Now that we seem to be troll-free (thank you, moderator Valdis!), I thought I’d put up something fun that might elicit some helpful hints.
We’ve all seen those photo arrays showing 25 clever things you can do with binder clips, like holding charging cords at the back of the desk or as cell phone stands on airline tray tables, or square bread bag plastic clips as labels on the wires behind your stereo/TV equipment stand. So what are the things you use in unorthodox ways to make life better – save money, save space, save time, control clutter, reduce waste?
I don’t have the counter space I need/like in the kitchen, so I often pull out a drawer and set a baking sheet on it. I do the prep work on the counter, and then put the items to be baked on the sheet. When we come back from the farmer’s market or supermarket with a ton of produce, I fill a big stew pot with water and start the washing/rinsing. As I fill up a colander with items to drain, I put them in the dishwasher on the open door – stuff drains, and then I just lift the door to run that water into the bottom of the dishwasher. If there’s a lot, I set the dial to the end of the rinse cycle so the excess drains out. My husband also puts large items like a bunch of apples or peaches right onto the dishwasher racks to drain.
I don’t buy bag clips – I use cheap wooden spring clothespins on bags of pretzels or spinach. I also pack a clothespin or three when I travel, to hold hotel room curtains closed.
I hate using paper towels (expensive and they use up trees) but after I use candles at a dinner or certainly after Hanukkah when we have the wax accumulated on a bunch of menorahs, I warm oven-safe candlesticks/menorahs (wood, pottery, glass) on a baking sheet with a piece of foil and a double layer of towels, then lay the candlesticks on top, tilted downward. The warm wax drains out and it absorbed by the towels, which I then crumple and put in a cardboard egg carton, and use it as a fire starter in the fireplace. I also use an empty towel or toilet paper tube (split) around wrapping paper rolls to keep them neat – split the tube, slide it over the wrapping paper, and secure with a rubber band so the band doesn’t wrinkle the paper.
On New Year’s Day, I turn all my hangers backwards on the rod. The first time I wear something, I turn the hanger the “right” way. By the end of the year, any hanger still facing the wrong way is holding something I didn’t wear for a whole year. With rare exceptions, that item goes to charity.
How do you keep your car organized? Your mail/recycling coming in the door? Other pet peeves?
Better ideas? Ready, set, go!
Brain just getting up to speed (slowly having my coffee) love this idea.
Will think of some.
Love the use of drawer as counter space. Smart!
My car is best organized when I don't store stuff in it.
It's a lot easier to keep clean if it's empty.
And an added bonus is - there's nothing to steal if it gets broken into.
I do keep a shallow tub trug in it.
If I have muddy boots after a hike or sandy stuff from the beach, it all goes into the tub trug while I change into clean shoes.
The tub trug washes out easily and my car isn't full of mud or sand.
I have one window which is great for indoor plants.
I have them on a table - and the perfect catch all for water spills is a wash machine pan.
They all sit in the pan with room to spare and my wood floor never gets wet.
We also use one under the Christmas tree.
With a sheet and a tree skirt around the base of the tree the pan isn't noticeable and my floor stays dry even if the tree is over watered.
We save take out food containers and cool whip containers.
We wash them and then my husband takes them to work or his club when they are having a pot luck.
When it's over people want to take home left overs and the containers are perfect and there are no worries about returning them.
Love your ideas! I wash and re-use Ziploc baggies that are not really gross and greasy and now I'm going to use your idea of drying them on the dishwasher rack!! Thanks!
Maybe everyone does this, but just in case, I use rubber dish gloves for opening tight jars and bottles. I have another set of dish gloves I use to put on my husband's compression socks. They help me grip without puncturing them with a fingernail.
I use mason jars for everything, but their intended purpose. I store cut up veggies and fruit in them for easy grabbing. For the fruit I cut, such as apple slices and cut strawberries, I add a little oj to keep them from browning. I use jars for small batches of infused water. I throw eggs cheese and veggies in the jars and shake and then toss in my son's lunchbox. He can microwave it at school for a couple minutes and has a yummy lunch.
