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Get creative with your empty detergent bottle

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Once you’re finished with your detergent bottle there is so much more that you can do other than recycle it. Here are just some ideas. 

  • Bird feeder
  • Kettle bells 
  • Watering can 
  • Homemade detergent
  • Piggy bank

Bird feeder

During the autumn and winter months birds find it harder to forage for food. Help feed the birds, and save the environment, by making your very own laundry detergent bottle bird feeder. 

Make sure that your detergent bottle is completely empty and give it a through rinse before beginning to form your bird feeder. 

Once you’ve cleaned out your bottle, cut a bird-sized hole into the front of it. This will be how the bird accesses the food, so make sure that it is big enough for a standard sized bird to fit through. Underneath your hole, create a small perch for birds to rest on by pushing a wooden pencil or dowel through the bottle. 

After you’ve constructed your bird feeder, decorate it in any way you see fit. Use paints, streamers, glitter, whatever you have laying around to make your bird feeder as attractive to the birds as possible. 

Leave your bird feeder to completely dry before placing any bird food inside it. Once it is dried and filled with food, place it outside and in plain sight for the birds so that they can begin feasting.

Image by Indiana Ivy Nature Photogra

Weights

There’s no need to pay for a gym membership when you can make your very own weights at home.

Once you’ve used all of your laundry detergent, give the bottle a thorough clean. Next, fill the empty bottle with water or sand, creating weights. Depending on how heavy you want your weights to be depends on how much water/sand you add to the bottle. If you want to change the weight for your at-home workout, simply add or take away the amount of water/sand inside the bottle.

This is an easy, cost effective, and safe way to stay fit and healthy, especially during COVID19.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

 Watering can 

Keep your plants alive and well with this easy laundry detergent bottle watering can.

Simply give your bottle a thorough wash to remove any soapy residue and poke watering holes in the lid of the bottle.  To make your homemade watering can more appealing, decorate it however you see fit. Paint it a bright vibrant colour, and add some designs. People will never know it was originally a laundry detergent bottle. 

Homemade detergent 

Once you’ve finished using your shop-bought laundry detergent, re-fill the empty bottle with homemade detergent. The process of making your own detergent is easy. 

Piggy bank 

Get crafty and turn your laundry detergent bottle into a piggy bank. 

Begin by thoroughly washing out your empty detergent bottle to get rid of any soapy residue. Once you have done that, drill four small holes on the long flat side of your bottle. These will be the holes that you attach your pigs legs to.

Next cut a rectangle slit in the handle of your detergent bottle. This will be where you deposit your money, so make sure that your slit is large enough to deposit all sizes of coins. 

Next, decorate your piggy bank with whatever you can find in your house. Give it a thorough coat of paint to cover the base of the laundry detergent bottle before adding eyes, ears, and decorating the bottle cap as the pigs snout. 

Insert 4 screws into the drilled holes at the bottom of your detergent bottle, these will be what your piggy bank stands on. Once your screws are screwed in make sure that your piggy bank can stand up and is stable. You may need to tighten and adjust your screws to allow your piggy bank to comfortably stand.

Once you are satisfied with your piggy bank, it’s time to start saving. To access your piggy bank money, simply unscrew your pigs nose (the bottle cap) and empty it out. Happy saving. 

Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Whilst you are busy up-cycling laundry detergent bottles, let us take care of your laundry. We launder all of our clothing with the environment in mind, which is why we do not use harsh chemicals on your clothing, and we offer low emission delivery slots.

To book your Laundryheap service head to the Laundryheap website or download the free Laundryheap app. 


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Self-isolation activities for Easter weekend

We will all be spending this Easter weekend in self-isolation. But that does not mean that we can’t have a fun-filled Easter. Here are 10 fun activities to do in self-isolation this Easter weekend. 

  • Hold an Easter egg hunt 
  • Decorate some eggs
  • Make Easter nests 
  • Play Easter bingo 
  • Finger paint Easter bunnies 
  • Make an Easter piñata 
  • Take part in some Easter games 
  • Make Easter cards
  • Make Easter masks 
  • Watch Easter films

Hold an Easter egg hunt 

Easter egg hunts are an Easter weekend staple that doesn’t have to stop because you’re in self-isolation. Whilst shopping for your essentials, pick up some Easter eggs of varying sizes. Utilise the space that your home has to offer and hide them in new and inventive places- think inside a plant pot, hidden under a lampshade, etc. If you have a garden, utilise that space as well.

To make the hunt more interesting why not make it themed? Or leave clues scattered around your home that hint to where the eggs may be. You can even video call your friends and family and get them involved. 

