I love to find tips and tricks that make my life easier, and that’s why a recent post on Lifehacker caught my eye … the title might have had something to do with it, too, as I do love MacGuyer-esque fixes. 😉
Three of my favorites include how you can:
Make Perfect Pancakes with a Squeeze Bottle
Make Perfect Pancakes with a Squeeze Bottle
Yes, this one is pretty self-explanatory! Whip up the pancake mix, use a funnel to put it in a large squeeze-bottle, and then make perfectly round pancakes. The best part is that if you don’t use all of the mix, the container can go right into the refrigerator (or freezer) for next time! Now there is an easy cleanup!
Seal Plastic Bags with Old Bottle Caps
Seal Plastic Bags with Old Bottle Caps
Here’s one that I can honestly say I would have never thought of without having it pointed out to me: I want to shake the hand of the clever guy or gal who came up with the idea of cutting the top off of a plastic bottle, putting the bottle neck over a bag that needed sealing (with the bag coming up through the bottle mouth), then folding the bag back over the bottle parts and screwing on the top! My solution has always been to use a plastic kitchen clippy, but we always seem to be running out of those. This is a great up-cycling use for a plastic bottle, and I am definitely going to try this one.
Remove a Stripped Screw with a Rubber Band
Remove a Stripped Screw with a Rubber Band
I so could have used this tip the other day! I was trying to remove a screw that had been stripped since its installation, and nothing was working. I finally had to give up and wait until Kev came home so he could man-handle that thing out of the wall. Had I known that placing a thick rubber band into the screw head and then trying to remove it might have given me the traction I needed, I would have definitely tried it! There is always next time, because you know that there will always be another stripped screw …
Read the other seven tips on Lifehacker, and if you have any odd-ball hacks that make your life easier, please share them in the comments. Even if it is something simple, you just never know what might make someone else’s life easier — maybe even mine! =)
These awesome tips are truly… Awesome
I also liked the idea of the over-the-door shoe holder to use in out pantry for added organization. And already did the ‘bags with old soda tops’ trick this morning and it works great! Thanks for sharing!
Just showed the bottle trick to Elana… “That’s cool”
Too bad they didn’t have the rubber membrane dispensing gizmo ~25 years ago because it would have my little trick for the kids so much easier. When they were little and we were having pancakes I’d first drizzle a mirror image of one or the other’s name onto the griddle, wait ~20 seconds, then pour on the normal amount for the pancake over the name.
Voila – named pancakes! Little kids are enthralled so easily, makes you want to go back..