DO IT YOURSELF or HOW TO SUCCEED IN EVERYDAY LIFE PENNILESS or HOW TO MAKE IT WITHOUT IKEA
TEXT & DRAWINGS VOLUME 3 THOMAS BILLAS
DO IT YOURSELF or HOW TO SUCCEED IN EVERYDAY LIFE PENNILESS or HOW TO MAKE IT WITHOUT IKEA
TEXT & DRAWINGS VOLUME 3 THOMAS BILLAS
Huis Hut
colophon — Concept, text & drawings: Thomas Billas – 2014 www.coffeeandkiwi.com Translation: Elise Luong Cover risograph printed in Brussels chez Rosi chezrosi.wordpress.com — Special thanks to: My parents, my brothers, my family, Jade, Laurent, Patricia, Caroline, Peter, Axel, Vanya, Adeline, Andreas, ... Grateful acknowledgement to the everyday designers without whom this project wouldn’t have existed — First edition 2014 D/2014/13.256/2 isbn / ean 9789082108125 Huis Hut – Brussels, 2014 www.huishut.com
INDEX 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43
advent calendar anti-limestone anti-moth bench bicycle basket bicycle pants protector bicycle snow tyres camping stove car wash classifieds cat scratcher clip board cloths comb cup and ball dildo easy to use chopsticks electrical cord bobbin electrical whisk extra pocket fertiliser french manicure set fruit pin remover handcuffs ice-pack knock’em over latex gloves laundry dryer laundry hanger maracas mattress support memo pad mop nail guide noise reducing cask
44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
non-slip shoes nose hair remover nose peg nutcracker paperweight parking spot preserve pet food distributor portable lighting rug scarecrow shaved ice shaving bowl shower shower cap shower curtain smartphone amplifier soap bubbles soccer goals posts stain remover step ladder sundial suspension support thermos thimble vertical dustpan whisk wick extinguisher
Advent Calendar - beer crate - paper - sticky tape
9
Cut 24 openings into a sheet of paper. Number each opening and stick the sheet over the crate with sticky tape.
Anti-limestone - white vinegar
10
Use white vinegar instead of your usual anti-calcium build-up product. This method is also valid for washing machines, dishwashers, coffee makers...
Anti-moth - jar - cloves
11
Place some cloves in a jar. Pierce the lid a few times and place in wardrobe. Refresh clove stock at the change of every season.
Bench - beer crates
12
Take a few crates and place them one next to the other. To complete the installation with chairs refer yourself to the article ÂŤChairÂť in volume 1.
Bicycle basket - crate - luggage elastic
13
Place the crate onto your bag holder and keep it in place with the help of your luggage elastic.
Bicycle pants protector - clothing pegs
14
Pinch the exterior of your pants with the clothing pegs in such a way that the material does not rub the bicycle chain.
Bicycle snow tyres - cable ties
15
Fix the cable ties in regular intervals around your bicycle tyres in order to have better grip on snowy surfaces.
Camping stove - foodstuff cans - empty drink cans - lighting fluid - aluminium foil
16
Cut two food cans in half and place face down onto the foil to create a square. Remove the bottoms of both drink cans. Pierce holes in one of them and insert it into the other. Fill the space between the bottom cans and the pierced can with lighting fluid and place in-between the half cans. Place the casserole on top of the ensemble.
Car wash - bucket - sponge - water - cleaning product
17
In a bucket mix the cleaning product with water. Clean the car with the sponge.
Classifieds - sticky tape - paper - scissors
18
Fill the top of the paper with your announcement. Copy your phone number multiple times vertically on the bottom of the page. Cut the bottom into shreds so that each of the numbers is easily detachable. Place the announcement in public spaces with the sticky tape.
Cat scratcher - wooden plank - square of carpet - stapler
19
Attach the carpet on the wooden plank with the stapler. Offer the object to your cats.
Clip board - stiff cardboard - clothing pegs
20
Cut the cardboard into the desired format. Hold the paper to the board with the help of the clothing pegs.
Cloths - old sheets
21
In order to make the cloths cut an old sheet into multiple pieces. For a better finish fold and sew the edges.
Comb - fingers
22
Use your hands to comb your hair in the morning and throughout the day.
Cup and ball - string (volume 1) - laundry product bottle - tennis ball
23
Cut out the bottom of the laundry product Bottle. Attach the tennis ball with the string. Stick the other end of the string with the bottle lid. You can now use the ensemble as the classical game would be used.
Dildo - empty cigar case
24
Use the empty cigar case as you would a classic dildo. Wash after each use.
Easy to use chopsticks - clothing peg - chopsticks - rubber bands
25
Attach the chopsticks to the clothing peg with the rubber bands. Use the ensemble as described in the diagram.
Electrical cord bobbin - wooden plank - jigsaw
26
Cut out the wooden plank following the visuals of the diagram. Wrap the electrical cord around.
Electrical whisk - drill - scissors
27
Insert the scissors into the drill by the sharp end. Use the ensemble as you would a classic electrical whisk.
Extra pocket - clothing pegs - plastic cup
28
With the help of a clothing peg attach the plastic cup to your pocket for supplementary holding space.
Fertiliser - used tea bag
29
Use the contents of a used tea bag to nourish your plants.
French manicure set - hole-punch repair stickers
30
Place the sticker on your nails in such a way that only the ends remain uncovered. You may now apply your polish without fear of going over the desired limit.
Fruit pit remover - empty water bottle - disposable ball point pen
31
Remove the neck and cap of the empty water bottle. Pierce a hole in the cap slightly larger than the fruit pit you wish to remove. Place the fruit in the bottle neck and push the pit through the hole with the disposable pen.