Maybe everyone does this too, but when I make my grocery list, I try to write in order that I walk around the store. That way I don't miss something on my list and have to go all the way back to produce when I am in frozen foods, etc.
awesome!
I do the cheap wooden clothespins for everything too!
hmmm........I have a dishwasher, but wash my pans and stuff by hand. I use wine corks to prop up the edge of the pans from the counter so air can circulate under them for drying.
I also use mason jars a lot. I like a wide mouth pint for drinks and you can use the "canning" lids as a top to make a to go cup! I use them a lot in our motorhome too cause you can store food leftovers in them and then they can go straight into microwave.
I mostly use reusable grocery bags but also get enough plastic ones to use for bathroom trash cans and to clean out litter boxes. I store them in empty tissue boxes. It's amazing how many you can stuff in there! lol
I use a flip top kitchen trash can to hold dog food. It was cheaper and bigger than the food bins in the pet department.
I reuse baggies when possible and produce bags. Try not to use too many baggies in first place. Kids have reusable lunch stuff, even silverware.
I use vinegar spray to clean 90% of stuff.
OH, to clean out microwave, put bowl with 1/2 cup or so of vinegar and run it for 2 min, let sit another 2 min or so, then everything just wipes right out!!!
Great post!
I like the idea of turning the hangers backwards/forwards to determine how often you wear something!
I like reading all these other ideas.
When my kids were young I would use a make-up sponge to put sunblock on them. It was so easy to get the face and other areas and really blended the sunblock to ensure coverage.
I few years ago a mom on year mentioned how she has her child’s medical records organized in binders so she has the information handy and up to date at all appointments.
I have utilized the idea for my own children. Since my last child was born I feel like pediatrics went from a single doctor the got to know your child as s/he grew to one that is a group practice with several different doctors. I grew frustrated with spending half my child’s appointment recapping previous visits, immunizations, treatments and ‘things to follow up on” that I tool the recommendation of that mom and made my own “medical records” file. I ask for a printout of each visit and then file it in a protective sleeve in that child’s binder when we get home.
I also do this with their school things. I do not have the patience to be crafty, but I do want them to have memory books. So each child has a binder separated by grade that summarizes that school year and then holds memories from events from that year like report cards, field trips, special projects, musicals, geography bee, notes from teacher, cross country meets, clubs, summer events, etc.
Keep the ideas coming!
*just a warning..this binder sleeve thing can really get out of control....I am thinking about going back to school and was researching a specific university. I attended their open house and met with the department chair. I whipped out my binder with my needed test scores, evaluations, transcripts,etc. in protective sleeves, and they all stared at me. Not sure if they were scared or impressed, but it did occur to me that perhaps it’s becoming a bit too Monica Geller. So I’ve the binders alone (for now).
Pizza cutters cut many soft things better than knives: cookie cake, brownies, corn cake, lasagna (if the cutter is big enough), bread into small cubes to make stuffing.
I sometimes get my groceries bagged in paper bags. I keep one by the door, and junk mail goes straight into it. When it's full, I drop the entire thing, bag and all, into one of the fundraising paper recycling dumpsters nearby.
Not much of a hack but we have and make use of the roomba and the mint. Having robots keep our floors clean keeps everything cleaner.
i have a basket from the dollar tree, any important mail goes into it, hubby checks it but mostly it its things i take care of, if we get junk mail it goes straight into the recycling bin. at then end of the month i clean out the bin into a filing cabinet and label the file with that month and year. after a year the cabinet is cleared out to storage. the files from 7 years prior are shredded and recycled.
i use mason jars for EVERYTHING including canning. so much so that i occasionally run out of jars.
my car i try to clean out monthly, my kids leave many things in there, clothing, hats, toys, food, water bottles, crayons. you name it, so i try to keep up on that.
school projects, i save one thing from every week, the rest gets recycled unless it is super special to the child then it becomes wall art for a year or so then stored with all the other school work projects.
i am sure there are more things i do that make my life easier but i am not thinking of any
