Original purpose: Keeping files orderly. Aha! use: Sorting cookie sheets, cutting boards, and jelly-roll pans in the kitchen. Reward: No more cymbal-crashing sounds from your overstuffed cupboard.
Original purpose: Moving the toilet tissue round and round. Aha! use: Storing an extension cord. Coil the cord into a hank about 1 1/2 inches thick, then slide it through the tube for a neat package that won't come unwound. Reward: Tangle-free power wherever you need it.