Using things for a purpose other than for the intended purpose for which they were sold

The net bags onions and other fruit and veg are sold in to put over my pots of bulbs and keep the squirrels from digging them up

Laundry baskets for supermarket deliveries.
Tweezers for retrieving bits of food which have dropped into the kitchen plug hole.
Pole for opening the loft hatch to tuck in duvets on beds which are against the wall.
Cotton buds for cleaning small crevices around sinks and window frames.
Plant pot on my dressing table for brushes & combs.

After I inherited my mother's (superior) rolling pin, my original one sits in the corner of the hall, ready to silence an over-sensitive smoke alarm.....

I also use a slim 'sandwich tray' under the boiler to catch any drips, just in case and a hideous old vase under the kitchen sink which does the same job. Can you tell I've had a few plumbing problems over the decades?

NotSpaghetti tights are also very good as plant ties. Cut into strips they are strong yet flexible and soft. I’ve saved sunflower plants that are practically snapped in two.

ixion

Surely it is better to run a bucket of water -or washing up bowl-and add liquid Flash or similar?
And use a cloth which can be washed out afterwards?

There's something in anti-bacterial wipes I think perhaps alcohol, if you just use the tips of them or for a small area, it dries without leaving a mark. I found that Flash does not work on my walls. they need to be repainted.One packet lasts at least a year.
On the other hand, Flash kitchen spray is brilliant for removing grease. I spilt a bottle of oil on a red sand stone flag in the porch and thought it was marked forever. I sprayed it with the Flash and scrubbed the whole square of sandstone no marks left at all. So I tried it on one that was at least three years old and it got the oil stain out as well.

I have turned a large brown wheelie bin, into a huge water butt. Connected it to the down-pipe, through it's lid, and then fed a short hose from there to a conventional water butt. One keeps the other topped up. (When it rains) and has been very successful.

An old biro to push out plants from pots from the holes in the base.

Small crotchet hook which came with an old loom band kit to rescue a dropped stitch when knitting - the bands themselves act as 'markers' to separate parts of the knitting with a complicated pattern.

When we have to alter the clocks - the kitchen clock is too high up to reach the hands so I use a long-handled potato masher to move them round.

In the days when I wore tights they were great for hanging pumpkins, onions, marrows and melons.

Also good for hanging sugar-stuffed marrows for marrows rum!

I do loads of these as well, especially the ladles for reaching things in high cupboards and the kitchen window latch which is too far back from the sink! I then have to go outside to push it closed though!
I use a stainless steel chopstick for stirring paint, easy to wipe clean afterwards.
I use old tights to “ contain” toy stuffing when I’ve knitted or crocheted something for the grandchildren.
My dads workshop had shelves full of rows of national dried milk tins carefully labelled - “ short pieces of string” , 1/2 “ nails” etc. My dad was the king of repurposing.
I’ve got several old stone hot water bottles which I’ve made covers for and they are now door stops. Might need to return them to their original purpose this winter though…..

I use my picker-upper to help draw my living room curtains closed. It used to be a struggle when I had a sofa in front of the windows. The sofa has gone, but we all still use the grabber. It also has a magnet on the bottom, which we found by accident.
A walking stick kept by the front door is used to open the bolts at the top and bottom of the door. Saves me bending and stretching.

Surely it is better to run a bucket of water -or washing up bowl-and add liquid Flash or similar?
And use a cloth which can be washed out afterwards?

FannyCornforth

I know that they are the devil’s work, but antibacterial wipes (Flash and the like) are brilliant at cleaning gloss painted woodwork

I forgot that one Fanny. We shouldn't buy them but life is too short and they do loads of jobs even coffee spilt down a stairwell and we weren't tight.

I have a set of measuring cups in different sizes for baking.

One sits in the detergent box for measuring out washing powder.
Cotton buds for cleaning the plug hole in the bathroom.

A Harrods Xmas tree decoration which I wore for years as a long necklace.

As well as plenty of the above ideas I use blu-tac to "mind" screws and other small items whilst (for example) drilling/fixing things in awkward spaces. It saves me fumbling in pockets/climbing up and down ladders etc.

I fitted new (high up) window stays recently and it was so much easier with the stay pin held safe on the wall nearby and my hands free to drill screw holes in the timber.
A lump of blu-tac is also useful to hold things whilst screwing or drilling. Putting up pictures is easier if you have a "third hand" like this.

I know that they are the devil’s work, but antibacterial wipes (Flash and the like) are brilliant at cleaning gloss painted woodwork

Nail varnish remover is great for getting stubborn marks off paintwork.
Smearing toothpaste onto chrome taps, leaving for a few minutes, then rinsing off with cold water will give you shiny, sparkly taps.

Wooden cocktail sticks to clean out the nooks and crannies in my glasses (worn daily) and the shower head.

I immerse my potted plants in a water container and then catch the water as it drains through by
placing them on BBQ grids suspended over buckets .

I use clothes horses with old sheets pinned on top to protect my potted plants .

Old tea bags to prevent moisture loss on plants.

Kebab sticks to prevents cats digging up seedlings .

Old tights to tie plants up and also to support heavy fruit .

I'm going to try the knife sharpening trick from Nannagarra .

One that I haven't tried - cutting up milk containers and writing plant nanes on them in indelible ink .

A ceramic toilet brush holder as a vase (well washed of course)

My back scratcher to open and close a small skylight window in my utility room which I cannot reach..

Anti-septic wipes for taking marks off walls or carpets, especially the dratted spiders.
Shoe last as a door stop
DD's aged 40+ first plastic feeding spoon in the salt pig , measures half a teaspoonspoon.
Coffee spoon measures in my vanilla sugar /caster sugarmade with used dried vanilla pods.
Toothbrush for round the sink taps and car door hinges.
Nutcrackers to open stuborn small bottle tops.
Pillow cases to take washing to the washer no lost socks or pants on the stairs.
Washing baskets for the Grocery delivery.
Clean plain plastic shower cap over dough to let it rise.
old pieces of soap in a plastic net under the tap on the bath.
Platic medicine spoon to feed baby whs DD had forgotten spoons.
Black bags and blue tak to black out babies room.
The daftest ever when having DD I had to use disposable paper pants with the gusset cut as bras I had only bought one!!!

I fill an ice cube tray with a different colour of acrylic paint in each section, put a layer of damp kitchen roll in a plastic container, put the tray in then sealed lid. Keeps your paint fresh for days.

Freudian slip!