With there being so many odds and ends around the home, decluttering is in our blood. We spot a piece of rubbish, and it gets collected there and then, destined for landfill. But is this what your grandma would do? Mine certainly wouldn’t!
To Grandma, such items might not be rubbish at all. In fact, they could have all sorts of uses around the home that you hadn't even considered. Keen to learn more? We’ve rounded up 6 things your grandma would never chuck away, and how you can take a leaf out of her book and give them a second life.
Old tablecloths
Just the other day, my mum used a batch of old tablecloths to assemble a makeshift fort for the grandchildren. One cloth was used for the tent, while another was placed on the carpet to protect it from spills – and the kids were free to have their very own picnic inside.
Old tablecloths can have all kinds of uses, though. They’re always handy when you need to protect floors and surfaces, whether you’re painting the walls or storing a vintage car for the winter. They’re good for protecting the boot of your car if you travel with pets, too.
Mystery buttons
My grandparents had a wide selection of mystery buttons stashed away in the sewing box. As a girl, my mum used to play with them, and I remember doing the same. Now that I’m older, I ask: what’s the point? But buttons have more uses than you’d think.
Just this week, my mum taught my niece to sew with a selection of buttons on a handkerchief – one of the essential DIY skills children should know. Buttons come in use for all kinds of craft projects, too, such as personalised greetings cards or handcrafted cushion covers. And let's not forget that they come to the rescue when a button pops off your best coat, so it's best to keep them!
Silica gel sachets
Whenever you buy a new pair of shoes or a handbag, you might have noticed these little paper packets of silica gel. They seem pointless, so they’re often one for the bin. But don’t chuck out these handy little sachets!
Silica Gel packets keep the environment dry through a process called adsorption. They’re ideal for managing humidity levels in tight spaces, so they have several uses around the home. Some of our favourites include the jewellery box, the gym bag and the toolbox, but my grandma would reserve them for the photo albums to keep the pictures dry and preserved.
Elastic bands
Elastic bands come through the front door for all sorts of reasons. It might be wrapped around your post, containing cables or just keeping a bundle of spring onions together. In any case, once the band has served its purpose, it’s typically for landfill.
My nan once scolded me for making this assumption – elastic bands can always come in use! She used them to keep stationary together, to seal her plant seeds in their packs and to keep her jam jar lids on (the lids wouldn't seal as well as they do today). These days, I find them handy to keep packets closed; I use one to contain my dishwasher salt once it's been opened.
Empty jars
My nan and grandad would never throw away an empty jar, whether jam or sauce. Once it had been cleaned and thoroughly dried, my nan would use it to hold her detergent powder, while my grandad kept them for containing washers and screws in the toolshed.
So long as they’re clean and sealed, jars can come in use for holding dry foods in the pantry, too. If you’re keen to remove the glue from the sticky label, rubbing alcohol can help.
VHS tapes
When my parents had to declutter my nan’s house, they found stacks of VHS tapes. While this is dated technology, my nan couldn’t bring herself to throw them away – what if they contained precious memories?
No one wants to get rid of sentimental items, but if you can’t watch them, there's little point in keeping them. There are services available that can convert VHS tapes to digital and DVD; Snappy Snaps and Asda both do this. So you can finally see what’s been stored.
