Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Pretty Neat Little Tips

I received an e-mail from a friend with these tips. I don't know where it originated, but these are great. Thought you might be interested. To whomever wrote these, THANK YOU!

Bed Sheets
After drying my sheets, I put both of the neatly folded sheets and one of the pillowcases in the other pillow case. The next time you change sheets, you just take out the one pillow case with the sheets and the other pillow case inside. No need to look for matches.

Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works

Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal the bag and mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up, mixing thoroughly. Cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze the mixture into the egg. Then simply throw bag away when done, easy clean up.

Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes.You can double it in size.You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat fewer sugar/calories per serving.

Reheating Refrigerated Bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Newspaper Weeds-Away
Start by putting in your plants. Work your normal nutrients into your soil. Wet newspapers, put layers around the plants overlapping as you go, cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds WILL get through some gardening plastics. They will NOT get through wet newspapers. (This one I use and it really works. Just make sure you don't put the recycling out the week you plan on doing it or you'll be calling neighbors begging for their old newspapers. Yes, the voice of experience.)

Broken Glass
Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken pieces of glass, the fibers catch ones you can't see!

No More Mosquitoes
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

Squirrel Away!
To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it. To keep them from eating all of your bird seed, add red pepper flakes to the seed.The birds aren't bothered by it, but the squirrels hate it!

Easier Thank You
When you throw a bridal/baby shower, buy a pack of Thank You cards for the guest of honor. During the party, pass out the envelopes and have everyone put their address on one. When the bride/new mother gets ready to write out the thank you notes, they're all addressed!

New Bike
If you purchase a new bike for your child, place his/her picture inside the handle bar before placing the grips on. If the bike is ever stolen and later recovered, you can remove the grip and there is your proof who actually owns the bike.

Flexible Vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge, add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum hose. It can be bent or flattened to get into those narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. The same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing pantyhose.Place the pin in seam of slacks and "voila!" static is gone.

Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient (such as peanut butter) and watch how easily it comes right out.

Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog up, rub with the eraser! It works better than a cloth!

Conditioner

Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner that you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.

Good-bye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass and fill it to ½ with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home" and can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so (especially if it rains) but it works and you don't have to worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Sand Gone
Take baby powder to the beach. Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When you're ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder. The sand will slide right off your skin.


Hope this helps,

Elizabeth