Banding together

Everyday we get our bundle of mail bunched up in at least a couple of those red rubber bands. After saving them for months it got me thinking: aside from making one huge red rubber band ball or bunching a load of other stuff together, what else could I do with them?

Here’s my list so far:

1) Opening jars. Slip the band around the rim of the lid and it gives you that extra bit of grip for jars and bottles that are tough to open.

2) Expanding waistlines. Loop a band through the button hole of your trousers or skirt and slip the end of the loop over the button to give you an extra, stretchy inch or so.

3) Wine bottle marker. To save you pulling every bottle out of your wine rack in order to see whether it’s one you want to open or one you want to save, wrap a band around the neck of all ‘special’ bottles that you want to keep for a special occasion, so you can instantly see that these are not the ones to pull out and pour into that chicken casserole you are making.

4) Marking other things. On the subject of bottles, if you are going on a picnic or simply like to keep a bottle of water in your car to sip from, but you have a cold and don’t want your partner or kids or anyone else to drink from your bottle, put a band round yours to differentiate it.

5) Non-slip sups. Still on the subject of drinking, if your children or older relatives have trouble gripping glasses or beakers for drinking, wrap a couple of bands around the glass to give extra grip.

6) Get a grip. Well-loved tennis racquets or even bicycle handlebars can easily have their grips refreshed by winding a few rubber bands around them.

7) Child safety. Write your name and telephone number in permanent marker on a wide rubber band and slip it round your child’s wrist when you go out with them, go to festivals or go on holiday – it’s be waterproof in the pool – so that if they get lost you can be contacted quickly.

8) Tie-dye. Use rubber bands rather than string to wrap around items you want to tie-dye. They are much easier to get on and off and don’t absorb any of the dye.

9) Sock pairers. If you have a mountain of same-coloured socks that have to go in the wash, pair them up using rubber bands beforehand so that you don’t have to sort them all out when they come out of the machine. Be sure not to wash at hotter than 40° though.

10) Pencil eraser. Wrap a band around the end of your pencil for an instant eraser.

11) Bookmark. Use a longer band to keep your diary open at the right page or mark your place in a book.