Surprising Proper Uses for Familiar Best-Sellers

7. Steel Wool

The best places to buy are Walmart and Amazon. Product Price on Average: $4–$7* Metal is a conductor, as we all learned in science class in elementary school. In an emergency, steel wool can ignite a fire. Steel wool and a nine-volt battery are all you need to start a raging fire.

: Steel Wool as a Fire Starter Attach one end of the steel wool to the nine-volt's positive end and the other end to the negative end. The steel wool will ignite due to the battery's charge as it goes through. Just so you know, the highest-quality steel wool works best and will produce the most sparks.

8. Old Wedding Dress

The best places to buy are thrift stores and bridal boutiques. $1,600 is the average product price.

Rather than letting a wedding dress gather dust in storage, there are numerous creative and meaningful ways to repurpose it. Wedding dresses often hold immense sentimental value, and finding new uses for them can keep those cherished memories alive in a tangible way. Instead of only seeing your wedding dress when you look at photos, you can integrate parts of it into your everyday life, allowing you to relive those special moments more frequently. One popular option is to sell the wedding dress. This not only helps recoup some of the cost but also allows another bride to enjoy a beautiful gown on her special day. Many brides look for pre-owned dresses to save money or to find unique, discontinued designs. Selling your dress can be a wonderful way to pass on the joy and happiness that the dress brought to you. Another heartfelt option is to gift the dress. You could pass it down to a family member or a close friend who is getting married. This can create a lovely tradition and add an extra layer of meaning to their wedding day. Alternatively, you could donate the dress to a charity that provides wedding attire to those who cannot afford it. This act of kindness can make a significant difference in someone's life, allowing them to feel beautiful and confident on their special day. For those who are more creatively inclined, there are many ways to upcycle a wedding dress into new, everyday items. One simple yet elegant idea is to transform parts of the dress into decorative pillows. To do this, you'll need a plain white pillow from a craft shop. Cut off the decorations, such as lace, beading, or appliqués, from your wedding dress and sew them onto the pillow. This adds texture and a personal touch to your home decor, allowing you to see and appreciate parts of your wedding dress every day. Another imaginative project is to turn your wedding gown into a teddy bear. This can be a lovely keepsake for yourself or a special gift for a child or grandchild. The soft, luxurious fabric of a wedding dress makes for a beautiful and huggable teddy bear that carries the sentiment of your wedding day. For those with sewing skills, creating a baby outfit from the wedding dress can be a touching way to celebrate your growing family. Imagine dressing your baby in a christening gown or a special occasion outfit made from the same fabric you wore on your wedding day. It's a beautiful way to carry forward the memories and love from one generation to the next. Another popular option is to create a memory quilt. This involves cutting the dress into squares and incorporating them into a quilt along with other meaningful fabrics. A memory quilt can be a comforting and cherished item that tells the story of your life and the important moments within it. An increasing number of people are choosing to repurpose their wedding gowns instead of putting them in the attic. These creative projects not only preserve the sentimental value of the dress but also allow you to enjoy and appreciate it in new ways. Whether you sell, gift, or upcycle your wedding dress, each option offers a unique way to keep the memories of your special day alive and present in your everyday life.