New purpose

You know those little measuring cups you get with children's liquid ibuprofen and acetaminophen?  We keep them and reuse them and sometimes even give them another purpose. We can use them to scoop powdered laundry soap out of a reusable plastic container before sending them to be recycled.  This saves two items from being recycled and all the energy consumption that goes with it and avoids another plastic container from being purchased (laundry soap- we make our own from borax, dove bar soap, and washing soda).  

Can you share any ways you can repurpose items before sending them to be recycled?