The durable nature of many of the items in these rooms means we’re more likely to care for and pass them on than toss them away. We give heirlooms sentimental and economic value and know it’s lovely to have a piece of furniture or ornament that reminds us of family or friends. Of course, there’s wear and tear in these rooms but there’s also scope for reuse and repair!
A really easy way to save on your electricity bill is to turn appliances off at the power point rather than leaving them on stand-by. The phantom load quickly adds up!
SAVE FEATURE: If you damage a china plate, cup or ornament and it’s not worth repairing (if in doubt, check with a restorer), smash it into small pieces and create a mosaic. One idea is to use the fragments of china as a mosaic to decorate a fruit bowl (it won’t work on glass bowls). Apply tile glue to the outside of the bowl then stick the pieces into place. Allow to dry then apply grout. All grout is different so follow the directions on the packet. Remove excess grout with a damp sponge before it’s completely dry.
TIP: Keep all your broken ceramic bits in a busy box ready to use on a rainy day. To make a busy box, take a container, such as a fruit box or shoebox, and fill it with odds and ends suitable for crafts and repairs. Encourage your friends to do the same. Why meet for just coffee when you could be sitting around a table and creating something together?
Couches and armchairs
Couches and armchairs should last a long time but there are vulnerable areas, such as the arms. The best way to protect them is with armrest covers. If you don’t have them already, have some made or make your own. Use contrasting or matching fabric: they can be made to fit snugly so you can’t even tell they’re there! If the fabric on your couch has become dated or is worn through, have it recovered professionally or do it yourself. If your couch or cushions have faded in the sun, removable fabric covers can be dyed to look brand new or you can even have a fitted cover professionally dyed!
If the couch is in reasonable condition, contact a charity such as The Salvation Army (www.salvosstores.salvos.org.au), St Vincent de Paul (www.vinnies.org.au) or The Smith Family (www.thesmithfamily.com.au). If the couch has had it, you may be able to reuse some parts of it, such as:
Furnishing fabric tends to be strong and very durable. The fabric on the outside back of the couch, which has been protected from wear and tear, can be used to make cushion covers.
Cushions make great buffers, so put them in the back of your car to have on hand when packing or carting delicate items. They could also come in handy to sit on when changing a tyre! You could also re-cover the cushions and keep them in the playroom to use as floor cushions and for making cubbyhouses. Tack a cushion to the top of a wooden chest to make a storage seat. Refashion the sponge and use in pillows. Cut the sponge into blocks to put in your car cleaning kit; it’s particuarly good when washing the car. They also make great pet beds.
Springs can go in your toolbox. Use as a replacement if another spring breaks (or use them as a document sorter or letter rack).
Timber tends to be of good quality so hold on to it for another use. Create what Shannon calls a lumber pile in your backyard or shed with a stack of timber you can use for another purpose.
Castors are expensive to buy so hang on to them. You could use them to make a trolley or to go on the base of small bookcases. Store them with other used-hardware items, such as screws. Keeping a collection of odds and ends in your garage or shed saves money and the older versions are often of better quality.
How to make your own trolley
A trolley is particularly handy if you live alone as it makes moving items or rearranging furniture so much easier. Why lug a heavy bookcase when you can roll it on a trolley instead? To make one (it’s just like a large skateboard), secure four castors to each corner of a strong piece of 2-centimetre thick marine ply (5 ply). Make sure it’s narrow enough to fit through a doorway.
TIP: If your leather couch has seen better days, use the leather backing to strengthen other leather items, such as handbags, or use for patching. Make leather shoelaces using a ruler and a sharp knife. Reinforce a backpack by lining inside the base with a piece of leather. Use it to make handles for baskets. Make patches for the elbows of a favourite jacket or jumper or you could patch the knees of gardening overalls. Leather is perfect for an apron because it’s easy to wipe down and is heat resistant. Use leather on shovel handles. Keep a strip of leather in your workshop to use for sharpening knives. Leather also makes a great work surface because it’s robust and non-slip. Make a new belt and glue or use a stud to hold the buckle in place.
How to make a throw-cover
Fitting a throw-cover is a cost-effective and relatively easy way to freshen up the look of a couch or armchair. You’ll need some lightweight sheeting material, which you can buy in a range of colours and designs, and upholstery twist pins. With a tape, measure the length of the couch from the ground underneath the arm, over the arm and across the seat to the other arm, over the second arm and down to the ground. Add an extra 10 centimetres to each end. To measure the width, start from the centre front of the couch at the ground and measure along the seat, onto the back of the seat, over the back and down to the ground. Add an extra 10 centimetres to each end. As a general rule of thumb, a single bed sheet will cover a small armchair and a king-sized sheet will cover a large couch.
