“Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” – Part Five: 9 Simple Fixes for Annoying Little Problems

Here on my blog, I strive to share simple, everyday tips and tricks that can help make life a little bit easier. But sometimes, the tips that I want to share aren’t something I can write a whole blog post about. And since I simply cannot waste a good idea, I tuck them away to use at a later date. I decided to share some of those tips and tricks today, in the fifth edition of my ongoing series, “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?

Note: Many of the tips I share on the blog come straight from your comments. If you have a great idea you’d like to share, leave it in the comments, and your idea could be featured in the next “Why Didn’t I Think of That?” post!

Remember Where You Parked

It’s kind of embarrassing how often I return to the parking lot after shopping, only to realize that I have no idea where I left my car. But luckily for me, the latest iOS update for iPhones includes a feature that can remember where you parked!

You can turn the function on by first going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. Once that’s toggled on, go all the way down to the bottom and tap “System Services”. Scroll down until you see “Significant Locations & Routes”. Tap that, and you’ll be able to toggle it on.

Now go back to Settings > Apps > Maps and scroll down to Your Car. Toggle on “Show Parked Location”. To use this feature, you need to have Bluetooth turned on and use Maps on an iPhone 6 or later, with iOs 10 or later. Maps drops a parked car marker when you disconnect your iPhone from your car’s Bluetooth or CarPlay system and get out of the car. When you need to find the car, just search Parked Car in the maps app!

Tip: After I first changed the location services settings, it took a while for Show Parked Location to show up when I went to Settings > Apps > Maps and looked for it. You may even need to turn your phone off and turn it back on.

Sharpie Revival

If the tip of your favorite permanent marker has dried out, don’t toss it out just yet! You may be able to revive it with a little bit of rubbing alcohol.

Pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol into a small dish, then place the tip of the marker (cap off) into the alcohol for about 5 minutes. Put the cap back on the marker for one hour, and your marker should be ready to use!

Trash Tip

Nobody wants to take the trash out when the trash bag is a drippy, soggy mess! But there’s a simple way to avoid a wet garbage mess, and all you need is some newspaper.

When you put a new trash bag into your garbage can, line the bottom of the trash bag with a few sheets of newspaper. The newspaper will help absorb the liquid that falls to the bottom of the bag, reducing the chances of a dripping disaster. Smart!

VIDEO: How to Avoid a Drippy, Messy Trash Bag!

Storing Packets

Here’s a simple tip for storing spice, dip, and sauce packets in your pantry or cupboard. Stack up all of your packets and clip them together at the top with a binder clip. Hang the binder clip from a small Command hook. You’ll always know where your packets are, and it’ll be easy to flip through and find the one you need.

Add Grip to Glasses

Whether they’re reading glasses or sunglasses, it’s really annoying to have them slipping off your face! Just grab your trusty hot glue gun to add some extra grip.

Apply a line of hot glue to the inside of each arm of your glasses, near the back where they rest above your ears. When the glue dries, the glue will add some extra grip and keep them from sliding. (And you can peel the hot glue off whenever you want without damaging your frames.)

Put a Lid on It

If you have leftover chocolate chips after baking, here’s a quick tip for storing them. Cut the top third of a plastic water bottle off, then thread the top of the chocolate chip bag through the mouth of the bottle. Fold the bag over the opening, then screw the lid back onto the bottle.

Your chocolate chips will stay fresh until you need them, and they’ll be easy to pour, too!

VIDEO: Keep Food in Bags Fresher, Longer

Wrinkle Rescue

Sometimes you pull a button-up shirt out of your closet and it looks fine, except for the collar. Collars have a mysterious ability to wrinkle or curl up for no reason. But since it’s just the collar that’s wrinkled, it doesn’t feel worth it to drag out the iron and ironing board.

A quick way to tame a curled collar is to use your hair straightener! Hair straighteners heat up quickly, so you’ll be able to fix your collar issues even when you’re in a hurry.

Better Blender Cleaning

For the most part, cleaning a blender cup is really easy. But occasionally you blend something that just will not come off of those blades at the bottom of the cup! But there’s an easy way to tackle the mess, without risking your fingers.

Pour a few cups of hot water into your blender cup, along with a few drops of dish soap. Put the lid on and run your blender for a few seconds. The hot, soapy water will help loosen the stuff that’s stuck to the blades, and your blender cup will be clean in no time!

Turn Trash Into Garden Tools

Plants benefit from gentle, even watering, but you don’t need to buy an expensive watering can. You can make one using an empty milk jug!

Just wash out a plastic milk jug, and use a craft knife to poke several small holes in the cap. Fill the jug with water, screw the cap on, and use your recycled watering can to water house plants, flowers, or your garden beds.

NEW! Can you guess the 5-letter word related to today’s post?