Your DIY to-do list is long, your Netflix favourites include all the interior designer makeover shows, and your inner creative is itching to renovate and transform the spaces in your home. The budget is tight, but the Black Friday fairy godmother has waved her magic wand over STEP Building Supplies’ online space, and with up to 60 % off on selected items, you can afford to DIY. So, don your overalls, and let’s get renovating!  We are guessing you are tired of beige walls and you have elaborate plans to build a wall (or perhaps knock down a wall). We are also pretty sure that you want to save the planet by harvesting rainwater (or perhaps you are just fed up with local municipal water issues). And what about the kids and the dog? The kids are nagging for a sandpit and your dog deserves a kennel to call home. We have it all sorted.  Except...

Hanging your clothes out to dry is one of the simplest ways of embracing the eco- and environmentally-friendly trend, especially in our sunkissed part of the world. The ‘relaxing’ chore of hanging up freshly washed clothes and sheets on a washing line, and watching them flap in the breeze as you soak up some vitamin D, makes laundry day something to look forward to.  Washing line solutions - be that retractable wash lines or rotary driers - also come with many benefits that should not be overlooked. The obvious one - whether you live in the suburbs or the city - is the fact that hanging your clothes out to dry will save you money. We’ve done the maths on tumble drying costs and how that adds up when wash day comes around a few times a week. (It can easily add R100/month to your electricity bill).  Hung out to...

Rainwater harvesting has become part of our everyday language; it is all about taking a vital and precious natural resource and finding ways to collect, store and re-use it, onsite, for domestic, industrial and irrigation needs throughout the year. Every time it rains, you have a chance to harvest it.    Solutions for harvesting rainwater are all about collecting the rainfall before it touches the ground and becomes polluted by silt and other chemicals that may be on the ground. Depending on the amount of air pollution in your area, rainwater is relatively pure and uncontaminated - safe for drinking and reuse in your garden and home. The purity of the water will also depend on the container the water is collected in. Simply filtering or boiling it will make it even safer for consumption.  What will it take to persuade you? The many benefits of rainwater harvesting are a...

Who doesn’t love growing and picking their own fresh herbs and vegetables? City living may limit the size of your personal outdoor space, but urban gardening means there is no limit to planting your own edible garden on your balcony or patio.  Container gardens are on-trend, creating a ‘rural’ and organic feel within the city limits. Even with limited space available, installing a few planters or pots will soon have your balcony producing all year round and offering you plenty of Instagram urban and city gardening moments. Our top urban garden edibles: Herbs When it comes to city gardening, herbs are the easiest edibles to grow in containers. You don’t need green fingers; as long as the herbs are watered regularly and have sufficient sunlight and healthy potting soil with added compost and nourished with fertilizer, they are likely to delight you with their greenery and flavours. Our favourites include parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme...