At BuySpares, our saying is “Repair Not Replace” and we’re always on the lookout for ways to help make your money go further – so far, in fact, that it just might need a plane ticket! So with that in  mind, we’re back again, armed with more cool and quirky pieces of inspiration for your home that just might make you say “Oh, what a good idea!” and other assorted exclamations of delight (well, whatever floats your boat I suppose).

We’ve already shared some ideas in our Unusual and Useful Tips for Around the Home – Part One post, and now we’ve got a handful of other money saving DIY hacks for you to try around the home.

Chest of drawers missing some handles? Have an old leather belt lying around? How about this:

Have you ever been redecorating and ended up with more paint being on your hand than on the wall? Find a circular lid or paper bowl (the disposable type you use at parties) and push the paintbrush through it – an instant spatter shield!

If you’re a lady who owns lots of earrings (or a gentleman who is that way inclined) and you keep losing the backings for them, a square of elastic band or a circle cut off the end of a pencil eraser provides an excellent alternative:

Old cutlery that has tarnished or lost its sparkle needn’t be consigned to the skip – bend the handle up and drill a hole somewhere below the eating end to create a unique looking wall hook or coat hanger:

As enthralling as ironing can be, sometimes it helps to speed the process up (that dusting isn’t going to do itself, you know). An excellent way of combating the creases on the really tricky items is by placing a sheet of aluminium foil – shiny side up – between the item itself and the ironing board; the foil reflects the heat from the iron back onto the clothing, meaning creases are removed quicker!

Old scratched CDs and DVDs can be put to use in several different ways. If that old Bananarama album just isn’t doing it for you anymore, or the documentary you got free in the Sunday paper on collecting ornamental badgers has run its course, why not try using the disc as a reflector on a child’s bicycle?

Are your windows taking a pounding from kamikaze garden birds? Suspending a disc above or in front of the window can deter birds from flying into it as the CD or DVD reflects sunlight and compels them to keep their distance.

Old or scratched discs can make excellent coasters too, keeping your surfaces coffee stain free and your CD player happy that it’ll never have to play that Bananarama album again.

On the subject of coasters, used wine corks glued or tied together can bring a rustic yet classy appearance to your coffee table, as well as providing you with a convenient excuse to open a few more bottles.

And finally, if you’re in need of a unique looking serving tray and have just finished having your kitchen refurbished, an old cupboard door can provide a great means of getting your tea from the kitchen to the sofa prior to the commencement of Eastenders:

Suffice to say, BuySpares stocks a great range of garden and DIY tools and accessories to help you with your home projects and putting you on the path to DIY enlightenment, all of which can be found here (DIY enlightenment available for a limited time only, terms and conditions apply).

Hopefully your inspiration has been primed and ready for action, and please share any other cool household ideas you have in the comments box below! Don’t forget to keep checking back with us here at the Everything Homes lifestyle blog – who knows what we’ll come up with next?

We certainly don’t!

Tags: DIY, home improvement, Recycling