Tell More Than your top tips for reusing everyday items around the house - £250 voucher prize draw NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

More Than would like to find out Mumsnetters' top tips for using everyday items in imaginative and unconventional ways around the home to make life that little bit easier.

Here's what More Than have to say, "Life can be full of little frustrations. At MORE TH>N we want to help, and that's why we love collecting and sharing all sorts of tips and tricks that make life that little bit easier. We like to think of them as 'helping hands', those clever ideas you never knew you needed to know. We're always on the look-out for more great hints to share, so if you've got a top tip, let us know."

For inspiration, watch the video clip below and then share your top tips on this thread.

What do you think of the suggestions given in the video? Which, if any, would you try out? Do you already use some of these ideas around the house already? Have you got any to add? Maybe you use a rubber band around paint pots to scrape excess paint onto from your paint brush? Or, do you use magnets to make sure your bag of crisps stay sealed? Whatever it is, we'd love to hear about it.

Everyone who adds their thoughts to this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £250 Amazon voucher.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

Some of the ideas were interesting. I have used rubber band on hangers before.

We use old kebab skewers to unblock drains, cereal boxes are regularly turned into robots, jam jars are used as to wash paint brushes or to put soup stock in and lately due to dc being unwell shoe boxes have had small toys put in them to be played with in bed (don't lose as many pieces as a consequence).

I'm a real make-do-and-mender. I have made bags out of old curtains and sundresses for DDs out of DH's old shirts. Others have been chopped up for patchwork or lavender bags.

I love shoe boxes - they're so useful, particularly the tiny children's ones. We use those for keeping similar toys together, eg all the stamp & ink sets, beads, or for games that didn't come with boxes. We decorate the outside so that the kids know what's in each. Occasionally I'll even manage to pinch one myself to use for my sewing threads and stuff.

I painted a flower on DD's school plimsolls, using tester-pot paint sealed with nail varnish, so that she can recognise them easily (she's in reception so visual clues are easier than just a name tape). The teacher has now asked me if I'd do the same for the rest of the class as they're always getting mixed up!

I use old food tins as tea light holders. Scrub the wrapper off in hot soapy water and glue a bit of ribbon round the top if you're feeling crafty. Also good for storing pens and pencils.

I wash and reuse Bonne Maman jam jars as wine tumblers

These tips were interesting and i will use some in the future like putting a ribbon on the suitcase
we reuse plastic or tin containers that some of our food may come in to freeze food we make and store really good for the winter months to save on your electric bill and can save on food waste which is a big problem at the moment

Another vote for toothbrushes - I have a ring that is bevelled and an old (clean) toothbrish and soapy water bring it up a treat.

Other things I use are old tights as ties for plants in the garden as it doesn't cut into the stalks like wires do and stuffing a load of old socks together makes a good shoe buffer.

Some great ideas on here

Here's what we do:

• My stack of 24 baby muslins (been through 3 dcs) is now used for polishing, dusting, wiping etc etc.
• Bulldog clips are great for sealing food bags, crisps etc
• Freeze fresh herbs
• Cut up old tshirts and jeans for cleaning cloths
• Fabric offcuts to make doll clothes and bedding
• Freeze leftover party sandwiches in small bags ready for last minute packed lunch emergencies
• Freeze leftover crumble mix and biscuit dough for a quick playdate activity or 2 minute dessert mid-week
• Biscuit tins are stockpiled and used for everything
• Shoe and boot boxes are brilliant for dcs toys, papers, school work etc
• All glass jars and bottles get kept and re-used for chutney, jam, salad dressings and so on
• Always keep the 'middles' of kitchen roll and cardboard egg boxes - great for craft activities, chitting potatoes, keeping small bits separated and so on
• Kebab skewers for checking if cakes are cooked, poking holes in things and clearing the drains

I use my paper shredding instead of sawdust for my hamster :)

I use old towels as cleaning cloths

save Jiffy bags for when I break a glass (often) and it can't be recycled put the bits in the Jiffy bag and tape it closed to dispose of safely

I apply a layer of varnish to stale Digestive biscuits to make handy coasters.