STEP 1: Remove the cushions.
STEP 2: Place the material over the front of the couch with the top draping over the back and the bottom edge touching the floor.
STEP 3: Go to the back of the couch and pull the fabric from either side of the couch together. Tie it in a knot at the centre back of the couch or use an ironing board cover tightener. Then pull the fabric from the top of the couch to stretch down the back of the couch. Fix this fabric to the back bottom corners and centre back of the couch with upholstery twist pins.
STEP 4: Smooth your hand along the material so it sits against the couch and press it into the crevices at the back and sides of the seat. Make the material as taut as possible. Then fix each corner of the material to the seat base with an upholstery twist pin to hold the section firm.
STEP 5: Smooth any folds at the sides and around the couch into pleats and fix with upholstery pins. Tuck excess fabric under the base of the sofa and secure with upholstery pins.
STEP 6: Cover cushions by placing them in the centre of a length of the fabric. Tie two diagonal corners of fabric into a flat knot. Then tie the remaining two diagonal corners into a flat knot. To make a flat knot, hold your foot over the knot while you tie it so it stays flat.
STEP 7: Replace the cushions. Make any adjustments.
STEP 8: Enjoy your newly covered couch!
Repaint if it’s made of timber. Don’t forget to sand it first and between coats.
Select a theme for your coffee table and decoupage it with holiday photos, movie stubs, postcards or any other paraphernalia. Glam it up with some gold leaf (available at art supply stores). Lay out your design on the tabletop and when you’re happy with it carefully put it aside. Mix equal parts PVA glue and water in a container and spread it over the tabletop. Then fix your new design on top. Leave it to dry then brush the glue mixture over your design. To make it waterproof, use spray enamel to finish.
Add a glass top. Have some glass cut to the same size as the tabletop—a glazier can do this for you. Because it’s sitting on a firm surface the glass doesn’t need to be toughened but the edges need to be smoothed so people don’t cut their fingers. Place pressed flowers or photos underneath the glass for decoration and change them as the mood takes you.
Make a shelf from a light coffee table. Cut the table lengthways down the middle with a saw and sand the edges. Fix both halves, one above the other, to a load-bearing wall with brackets. Make sure the brackets are strong enough to hold the weight of the newly made shelves.
Change the legs and turn your coffee table into a tall table or hallstand. Buy new legs from a hardware store or second-hand store. Screw them in or bracket them on.
Make an instant table. Remove the legs from your coffee table and store them separately from the tabletop. When you need a table, rest the tabletop on the legs, two trestles or ottomans. This is great if you are having a party and need a table for drinks. If short on space, store the tabletop behind other furniture or hang it from a wall.
For an extreme idea, fix castors to each corner of the top of the table and turn the table upside down. Wind string or rope around the legs to create a box that can be wheeled around.
Australians love reading magazines! Before buying a pile of them, why not organise with friends to buy particular ones and share them. Magazines are also available to read at your local library.
Cut out your favourite pictures, have them laminated and use as placemats. Or paste images you like on cork placemats—this was a very popular trend in the 1980s. For instructions on how to do this, see page 122.
Use images for decoupage.
Cut out images and use them to cover children’s school books.
Donate the magazines to a local doctor’s surgery or health clinic.
Make a bedside step for children by taping magazines together with bookbinder tape. It’s very solid and won’t tip over.
Turn old magazines into a wastepaper bin! Roll each page of the magazine into a tight tube and apply PVA glue to the edge. Allow to dry. Use some sturdy cardboard and cut it into a circle to form the base of the bin. Using a craft knife, make incisions in the cardboard base for each tube to go into and secure with a dab of glue. Glue the tubes side by side. Once the tubes have been arranged, paint the entire piece with a layer of shellac.
Use as side tables.
Place a large tray on top of the ottoman and use it as a coffee table or as a display for books and magazines.
If the ottoman is fraying or shabby, cover with a slipcover.
Make a stable table. Cut fabric 10 centimetres larger than the size of the tray. Then use a hot glue gun to fix gathered fabric (you could use fabric from your rag bag) to the underside edges of the tray, leaving an opening on one side. Pour beanbag pellets into the opening until it’s half full and use the hot glue gun to glue the opening closed. The beanbag pellets will mould to the shape of your legs when you rest the tray on top.
