Pour water into the holes, tie plastic bag tightly and let soak. The clay will absorb the internal water and soften to your needs, usually within 24 hours. Another way to soften clay is to wrap it in a wet cotton towel and cover it with plastic. This method takes a little longer, but may be eaiser in the long run. The easiest way to firm clay is to open the bag and expose the clay to the air for as long as it takes to get to the right water density for you.
Many people reclaim their leftover clay.
We usually recommend letting the scraps dry out completely and then placing them in a large container of water. The clay will slowly slake down. Drain off the extra water and spread out on clean wood, canvas or plaster to dry to the proper water density. If large amounts are to be reclaimed, we recommend a pug mill. Porcelains are the hardest to reclaim because of fine clay loss during throwing and the extreme density of grolleg kaolin, which settles and hardens at the bottom.