The Cottage Smallholder

Save yourself squashed bread and the likes by using one of those handy bottle bags that you can buy in the supermarket to carry 6 bottles of wine..  Use this to pack 12 cans of food instead.

Instead of using cling film, ask people to take the shower caps when in hotels.  these can be used for anything from a bowl to a plate cover, mini proporgater.  Then turn inside out wash it and dry on  mug tree or rack.

stop wasting flour when dredging meat for casseroles etc.  instead of using a plate as when on tv chef programmes.  using an old jar, drill holes in the lid like a flour or sugar duster.  save 2 jars the same.  you need the 2 lids.  drill one with the holes and keep the other intact.  season your flour like normal.  use the drilled hole lid to dust your meat.  less waste for sure and use the complete lid with no holes to store the seasoned flour in.

an olde but a goody keep jam jars to add tealights to.  to light paths and make twinkle lights in.

plastic boxes tupperware, if the are no longer fit for food containers - if they have seen better days, screw and raw plugs can live in them.  If not that then drill holes in it and use it as a seed tray.  you can also do this with yoghurt pots.

table cloth got spots on it, if it is white, use tippex on it, if not time to wash it.  If it is good enough for the QE2 then it is good enough for me.  No table cloth?  Use a flat sheet from a bed.  obviously a clean one.

use socks that have seen better days to clean all those areas you just cant do with a normal cloth.  Put in on your hand, run your hand up the bannister, and a round the spindles as you go up the stairs.  turn it around and then on the way back down from the loo or what ever, use the other side to do the skirting board on the stairs on the way down.  (I have a large plant at the top of my stairs, my sock lives in the corner behind the pot).  This can also be used to clean venitian blinds I am so not paying for one of the things that has sponges on it and looks like it is some tongs. Just use a sock on your hand and use your thumb and index finger to either side of the slat.  Also if it is a cheaper blind like and ikea metal on like we have, you wont damage the slats like my friend did you had the sponged tongs.  as with your fingers are more gentle.

the cheapest cola down the loo really does work.  Thanks kim and aggy.  Flush the loo and hold the ball cock up.  then flush again so no water comes out.  2 bottles of cola down the toilet and leave there for as long as possible cleans and gets ride of lime scale.

another kim and Aggy, marks in the bath from rugby playing other halves or children, fill the bath with hot water, swish in lots of biological washing powder.  leave over night, pull plug swish a round with shower head or water in a jug, no scrubbing or the risk of scratching the bath.  and the grit just flows down the drain

I think that is enough for tonight,

can you use nut shells to deter snails and slugs?