10 Uses for Plastic Wrap

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Sure, it keeps food fresh, but plastic wrap is a handy multitasker outside the kitchen, too.

1. Preserve paints and spackles
Cover paint, patching compound, or putty with a layer of plastic wrap (making contact with its entire surface area) before replacing the container lid to keep it from drying out.

2. Keep utensils in order
When packing for a move, wind plastic wrap around trays of silverware and utensils. If they're overturned in transit, you won't lose any pieces.

3. Carry a bulky package
Twist a long sheet of plastic wrap tightly to make a rope. Wrap the rope around a package, and knot the ends into a slip-proof handle.

4. Store a paint roller overnight
Wrap a wet paint roller several times in close-fitting plastic wrap and stash it in the fridge. The paint will stay fresh for the next day's use.

5. Make temporary booties
Protect newly finished floors from dirt and scuffs by ­securing several layers of plastic wrap over your shoes with rubber bands.

6. Keep lumber stacked
When transporting a pile of lumber, wind plastic wrap tightly around each end of the stack to keep boards from sliding off.

7. Dress up your walls
Decorative painters call it "frottage": Press a wrinkled sheet of plastic wrap against a freshly glazed wall while it's still wet, then remove it to create a textured look. Repeat for entire wall.

8. Keep out drafts
Got old windows with lots of space between the sash and the frame? Stuff plastic wrap in the gaps to keep the wind from whistling through till you get around to installing storm windows.

9. Improve your grip
If work gloves cause a shovel or rake handle to feel slippery, wind plastic wrap tightly around the handle for a stickier grip.

10. Create a mini greenhouse
Use plastic wrap to tightly cover a pot in which you've planted seeds. The seal promotes humidity, helping keep soil moist while seeds sprout. (Just be careful that you don't grow any mold while you're at it.)

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