Your Top Make Do and Mend Tips

I asked for Your Top Make Do and Mend Tips a little while ago, and you very generously came up trumps (yet again!)

As suspected, I was too last minute to get organised with business cards, but I am love the idea of collating all your fave tips and having them printed onto business cards or postcards to give out.
On the new site, I want to have a page dedicated to them, so that people can just drop by and leave their tips anytime, but for now, here’s the collation of all of them as it stands:

• Any letters/ junk mail that has a “clean” side (ie nothing printed on it) tear neatly into smaller squares to keep in a box near the phone for noting down messages
  Linda A
• Keep small scraps of fabric,they can be sewn together later to make random patchwork placemats/mug mats. The more random a selection the more interesting!
  Hilary from Lincs
• Have swishing events for you and your partners clothes, childrens clothes, childs equipment, garden stuff, household stuff
  @Thriftylesley
• Use cardboard toilet roll inners to sow seedlings. Plant straight into the ground when ready. Voila – biodegradable pots for free!
  @myzerowaste
• Never throw any of your glass jars away – they can be used and reused again and again … Storage, jams, buttons, paint, seashells, flowers, candles, paper clips, hyacinth bulbs, herbs, terrariums, homemade deserts, wedding flowers, gifts, sweeties -absolutely anything!
  Trixie @lovinglymadeltd
• Menu plan and shop with a list, grocery shopping online is a great way to avoid impulse buying
  @Thriftylesley
• The ribbon loops inside the shoulders of many new jumpers and T shirts make great ribbons for tying onto home made gift tags
  Linda A
• Shop your cupboards-use up what you have and meal plan according to what is in your cupboards
  @Thriftylesley
• Sow cut and come again lettuce and keep on the windowsill if no outdoor space, half a dozen plants will keep a family going all summer
  @Thriftylesley
• Save your “empty” mustard and ketchup bottles when you can’t get the last little bit out. The next time you make spaghetti sauce, add a little water to the bottle, shake it up, and add it to the sauce
  SAB
• Cut up old birthday/Christmas cards into gift tag sizes, punch a hole in the corner and thread through a ribbon loop
  Linda A
• Empty prescription medicine bottles work great for holding beads and other small craft items like pins, rubber bands, jewellry findings, etc..
  SAB
• Blitz any stale bread or crusts into breadcrumbs and keep in the freezer to use for future meals / recipes
  Heather
• If you have a woodburner, augment the fuel with tightly rolled newspaper/junk mail held in a Toilet roll inner – they burn for a long time
  Mike P
• Keep Christmas and birthday cards-cut bits out and re-use as card toppers on recycled card
  Sandyfaithking
• Hang stems of herbs up to dry in the summer months – no plastic packaging and food for free!
  @myzerowaste
• Make as many gifts as possible through the year – hand made gifts are such a wonderful thing to receive 🙂
  Sandyfaithking
• Keep your newspapers for a base for lighting your fire
  Trixie @lovinglymadeltd
• Use a slow-cooker, and always make extra so there’s never any need for TV dinners
  Sandyfaithking
• Use ecoballs for washing and save on detergent costs
  Sandyfaithking
• Use laundry detergent balls for organising drawers – they’re perfect for drawing pins, paper clips, blue tack etc.
  @myzerowaste
• Cut the corner off of a tired dish sponge and you have yourself a counter sponge! Cut a second corner, it becomes a floor sponge. Cut a third corner, it becomes a bathroom sponge
  Keely
• Use up left over wine in Italian meals for extra flavour
  Lisa Harrison
• Small bits of leftover wool are good for stuffing felt items
  Aril
• Save on gifts by using unwanted tins ,packets etc as a food lovers hamper
  Lisa Harrison
• Store away your magazines for wrapping up gifts or using for decoupage
  Trixie @lovinglymadeltd
• Use old make-up bags for dividing up your bag contents so you can find things easily
  Lisa Harrison
• Pretty greetings card fronts make lovely Thank you cards. Just cut off the front of the card and use like a postcard. Unique and don’t cost you a bean
  Linda A
• Save packaging for craft play sessions
  Lisa Harrison
• Turn old cards into tags for presents
  Lisa Harrison
• Add a little water to extend the life of hand wash and sauces etc.
  Lisa Harrison
• Washed out glass jars make great tea light holders
  Lisa Harrison
• Freeze left over meat from Sunday joints, then pop all in a stew with lentils, veg + dumplings. No one will be any the wiser!
  Sue P

Feel free to add any more in the comments, and I’ll keep on compiling the list!