Whether it was true or not, the idea prevails that things operated more efficiently in the past. Especially when it came to running a household, it appears that our ancestors at the beginning of the last century knew best. “ Labour Saving Hints and Ideas for the Home” gives you the benefit of that wisdom, handily collected in one book.
Originally published in 1924, it contains over 1,300 tips that were compiled from entries submitted to a competition ran earlier in the decade. Some are amusing, some outdated, but overall most of them do offer sound advice.
It can be picked up from various sellers via Amazon, starting from under £2.
Labour and Wait specialise in old fashioned, high quality practical products, the stuff that it is increasingly difficult to find on the high street. Amongst the brushes, twine and string that makes up much of their stock, we found these rather lovely Moose Firelighters. 
The Uten Silo Wall Tidy was designed by Dorothee Becker and first released in 1969. One of the best known plastic designs of the 1960s, it has been now been re-released by Vitra. 
A whole world away from most of the other clocks we’ve featured is the Camembert Cheese Clock. It is not actually made from the French dairy product, but from the box in which these cheeses are sold. 
If you know a fair bit about 60s design, you will probably recognise the image on the right. If not, you may well wonder what it is, what it does and why on earth you would want actually one. 