This passage suggests that when faced with everyday issues, one can find solutions by being creative and resourceful with available items such as paperclips and chopsticks. By thinking outside of the box and using imagination, even the most annoying of problems can be solved. For instance, if somebody wants to extract Pringles from their container without destroying them or cannot find any coins for a shopping cart, they can utilize the tips and tricks provided in this list.
Paw-Repellent
Although cats are known for their fluffy and pleasant nature, they can also exhibit strange and unpredictable behavior towards humans and household objects. Among the things that cats tend to do is destroy harmless plants. In spite of one’s efforts to stop them, cats will sometimes find a way to bypass the barriers and cause chaos.
If you want to protect your beloved pots from being damaged earlier, you can insert toothpicks into the soil around the plant. It is unlikely that any cat would want to touch those sharp toothpicks. However, we cannot guarantee it.
Binder Clip Cord Holder
Due to numerous electronic devices being connected, it’s not surprising that your already messy writing desk resembles a busy control room at NASA. However, fortunately, a basic piece of stationery could rescue your workspace from becoming a complete mess. Additionally, we believe that even experts at NASA have yet to discover this simple tactic.
You can simply pass your cables through a binder clip. Additionally, it is useful because you can affix it to a variety of items such as your pen holder or three-tier letter organizer.
Gotta Catch ‘Em All
Have you ever questioned the whereabouts of all your bobby pins? Every female understands the importance of keeping a good supply of these because they tend to disappear mysteriously, lost in some unknown location. This crucial accessory is undoubtedly a must-have for every woman, unless they don’t mind having an untidy hairstyle.
These valuable items that come in handy on a bad hair day often have a habit of wandering off on their own. To prevent this from happening, simply attach a magnet to the inside of your drawer. The magnet will attract all the bobby pins to it using the principles of physics.
Frozen Foods Made Gourmet
If you have a love for food and cooking or are an aspiring chef, it’s recommended that you disregard this suggestion. There will be no further warnings, so please take note. For those of us who rely on frozen meals and need a practical (yet delicious!) cooking tip, we suggest trying this method with breaded dishes.
Once you have thawed the nuggets or bread in the microwave, transfer them to the toaster for a brief final cook. This will add a pleasant crispy texture. By the way, has anyone spotted the bottle of ketchup?
Paint it Black
People who love music or those who can’t spend a day without their earphones may relate to the common issue of figuring out which earphone goes into which ear. This task can be time-consuming, requiring an extra five minutes every time they prepare to leave the house.
Initially, it appeared that there was no straightforward solution to this matter. However, it turns out there is one after all. Generally, headphones come in a uniform color. So why not just replace one earbud with a differently colored one?
Oh Ye Mighty Fork
As you continue reading this article, you will realize that forks are probably the most neglected cutlery item. Here’s a scenario for you to ponder upon- You have a significant zoom call scheduled, but unfortunately, you don’t have any tool to change the angle of your laptop.
Don’t worry! We have a solution that will help you. Simply take two forks and place them underneath your laptop. This will allow you to sit comfortably without feeling self-conscious, assuming you have taken care of your appearance. Hurry! Go to the bathroom!
Satchel-Grocery Bag
Taking care of oneself as an adult includes the responsibility of purchasing groceries, which frequently entails making a trip to the supermarket and transporting them back home through various modes of transportation such as the train, bus, or any other means. Although it may seem amusing, for some individuals, buses are an essential part of this journey.
As carrying groceries alone can be tiring due to their weight, here’s a helpful tip: Take a strap from an old satchel and attach it to both sides of the grocery bag. This will ease the burden and make the task easier.
Hair Tie Phone Holder
Most phone users have faced this issue where their phone hangs between the floor and ceiling due to a short charger cable. To resolve this problem, the simple solution is to switch to a longer cable.
However, if you don’t want to spend extra cash, which is completely reasonable given that iPhone cables can be very costly, you can simply employ a hair tie. All you need to do is wrap it around both your phone and charger to keep them securely in place.
Ironing With a Pot
Do you have a crucial meeting ahead, but just realized that you haven’t arranged for an iron? We understand that you have been accustomed to your mother ironing your collared shirts. However, we suggest that you take responsibility for it, particularly if you are a grown-up.
However, we do have a solution to eliminate those wrinkles if you do not have an iron available. It is important to note that no starch will be used in this method. To start, heat up some water in a pot with a handle and use it to smooth out your shirt in the same way you would use an iron.
Unhook a Shopping Cart
Earlier, we talked about groceries. Now, it’s important for you to know how you can obtain them even if you don’t have extra money to release a shopping cart. So, let’s say you’ve made it to the supermarket (yay!), but unfortunately, you don’t have any spare coins to use for a shopping cart.