Revamp and cover a wooden tray in fabric, tea towels, cloth serviettes or doilies. Spread PVA glue on top of the tray with a paintbrush, stretch the fabric over the glue and secure tightly on each corner with a drawing pin. Set aside to dry and then remove the drawing pins. To make it waterproof, paint PVA glue on top of the fabric and allow to dry. You may also like to re-cover the tray with coins, wallpaper, greeting cards, old tickets, paint or spray paint.
Insulation
One of the easiest ways to save up to 40 percent on your energy costs is to insulate your house. In winter, you want to keep the warm air inside but in summer, you want to keep it out. You’d be surprised how a little gap in your floorboards or under your doors and windows can affect the temperature in a room, so check for draughts. Vulnerable areas are around doorways and windows and under skirting boards. If the door fit is loose, place a felt strip along the jamb. Add a draught brush along the bottom of the door or use a draught stopper or snake. Look at vents and if too much air is getting in (or out), place a special cover over them. Block unused chimneys. (To make a chimney cleaner, place a piece of steel wool on the end of the coathanger and twist it over. Continue adding steel wool until it’s 30 centimetres long.) In summer, create breezeways and cross ventilation so cool air can flow through the house. Another thing to be mindful of is heat transference through glass: use curtains or blinds to cover windows. Also check for cracks in external walls and seal them. One way to boost insulation is to use your ceiling cavity to store non-flammable materials.
TIP: If you rent, place heavy pieces of furniture along exterior walls. It keeps the place warmer or cooler. Put extra rugs on floors and hang an additional set of curtains along windows.
TIP: A well-insulated home can be 7°C warmer in winter and 10°C cooler in summer.
Heaters
There are a range of heating options and what you choose will depend on how big your home is, how many people live there and how often the heater is used. All heating (except for solar) creates emissions, so do your homework first. The most energy efficient heating source, after sunshine, is reticulated natural gas. Air-blown or reverse-cycle heaters will run more efficiently if you clean the filter. And, of course, save money by keeping the doors closed in the rooms being heated.
We’re afraid there aren’t many other uses for old heaters. Many councils collect old ones or you could call a scrap metal recycler. Find one in the Yellow Pages or visit www.recycling-nearyou.com.au. Steel is 100 percent recyclable.
CHANGE FOR GOOD: Many organisations are working towards being climate neutral. For instance, the Sydney Opera House has bought accredited GreenPower and offsets the electricity, audience and performer transport and other emissions from events.
Fireplaces
There’s an ongoing discussion about whether open fires are more polluting than electric heaters, particularly when you consider the emissions from coal-powered electricity generators. There’s also the issue of whether firewood is sourced from a sustainable supplier (to find one, go to www.firewood.asn.au). Slow-combustion fires are another choice or, if you love the look of an open fire, you can buy ethanol-fuelled fires which are 90 percent energy efficient and emission-free.
If you do have an open fire, make sure the flue is operating properly or you’ll lose a lot of the heat. You’ll need professional help to change your flue.
TIP: Ash from a fireplace is alkaline and can be reused in the garden to fertilise and keep snails and slugs away. Ash can also be used to clean stains on the fireplace. Make a slurry using equal parts ash, bicarb, white vinegar and water and apply with a pair of pantyhose. Always wear gloves because it’s harsh on skin.
TIP: If you have a fireplace, use gumnuts for kindling because they’re dense, dry and burn for a long time with minimal smoke.
DID YOU KNOW? A new study has found soot contributes to climate change but, unlike carbon dioxide, it stays in the atmosphere for only one week. Soot pollution kills over 1.5 million people a year, mostly in developing countries where coal and wood are burned in homes for cooking and heating.
The average curtain is 2½ times larger than the window it decorates which leaves a lot of fabric for recycling. If you don’t reuse your curtains, take old ones to The Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul or The Smith Family. You never know, someone might be inspired by The Sound of Music where thrifty and capable Maria turned curtains into play clothes for the children.
Cotton muslin and cotton net curtains can be reused. Cut them into squares, wash in boiling water to sterilise and dry on the clothesline. The squares make a fine sieve for straining liquids. Use the squares to cover food and keep flies away when eating outside. Wrap and secure the squares around several grapes, watermelon or orange slices to feed babies or young children. They can suck on the fruit without swallowing the skin or pips which they could choke on. Just make sure the fruit bundle is the size of a small orange so they can’t swallow the whole lot.
Heavy fabrics can be turned into tablecloths, throws, cushion covers or drop sheets.
