Thursday 13 March 2014

Three Minutes On Thursdays #6–Get Knotted!

3-minutes [3]

I did some of these quick homekeeping tips last August and people were very appreciative. So I thought I’d do some more. [If you missed them, the details are here, and the tips are  #1,#2,#3,#4,#5]

I was prompted earlier in the week to write this tip – Bob was about to go out, and was tying his shoelaces, when both snapped! “Do we have any spare shoelaces?” he called. “How long are they?” I asked.

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I went into the bedroom, and retrieved this little box from my dressing table drawer. [It is so old that the original lid fell to bits, and I found another one to fit] Tipping out the contents on the bed, I was quickly able to retrieve a pair of black 75cm laces to fit his best black leather shoes

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I have put all my spare shoelaces in this box for over 25 years – there are the ‘extra’ laces which sometimes come with trainers,  some leather ones [bought for a craft project, but not all used] and even ones from shoes which wore out before the laces did. Now and then, I top up the box with a multipack from the Poundshop.

Having designated ‘places for laces’ is so useful. Laces usually snap when you are just getting ready to leave the house, and it is great when you can find a replacement instantly. I was very smug as I supplied Bob with what he needed this week. Shoe laces are brilliant for so many other uses. A small stash of shoelaces lasts ages, and you’d be surprised how often a shoelace proves more appropriate than just an ordinary length of string, ribbon or wool for tying things up! So I put odd laces in there too, if their partner snaps.

The multipacks often include very long ones – these make great drawstrings for fabric storage bags. They are also wonderful for children’s craft projects [and the stiffened ‘aglets’ on the ends make them easy to thread through holes]

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Finally, especially to amuse Mags, [the original inspiration for my TMOTs] who needs great encouragement as she packs up her home ready for moving house, a brief video clip…

7 comments:

  1. Yours is one of my favourite blogs and I really enjoyed TMOT last year so it’s lovely to see it back.

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  2. Places for laces, I love it! The white rabbit has a thing for laces so I need a stash of them to hand. Now you mention it I do put laces to a number of uses, never thought about how useful I find them before!

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  3. I keep a box in the hall cupboard for old laces, elastic bands, bits of string, clips etc. When old shoes are thrown away, I take the laces out and keep them. I have been known to stitch walking boot laces when they snap and they keep going for a while.

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  4. Our cats love shoelaces.We use old laces to make toys for them,much cheaper than toys from the pet store.
    Jane x

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  5. Oh my!!!! I was making one of those bottle top snakes (except I was using an old violin string instead of a lace!) and it got lost in the move!!! SO sad- I was really looking forward to painting the cork!x

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  6. ...and thank you for your kind comment earlier. Still feeling blue about the situation but realising that I cannot dwell in the what ifs and the guilt and anger I feel for myself is not constructive- I must accept that I have to do what I can in the here and now and be what I should have been all these years! Without sounding too cryptic! Thank you for your friendship!

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  7. Great post, Ang - I need to find a places for laces, and some spare laces to put in it! Thanks xx

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