Instead of just staring idly, search your pockets. Ah, here are your house keys. Remember to use the circular end of the key as a substitute for a coin and make sure to buy some milk too!
Soup Delivery
Although we strongly advise against using your vehicle to transport liquids (as this could result in negative consequences), there is an appropriate method to do so if necessary. For instance, suppose you considered carrying chicken noodle soup or any other type of soup to your family gathering.
It might not be a wise decision to transport a pot of soup in your car without any precautions. To prevent the soup from spilling, wrapping rubber bands horizontally around the pot’s handles and lid will keep it secure.
Good to the Last Squeeze
Previously, we discussed the role of binder clips in rescuing one of NASA’s shuttle launches (which was a joke), but these clips, which happen to be our top choice from the stationery items, have much more functionality beyond that. If you prefer to use things to their fullest capacity, you will find this particular trick useful.
To easily squeeze out the last bit of toothpaste, rely on a binder clip instead of exerting great effort in pushing it out of the tube. The binder clip can effortlessly do the job for you.
Locking Chopsticks
Let’s be honest — those who go to Asian restaurants tend to sneak out a pair or two of disposable chopsticks. While we won’t ask you to declare to the customs officers how many of those you have illegally smuggled out of restaurants, we might suggest what else you can do with them — other than eating homemade Pad Thai.
In case your steel door latch just broke down (bear with us), you can just stick in a pair of chopsticks. Yeah, that should keep burglars away, or just your kids.
Peanut Butter Jelly Time
A peanut butter sandwich always sounds like a good idea, especially when it comes with jelly! Getting that butter out of the jar, however, is less fun. That stubborn creamy paste never comes out easily.
This is extremely true if most of it is concentrated at the bottom because scooping it out is a real mess. The solution is quite simple, when you buy a new jar of peanut butter, just flick it over and store it upside down. This would cause the oil to separate from the peanut butter itself.
A Banana to Save the Day
Getting out a splinter that is stuck under your skin can be an extremely painful experience, especially if the area around it is swollen. Doctors normally would recommend using tweezers or a needle to get the splinter out.
This procedure would obviously hurt but it will get the job done. However, there’s another way. We haven’t tried it ourselves (we tend to stay away from coarse surfaces), but wrap a banana peel around the area and give it a day or two. The splinter will come out… maybe.
Rub it Clean
So you have decided to repaint all the rooms in your house, or even just some of them. While you are debating between deep violet red, dandelion yellow, or just white, we recommend that you give a little thought as to what you are going to do about all those paint-stained clothes.
Some paints can be pretty stubborn and no washing machine is up for the task (at least the ones we are familiar with). Make sure you mix some white vinegar with water and rub it on the clothes before throwing them in the wash.
Bring in the Mayo
While mayonnaise has a place of honor in the Russian cuisine (but much less so in the American), this weird white condiment also has other uses — non-culinary uses, that is. Surprisingly enough, most Americans don’t actually like consuming mayonnaise. We can relate.
After all, mayonnaise is an… acquired taste, so to say. So, if you’re not going to eat it, just know that it can be used to remove water and heat stains from wooden surfaces. Just gloss some mayo over the stain and it’s going to be good as (almost) new.
Light’em Up
Remember those kindergarten days, when you used crayons to draw on almost any surface and get your mommy really angry? You’d be surprised to know that crayons have other uses too, other than drawing on the walls of your living room.
In case there’s a power shortage and you’re stuck at home without electricity, and you have no candles, you can light up a few crayons. Yes — you read that correctly. Just light the tip of the crayon and you’ve got yourself a burning candle.
Home Remedy
Ginger is mostly associated with Christmas time (at least in our world), but it could be associated with some recommended home remedies. You know, the kind your grandmother has been secreting for years and using it from time to time whenever you get sick.
The downside? If you cut a fresh piece of ginger root and put it in your mouth, you are likely not to enjoy its acrid taste. Luckily, there’s nothing that white sugar can’t fix — candied ginger is as good as a fresh one.
Are You Listening?
Apparently, we have all been using earphones wrong. And no, this isn’t just about happily sticking them in your ears and hitting that play button, blasting Rihanna at full volume (we admit, though, that it is really fun).
In case you’re using non-wireless earphones, you may just want to put the earphone cables behind your ear. This will prevent them from dangling around or falling out when you’re jogging in the park. The alternative of course is to use wireless headphones.
Right in the Eye
While most of us rarely need to sew our clothes, there are some who still do it. In fact, mending socks is still a common thing to do. Why bother throwing them away if you can just patch up that little hole?
Although it has been ages since we participated in embroidery lessons (do kids these days still have them?), we still have a few tricks up our sleeve (a patched one). Passing a thread through the eye of the needle is hard. So, just rub the needle against the thread.