Cooling
Many homes now have air conditioners that use a lot of electricity. When buying one, look for the energy efficiency star rating. To help it run efficiently, install it on the shady side of the building. Check the temperature after it’s been on for half an hour: 18–21°C is the ideal range for a room in winter and 23-26°C is the ideal range in summer. If you know it’s going to be a hot day, turn the air conditioner on early because it works more efficiently when the air is cooler. When it’s on, keep windows and doors closed and draw curtains and blinds to reduce heat transfer. Adjust the louvres upwards when cooling and downwards when heating because hot air rises. And make sure you clean the filter regularly.
Fans should be positioned to maximise airflow. They’ll also run more efficiently if you clean the blades regularly with a damp cloth. Don’t attempt to clean a fan when it’s turned on!
TIP: Capture the water from your air-conditioning unit with a bucket. It’s filtered and distilled making it perfect to use in your car or iron.
TIP: We don’t recommend you repair electrical items yourself because it can be very dangerous. Take them to a repairer. If it can’t be fixed, your repairer might like to use it for parts or recycle it. Consult the Yellow Pages or go to www.recyclingnearyou.com.au to find the nearest scrap metal recycler. Some will even come to you and remove your old equipment.
TIP: Air conditioners contain copper, aluminium and steel which can be recycled.
Lighting
Around the world, incandescent light bulbs are being phased out in favour of more energy efficient ones. The common replacement is compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) which use a quarter of the electricity of incandescent bulbs and can last up to ten times longer. Jennifer’s council organised for all her globes to be changed to CFLs for free! CFLs are available in bright white or warm white with the latter being more suitable for living rooms and bedrooms. There is one hitch at the moment because CFLs contain mercury so you can’t just throw used ones in the bin. Instead, consult your council to find out where the nearest recycling facility is to you. Low energy halogen downlights are now available in Australia. LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are another globe option and can give over 100 lumens per watt. Find out which type suits your lighting needs.
TIP: Clean your globes regularly because dust affects the brightness and energy efficiency of the light.
Lampshades can be recovered. Do it yourself or see a professional.
Turn into wastepaper bins. Weave raffia along the base and sides.
Add a base and a handle and turn the lampshade into a basket.
Put in the kids’ play box for dress ups. Create space helmets from round lampshades: cover with aluminium foil and cut out a spot for the face. To make a diving helmet, cover with copper-coloured paper and draw nuts and bolts on the front.
Make Tiffany shades into fruit bowls. Turn the lamp upside down, remove the bulb part and weave the open section with raffia, plastic packing strips or leather.
CHANGE FOR GOOD: Many artists now use recycled elements in their work. One art and design shop only sells items that are recycled or 50 percent sustainable. Circuit boards have been turned into lamps and old dominoes have become bracelets.
Entertainment systems
Australians love their high-tech gadgets. A look at recent sales of plasma and LCD televisions gives an idea of just how much. But you might be surprised to learn these new televisions are a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions because the bigger screen uses more power. Shannon worked out LCDs use 45 percent less power than a plasma screen.
DID YOU KNOW? Choice magazine found that a Sony Playstation3 costs five times as much to run as an average size fridge, or $250 per year.
When appliances are on stand-by mode they are still a source of emissions. According to the Australian Greenhouse Office, 5–10 percent of household electricity is used by appliances left on stand-by mode or what’s known as the ‘phantom load’. To save money and emissions, switch electronic appliances off at the power point. Some manufacturers have attempted to address this and have reduced the stand-by power usage from 20 watts per hour to less than 1 watt per hour.
DID YOU KNOW? According to Choice magazine, if you have a desktop computer, LCD monitor, wireless router, plasma TV and DVD player on continuous active standby it could add $450 per year to your electricity bill.
One of the more frustrating issues with electronic goods is what to do with them once you’ve finished with them. Walk along any street at council clean-up time and you’re guaranteed to see many old TVs and stereos sitting on the nature strip. There have been calls for Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes where manufacturers take on the cost and responsibility of recycling. Even though it’s likely the cost would be passed on to the consumer, it would be preferable to electronic goods ending up in landfill. The industry is currently working on the best approach. Planet Ark has an online service which links to recycling facilities in your area at www.recyclingnearyou.com.au.
DID YOU KNOW? One reason to be concerned about TVs in landfill is the lead content in cathode ray tubes. Lead is harmful when ingested.
TIP: Plasma and LCD screens are very delicate so take care when cleaning them. Make sure they are turned off and cool, use a lint-free cloth (don’t use paper towel) and don’t apply pressure. Some can handle mild soap but not all, so consult the manufacturer’s manual. If using a spray, apply to a lint-free cloth rather than spraying directly onto the screen.
