Frugal, thrifty and alternative uses for
Wire Coathangers
Using products you have a round the home for other jobs
If you undid all the wire coathangers you've ever owned you'd probably get a couple of miles out of them! Everytime you buy a new item of clothing one usually goes in the package, or you're asked if you want it anyway. Most end up in a messy heap somewhere around the House or Shed, but if you don't go over the top and stack them neatly, there's all too often a use for them......1. Feeding Cable
Ever drilled a hole through one of your house walls, the easy part, then spent nearly an hour cursing away because you can't get the cable through? Straighten out a coathanger, sellotape the end of the cable to the end of the wore - straight through - no problems!
2. Blocked Drains
Coathangers are invaluable here, with a bit of custom bending you can usually get down to the first bend of the drain quite well, I've found that doing that, then blowing hard through some hose pipe usually gets whatever it is out the way
3. Hooks in the Garden Shed
Just cut appropriate lengths of the coathanger and bend them to form a hook shape, you'll be surprised how much weight they will hold, but don't trust any valuable items too much!
4. Seed Row Markers
Rather than using Garden Cane to mark out your rows of vegetable seeds, cut a few hangers up and stick those into the ground. To avoid stabbing yourself (or the cat!) best fold them over so the bend is in the open rather than the sharp bits
5. Dowsing Rods
I dowse and I use coathangers to replace proper dowsing rods all the time. Some say you should create a handle, but I've found that if you hold them gently, it works fine. Simply cut the wire about 18" long and right angle bend at about 6" to form an L shape (see my Dowsing Page)
6. Garden Cloches
Protect your seeds and help them grow with a mini polytunnel. Bend the wire to a semi circle, embed into the soil and cover with polythene paper.
7. Frugal Toilet Roll Holder .
Saw up a piece of wood about 6" x 4", bend a coathanger into a straight 'u' shape and attach to the wood with some cable clips. The Wire will then swing in and out enabling you to put a toilet roll on! (bit rash that one!!).
8. Unblock Vacuum Cleaners
Now, I'm pretty expert with this one being a Cricket Dressing Room Attendant. A straightened coathanger is ideal for unblocking vacuum cleaner hoses and other 'crevices' of grass and other unwanted items which have got themselves stuck inside!
9. Temporary TV Ariel
Well I say temporary but I've worked a Bedroom TV using a coathanger as an ariel for quite a few years before. The secret is in the support, so ensure the wire isn't hanging down from the ariel socket or it will break. I know someone who had ten coathangers wired on to each other to get the ariel outside his shed wall!!
10. Mobile Hangers
Paint them bright colours and let your children make mobiles of whatever takes their fancy. Whilst at it, after painting, cut some up to use as Plant Hangers!
