20 Uses for Old Contact Lens Cases

I opened a new bottle of contact lens solution that came with a fresh contact lens case. It didn't have a plastic type number on the case, so I was about to drop it in the trash when I thought, "Hey, how can I reuse this thing? There must be a way!"

"Parts Tray-9" by Lenore Edman.
License CC 2.0.

After some Internet surfing and thought, here are 20 ways to use your contact lens cases for storing tiny items; small quantities of pastes, powders and liquids; and sundry other things.

1. Electronics – Use the case (or many cases glued to a board) to store tiny electronic components, such as resisters, transistors and LEDs.

2. Pills – Carry a few doses of prescription pills or vitamins in your pocket, purse or backpack. Save money on small packages of aspirin or antihistamines by packing your own from a cheaper, bulk quantity.

Photo by instructables.com.

3. Ear Bud Protector – Cut away enough material from the side of the case to accommodate the stem of the ear bud when the cap is screwed back on, then wind the cord around the middle.

4. Lipstick Remnants – Put the last bits of  a lipstick in a compartment, then apply with your finger or a brush. The same principle applies to lip gloss or other makeup.. You can also store small amounts of other makeup for travel.

5. Lip Balm/Vaseline – Save money by buying larger containers of balms or Vaseline, then put a little in your containers for travel, or give each child one to take to school.

6. Paint/Primer Samples – Bring home or give away tiny samples of paint, primer, ink, stain, varnish and other coatings.

7. Watercolors – Glue several cases to a piece of wood or cardboard in a row, then squeeze a different color into each. You can buy the paint in bulk, but then you also have air-tight compartments to store and mix the colors.

8. Condiments – Pack only enough salt, pepper, chili, ketchup, mustard, mayo, lemon juice, sweetener or other condiments for one or two lunches.

9. Individual Lashes – Keep your glue-on lashes in a separate compartment each to keep them from getting bent or tangled.

10. Earrings – This is really useful for stud earrings and earring backers. Perfect for travel or even in a drawer.

11. Ear Plugs – Do you need earplugs to sleep at night? Carry a set or two in your used contact lens container.

12. Shampoo/Conditioner – Carry along just enough shampoo and conditioner for an overnight trip. Don't waste money on little bottles.

13. Seeds – Store small seeds, such as tomato, dill or celery, for next planting season – or longer.

14. Buttons – Never lose little buttons again. Keep them safe and organized.

15. Bugs – Are you an entomologist or do you have a child doing a bug collection? Contact lens cases are perfect for all but large insects, and they're sturdy and not too bulky to carry comfortably in jeans pockets.

16. Coin/Button Batteries – Keep batteries safe, organized and moisture-proofed in your drawer, toolkit or the fridge.

17. Lotions /Ointments – Same money saving drill as before: Buy larger containers for a smaller per-ounce cost, then squeeze just enough for a day or two to carry along.

18. Toothpaste – Don't buy tiny tubes of toothpaste. Make your own travel set with your used contact lens case.

19. Eyeglass Screws – These screws are tiny! Once you open a new packet, put the extra in your used lens case.

20. Contact Lens Solution – If you're only going somewhere for one night, why not pre-pour the contact lens solution into the container before you leave home? Then you can just bring the container and leave the big solution bottle at the house.

Do you have any other ideas? I'd love to "hear" them in comments.

#recycling #tools #repurposing #contactlenses