DID YOU KNOW? The advent of plasma and LCD screens means large entertainment units are no longer popular. Jennifer tried to sell her old one online and no one was interested in buying it. Second-hand dealers told her they just don’t sell anymore because people prefer low-lying shelving units. Shannon has turned an old entertainment unit into storage in the garage.
Deter bats and birds by hanging CDs from trees. Birds don’t like sharp movements or sunlight reflecting from the CDs.
Use as drink coasters. Paint a line around the outside edge so you don’t mix them up with the CDs and DVDs you still use.
Turn CDs into earrings. Put old CDs in a bowl of boiling water to soften them and, wearing protective gloves, cut into decorative shapes with tin snips. While the cut CD is still hot, twist it to make earrings. If CDs are cut cold, the edges are as sharp as glass, so be careful. If cut hot, the edges soften. Smooth any sharp edges with a sapphire nail file.
Glue several CDs together to make a sculpture. Or make a disco ball: cut CDs into small shapes and glue the pieces over a Styrofoam craft ball.
Make a funky hanging room divider. Join several CDs together along a line with fishing wire. Suspend from some dowel or an old broom handle and hang from the ceiling.
Many old vinyl records have become collectables so check if your collection has any value by looking online or visiting a second-hand record shop.
Old records can be melted in the oven and reshaped into bowls or pot plant holders. To do this, put the vinyl on top of some aluminium foil and place it over an ovenproof bowl. Cover the other side of the vinyl in aluminium foil and place in a preheated 150°C (300°F/gas mark 2) oven. When the vinyl begins to melt, shape it over the bowl using a wooden spoon (so you don’t burn your fingers) and allow to cool. Either cork the hole at the bottom or use it as a drain.
Cut old vinyl records in half, punch holes along the cut edge and thread with string, old shoelaces or ribbon and use as covers for photo albums.
TIP: Use old record turntables to display art. Cover the base of the turntable with white or black velvet and place the artwork on top. You can show your work of art from all sides.
Carpet is easy to cut and reshape with a utility knife or shears. Use in the garage or workshop on the workbench to stop small items from bouncing. Or wrap cut strips around handles to give a better grip.
Turn old carpet into rugs. You can have the edges professionally sealed. Contact a carpet manufacturer or retailer.
Cut carpet into usable squares and place under other items, such as the feet of furniture to protect the floor from scratches.
Use as a front or back doormat. Cut carpet into squares and tape the edges with iron-on fabric tape. Have them stacked in a convenient place, such as under the bed, ready to use when needed.
Use as a door seal. If the door is rattling, glue a strip of carpet down the doorjamb.
Go all Mary Poppins and make a carpetbag. Cut out a piece of carpet, fold it in half and stitch around the side edges with a large bodkin needle. Make sure you wear gloves because the carpet is hard on your hands and you may have to use a small pair of pliers to pull the needle through the carpet. Either make a cloth handle or buy screw-on handles from your local craft store.
Wrap rafters or exposed beams in carpet to cushion the blow if you bump your head. Use in areas away from view, such as under the house or in the garage, because it doesn’t look very attractive.
Turn into a trivet or pot stand.
Carpet takes dye very well so it’s easy to paint. Paint a design on carpet or a rug and hang it on the wall for insulation or decoration.
Use a carpet square as a base for beading or electrical work. Your tiny pieces won’t bounce onto the floor.
Protect table surfaces by placing old carpet cut to size on top when the kids are playing or decorating.
Cut carpet into sections and place it over your garden beds to control weeds. It will rot and keep the weeds down.
If you have hessian-backed wool carpet, wrap it around your hot water pipes for insulation. Don’t use nylon or nylon-backed carpet because it will melt.
Put carpet in the base of a toolbox. Any rust and grease can be shaken from the mat easily. It also helps absorb moisture so your tools don’t rust.
Use extra carpet squares on the floor of your car. The carpet in cars is expensive and wears easily.
TIP: To save money, cut the end off a full vacuum cleaner bag, discard the contents and seal the bag with painter’s tape. Before vacuuming, empty the bag because the machine will work more efficiently. It’s a good idea to regularly vacuum your carpet because dirt breaks the fibres down and increases the wear.
We all love a gift that keeps on giving, which is exactly what a pine Christmas tree can do. When the season of goodwill slips into Epiphany (or when the needles all fall off) take your Christmas tree outside, place it on the ground and run a garden rake along the trunk to strip the needles from the tree. Use the pine needles as mulch for gardenias, camellias, citrus, azaleas and Australian natives.
