Brainwaves weekly: Easy life hacks

The cables from my clock radio and lamp kept getting tangled and they looked messy. But I found a way to keep them neat. I folded up the excess cables on each and secured them with an elastic band. It was a great solution to those ugly plastic cables. Barbara Creed, Oxford

I had an old dolls' house going to waste, so I decided to revamp it for my friend to use as a post box for wedding cards on her big day. I painted it cream, then used a hacksaw to create a slot in the roof. Finally, I personalised it using gold paint and embellished it with LED lights. It was a really pretty addition to the present table at the reception.Christine Jenkins, Cwmtwrch, Powys

My daughter Rebecca's cat Dean had a feeding mat that had become a bit tatty over time, and I had an idea. I pulled out an old PVC apron from the cupboard and cut it in half. Then I hemmed the bottom half, using my sewing machine to make a replacement mat for Dean's food bowls. It was the purr-fect gift!Janis Crake, Shrewsbury, Shrops

After digging around in my toolbox trying to find a spanner, I decided to get organised. I collected all my spanners together and threaded them on to a long bolt in size order. To secure them, I screwed a nut on to the end of the bolt. Now, I can find my spanners easily and grab the right one for the job. Tom Foxall, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire

My old metal tea tray was destined for the charity shop. But instead of chucking it out, I decided to give it a makeover. First, I mixed some bicarbonate of soda with white paint to give the paint some texture. Then, I gave the tray two coats. Once the paint had dried, I stuck some double-sided tape to the inside surface of the tray and carefully coiled some rope around until it was completely covered. I'm so proud of the finished item. Now, I have a tray that I really love!Naomi Horan, Doncaster, S Yorks

My three-year-old daughter Alice wanted to sit outside in the shade one afternoon, but we didn't have a parasol in our garden. Instead, I detached the parasol from her old buggy and popped it on to the frame of a camping chair. Now Alice has the perfect place to sit out in the sun for the summer months. Teresa Bourke, Newark-on-Trent, Notts