On a shelf in our bedroom, I have a little collection of jewellery boxes.

My jewellery tends to be on the cheap (and/or home-made) kind but every now and then, I get something in a box – either a proper padded ring or earring box, or just a fancy cardboard one.

Given the cheapness of the items (and my laziness), I rarely use the boxes after I’ve got them (as I’ve got a proper jewellery box and a tray to fling cheap bracelets into) but as always, I’m reluctant to throw the little boxes away.

Any suggestions for reuses that would take advantage of the padding? Or do any charities collect them for reuse?

(Photo by nsoup)

It’s John’s birthday today and while between the two of us, we’re not big gift givers, he’s sure to receive presents from family and friends.

Back when John and I first met and still gave gifts, he once wrapped my birthday present in newspapers and elastic bands, with a spoon for a “bow”, but his friends and family are more traditional when it comes to gift wrapping.

So what can we do with the gift wrap once its cast aside? Even with careful opening, it might not be in big enough pieces to use for any substantial present wrapping in the future so what are the alternatives?

And with Christmas around the corner too, any special ideas for reusing or recycling festive Christmas wrapping paper?

(Photo by shanii)

John and I were digging through the cupboards for something to accompany our cheese-and-bread lunch yesterday and we can across half a soggy pack of cream crackers and a long-opened pack of nacho chips. They had lost their crack, their crisp and their snap.

They weren’t out of date, just had been left unsealed and absorbed the steam from our cooking in the kitchen. They tasted fine, just were disconcertingly chewy.

Has anyone got recipe suggestions that would cover up the lack of crunch?

(Photo by sh0dan)

Had an email from Ben H:

here’s a suggestion. one of my trusty rucksacks straps broke the other week. i’ve tried to sown it back to the bag a couple of times but each time it snaps again because of all the stuff i carry on my back.

i’ve decided to buy a new bag because the zip is past it too but still, i am reluctant to throw the old one away. have you got any ideas?

(Photo by worack)

And from toothpaste tubes to the toothbrushes themselves.

John has a habit of splaying the bristles all over the place in a single use so we go through quite a few. We’ve got a small collection of them in the bathroom cleaning products cupboard with the idea that we’ll use them for cleaning around taps (something that rarely happens and when it does, a cloth usually suffices) and they occasionally get used to cleaning the cat hair/food/assorted beverages out of computer keyboards – but has anyone got any other suggestions from how we can use up the stash?

They’re mostly bog-standard manual toothbrushes but we’ve got a few to go on the top of an electric toothbrush from John’s short dalliance with power-assisted cleaning so suggestions for both the long and short would be appreciated.

(Photo by kadrip55)