But wait, that’s not all this tree can give. Turn the thin branches into a wreath. To do this, cut the branches with secateurs so that they fit into a bucket and soak in hot water for 2 hours. Weave the branches into a wreath for next Christmas. It will give off a lovely pine smell.
Turn the trunk into a doorstop. Saw off a small wedge-shaped section from the bottom of the tree and place it under a door. Write the date and a message on the cut edge with permanent pen or a soldering iron. The remainder of the trunk can be cut into sections and placed in hot water. Rub any rough or knotty bits with steel wool or sandpaper and leave to dry. Use them as candle supports. Put the remaining branches in the lumber pile to use as firewood.
The wire can be removed from Christmas lights and cut into short lengths. Use for tying things, such as plants, in the garden.
DID YOU KNOW? If replacing skirting boards, avoid ones made of fibreboard (MDF) because it contains large amounts of adhesives and formaldehyde which aren’t good for your health. Avoid expensive timber skirting by buying recycled ones.
A dining table is a true workhorse. It can be a meeting place for family and friends and can also double as a homework and study table. The table will last longer if you wipe up any spills as soon as you can and use a table protector, tablecloths, placemats and coasters.
If the dining tabletop is broken, try to repair it. Fit another one using particle timber, an old timber door, recycled timber or use a second-hand tabletop. You can have them cut to size at the hardware store.
Old dining tables can become office desks. If the legs are cumbersome, remove them and use a filing cabinet or a chest of drawers at either end as support.
Hold on to useful timber and place it in what Shannon calls a ‘lumber stack’.
TIP: If you get a water mark on a timber tabletop, work out what the table has been sealed with: varnish, polyurethane, shellac or wax. To do this, take a pin or needle, hold it in a pair of pliers and heat it on the stove. Touch the pin or needle to an inconspicuous part of the table and smell the fumes it creates. If it smells like burnt plastic, it’s Polyurethane. If it smells like an electrical fire, it’s an oil-based varnish. If it smells like burnt hair, it’s shellac. If it smells like a snuffed candle, it’s waxed. To repair polyurethane, apply a little Brasso with a lint-free cloth and rub swiftly over the mark in the direction of the grain. It will look worse before it looks better! Brasso partially melts polyurethane and allows it to refill the tiny air holes that create the white mark. Shellac, varnish and wax can be repaired using beeswax. Warm beeswax in a bowl in the microwave until it just softens and apply with the back of a piece of lemon peel (yellow side). Rub in the direction of the grain using speed, not pressure.
If the chairs are in good condition, sell or donate them to a charity.
Turn cushions from dining chairs into kneeling pads for gardening.
Screw the dining seat to a strong box on castors to make a small, wheeled stool for the garden. It makes weeding easier and you can store tools inside the box.
Dismantle the chairs and keep the timber. Store in a neat pile or lumber stack, as Shannon calls it.
Keep dowel from chairs. Turn into coat hooks for the back of a door, use as replacement handles on gardening tools or make into doorstops.
TIP: Turned timber is always wanted at timber recyclers. Check online to find one near you.
If your tablecloth is wearing thin, convert it into serviettes. If you don’t have a sewing machine, use iron-on hem binding which comes in a range of colours.
Make aprons or work shirts. Shannon turns them into smocks for her workshop.
Save for patching or for the rag bag.
TIP: If your serviettes are permanently stained, dye them a shade darker. Use hot water dye or the colour will leach when washed at a later stage.
Add shelving to create a CD and DVD storage unit.
Repair them. If the images are beginning to fade on your cork placemats, apply new ones. Remove the old label by soaking it in a tray of hot water with a little dishwashing liquid. Allow the cork to dry. Select a new image (from magazines, wrapping paper, etc). Apply equal parts PVA glue and water to the back of the new image and lay it over the cork. Press a rolling pin or bottle over the top to remove any bubbles. Set aside to dry.
If the entire set is no longer viable, use the cork under table legs and chair legs so they don’t scratch the floor. Use scissors to cut the cork to size.
Cut to fit under your vases to prevent watermarks.
Use as heat-resistant mats in the kitchen.
Melt wax ends together to make a new candle. Either use a new wick or a wick from an old candle.
Add to the kids’ art box and use for wax-resist paintings or carving.
When sewing a button on a suit, wax the thread first to make it stronger and to hold the fibres of the thread. Drag the thread over the candle end.
Wipe sewing needles over a candle stub to prevent rust and make sewing smoother.