Handcuffs - cable ties
32
Tighten the cable ties around the wrists of the person you wish to immobilise.
Ice pack - packet of frozen peas
33
Place the peas in the freezer. Once frozen place onto the painful area.
Knock ’Em Over - tennis balls - foodstuff cans
34
Create a pyramid with the empty food cans and throw the tennis ball to try and make as many cans fall as possible.
Latex gloves - cellophane roll
35
Wrap your hand in cellophane in order to protect them as a latex glove would.
Laundry dryer - fan
36
After having hung your wet laundry place the fan in such a way that it blows onto your clothing.
Laundry hanger - broom handles
37
Place the broom handles in-between two chairs, on cupboard doors or even open windows. Use the handles to place your wet laundry.
Maracas - rice - empty water bottle
38
Fill an empty water bottle with some rice. Your maracas are ready for use.
Mattress support - palette
39
Place four palettes on the ground and place the mattress on top.
Memo pad - ball point pen
40
In order not to forget your tasks, write them on your hand.
Mop - string (volume 1) - cloths
41
Attach the four cloths together with the string. Soak the cloths in your cleaning liquid to clean the surface. Place the cloths on the floor and guide them around the whole room to clean.
Nail guide - clothing peg
42
In order to avoid hitting yourself on the fingers hold the nails with a clothing peg.
Noise reducing cask - tennis balls - headband - sticky tape
43
Cut the tennis ball in two. Stick the half balls on the headband with sticky tape. Place the object on your head with the tennis balls covering your ears.
Non-slip shoes - flat rubber bands
44
Place two to three rubber bands on each shoe for more grip on slippery surfaces.
Nose hair remover - scissors
45
Use the scissors to cut your nose hair.
Nose peg - clothing pegs
46
Pinch your nose with the clothing peg so as not to be disturbed by bad smells.
Nutcracker - hammer - piece of wood
47
Place the nut on the piece of wood and hit it with the hammer to open.
Paperweight - rock
48
Use the rock to hold your papers on the table.
Parking spot preserve - chairs
49
Place two chairs on the desired parking spot in order to reserve them.
Pet food distributor - empty orange juice box - stapler
50
Cut out the juice box as in the diagram. Staple together both parts. Fill by the top of the structure with pet food.
Portable lighting - light bulb - socket - electrical cable - coat hanger
51
Put together the lighting ensemble in such a way that the lighting functions.Attach it to the coat hanger simply by knotting. The coat hanger hook allows you to hang the lighting ensemble wherever you see fit. You can also use the lower part of the hanger to wrap the electrical cord when wanting to put away the lighting.
Rug - carpet square - glue
52
Cut out a piece of carpet as in the diagram, fold the edges and glue  underneath.
Scarecrow - stick - empty water bottle
53
Cut the bottom of the empty water bottle. Plant the stick in the ground and place the empty bottle on the stick. The noise of the bottle hitting the stick will scare away birds.
Shaved ice - cloth - ice cubes
54
Place the ice cubes in the cloth. Hit the cubes against a wall in order to shatter them into shaved ice.
Shaving bowl - empty water bottle
55
Cut the bottom of the water bottle and use as a classic shaving bowl. For the brush please refer to article ÂŤBrushÂť in volume 2.
Shower - plastic bag
56
Pierce a few small holes into a solid plastic bag. Fill with water and suspend in a high place. Put yourself under the structure to shower.
Shower cap - condom
57
Put the condom on your head as you would a shower cap.
Shower curtain - reusable bags - cable ties
58
Recuperate and cut out reusable bags from your supermarket. Sew them together and create hanging holes. Use the cable ties to attach the curtain to the suspension bar.
Smartphone amplifier - bowl
59
Place your smartphone in a ceramic bowl whilst it plays music to amplify the sound.
Soap bubbles - dishwashing liquid - water - empty water bottle
60
Mix the water with the dishwashing liquid. Cut the neck of an empty water bottle, dip the part that usually has the lid in water and blow from the other side to create the bubbles.
Soccer goal posts - back packs
61
Use your children’s backpacks in order to mark the goal posts.
Stain remover - shampoo
62
If a stubborn stain is resistant to your usual stain remover apply shampoo to it before your next wash. Test the product on a non-visible area before attempting this process.
Step ladder - chair
63
Use the chair as a ladder to attain high places.
Sundial - plastic pocket folder - stapler - nails
64
Cut the plastic pocket folder in two and one half diagonally. Insert a short side of the diagonal and attach with staples to the larger piece of plastic. The orientation of your sundial must change according to you geographical position. Check on the internet which placement is appropriate for your current position.
Suspension support - string - screw hook - broom handles
65
Attach the screw hook to the ceiling and attach the string-broom handle ensemble. The support is then ready to hold the laundry.
Thermos - empty water bottle - cloth - cellophane
66
Fill the empty water bottle with soup, tea or coffee. Wrap the bottle with the cloth and then the cellophane keeping it well tight.
Thimble - soda bottle - sticky tape
67
Cut the round part of the bottom of the soda bottle. Stick it to your finger with sticky tape.
Vertical dustpan - plastic petrol can - broom handle - nail - sticky tape
68
Remove half the plastic can by cutting it under angle. Make a hole in the can the size of the broom handle diameter. Insert the broom handle and nail to the bottom. Wrap the attachment with sticky tape for more stability.
Whisk - forks - sticky tape
69
Stick together two forks back to back with the sticky tape. Use the ensemble as you would a classic whisk.
Wick extinguisher - clothing peg
70
To put out your candles without having to blow on them pinch the wick with a clothing peg.