Us desis don’t really have a good relationship with the environment because we don’t really care for it. But there are a few things that every desi household re-purposes and reuses for things other than their actual purpose. It’s just something that happens here. We try to get the maximum out of the things that lie around the house.
Here are a few of things that we, as desis, love reusing around the house:
1. Plastic bags (aka shoppers) of every color
We’re taught to hoard plastic bags like they’re made of gold – only to score smaller plastic bags in them. Apni dukaan khol sakte hain, tbh.
You know you're still Desi at heart when you've graduated to garbage bags, but still manage to re-use the plastic cover they came in. 😀
— Danish Aziz (@monsieursoupier) June 1, 2016
2. Jars and glasses of every shape and size
You’ll notice how these jars are re-purposed to store achaars, spices and all kinds of chutnies. Thought you were about to get some Nutella or cheese spread? Yeah, have some chutney instead.
#Justdesithings pic.twitter.com/b5ogKbYnvN
— Rajvee gandhi (@Rajveegandhii) March 29, 2016
3. Biscuit ke dabbay
Do we even actually get biscuits in those boxes? These boxes are a lie. They’re placed strategically to play with our feelings. They will never in a million years store actual biscuits. Sirf silai ka samaan milega.
We all know the struggle… #growingupdesi pic.twitter.com/dFsOqVIQuc
— dotdesi (@dotdesi) March 26, 2016
4. Clothes from your elder siblings
Clothes are either passed down from sibling to sibling or are cut up and used as safai ka kapra. Even if you’re deeply attached to a piece of cloth, you’re bound to see it being used to clean kachra around the house. And when you do, you’ll die a little on the inside.
5. Old diaries that your parent s were gifted by banks or work friends
You know all those diaries with bank logos that we’ve seen lying around on book shelves? They pretty much double as phonebooks or hisaab books.
6. Newspapers from every single day of your life
Old newspapers will never go to waste in a desi household. They’ll be placed inside the shelves of cupboards. Sometimes, they’ll be used to cover books as well.
7. Water bottles toh hamesha reuse hoti rehti hain
Those plastic water bottles in desi households can pretty much last a lifetime. No one ever gets rid of those. You’ve been taught to never throw one away. Water bottles have their own legacy in desi households – one that must be respected at all costs, even if plastic is horrible for the environment.
8. Ice cream boxes
One of the more painful dhokas is when you reach for an ice cream box, only to have your hopes brutally shattered when your eyes fall upon the daal or any other salan that may be inside. Jab ice cream nahi rakhni toh dabbay kyun sambhaalte ho?
tfw you open an ice cream tub in excitement but you only find leftover curry from last night #growingupdesi
— rina ? (@clubseokjins) February 18, 2017
9. Airplane utility kit bags
Those mini pouches will never go to waste in a desi household. Unka bhi koi na koi use nikal aata hai. They’re used to store stray dhaagas or a small needle set when the biscuit ka dabba is too full.
10. Plastic cups, paper cups, steel cups, white cups, red cups, transparent cups… you get the idea
These will be used as pen holders around the house. If they’re super lightweight, you’ll be told to use them to store water in while painting. Yeh bhi zayaa nahi jaatey.
11. Old boxes of Quality Street chocolate for storing jewelry
Remember when you’d reach for a Quality Street box to give yourself a treat and would only find jewelry? Yeah. These boxes are the reason why I don’t trust humanity. It’s a cruel joke, in all honesty. Galat baat hai.
14. That Eid cake you got from your neighbors
Like, of course you’ll be recycling it by using it as a gift for when you go visit your phupho.
13. Wrapping paper
Any wrapping paper that’s been left over will HAVE to be used again. If not, you get a fancy new cover for your books. Par iss ko bhi zayaa nahi honay de sakte.
14. The chittar
Most people use shoes as footwear. In a desi household, a chittar is used for other purposes – such as instilling discipline among the general youth.
#Growingupdesi pic.twitter.com/KnjjQZSOQt
— ??Hasaan Amin (@hasaanamin99) December 26, 2016
15. Love
Let’s not even pretend this isn’t true. You know that moment when your parents call you by the wrong name? Or the time when they carry out blatant acts of favoritism. Yeah, take a hint. Their love just gets diluted and distributed over time. Kya kar sakte hain?
Regardless of how strange some of these may seem, storing things and reusing them for various other purposes has become ingrained in our minds as well. It’s pretty much a desi people thing now. What are some items that have been re-purposed around your household? Let us know in the comments.
Cover image via: Lemon Max / YouTube