Share some Ideas!

Well, not exactly household materials, but I use these to stir paint. They are made out of 1/32" music wire bent around the tip of needle nose pliers. I usually put a piece of shrink wrap or insulation from a short piece of wire around the top end. Stick it down in the paint bottle and spin it with my fingers and it will stir the paint right up. Easy to clean, and they last forever. They even break up the pigment that settles to the bottom of the bottle.

Of course, when I get lazy I still revert to my old ways of shaking thoroughly

Well, I use the clear part of CD-Cases for portholes(cut the circle size out that you need and glue in place!), and I use small antique(literally) Japanese trays(real itty-bitty, only about 4" in diameter) for holding paint and super glue. They're glazed, and ceramic, so cleaning up is just a matter of thorough washing! I have one other japanese tray, shaped like a Chrysanthemum(flower, for those of you who don't know), which has dividers sculpted in, making it possible to hold mulitple paints/glues at the same time!
Oh, yeah, and socks we are about to throw out, I keep instead(after washing them), and use as polishing cloths. You can stick your hand in the sock, giving you better control over the buffing surface!

I save the containers that over the counter pills come in. If you're careful when you remove the pills, the little containers won't be damaged and you now have a small container to mix small amounts of paint in. (they're great to mix washes in). They can also be used to hold drop or two of super glue when you're applying that. And when you get done just throw them away.

I use perscription pill bottles for the same reason.
I'll mix paint in them for the airbrush and then it can be sealed for later use.
I also keep one full of future, its great for dipping canopies.

I also use hypodermic needles for applying glue in small places...altho the only reason I have access to needles is because my wife is a nurse.

1) The clear packaging from a Qtip box can be used as a heads-up display, and a green flair pen can simulate the information on it.
2) The buttons from a burnt-out calculator can be used as avionics boxes in 1/48 jets. The plastic ones from older (1980's vintage) calculators work great. I can't say I've used the newer rubbery ones for anything.

3) A plastic toy Easter egg (the kind that has two halves that snap together... remember those?) can be used for a satellite or radar dish. The rounder half, not the parabolic half, has a more realistic shape. Cut parallel to the diameter to make it whatever size you need.
4) Samples for window blinds (like Levelor) are basically flat (note they're not curved in profile like the actual blinds) aluminum strips about 2 inches by 6 inches. Easily cut with household scissors, bent to shape, and glued with CA glue. Useful for any scratchbuilding purpose.

5) Staples (un-fired) look like they can be used for grab handles on larger-scale military things.
6) Springs from a click-action ballpoint pen are great for shocks on trucks (cut to size) or when stretched out, look like those compressed air hoses in auto shops.

7) Wire coat hangers with the hook and twisty part cut off, can be bent creatively to form a display stand for aircraft. A small hole in the bottom of the fuselage, near the tail, accepts the wire, and I just shove it in as far as it goes. If you gently bend this part of the hanger a bit, it keeps the plane wings-level rather than having it roll upside-down from gravity.
8) I use a cork bulletin board (12x15 inch) as a portable working surface. I don't have a hobby room, or even space in the basement (who wants to be down there, anyway?) so I use that as a cutting, painting and gluing surface. It keeps the kitchen table clean. When one side wears out, I'll flip it over. When that wears out, buy a new one (like $5 at Michael's).

9) I love this topic!
10) I could go on forever, but...

YOu know on the mixing method, something just came to mind. Bend a hanger wire into the shape to stir paint, and put on end into a Dremel.

I imagine this only works if you have a speed regulator, otherwise you'd have model paint all over the place.

You might get around that by punching a hole in the top of an empty paint lid.

Again, it's just an idea, but I am thinking of actually trying it :D

Wow, that's great. It would really help people to get into more detailing with ideas like this. With material that's easily accessible and not too costly, it definitely adds more to a model.

I agree. It's the little things that you do to a model, like adding seatbelts or HUD, etc. that set it apart from the others built from the same kit.

Absolutely. Just make sure they can be seen! The P-40 I'm building has a nicely detailed Allison 1710 engine in it. For some reason they left the spark plug lines off (which are very noticeable on the real one since they are in aluminum tubing). I spent several hours cutting small pieces off a single strand of silver wire to make up the lines only to find out that once the engine is in the fuselage they are completely invisible. Doh!