How do I save money and resources while sticking it to the corporate crapification of consumer goods?
I MacGyver that crap and make it last.
"To MacGyver" something is a reference to the character of the 80s TV program MacGyver.
The character was known for his often humorous and creative contraptions and solutions to the challenges he faced each episode.
When I "MacGyver" something it means I make, form or repair something with whatever is on hand, and it is one of my favourite things to do.
That is why even though I am not into clutter, I still maintain a robust resource depository in my kitchen.
If one is going to MacGyver things one must be prepared.
Armed with little more than a Swiss Army knife maybe I could, like MacGyver, make a defibrillator out of a candlestick, rubber mat and extension cord.
I hope I never need to do that.
Or how about fixing my glasses with a stripped twist tie, or making a laptop stand with a toilet paper roll and rubber bands from broccoli?
I love pulling a good MacGyver that works and saves money.
What are the favourite MacGyvered projects that you have created?
I LOVED McGuyver as a kid. Partly cos I thought he was attractive lol but mostly because he was so resourceful. I really value that in other people, and that has never left me even as an adult! In my home we use all sorts of tricks to save $$ and reuse stuff. I tie knots in rubber bands that snap, they still work- just become a smaller band. Same with hair ties (lots of daughters!) Old material gets cut up to become ties for plants, empty glass jars become storage jars or are filled with home made jams and pickles, and there's not much that a bit of tape or hot glue won't fix. Socks and footed tights are darned to an inch of their lives and then become footless tights or cleaning cloths or go on the compost (cotton and wool). Embracing imperfection and reusing/fixing whenever possible is the anthem of our family life :)
ReplyDeleteOh- and a metal paper clip can be used in place of a battery in the TV remote control haha (as long as there are two batteries and one if working). I did that for YEARS!
Those are all excellent, and some gave me a good chuckle. I do many of your examples, and tie rubber bands, too. Yours is a good anthem that more should adopt.
Delete- Gregg
My father was a skilled machinist for decades, as well as a farm kid/farmer in his younger years. This was, of course, decades before MacGyver ever hit the airwaves. His phrase when making such a fix was "field expediency"--come up with a fix using what you have and get your work done. He and I still both use that phrase.
DeleteWe have the 'number 8 wire' mentality in our country lol. It's a well known turn of phrase here.
DeleteFrom Wikipedia:
'(the term) "number 8 wire" came to represent the ingenuity and resourcefulness of New Zealanders, and the phrase "a number 8 wire mentality" evolved to denote an ability to create or repair machinery using whatever scrap materials are available on hand.'
Maybe MacGuyver had Kiwi roots??
In a similar vein - duct tape, binder/baler twine mentality. As in with those products one can fix just about anything. I have never heard of the number 8 wire reference. A good cultural exchange going on here. Eh?
Delete- Gregg
Late commenting here but loved reading what you do, Gregg, and what others do. My parents were super resourceful as they grew up in world war 2 time and both grew up on farms in the US mid-west. My recent favorite MacGyver was the creation of a large platform feeder for the migrating Band Tailed Pigeon that come through our area (I love those birds!). We took some wood we had in the garage and nailed together the frame of the platform, the bottom of it was a cleaned off potting soil bag that was tightly stapled to the wood frame, and we hung it using pieces of rope we had. It worked very well all season last year (lots of bird visitors), and we are prepping it again for another season this year! My boyfriend tends to keep maybe too much stuff around for fixes like this, but for now that's OK. Thanks for the article, very fun read! - Mary
ReplyDeleteHard to beat a good MacGyver for the birds. I think such resourcefulness as we are talking about here is going to be coming back strong soon.
Delete- Gregg
This is such an inspiring and creative take on resourcefulness! The art of "MacGyvering" truly embodies innovation and frugality. I love how you’ve turned ordinary items into practical solutions, like making home speakers from a plastic bin and vehicle parts—so inventive! My favorite MacGyver moment was creating from repurposed wood and old drivers. It’s a rewarding challenge that’s both eco-friendly and fun. Keep up the amazing work and sharing your ideas!
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