photo by booleansplit
If you have kids or grandkids, you know how all of their crafty little supplies can get messy to cart around. I like the first tip for organizing supplies and projects. I’m a fan of story sacks (cloth bags with a book and activity), so having activities ready and stored in reusable containers gets a big thumbs up from me. You could create travel activities, and they could easily be mailed as a surprise, too. Think: Play dough or clay and cookie cutters, puzzle books, school supplies or baking kits. The possibilities are endless.
DIY CRAFT TOTE: I buy my shortening at Aldi, and they package it in a plastic canister. I’ve been cleaning and saving them for a while and finally thought up a second use for five of them. I punched two holes opposite each other on the top rim and reused some gift-bag handles to make each container a tote. I’ve packed each of them with a special craft the kids and I can do together every weekday. One day is watercolors, paintbrushes, cups for water and paper squares; one is a simple critter to sew and stuff; one for make-and-bake clay; one is a simple pony-bead project; one is a cut-and-glue stick picture. I have so many craft supplies that I haven’t touched in years, so I’ll just keep refilling the “totes” every weekend with new projects. Two birds with one stone! –Constance, New Jersey
Note from Sara: You can use ice-cream tubs for this, too.
REFILL BOTTLES: I always keep one empty or almost empty shampoo bottle to put all my samples in. I just open samples and put them in the bottle. Because of this, I don’t have a bunch of samples sitting around. I just mix them all up together! — Kim, Nebraska
HOMEMADE V-8 JUICE: My husband says you can’t tell the difference in the taste. It saves money. Use 48 ounces plain tomato juice and 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning. Mix and serve chilled. — Brenda, New York
REUSE SHOEBOXES: I paint and decorate shoeboxes so they match the rest of the house. I have one for our dog with glossy dog pictures on it and a similar one for our cat, storing their brushes and claw clippers, medicine and other stuff. — Ida, Finland
MULTIPURPOSE CLEANER: I wanted to clean my bathtub and found that I didn’t have any of my favorite cleaner on hand. My nephews went into the shower with terribly dirty feet. Something black, almost like tar, was all over the sides of the tub. Not wanting to give up without a try, I got the Shout spray bottle and proceeded to clean my tub with it. I was very surprised and pleased when it worked and made short time of the black rings in the tub. — Mystical Rain, Pennsylvania
DECORATING WITH SHEETS: I recently bought my son a new full-size bed. I had sheets for it but not a bedspread. I took an old full-size comforter and covered it with a duvet cover. I had three solid black twin top sheets, purchased for $2.50 each, which I had used as a backdrop for our 4-H exhibit last fall. I cut one in half lengthwise and sewed the half and the other two twin size together into a huge pillowcase. Then I slipped the old comforter inside. The black comforter looks great. Plus, the leftover half twin sheet will be made into curtains. Curtains plus comforter for $7.50! In addition, my mom is making four throw pillows for my son’s room with a red flat sheet, purchased for $2.50. I think it will match great! My mom is taking some old silk pillow covers (they’re getting kinda frayed) off the pillow forms to make the throw pillows, too. She plans to use the silk pieces to make doll clothes. Total: full size comforter, two matching curtains, four pillows: $10. — Mom K, Arkansas
译文:
为了孩子而产生的令人惊讶的智慧
如果你有孩子或者孙子孙女，你会知道他们多么调皮会把一些小的供应品弄的马车周围到处都是。我喜欢为组织日常用品和项目留些小想法。我是麻布袋（装有书和故事的布袋）故事的忠实迷友，所以所有的活动准备好并放在可再度利用的容器中，将会得到我的肯定。你可以创造旅行活动，他们将会很容易为这样的惊奇举动而疯狂开心。试想：玩生面团或粘土和饼干制作的人，难的书籍，学校的日常用品或者烘烤工具箱。这些可能性是无穷无尽的。
手工做些工艺品：我在超市买了一些奶油，他们将它包裹在一个塑料罐里，我暂时把他们清洗后放起来，最终我又想出了五个中的一个用途。我在罐子上端的边缘处相对位置打了两个洞，又使用一些礼品袋手柄为集装箱做了各自的手提。我已经充满了每个孩子们特有的技能，我每个周日都会一起完成。某一天是水彩画，画笔，水杯和方形的纸；一天是缝合填塞一个简单的布料的小动物手工艺品。一天是制作和烘烤日；一个是简单的穿珠子活动；一天是裁剪黏贴纸制品。我有那么多的手工艺制品以至于我在一年里都不会觉得精神恍惚。所以我只需要每个周末继续保持再填充这些“工艺品”并作出新的项目。一举两得——新泽西，不变性。
萨拉备忘录：你也能利用这种方法制作冰淇淋桶
再装满瓶子：我经常留着一个或者几乎所有空的洗发液的瓶子用来放我所有的样品。我只打开我的样品然后把他们放进瓶子。因为这样，我周围就不会摆放有一堆的样品。我只要把他们都混合堆放在一起！——金姆，布拉斯加州
自制8种果汁：我丈夫说你不能说出味道中的不同之处。它能节省金钱。实用48盎司普通的番茄汁和1汤匙之前的枣色调味料。混合后冷藏——布伦达，纽约
鞋盒的再利用：我着色装饰了一下鞋盒为了他们能够和房子的一些摆设相配。我为我家的狗准备了一个带有好看的狗图片的盒子，还有我们家的猫也有类似的一个，用来收藏他们的刷子和修接工具，药和另一些材料——艾达，芬兰
万能清洁剂：我想打扫我的浴盆发现在手边没有任何我喜欢的清洁剂。我外甥带着湿淋淋的脏脚跑进来，一些黑色的，类似焦油，使得浴盆周围到处都是，我不想没有经过尝试就放弃，我得到了喊喷雾瓶，并开始用它清洗我的浴盆。我非常吃惊也很高兴当它起作用后。对于浴盆里的黑色环形痕迹只是用了很短的时间。——神秘的李彩桦，宾夕法尼亚
被单的美化：最近我给我儿子买了一张新的大尺寸的床。我有被单而不是被套。我拿了一条舒适的旧的大尺寸棉被，用一条羽绒棉被覆盖在上面。我有三种黑色的坚实的成对的被褥，各自花了2.5美元购买的，我们4-H的展览会，我曾用它来做背景。我把一条在纵向上一剪对半，然后把另一半的和其他来呢哥哥相同尺寸的缝在一起形成一个大的枕头套。然后我在旧棉被的里面打滑。窗帘加上旧棉被是7.5美元。另外，我妈妈为我儿子的房间用了十分之四的一个红的平坦的被褥，花费了2.5美元。我想它搭配起来肯定很好。我妈妈在用一些旧的丝绸枕头（他们开始有些磨损）覆盖了一些要丢弃的枕头。她想要利用丝绸的布料做成玩偶的衣服。总计：大号的被褥，2个相配的窗帘，4个枕头：10美元——K妈妈，阿肯色州。