Trying to fix a leaky faucet? Seeking to make a chemical-free cleaning liquid? Or an organic air freshener without those nauseating artificial fragrances? Or, looking for ways to polish your scuffed furniture?
In the age of Google and YouTube, where everything you need to know about recipes or DIY projects, is within a keypad’s reach, here’s a brave little book that tells you how to live smart via the written word. With simple text and simpler sketches, Live Smart:100 Hacks for a Healthier and Happier Life, by architect-editor Teja Lele, rounds up a host of easy ideas and practical tips.
Divided into five sections––Home, Food and Kitchen, Beauty, Health and Well-being, and Reuse and Recycle––the book is a collection of practical hacks that Lele has put together to help us organise and improve our daily lives. From how to compost your waste, make beeswax wraps, and purify water without a purifier, to how to revamp old furniture, make lotion bars and shampoo, and recycle leftovers into a new main course—it has everything you need to know, but didn’t know who to ask.
“Let’s face it, we Indians are at the bottom of the pyramid when it comes to DIY. The abundance of cheap labour and easily available help means we’re used to outsourcing the most basic domestic tasks—whether they are related to cooking, home or health. So much so that Swedish retailer IKEA turned over its DIY strategy when making its India entry. It partnered with an online portal offering local services to make furniture assembly easier,” says Lele. It took Covid-19, however, to show us the importance of being self-sufficient. And it was while doing her own how-to searches that Lele decided that the time was right to pen a book on hacks that would help everyone live smart.
Lele has been DIY-ing ever since she discovered the joys of making-over and upcycling. This book, therefore, is a tried and tested manual of hacks practised by Lele herself. “The busyness of modern life sometimes makes it imperative for us to take shortcuts and find easy ways to do essential tasks, Live Smart aims to help readers do just that,” she says.
Air Freshener
What you Need:
● 15-20 drops of essential oil of choice
● 1 cup white vinegar
● 1.5 cups water
How:
● Mix vinegar and water in a spray bottle
● Add your favourite essential oil—lemon, orange, lavender, neroli, cinnamon and vanilla—to the mixture.
● Shake the bottle well before using
Wood Polishing Spray
What you Need:
● ¾ cup olive oil
● ¼ cup white vinegar
● 25-30 drops of essential oil of choice
How:
● Pour all ingredients into a small spray bottle and shake
● To use, spray directly on woody furniture and buff with a clean, dry cloth. Shake well before using each time to mix the ingredients.
All-Purpose Cleaner
What you Need:
● 1 cup white vinegar
● 2 tbsp baking soda
● 2-3 drops essential oil
● 3 cups warm water
How:
● Mix the vinegar, essential oil and a little water in a spray bottle
● Add the baking soda and shake till it dissolves
● Top with warm water. Shake, spray and clean.