy to use. No messy spills, no measuring, and no adding too much detergent. However, they can be rather expensive and contain many unknown ingredients.
Dishwasher tabs are so easy to use. No messy spills, no measuring, and no adding too much detergent. However, they can be rather expensive and contain many unknown ingredients.
One Good Thing by Jillee gets her dishes sparkling clean with her homemade dishwasher tabs. She combines borax, baking soda, salt, vinegar and essential oils and presses the mixture into a silicone ice tray to form. See exactly how Jillee does it in this easy tutorial.
8. Contain small items
Office supplies, sewing notions, and scrapbook items are hard to organize. Little containers slow you down in searching for them, opening them, and closing them. Lay it all out nice and neat with a useful ice cube tray.
Office supplies, sewing notions, and scrapbook items are hard to organize. Little containers slow you down in searching for them, opening them, and closing them. Lay it all out nice and neat with a useful ice cube tray.
Real Simple recommends placing an ice cube tray on your work station or in a drawer to hold your little items. You can even give it a coat of Krylon spray paint so that it matches your office or craft room decor. No more digging to find a paperclip or needle threader with this helpful ice cube tray hack.
9. Sweeten things up
All it takes is a few minutes to create this unique sweet treat. Forget the boring sugar cubes. These adorable pink heart sugar cubes are an easy, inexpensive, and useful party decoration.
All it takes is a few minutes to create this unique sweet treat. Forget the boring sugar cubes. These adorable pink heart sugar cubes are an easy, inexpensive, and useful party decoration.
Craft Me Not explains how to create these simple sugar cubes. She uses a silicone ice tray to get a unique shape. A little water, sugar, and food coloring is all you need. Think outside of the box and create different shapes in different colors for all of your special tea parties.
10. Create colorful organization
This isn't your traditional ice cube tray. Designed to create ice cube tubes for water bottles, this tray has deep divots perfect for holding markers, colored pencils, and pens.
This isn't your traditional ice cube tray. Designed to create ice cube tubes for water bottles, this tray has deep divots perfect for holding markers, colored pencils, and pens.
No more digging to find the perfect color or losing a cap. You and your children can now easily find exactly the color they need to create a masterpiece. Find out the inspiration for this colorful organization here.
11. Give the jello shot a bit of class
Jello shots make you think of college days, little plastic cups, and regrets. But with all the new and interesting flavor combinations available today, you may be wanting to try them out at your next party. But how do you keep it classy?
Jello shots make you think of college days, little plastic cups, and regrets. But with all the new and interesting flavor combinations available today, you may be wanting to try them out at your next party. But how do you keep it classy?
Preparing jello shots in an ice cube tray gives them a stand-alone ability that looks simply elegant. Take this blueberry martini jello shot by Bionic Bites. It has a clean look that doesn't scream college days. Save the little plastic cups for a retro night and pull out your plastic ice cube tray to make these little gems.
12. Keep sushi simple
Sushi chefs spend lifetimes perfecting the perfect sushi roll. You love sushi, but are looking to make it at home. Of course, you don't have years to devote to learning the proper sushi techniques.
Sushi chefs spend lifetimes perfecting the perfect sushi roll. You love sushi, but are looking to make it at home. Of course, you don't have years to devote to learning the proper sushi techniques.
That's where this ice cube tray hack comes in. Sushi blocks are the genius way to get the flavors of your favorite sushi rolls in convenient and easy to make little packets of flavor. Find the recipe and tutorial here.
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Ice cube trays can often be purchased for under a dollar. They come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. Instead of throwing them away, put them to good use around your house. Share how versatile they are with your friends and family on Facebook!