Photo by Cyndy Sims Parr

Decorate eggs 

Egg decorating is just as fun for children as it is for adults. Plus, decorating eggs provides you with colourful new Easter decorations for your home. Either hard boil or poke a small hole into the bottom and top of an egg to drain all of the liquid from inside of it. Grab all the crafty things in your home together- pens, paint, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, cotton balls, anything at all- and let your imagination run wild.  You could even make this activity into a game and award a prize for the most inventive egg decoration.

Make Easter nests 

Easter nests are easy to make and come with the added bonus of being edible.

You will need:

  • 150g of cereal- shredded wheat is suggested
  • 250g of chocolate
  • 3 tbsp of golden syrup
  • Small chocolate eggs for decoration.
  • Cake cases for serving

Begin by melting your chocolate either in a saucepan or in the microwave- make sure to keep a close eye on it to ensure that it doesn’t burn. Once the chocolate is melted stir in 3 tbsp of your golden syrup and your cereal of choice. Stir the mixture well to make sure that ALL the cereal is covered in chocolate. Spoon your mixture into cake cases and complete your birds’ nest with a sprinkling of chocolate eggs. Leave them to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes before digging in to an eggcellent Easter treat. 

Play Easter bingo 

Bingo may come with connotations of pensioners but Easter bingo is fun for all ages. It’s much the same as normal bingo, but instead of calling out numbers you call out Easter related words. You can even make the game more interesting by including Easter themed images. If you head over to Pinterest, there are an abundance of free Easter bingo print-outs you can use, or you can spend an afternoon making your own before settling down for a night of friendly Easter competition. 

Finger paint Easter bunnies 

Get messy this Easter and finger paint your own Easter bunnies. All you need is an array of colourful paints, plain paper and your own fingers. This activity is perfect for keeping your children, and your inner child, entertained for an afternoon. Just make sure that all hands are washed before they touch anything other than their canvas. 

Make an Easter chick piñata

Who said that Pinata’s had to be saved for birthdays? Why not get creative and make your very own Easter chick piñata?

You will need:

  • 1 balloon
  • Newspapers
  • Yellow paint
  • Crepe paper
  • Feathers
  • Orange or brown card
  • Glue
  • Easter treats to put inside

Firstly, blow up you balloon and tie off the end. Then, cover your balloon in strips of newspaper dipped in glue, 3 layers should be sufficient. Once the glue has dried, cut off the bottom so that you can insert your sweets. Mark on the eyes and mouth, before painting the balloon yellow until no newspaper is showing. Next, cut your crepe paper into 2 inch squares. You will need to completely cover the balloon, however they don’t all need to be uniform. Cover your piñata with the squares, being careful to avoid the eyes and mouth. Use your card to form a beak for your chick by cutting out two triangles. Draw on your chicks eyes, or, if you have them available, use googly eyes. For the finishing touch, cover your piñata in feathers and insert your sweets, making sure to glue the bottom of the balloon back on to seal them in. Grab your household and enjoy an Easter Fiesta!

Take part in some Easter games

Awaken your competitive spirit this Easter and host your very own Easter Olympic Games. Gather your household and set a series of challenges to be completed, each with an Easter twist. Think, egg and spoon race, bunny hop challenge, and even pin the tail on the bunny rabbit. Award each challenge with a bronze, silver and gold award, until the person with the most gold medals is declared the winner. Take your Easter Olympic games one step further by creating your own medals out of yogurt lids and string. May the best athlete win!

Make Easter cards

Another way to get your households creativity flowing this Easter is by making Easter masks.

You will need:

  • A paper plate
  • A pair of scissors
  • String
  • Sellotape
  • Any crafty materials you have around the house

Firstly, cut out two eye holes so that the mask wearer can sufficiently see. Next, think about what Easter character you want to create. Are you going to be a chicken? A bunny? Or maybe a lamb. Once you’ve decided on your character, use your crafty materials to construct your character however you see fit. Once done, and any wet materials are dried, cut a length of string that can reach around the back of your head without being too tight or loose. Use two bits of sellotape to secure each end of your string to your mask and then show off your creation to the rest of your household. 

Photo by Giftpundits.com from Pexels

Watch Easter films 

Sometimes the best way to spend Easter is by relaxing with your loved ones, feasting on Easter eggs and watching Easter films. There are plenty of films to be enjoyed by all the family, and plenty of chocolate to eat, so don’t forget to have some downtime this Easter weekend. 

From all of the team at Laundryheap, Happy Easter!