It was a classic wartime pamphlet produced by the government and packed with handy home hints to help Britain's housewives survive the financial and practical challenges of the second world war. Now a new version of Make Do and Mend has been produced to reflect the needs of the 21st century.

The restrictions of rationing meant that wartime housewives used a wide range of creative tricks to make their clothes last longer or eke out their food.

Out go the references in the original guide to getting the most out of your ration books, and in come handy tips on choosing the right size flatscreen TV for your living room or using energy-saving balls in tumble dryers. Yet much of the information our grandmothers had at their fingertips – such as brightening up scuffed leather shoes by rubbing with half a raw potato – is still considered relevant.

The booklet will be on sale from next week in John Lewis, and is the culmination of a six-month consultation involving 28,000 "partners" or staff. A few were working in John Lewis stores when the original pamphlet was published in 1943 by the Ministry of Information. Pared-down tips will also be available on Twitter.

Andy Street, managing director for John Lewis, said: "We have for now become a nation doing our best to weave thrift with quality on a daily basis, and this guide is designed to help households get the very best out of what they have."