Here’s a cool money clip that’s about as minimalist as you can get without just throwing the crumpled up bills in your pocket.  You could buy this but it is easy to make and doesn’t take a lot of materials.  All you need is some money, two magnets (or one magnet and a steel disc) and some duct tape.  I’d break down the steps for you but I think the picture is self explanatory.  Scott Amron (photo credit) is selling these at his site for $12 or $9 for a kit.  I can’t say that I’d buy this when they are so easy to make, but to his credit, Amron has some other really cool designs that are worth taking a look at.  Check out the video after the jump…

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Well… Maybe not exactly that good but lets see what we can do…

Can you afford not to drive? Most of us depend on cars for some part of our daily lives. By using some easy Hypermile (or fuel efficient driving) tricks you can beat your car’s EPA rating and save some dollars. Here are ten easy things you can do to boost your MPG…

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Here’s an idea that we came across that I am sure all of us could construct in a snap. Using an old plastic handled paintbrush (I don’t think this would work so well with a wood handle) we can make a snazzy and unique doorstop to protect our walls from those doorknob holes! Simply heat the plastic handle just above the brush head until you are able to gently bend it to 90°. Let it cool, then place a screw threw the handle to secure it to your wall behind the door. Now we have kept the paint brush out of the landfill, avoided buying an ugly old doorstop, and had some fun along the way! Didn’t we!

Here is a great Green idea from TheSmallObject.com… a reusable sandwich wrap.  This is relatively simple to make and it eliminates the need for non-reusable wraps and sandwich bags.  Plus, it doubles as a place mat!  Small Object founder Sarah Neuburger created a tutorial on her site after she found the Wrap-N-Mat but was unhappy with the fabric choices.  Check out her site to view the tutorial. 

On an unrelated note while your at The Small Object take a look at the About section and read about Sarah.  Creative, insightful and witty she echoes an idea we believe…

Tiny, small things are possible that can make big, giant things happen. Little folks sleeping in our floorboards and mice wearing tuxedos. It can happen. I am most certain.

We believe that mice wearing tuxedos can make a big impact… and more importantly, small actions can add up to make a big difference!

Reusable shopping bags are getting used more and more, but what about the other plastic bags we use.  I used zip lock bag the other day to hold some popcorn.  When I was done with the popcorn the bag was virtually brand new and it seemed silly to throw it away.  I just put the bag back in my bag drawer crumbs intact, but even if I had put something messy in the bag I could just wash it out.  That’s where this cool plastic bag drying rack comes in handy.  The one on the left is available from GAIAM for $20.  The one on the right I made with with stuff I found around my house in less than three minutes and the one on the bottom I made with stuff from my kitchen in less than 20 seconds.  

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I found this great tutorial video on how to make your own solar heater out of household products.  If you already have the materials then its free, but you can buy everything you need for under $30.  The creator, Ross, estimates that it will raise the temperature of a 15′ x 15′ room by a minimum of 10 degrees and which could save you up to $45 a month in heating.  Watch the video and then read the tutorial below.

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I used to have a pile of cracked, nasty old plastic jewel CD cases cluttering my car, bedroom, living room, office, basement, shed, garage….you get the point. The Resleeve by Sustainable Group is a green solution to this mess. Constructed of 100% recycled fibers, the Resleeve is great for storing those burned CDs, DVDs, or computer software discs in a space saving and eco-friendly way. These come available with both center hole for CD viewing and no-hole version depending on your lifestyle choice…who am I to judge. Sustainable Group makes a wide variety of similar products to satiate you dripping desire to save the world!

Now what to do with all those old CD Containers? Here’s a few creative uses and links to the instructions on how to DIY…

1.  Jewel Case Photo frames from PhotoJojo.com:

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