Nicely Smelling Erasers
Studying for finals is not a fun experience — unless you’re some sort of a genius. Since most of us are not, however, we often have to find crazy and weird ways to improve our chances of passing these grueling exams.
In fact, there’s an easy way to harness all that brainpower so it’s easier for you to remember the material. Use scented erasers when studying for your tests. The human brain closely associates smells with memories. Smelling mathematical equations is easier than solving them, no?
Paperclip-End
Ever since the invention of sellotape, people have struggled with finding its sticky end when they need to use it again. For some miraculous reason, the tip of the tape always seems to melt back into the roll itself.
While there’s no scientific explanation to this problem, there’s something that we can do to help those who are in distress. Placing a simple paperclip on the sticky end will ensure that you’ll never lose sight of the tip again!
Makeshift Corkscrew
We bet you never thought to use a pair of pliers in place of a corkscrew or bottle opener, huh? Well, thanks to us, you now have another use for this tool!
Sure — we recommend making your life as easy as possible and just buying yourself a bottle opener. But in case you ever find yourself without a corkscrew, just stick a screw or a nail into the cork and use a pair of pliers to pull the cork out. Drink up!
Pepper Burns
You can get burns from almost anything, but mostly from heat and chemical sources. You wouldn’t imagine, however, that your hands might get severely irritated and have a burning sensation if you cut a large amount of jalapeno peppers.
While we like ours pickled or just as a pizza topping, someone still needs to cut them. So, if you aren’t using disposable gloves when dealing with that n(t)asty pepper, you better rinse them in olive oil (or any cooking oil) after you are done chopping them.
Free (the) Pringles!
There’s nothing like the iconic cylindrical package of Pringles potato-based crisps to improve any house party. What’s even better is that they come in several different flavors. We personally prefer sour cream and onion.
Their only downside (apart from containing large amounts of salt and trans fats) is that they are extremely fragile. So, the next time you are trying to pry them out, fold a piece of paper and push it between the crisps and the container. Now, slide the paper out nice and slowly. Let’s get this party started!
Universal Cleaner
Vinegar, which was previously featured in this article, is definitely a multipurpose liquid. Earlier, we suggested using it to remove paint stains from your clothes. But this magical liquid can do so much more than just remove stubborn paint stains.
We don’t know how it works exactly (we have a vague idea), but it certainly works like magic. If you want your faucet to be shiny again, fill a plastic bag with vinegar and water, wrap it around the showerhead or faucet, and leave it overnight. It will shine like a diamond.
The Spoon
We’ve already praised forks a few times throughout this article. It’s time we say a few nice things about spoons, too. Just like their three-pronged counterparts, spoons can come to the rescue in certain situations.
Ever tried opening a well-sealed jar? Some suggest using a towel or tapping on the lid to relieve some of the pressure inside. There’s a much simpler way of doing it and all you need is a regular tablespoon. Just put the tip of the spoon under the lid and lift, releasing some of the air inside.
Folding Sheets The Right Way
It seems like knowing how to fold sheets is something that mothers simply know how to do. We assume that they are taught how to fold bedsheets in the Mom Academy (there has to be a place like that, no?).
We also believe that the trick should be taught to singles, too. Just put each of your hands inside the opposite edges of the sheets, fold corner to corner, and voilà!
Frozen Sponge
Going on a trip is real fun, especially when you bring food along and you’re not the one who has to carry the cooler. The annoying downside of bringing a cooler (apart from having to carry it) is that you need to put something in it to make sure the food stays refrigerated.
Regular ice packs may sound like the go-to solution, but they usually drip tons of water as they melt. Instead, we offer you a hassle-free solution — a frozen saturated sponge in a plastic container bag.
Repurposing Socks
Socks have a known reputation for disappearing while doing laundry. You were certain that you had put two pairs of socks in the hamper but only one came back. The sock has just disappeared into the void. So, what should you do with that other single sock?
Instead of throwing it away, we have a mind-blowing solution. Put that spare sock on the end of your vacuum cleaner the next time you use it. This will help you find small objects that you’ve lost or misplaced, like earrings.
Boxed Up Cords
We’ve already lamented about the infinite amount of electrical cords that we all get tangled in at one point or another. And while we offered a solution for the cables that work for your desk, we seemed to have neglected those that are scattered between random drawers.
Instead of letting them slowly corrode, use an old shoebox and a bunch of toilet paper tubes to organize all your spare cables. Think of it as a hive, just without the bees and the honey. Just neatly rolled cables.
Sticky Keys
There’s no easy way to clean a keyboard. Keyboards have a tendency to accumulate dust, breadcrumbs, traces of your last dinner, and a whole lot of grime. What’s even more annoying is that, with all the recent technological advancements, we have yet to find an effective way to clean it (unless you count a keyboard vacuum cleaner).
