Freecycle is a great site where you can send out an email to all members offering an item you no longer want/need for free. They pick it up so no cost to you. And you can also ask for items, or if you get an email and are first to reply you can pick up […]

Use cotton reels as broom holders. Attach two cotton reels just far enough apart for a broom to fit between.

Hide keys, rings, jewellery etc in an empty baked bean tin and place it up high on a shelf when you go away. Should anyone break in when you’re away, valuables will appear to be part of the larder ! Harder to find than easy places like the dressing table in the bedroom!

I have found that putting a handful of blood & bone with the rubbish when wrapping it up to bury will in most cases help break down bones.

Use off-cuts from roof guttering (plastic) for a cool sloping track four your kids cars to go down. My son loves them, and they are free!

When double or queen size sheets are a bit worn in the middle, I cut them down & rehem the cut edges to make cot-size sheets.

To make strong “rubber” bands of varying sizes, cut used rubber gloves into strips. The cuffs make big bands and fingers make smaller ones, good for keeping pairs of knitting needles etc together.

They have this thing called hard rubbish day over here where people throw out all their old junk. I went for a drive with my father in law (otherwise known as Mr Steptoe) and we got a big old desk with 9 drawers, hose reel, shade cloth, drip pipe and we will do another drive […]

With living nearby a rubbish tip I’ve become a tip scavenger. I go out and scout around after the bulldozers go. I barter articles I find such as “fur” coats, discarded stuffed toys with plastic noses/eyes to a home handicraft lady for any mending or sewing I need done. I also exchange articles with another […]