Smooth a candle over the runners on sticky drawers to stop them from jamming.
Fill holes in marble or granite. Warm the wax, drip it into the hole, smooth the excess with a pair of pantyhose then use a hair dryer over the top for a slick, flush finish.
Use to waterproof fabrics, such as aprons. Warm the wax, dip a scrap of fabric in it and rub it over the entire area.
Use as an alternative to silicone to seal between the sink and splashback in the kitchen.
TIP: To make candles last longer and drip less, put them in the freezer for a couple of hours before using them. To reduce the size of the flame and amount of sooty smoke, trim the wick to as low as 4 mm.
How to make flowers last longer
Fresh flowers will last longer if you cut the stems just before putting them in water. Maintain the water level by adding ice cubes to the vase every morning and night. Chilled water also helps flowers last longer. Add 1 teaspoon of bleach or 1 aspirin to the vase water to prevent bacteria. Use the sachets supplied by florists.
TIP: For lily pollen, turmeric, curry powder, nicotine or any yellow pollen stains, apply lavender oil. On hard surfaces, use 1 teaspoon of lavender oil per litre of water and wipe with a cloth or sponge. On fabric, apply a couple of drops of straight lavender oil, rub with your fingers and rinse with water.
How to make your own potpourri
There are a couple of ways to make potpourri. One is to place flower petals (any fragrant petal is fine) in a bowl and turn them each day until they dry out. The other way is to dry them in the microwave. Lay the flower petals on a sheet of paper towel and heat them in 30-second bursts until dry. Add 1 teaspoon of orris root powder to an ice-cream container of dry petals and the potpourri can last up to 12 months. Otherwise, it will last for 6 months. Don’t use daisies because the dried petals smell like cat urine!
Turn an old teapot into a vase or grow a pot plant in it.
Use teapots as watering cans for pot plants inside the house.
Put teapots on display or use as decoration.
TIP: Don’t throw old silver away. It can be sold, melted down and turned into other silver items. Merchant jewellers buy and sell old silver and pay by the ounce.
Store cotton balls in them.
Fill with talcum powder and place a powder puff on top.
Use to tie back curtains. Attach to the wall with Velcro spots.
Use as a toggle for scarves.
DID YOU KNOW? A study done in the United States found people who live alone used 73 billion more kilowatt-hours per year of electricity and 627 billion gallons per year more water than people who share a household. The report concludes it’s more environmentally friendly to live with other people.
Remove the labels and use as vases or decorative pieces. Use several along a window to obscure an unattractive view without blocking the light.
Fill with bubble bath. For an easy recipe use the search feature of your ebook reader to search for ‘bubble bath’. It’s a great gift idea.
Use mini-liqueur bottles to store salad dressing when taking lunch to work or school.
If you don’t have any doilies, you can always find them at second-hand and charity stores. Use them to protect furniture.
Place them over jugs to keep flies away.
Stitch onto an apron to make pockets.
Sew onto cushions for decoration.
Fold a doily in half and stitch along the edge leaving an opening. Fill with potpourri, stitch closed and place in wardrobes and drawers.
Make a fancy evening skirt for a Barbie doll.
Sew doilies onto the edges of hand and bath towels for decoration. (See How to be Comfy and use the search feature of your ebook reader to search for ‘doilies’ for detailed directions.)
Stitch doilies together to make a table runner.
TIP: You can sell antique linen to vintage stores. There’s been a revival in people making heirloom clothes from antique linen.
The paperless office hasn’t quite arrived but we’re certainly more conscious of how we use and recycle paper. Thanks to the internet, email, disk drives and memory sticks, more information can be kept virtually which helps to save trees.
You can put some money-saving strategies into place in the study by having a good organisational system for bills and payments so you avoid late fees. One way to keep on top of bills is to enter the details on internet banking as soon as the bill arrives but select the ‘payment by’ option and enter the date when the bill is due. It means the money stays in your account until the very last moment but the bill is paid on time.
Computers
Computers and printers are getting cheaper to buy but there’s still confusion about what to do with old ones. In Australia, around 1.6 million computers are dumped in landfill each year. Then there’s a staggering 5.3 million old computers collecting dust at people’s homes. HP and Dell recycle old computers (Dell will come to your home and pick up your old computer for a small fee) and Apple has just started collecting unwanted ones. There are also electronic waste recyclers such as www.ewaste.com.au which charge a fee to remove your old electronics. Another option is to contact your local council to see if they have a recycling service. Groups can be found online who refurbish and pass computers on to disadvantaged groups. You could also check with Planet Ark’s www.recyclingnearyou.com.au to find out your nearest recycling centre. Just make sure you remove any sensitive information from the hard drive before you pass your computer on. Disk-cleaning software is available for this purpose or you could physically remove the hard disk.