I don't really

I keep used tin foil that's been wrapped around sandwiches or cakes etc for cleaning tarnished silver jewellery or cutlery.
You line a dish with it, put item in, cover with a sprinkle bicarbonate of soda and boiling water and the tarnish just lifts off and sticks to the foil like magic!
Tumble drier fluff lights the fire really well.
I had a set of plastic storage drawers which cracked so I took each drawer out and placed it on a shelf. Use them now for arts and crafts and toys.
Old face cloths are kept in a kitchen drawer and I use one each meal time - first to wipe the kids faces, then high chair, table and straight into washing machine. Saves using half a pack of baby wipes and they are nice and soft.

Old jars are great for keeping bits and bobs in. I especially love the tiny ones you get with jam in when you go to a hotel. You can keep pins or paper clips in those little ones. They look quite cute, too, I think!

I keep any packaging from the post so that I can re-use it. Those bags that clothes come in are great, as I just turn them inside out and then stick an address label on.

I cut up old Christmas cards and make them into gift tags for the following year.

Brilliant tips!

I already do the ribbon on suitcases one.

I use the mesh bags for washing tablets, tied to the cutlery rack in the dishwasher, to wash small items so they don't end up at the bottom of the dishwasher.

Any junkmail is used as entertainment for DD - she gets pretend post, drawing paper, pictures to glue and forms to pretend to fill in which keeps her occupied for ages.

Old toothbrushes used for cleaning

Talc to get sand off feet at the beach

Old clothes / muslins used as dusters

Any tin / box / jar is re-used for homemade things like mincemeat or jam and for storing art and craft supplies, or used in junk modelling

I have used old toilet rolls, covered them in Christmas paper to make an advent calendar for my DS. It's great you can put little presents in random dates with chocolate and use tissue paper to block the sides.
I keep all egg cartons toilet rolls and yoghurt pots for our "make and do" box for a rainy day.

I have another tip. Just 'discovered' this.

If your young DC has the charming habit of sitting on your sofa, pulling all the tissues out of a box, & then tearing them to shreds, don't throw them away. After rescuing any undamaged tissues, collect all the remaining strips up into a bag & use them to wipe off your makeup, instead of cotton wool. At least then it's not a total waste...

Great tips in the video - especially like the cables in toilet rolls.

Old toothbrushes are used for many cleaning activities - round windowframes, grout etc.
I use plastic bags as kitchen bin bags.
I use clothespegs to keep packets closed in the freezer, and to keep piles of receipts neat and in order.
Cardboard centres of loo rolls are great for starting off seeds.
I have used a bulldog clip as an emergency trouser fastening when the button came off.

Use the free bottle of coke you get with takeaways (we don't drink it) to clean the toilet!

MissRee, that is about all it is good for! :)

Dh's best tip...
using old washing machine drum as a barbeque. He even took it to work and welded legs onto it.

We still have it 7 years on.

Poorbuthappy- great idea, all my mum's friends (old hippies) use them for festivals to contain their fires (they tend to be in the stewards' areas so are allowed).
:)

What a great video! :)

I will be trying some of these immediately!

My little tips are if you are having problems cleaning built in grime out of your microwave put slices of lemon in a bowl of water and put it in the microwave for a minute or two. This will losing up the grease, so it will just wipes away....and lemons smell lovely :)

Clean out jam jars and use them as little lanterns by popping tealights in them :)

Remove rust from a coin by soaking it in coca cola...scarily...it dissolves it all off..leaving the coin sparkling

Mine aren't as exciting as others but there you go :)

Theimpossiblegirl - don't side with him!!! The bloody barbecue is the bane if my life (well in summer anyway) he refuses to buy another BBQ and insists on cooking on it even if we have loads of people over.

It looks like something out of war of the worlds.

old cloth nappies make the best dusters in town
take your old pants on holiday and chuck after use
recycle loo roll inners and takeaway coffee outers into mini albums
share your bath

I wash up take away plastic cartons and then freeze home made meal leftovers, meaning I batch cook one week and have easy home made meals from the freezer the next week.

My girls decorate shoe boxes with scraps of wrapping paper etc and then have them as treasure boxes.

I use plastic supposing bags to empty the cat litter tray.

I keep plastic bottles from Christmas smelly gift sets, and when we go away for work or business, decant shower gel and shampoo into these.

Birthday cards are kept for DD's to cut up and stick to make pictures