If you’re not into spending extra dollars on expensive gadgets, use a sticky side of a sticky note to clean your keyboard. Just move it between the buttons.
Easy-Peel Eggs
Apparently, vinegar is not only an all-purpose cleaner that’s good for removing paint stains, but it can also make your life a lot easier when cooking eggs. We’ve all faced this annoying problem of trying to unpeel the shell from the egg after making hard-boiled eggs.
The result is often the same — you lose half the egg in the process. Just add a little vinegar while boiling the eggs. This is likely to cause the shell to separate more easily.
Straightening Your Carpet
We’re not afraid to admit that we absolutely adore forks. They have countless other uses besides just being a utensil for your food. They’re actually quite useful in solving many first world problems (just read through some of the things we wrote here).
Forks can also be used to remove carpet dents. Place the prongs in the middle of the dent and just tweak it a little to separate the fibers. You can also put ice cubes on the dent before straightening it.
Moving Day
Moving to a new apartment is an exciting thing. The less exciting part about it, however, is having to pack all your stuff and transport it to your new place. Just imagine having to take all your clothes from the closet and folding each and every single item separately.
What a nightmare! Or you could just use garbage bags. Just put one around a stack of clothes and tie it up tightly. This is all about bagging and tagging. You got the idea.
Hammers and Nails
So, you decided to stick a new picture or the latest employee of the month award on your bedroom wall, but then comes the hard part — hammering the nail. If you’re not really good with your hands, then there’s a good chance that you’re going to bash your fingers at least a couple of times in the process.
What you could do instead is use a clothespin to steady the nail while you are hitting it with that hammer.
Straws and Berries
Strawberries are delicious, no doubt. The annoying part is having to pluck their green stems before biting into them, unless you believe in literally following the whole natural approach to foods. In case you don’t, and you just want to enjoy your strawberries without any additional natural flavors, just push a straw through that berry.
Get it? It’s a straw-berry — meaning that you literally need to take a straw and use it to take out that stem before you can have your way with them.
Screw Funnel
Cars need synthetic oil so they can run smoothly. In fact, it’s recommended to change the car’s oil routinely to avoid unpleasant surprises while driving on the highway. You wouldn’t want to find yourself stuck in the middle of nowhere just because you forgot to change your oil.
If worse comes to worst and you find yourself in need of oil, make sure to keep a spare funnel or a screwdriver in the trunk of your car. Apparently, a screwdriver might be used as a funnel too!
Cosmetics On-the-Go
Being someone who uses cosmetic products on a daily basis is hard, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman. Having to carry various cosmetic products, mostly creams, in your bag can be a bit of a hassle. This is especially true when you’re traveling abroad and every ounce of your luggage counts.
Instead of carrying 10 different cosmetics bottles, just put the creams you need in the lens containers. You won’t even notice that they’re there, but they will certainly come in handy.
Left Them Hanging
No matter how big your closet is, it will never have enough space to hold all your clothes, especially those that are in need of hanging. Instead of folding them, piling them up, or just donating them (and don’t get us wrong, we love donating stuff), use soda tabs.
Just put the tab on the bottom part of the hanger’s metal wire and pass the duck-shaped part of the next hanger through the other side of the tab. So, next time you buy a pack, make sure you keep those soda tabs.
Dustpan Funnel
Screws are not the only tools that can be used as a substitute for funnels (you might have started thinking that actual funnels are rare). Truth is, most people are just lazy and don’t bother going to the nearest hardware store to get a proper funnel.
For those people exactly, we are offering the following tip. Use a dustpan instead of a funnel when you need to fill up a large bucket with water. Place the pan under the faucet, with the handle facing outwards towards the bucket. Turn the water on and get filling!
Yolked Up
Some recipes tend to be very specific about which part of the egg you need to use when preparing a dish. An egg is an egg in our eyes — and aren’t you supposed to use all of it anyway?
In any case, if you are really particular about how you cook your eggs, we suggest you use a bottle to suck out the yolk. This will leave you just with the white. This neat and hassle-free trick will help you perfectly cook what you need.
Clean Brush-Stroke
Trying to properly paint a room may not be as easy as you think. Sure — you just dip the brush in a little bit of paint and spread it all over the wall, leaving droplets of paint on the floor, on your clothes, and even on your face.
It gets the job done but leaves an (ugly) trail behind it. Want to avoid that? Just put a rubberband over that paint can and use it to wipe your brush before you start painting.
Wet Onions
Since we’re in the cooking business already (just check out some of the previous stuff we wrote about in this article), we have another useful kitchen-related life hack. Onions don’t go down without a fight — that’s why we cry every time we cut them (they actually release chemicals that make you cry).
However, since onions are an essential part of many dishes, we suggest that you use a wet knife when cutting them. This won’t stop you from crying completely, but it will make your eyes a little drier.
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