Words of wisdom from Australia’s most knowledgeable nans

WE ALL know that mum knows best, but what about nan? Here are 12 pieces of sage advice from the wisest women in our lives.

WE ALL know that mum knows best, but what about grandma?

Here are 12 pieces of advice on everything from cooking to cleaning to keeping house from the wise women who are in the running to become homeheaven’s Most Knowledgeable Nan. Better get your pen and paper ready — there are some gems in here:

1. Clean early in the day, so the rest of the day can be for doing more enjoyable things.

2. Keep a yearly planner with accounts to be paid and when — electricity, rates, insurance — then keep a running record of expenses so there is never a huge shock about where the money goes.

3. Don’t cook in olive oil as it has a sugar content that damages your pots and pans. It burns easily and causes the brown “rusty” look in pans.

4. If you’ve dinged your wooden furniture, rub a walnut on it. The oil from the walnut coats the dings, covering them up and leaving the wood looking glossy and new.

5. Dorothy Lockwood (below) says: Never go to the store without a list. Seems obvious but it can be very easy to blow a household budget without that simple piece of paper.

Dorothy Lockwood.

6 . Put things away as you go (even if I don’t always follow my own advice!)

7. Inge Nielsen (below) says: When you buy fresh flowers for the house, put an aspirin in the bottom of the vase before you fill it and this will keep your flowers alive for longer.

Inge Nielsen.

8. For cleaning, use eucalyptus oil and water.

9. Use Methylated spirits and water in a spray bottle to clean windows.

10. When making a casserole or soup, always make double quantity. It takes no longer and then you have an extra meal ready to be reheated when you’re short of time or busy.

There’s so much you can do with a casserole!

Do you have your own advice to share? Tell us in the comments below!

Like these tips? See more at homeheaven.com.au, where you can also vote on who Australia’s most knowledgeable nan is.

Originally published as Words of wisdom from Australia’s most knowledgeable nans