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Decluttering and recycling at the same time

Written on July 8th, 2010 by Hear Mum Roar in Food, Going green, July 2010, Organisation, Saving money

My partner and I were faced with an overflowing kitchen cupboard this morning. It’s the result of blindly throwing things in and shutting the door on it when we first moved into this house. The picture above is now a new, large space for food, rather than just a cupboard for storing crap.

As we surveyed the mess in there, we continued with removing tupperware and other plastic containers containing BPA’s. Our childrens’ playroom did rather nicely out of this haul!

(Just ignore the walls with drawing on them! We’re repainting anyway, so I’m saving myself the hassle of cleaning it off just yet)

There’s lots of fun, open-ended things for the kids to play with here. We have tupperware which will be great for pretend home play, or whatever else comes out of their imaginations. There’s many, many cardboard boxes which the kids can do an infinite number of things with. So far, they’ve made a train out of all the boxes in a row, and built massive towers, which they then take great pleasure in knocking down again! (Back in the day at childcare, we called this ‘constructive/destructive play’. Nowadays, we just call it fun.)

Once the boxes are completely ruined, they’ll then go into our fireplace, or into the recycling bin. I think it’s a good idea to use what we’ve got before it gets thrown out, if it still has a use. Which brings me to cheap, recycled storage ideas.

Here’s an old bento lunchbox full of BPA’s, that’s just too damned cute to throw away.

It’s now a hair-tie and bobby-pin storage box in Missy 9′s room. Every morning we have been struggling to find her hair-ties, and more often than not, the cat was stealing them! So this is easier to find, more secure and makes her room look adorable.

The bobby pin packaging that came with the purchase was perfect for my sewing pins in the studio. The packaging I was using before this was cracked and leaking pins all over the floor, so this is much safer and easier to find.

I can’t talk about recycling junk to use it for storage without giving the good old glass jar an honorable mention, can I?

My dried mandarin peel is now ready for use, and its home is now in a clean pasta sauce jar. Hmm… when I think about it, that’s really two items that normally get thrown out, being put to good use. Not bad. Once I get my herb garden going, I plan to have lots of home grown and dried herbs and spices sitting in this spot.

I think it’s important before we throw things out, to get into the habit of asking ourselves, ‘does this have another use?’ Obviously, if you’re decluttering, you can’t keep everything! But I found this dividing shelf thingy in the kitchen cupboard (you know, to put cans on?) and was going to throw it out. Then I remembered, I still don’t have a drying rack for my woollen clothes. These racks can be expensive! So instead, the shelf is repurposed, and money is saved.

I often hear my parents talking about how they would hate to be raising kids in this day and age, due to the cost of living, and I do know what they mean. But then, I look back on how things were with my parents and grandparents, when I was growing up. Glass jars were always reused to store food, buttons, or whatever they were needed for. Ditto for margarine and ice cream containers. We weren’t such a ‘throwaway’ society, that’s for sure.

I’d love to hear your ideas of ways we can re-purpose junk, or even unwanted items in the home. What do you re-use?

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Drying mandarin peel

Written on June 20th, 2010 by Hear Mum Roar in Food, Going green, June 2010, Saving money

My three kids are all obsessed with eating mandarins. One day we’ll have our own mandarins growing in our backyard, but for now we just buy lots! Usually the kids want more than one mandarin per sitting, so I’m always left with a lot of sweet-smelling mandarin skins.

It seems such a waste to throw them in the bin, and they can’t be composted. Today, I asked all three kids to put their skins into a bowl for me, so I could cut them into small pieces with scissors. (Missy Nine would’ve loved doing this, but she was too busy eating).

Drying mandarin peel

After this, I laid them flat on a tea towel in my studio. It’s important that they be kept in a dry room…

Drying mandarin skins

Once they’ve dried out thoroughly, I’ll be using some of the batch for my pot-pourri creations and some to store in an airtight jar in the kitchen. Dried mandarin peel is delicious for giving an Asian flavour to soups and chicken. You can also make a tea from it.

It would’ve been such a shame to waste something so beautiful…

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Home made air freshener

Written on June 8th, 2010 by Hear Mum Roar in Challenges, Going green, Handmade, June 2010, Projects, Saving money

Having a new puppy in the house means we’ve been cleaning up a lot of puppy accidents. She’s getting more toilet trained, going outside to do her business. But sometimes, she just doesn’t make it. Ew. Today I was cleaning up the yard of all her poop, then came inside to freshen up Sookie’s kitty litter. My darling asked me to put some more deodoriser in his litter.

I hesitated.

a) Because we’ve run out of the deodoriser.

b) Because it’s full of bad chemicals I don’t want around my fiance.

c) Because I had another idea I’d been meaning to try for a while.

So, today, I was forced to try this idea thanks to the empty deodoriser bottle.

I went out to my front garden and tore petals from the prettiest smelling flowers I could get my hands on. I ripped them to shreds, and threw them into the bottom of Sookie’s empty litter box. Then I filled it with litter. So much nicer and more natural. Not to mention, totally free, and no packaging to dispose of.

I then changed Missy Two’s pooey nappy, and it stank the entire room out. My hands still smelt divine after ripping up all those gorgeous flowers. So, I had another idea. I returned to my garden, and took more petals: lavender, rose, geranium, daisies. I got out my trusty pestle and mortar….

…and crushed those fresh petals to buggery.

I know that with pot pouri, you’re supposed to dry the petals first, but hey, says who? The whole living room, kitchen and dining room smelt amazing. I’ve just left it sitting in the pestle and mortar, and everytime I want to reactivate the scent, I just give it a mix, or smash it a little.

From now on, I’ve decided I will start drying my own petals and do it the ‘proper’ way. Great to know though, that in a moment’s notice, it really doesn’t matter. Fresh, crushed petals rock.

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What we made with our Useful Box – Part 3

Written on November 10th, 2009 by Hear Mum Roar in Uncategorized

I’ve been running a little Useful Box series for the past couple of days. If you haven’t read the story so far, you can click below.

The Useful Box – Part 1.

Making a Useful Box – Part 2.

And, on to today. It’s been a busy day here, spent mostly out shopping. But we did manage to have a great time after the kids were showered before bed, playing around with the Useful Box and making cool stuff.

All three kids had a ball hanging out together, rummaging for goods and experimenting with different materials.

Miss 18 months was in her element as she loves just feeling like she’s one of the big kids. She was happy with a magazine, some masking tape and an envelope.

Mr Three was all about the process and not at all about the product. In layman’s terms, this means, he didn’t ‘make’ anything in particular, but thoroughly enjoyed sticking things down, cutting things, and just experimenting and journeying in general. This is a very healthy form of play for a small child, and I feel it’s very important not to pressure a child to make something that ‘looks like’ something. It’s all about the fun!

I like to cut or rip up portions of masking tape or sticky tape for the kids as they work, and stick it to the table’s edge so that they can just get to work on the fun bits. This is mostly for the littlies’ benefit, Miss 9 doesn’t really need it.

At the complete opposite end of the spectrum is Miss 9, who is obsessed with the finished product. But this is natural for her also, because she has more ability to mentally plan what she wants to achieve. It’s a great stage of development, because all sorts of awesome ideas come out, but at the same time, I sometimes have to remind her it’s not about perfection, and that she is doing a great job. Sometimes kids this age get frustrated because something might not turn out exactly as they envisioned it. But hey, life’s like that, huh? And in doing craft, or art too, they learn this lesson. They also learn that sometimes a project can evolve into something not previously imagined as a result.

Here you can see Miss 9′s handmade treasure box. She also has started on a wolf that she wants to keep working on tomorrow. I made the doll in the picture.

It’s been fun doing this series the past couple of days. The Pay It Forward Giveaway still has two spots left. I need to know what to make for whom!

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Making a Useful Box – Part 2

Written on November 9th, 2009 by Hear Mum Roar in Uncategorized

If you read yesterday’s post, then you’ll know that today I’ll be showing you how I’ve set up ours.

The first (and obvious) thing you’ll need is a big box for all your goodies. I’ve chosen to re-purpose this old plastic storage container. This box will be tough enough to withstand three very rowdy children roughing it up.

You can use whatever box you’ve got, or like. When my nine-year old daughter was little, because it was only one child using the box (except when my three stepkids came to visit), a cardboard box was fine. We also had a marvellous time decorating it.

Now, you just need to fill ‘er up! What you put into your Useful Box is only limited by your resources and imagination.

Be sure to let your family, friends and neighbours know what you need, so they can help you re-home lots of great pieces! My Gram once put a plastic Oil of Olay powder compact that was empty into my Useful Box, and for a small child it was like winning lotto!

I’ve started a list of materials that can go into a Useful Box. I look forward to reading all your suggestions in the comment section. Let’s see how long we can make this list!

- Cardboard cylinders.(If you are a childcare student looking for ideas on here, please note that many centres and preschools don’t allow toilet rolls. I know the places I worked at didn’t. But in the home, use your own discretion.)

- Plastic bottles, washed and air dried.

- Masking tape and/or sticky tape.

- Pipe cleaners.

- Pegs (I currently am not using spring-loaded pegs, as I have an 18 month-old girl who could choke when Mr 3 decides to pull the spring out in seconds flat. When she’s over three years old, we’ll use them, though). Wooden clothespins are my absolute favourite!

- String, wool or yarn.

- Wrapping paper from old gifts.

- Foil from chocolates, easter eggs, or even good old kitchen foil.

- Ribbons recycled from presents or clothing.

- Plastic lids (again, be careful with the under 3′s and ensure none are small enough to present a choking hazard).

- Any drawing or craft paper.

- Stickers.

- Scraps. These include wool, fabric, cellophane, the possibilities are infinite. Start by giving your craft room a major clean out!

- Cardboard boxes.

- Kitchen utensils such as clean dish brushes, sieves, tongs, spoons, gloves and so on.

- For kids over three, buttons and beads.

