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

You wear a thong in the kitchen Chewie ? Well, I suppose in this hot weather……

Those kitchen thong thingies that are for turning meat over are brilliant for reaching things down from the top of the cupboard.

A dog ball thrower to scoop out moss in the guttering.

Brilliant thread StarDreamer!

I have loads of these, but the one that first comes to mind is laundry liquid.
It’s the best thing for cleaning nearly anything.
Baths (soak over night, it turns out gleaming - it makes the house smell nice too), stains on carpets, crusty oven trays.

Antiperspirant is a more effective (and much nicer smelling) air freshener.
I always had a can of it in the loo at school that I shared with the kids
?

I put a frozen picnic block - not sure of proper name - in a plastic box with a damp flannel on it to cool me down in the middle of a hot night. Amazing on the back of the neck!
I measure out my dry porridge oats with a child's plastic cup as it's just the right size - the child is now 51

I too use my pasta spoon to reach the kitchen window handles to pull them to, but has anybody talked of their original use?
As a backscratcher of course!

I "hook" things down from the top shelves with a ladle, like a shepherd's crook (others have mentioned spatulas and such, but something with a bent over end gives you more purchase)

nadateturbe

My herb cutter is great for slicing pizza.

*

I once saw a "hack" on YouTube for using a pizza-cutter to chop herbs! Did it last night, in fact!

Flat bedsheets as tablecloths. They are perfect for those village hall type tables. Just the right size and ever so elegant!

AussieGran59 what a great idea. Thank you. I'll be copying this.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

A pair of bamboo chopsticks to stir scrambled eggs while cooking. For some reason, they work better than a spoon or fork.

I'm another who uses a spaghetti spoon for opening the kitchen window. I use the end of my potato peeler to prise ring pulls up when I can't get my finger under them. It us actually meant for removing the eyes from potatoes.

Upturned wire hanging basket on top of a patio pot to prevent squirrels from digging up newly planted bulbs.

Callistemon21 is that an A4 ring file? I’m keen to adopt your idea.

Blossoming

Barbecue tongs for lifting things from shelves I can’t reach. An old school wooden ruler for opening/closing the window vents.

Blossoming, I used them the other day to pick up a screw from outdoor lights, which had fallen behind my solar fountain. I was afraid I would smash it, if I bent over it to retrieve the screw. They were perfect for the job!

Today, I used a long handled pizza paddle, to get a box down from a very high shelf in the garage.

A spaghetti scoop thing as a window opener.
An ice bucket as a vase.
Dumbells as door stops.
Victorian wooden cake stand to hold bathroom nick nacks.

My husband once used a coat hanger to unblock a lavatory but that’s another thread!

I keep an old wheelbarrow in the back garden to catch rainwater in and water plants as my hosepipe doesn't reach the back garden. This has been a dismal failure this summer due to the lack of rain. ☹️ I've stopped using the hosepipe at all now, so there's lots of watering can lugging. ?

^Old credit card^:
- to fill holes with plaster or wood filler, then I pass the card over the surface to achieve a virtually flat surface

Great for painting in mixed media too!

Toothbrushes for cleaning awkward places
The layered baby box makes a good sewing box now
A toolbox holds paints, pencils and brushes for art
A metal file holder keeps tinfoil, baking paper etc. tidy

Wire hanging baskets turned upside down and placed over plant pots stop the squirrel eating sprouting bulbs and small plants.

contact lens cases to clean ear studs in

Oldnproud

Socks out of the laundry basket for dusting bedrooms with, when I can't be bothered to go downstairs for a duster,

Anything out of the laundry basket grin ?
It's a long way downstairs.

Veg drawers from 2 previous fridges, now under my bed holding important items.

I had visiting grandchildren from New Zealand and thought I had got everything I needed.
Then 5 year old asked where the bath toys were so a quick visit to the kitchen and we found measuring cups. 2 funnels, 2 plastic jugs, a sieve and a colander plus 2 syringes used for the cats meds (no needles obviously) .
The kids had great fun.