Skin exfoliant:
Rather than spending money on a costly skincare product, go natural. One reader, Lori from Illinois, suggests: "Cut a leg off of a pair of pantyhose or knee-highs and fill the foot part with equal parts baking soda and brown sugar. Tie the end. Double the pantyhose thickness to make sure the ingredients don't seep out too fast. Wet the skin and, if you want, lightly lather with a body shampoo, soap or olive oil. Use the nylons as a loofah and gently scrub your skin. Afterward, apply a light moisturizer." Along the same lines, you can wad a section into a ball and use as a little scouring pad for cleaning.
Deodorize shoes:
Pour some litter into a pair of socks or cut sections of hosiery. Place the litter "tubes" in your shoes to absorb odors. This works well to keep moisture away from camping gear, such as tents and sleeping bags, too.
Store onions:
Drop an onion in, tie a knot above it, drop another onion in and repeat with a knot, and so on. Then hang them. This keeps them separated while allowing plenty of air circulation. One reader, H.M. From Michigan, shares: "Garlic bulbs won't sprout if tied up in pantyhose."
Mr. Grass Head:
Make your own mock Chia Pet. The only supplies needed are a section of stocking, grass seeds, potting soil, a baby food jar and some wiggly eyes.
For directions, visit frugalvillage.com/2005/12/08/frugal-winter-fun-with-kids.
Skimmer:
Use a rubber band to attach a piece of pantyhose over the end of your vacuum, then go over an area where you dropped a small object. It will get picked up without getting sucked into your vacuum. Another reader, Darlene from New York, shares: "My mom used to make bug and leaf skimmers out of panty hose for our kiddie pools. She'd take a wire coat hanger and bend it into the shape she wanted, then slip it into the pantyhose and tie it."
Indoor tennis:
Make a game by stretching cut legs of stockings over wire hangers bent into circles to make tennis rackets. Hit balloons back and forth with your homemade rackets.
Soap slivers:
Place soap slivers in a section of hosiery and attach it to your bathroom faucet for cleaning up, or hang it near your outside faucet for washing up after working in the garden. Speaking of gardens, use a small portion of pantyhose to line flowerpots so water can drain out but dirt won't fall through the bottom, or cut the legs into rubber-band-like circles and use them to tie garden plants to stakes. Another reader, Sam from Ohio, shares: "At our Girl Scout camp, they use laundry detergent containers as hand-washing stations. They put a small bar of soap in a section of panty hose and tie it onto a laundry detergent pump jug."
Sachet:
Add potpourri to a small section of pantyhose. Tie it off and place it in your closet or dresser.
Gift wrap:
Use strips to tie your wrapping paper so it doesn't unravel while it's being stored. Another reader, Missy from Colorado, adds: "You can put a roll of wrapping paper in each leg and hang them in the back of a closet to keep the paper from getting mangled throughout the year."
photo by lizhenry http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizhenry/3413309290/sizes/z/in/photostream/