TIP: Don’t throw your printer cartridges in the bin. Recycle them in ‘Cartridges 4 Planet Ark’ bins which can be found at most post offices.
CHANGE FOR GOOD: The state of Victoria runs a system called Byteback which collects and recycles old or broken computers, printers, keyboard cables and power packs. Up to 97 percent of all material collected through Byteback is recycled.
TIP: You can buy a power board that turns all your computer powered devices on and off so you don’t use stand-by power.
DID YOU KNOW? Lots of the components in computers are coated in gold because it’s a great electrical conductor that doesn’t corrode. Sadly, there’s not enough to make it worthwhile to melt down.
Australians love their mobile phones. In 2007, there were 22 million mobile phones being used and their popularity just keeps on rising. Mobile phone batteries contain cadmium and need to be recycled. To find out where to deposit them, check www.mobilemuster.com.au.
DID YOU KNOW? Screensavers don’t save energy but cycle images so that one image doesn’t become burnt on the monitor’s screen. This isn’t necessary for LCD screens because they don’t get image burn.
How to dispose of batteries
Don’t throw your batteries into the bin because it’s bad for the environment. Many places recycle them. If you can, use rechargeable batteries. Shannon’s husband uses rechargeable batteries and labels them so he knows when they were last charged.
Sell to second-hand bookshops.
Donate old books to school libraries or your local library. If they don’t want them, they often hold book fairs to raise money.
Cut up old picture books for decoupage.
If there’s a favourite poem or piece of text in a book, cut it out, paste it on cardboard and make a card or stick it in a diary or storybook.
Some old books have marbled pages. Use these pages to make gift cards, wrapping paper or bookmarks. If someone loves Shakespeare, use old pages from a book for their birthday card.
Cut out pages and stick them together and use as drawer liners. Just make sure the paper is acid free. Books printed before 1950 are acid free.
Turn pages into wallpaper. You could have an entire wall covered in the pages from your favourite book. Or cover the wall of your loo with old books (seal with clear waterproof finish). You’ll always have something to read.
Save old Yellow Pages for papier-mâché projects. Make a miniature village using chicken wire and papier-mâché. When water is added, the pages turn green which makes them ideal for creating hills and valleys. You could even sprinkle over some grass clippings.
The paper in Yellow Pages is perfect to use as a stencil to carve designs for screen printing.
DID YOU KNOW? Old jewellery boxes were often made of papier-mâché coated in shellac.
Use in children’s craft projects. Donate them to daycare centres and preschools.
Use old greeting cards to decorate soap. Cut out the image you like, dampen the surface of the soap with water and rub the picture onto it with your finger. Make sure you get some of the soap film over the top of the picture to help it stick. Allow to dry.
Frame cards that you love and use them to decorate your home.
Keep them for decoupage.
Turn old greeting cards into new cards. Cut out the images you like and glue them to a new piece of cardboard.
Recycle them. After Christmas, Planet Ark collects and pulps old cards. It says 600 million cards have been recycled saving over 115,000 trees.
There’s so much exquisitely designed wrapping paper it seems a shame to throw it out. Reuse it! Remove the sticky tape. If it’s stuck, place a warm iron on the back of the paper over the sticky tape and the heat should release the glue. While you’re at it, iron the paper ready to use again. Dress it up with ribbons or string. Combine various off-cuts to create different effects.
Cover schoolbooks or journals.
Use as backing on a noticeboard.
Shannon cuts out shapes from old wrapping paper and sticky tapes them together to form new wrapping paper. You can also weave different strips of paper to make new sheets.
Turn ribbons into bookmarks.
Use old ribbon along a bookshelf to sort books into sections.
Sturdy ribbon can be used to hang paintings on walls.
There’s always the option of using it to tie over little girls’ pigtails.
Reuse to wrap around gifts and parcels.
Most clocks, and this includes digital clocks, can be repaired. If they can’t, don’t throw them out because the parts can be used to repair other clocks. Take them to a watchmaker.
The cogs inside clocks can be made into jewellery. Some cogs even have jewels such as sapphires and rubies in them.
DID YOU KNOW? The Federal parliament is going green. Minimum five-star ratings for government office buildings and leases will become the norm with the most efficient and cost-effective appliances used for Commonwealth operations.