- Empty cotton reels.

- Clean shoelaces.

- Paper plates and cups.

- Patty cases for cupcakes.

- Paper bags and envelopes.

- Collage materials. Make some from scraps and cut them into small shapes to be glued. If you have a school aged child or a younger one who can cut with scissors, enlist their help.

Some various odds and sods collected from my studio and around the house. I’ve cut up some wool, fabric and wrapping paper into collage pieces for glueing.

I think the above list should give you a clear idea of a Useful Box’s contents.

If you’ve already gathered some materials together, you’ve probably already realised that if you just throw all this stuff into the box, you’re going to have a big ol’ mess. This would be a huge turn off for kids if they can’t easily access what they’re looking for.

So, for any loose items, I suggest using some clean plastic containers (margarine tubs will do, so will yoghurt cartons with sealable lids. I also like my fish oil containers, they are perfect). This will help you to keep ‘like’ items together and make them quick and easy to find.

Don’t be disheartened if your box looks too empty to begin with. A lot of what you usually throw in your recycling bin will be put into this box in future, and soon your box will be overflowing!

If you’re really in the spirit of things, get the kids to help decorate and label containers.

So, over to you; what else could we put into the Useful Box?

Note: there are still two more spots available in the Pay It Forward Giveaway. Don’t be fooled into thinking you’ve missed out just because there are more than 3 comments! So far, I’ve chosen what to make for the first blogger, Past and present, and am excited to see what It’s a Riley Life has in store for me. No pressure though… lol.

Be sure to pop back to the blog tomorrow, so you can see some Useful Box masterpieces from our place.

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The Useful Box – Part 1.

Written on November 8th, 2009 by Hear Mum Roar in Uncategorized

Do you know what a Useful Box is? If you don’t, you’re in for a treat. A Useful Box is full of items saved for children to make craft or artwork out of. It could contain feathers, clean yoghurt cartons, cardboard cylinders, used gift wrapping paper and any clean, recycled ‘junk’ you may have handy.

If you are an Aussie and have ever watched Playschool, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

I remember vividly as a child, visiting my Gram’s house. She would always tell me to go look under the spare bed in her sunroom, and see what was there. Off I would run in excitement, and with glee I would yell out, ‘it’s a Useful Box!’ Then she would let me sit at the table set up in the sunroom, and I would make all sorts of presents for my beloved Gram. I would while away the hours in my own little world, as the sun twinkled through her old louvred windows, and listen to the songs of the many different birds that lived in her lavish garden outside.

One time I arrived at her house, raced to see what was in the Useful Box this time, and she had popped a gift of toy jewelry just for me! That was the magic of the Useful Box for me; I never knew what surprises I could find in there, or what treasures would be crafted by my own small hands. Most of all though, it was something that made me feel special, that someone had made time to put together a bundle of goodies just for me, and gave me that guarantee that I was going to have a really good time.

Here I am in the 70′s, in a handmade outfit made by my darling Gram.

I also strongly believe that it was this one experience that my Gram (who loved to knit, crochet, sew and create in general) gave me, that laid a strong foundation towards a life-long love of craft. She later went on to teach me to knit and crochet, and would give me helpful advice about sewing when I started learning that at high school.

What a beautiful thing to pass on!

Why have a Useful Box?

- It appeals to a variety of age groups and interests among children – great if you have a toddler, a preschool aged child, and a school aged child as I do. Even better if you have step kids, cousins or friends coming to visit.

- It teaches children to recycle and be resourceful.

- It is cheap enough to almost qualify as being a free activity!

- It encourages constructive play.

- It develops fine motor skills (of the hands) and eye hand coordination.

- It encourages a child to draw, paint, glue, use sticky tape, cut with scissors and therefore refine all of these skills.

- Being such an open-ended activity/resource, it gives the child a sense of autonomy in their play.

- It encourages imaginative play, both during the creative journey and often afterwards, if the child chooses to use their masterpiece as a toy.

My eldest daughter when she was much younger, playing with her own home-made restaurant. I ate lots of playdough pizzas that day! Your kids might enjoy making something similar with their very own Useful Box.

- It provides the child with a language-rich experience. They can talk about the textures of their materials, where they are from and what they are doing with it.

- Enhances cognitive development. When making their own artwork or sculpture, the child gets to experience mental planning, cause and effect and problem solving.

- When more than one child is working from the Useful Box, they can learn important lessons about sharing, taking turns, showing respect for others’ property and trying to do something for themselves.

- It raises a child’s self esteem and gives them a feeling of accomplishment.

- It is a great boredom buster and keeps kids out of mischief!

- It encourages children to give to others. Many arts and crafts from the Useful Box make exquisite gifts for parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. The best gifts are always home-made!

Tomorrow I’ll walk you through setting up your very own Useful Box for either your own children or any very special visitors you may encounter. You’ll see just how easy it is!

Also, please keep in mind, that at the time of posting this, there are still two more spots to be filled on my Pay It Forward Giveaway. So make sure you don’t miss out!

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