Don’t Toss That Wine Cork in the Trash Just Yet!

You may be unable to turn water into wine, but you *can* turn those old corks into something useful.

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What to do with old corks - little girls fishing
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Wondering what to do with old corks? Turn them into fishing bobbers!

It’s an idea that’s as old as Tom Sawyer, but worth remembering: you can use corks as substitute fishing bobbers. Drive a staple into the top of the cork, then pull the staple out just a bit so you can slide your fishing line through it.

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Use corks to make impromptu pincushions
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Use corks as impromptu pincushions

Need a painless place to store pins while you sew? Save corks from wine bottles—they make great pincushions!

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What to do with old corks - ceramic vase with flowers
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Prevent pottery scratches

Your beautiful pottery can make ugly scratches on furniture. To save your tabletops, cut thin slices of cork and glue them to the bottom of your ceramic objects.

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What to do with old corks - pop bottle open
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Use corks to replace pop bottle caps

Lost the cap to your pop bottle and need a replacement? Cork it! Most wine corks fit most soda bottles perfectly.

These cooking hacks are sure to come in handy.

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What to do with old corks - vinegar bottle
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Make pour spouts from old corks

Don’t have one of those fancy metal pour spouts to control the flow from your oil or vinegar bottle? You don’t need one. Make your own spout by cutting out a wedge of the cork along its length. Use a utility or craft knife. Stick the cork in the bottle and pour away. When you’re through, cover the hole with a tab of masking tape.

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What to do with old corks - dining chairs on a wood floor
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Use corks to prevent chair scratches

The sound of a chair scraping across your beautiful floor can make your skin crawl. Solve the problem by cutting cork into thin slices and attaching them to the bottom of the chair legs with a spot of wood glue.

Check out 13 cleaning hacks that take the hassle out of housekeeping.

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What to do with old corks - stamp pad
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Create personalized stamps

Carve the end of a cork into any shape or design you want. Use it with ink from a stamp pad to decorate note cards. Or let the kids dip carved corks in paint to create artwork.

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What To Do With Old Corks - Curtain
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Whip up a funky beaded curtain

Want a boho-chic beaded curtain for a child’s or teen’s room? Drill a hole through corks and string them onto a cord along with beads and other decorations. Make as many strings as you need and tie them onto a curtain rod.

Don’t miss these budget-friendly decorating ideas from HGTV star Sarah Richardson.

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Use corks to fasten earrings
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Use corks to fasten earrings

Earring backs always get lost, and you can’t always find a perfect-sized stand-in when you need it. Instead, use a snippet of cork as a temporary substitute. Slice a small piece about the size of the backing and push it on.

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Use corks to straighten picture frames
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Straighten picture frames

If you’re always straightening picture frames on the wall, cut some flat, pieces of cork, all the same thickness, and glue them to the back of the frame. The cork will grip the wall and stop it from sliding. It will also prevent the frame from marring the wall.

Here are more home hacks to stretch your decorating dollar.

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Use corks to mass-produce sowing holes
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Use corks to mass-produce sowing holes

Here’s a neat trick for quickly getting your seeds sown in straight rows of evenly spaced holes. Mark out the spacing you need on a board. Drill drywall screws through the holes, using screws that will protrude about 3/4 inch (2 centimetres) through the board. Now twist the wine corks onto the screws. Just press the board, corks down, into your garden bed and voila—instant seed holes.

Here are 20 gardening tips that’ll save you time, money and effort this growing season.

Now that you know what to do with old corks, find out 25 plastic wrap hacks that’ll make your life so much easier.

Originally Published in Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things

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