Make do and mend!

by Rachel Robson on 26 June 2009  |  2 comments
Tweet

It’s funny how the wartime motto ‘make-do-and-mend’ is starting to make a come-back. And rightly so!

It's funny how the wartime motto 'make-do-and-mend' is starting to make a come-back. And rightly so! After all, at a time when we all need our cash to go further, what better way to do it than to recycle and reuse?

Having done a bit of browsing on the internet, I came across this very interesting article in the Manchester Evening News all about the very same subject - it also gets a mention in Miss Thrifty.

Back in the late 1940s/early 50s, the newspaper published a booklet called Take a Tip which was full to the brim with handy household tips from readers. All of these titbits centred around the idea of limiting waste and repairing items so that they could be reused.

So I thought I'd share five of my favourites:

Stop that Drip
Before using a newly bought bottle of sauce, liquid coffee essence, etc., wind a pipe-cleaner tightly and neatly round the neck of a bottle. This will catch all the drips after use and will keep the bottle and table clear from stains which often do not come off with washing.

When dirty, the pipe-cleaner is easily replaced.

Take your Time
That old alarm clock which will no longer tick need not be thrown away; it has many uses yet. For instance, set the hands to the time when you put that cake in the oven, baby's feeding time, hair appointment friends' visit: surprising how the list can grow.

Shoe-shine with a Banana Skin
To give brown leather shoes and boots an extra shine, rub them with the inside of a banana skin before polishing them in the usual way.

Do the same for black leather by adding a few drops of orange juice to the polish.

Fluffy Pillows
Have you any of 'grandma's' old feather cushions or pillows in the house and do you feel like throwing them out when you try to 'fluff' them up?

Undo a small piece in the seam of the cover, just enough to insert the tube of a bicycle pump.
Use the pump gently in the ordinary way and the air will 'fluff' up the feathers.

Rubber Bands
Do not throw away your rubber gloves when they are no longer watertight. Cut across in suitable widths and you will have a splendid selection of good rubber bands of different sizes - most useful in any household.

You can read all of these ideas and more in the Manchester Evening News. And if you have any of your own make-do-and-mend ideas, add them in the comment boxes below.