Here on my blog, I strive to share simple, everyday tips and tricks that can help make your 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. Today I’ll be sharing some of those tips and tricks with you in the fifteenth edition of my ongoing series “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?”
If you’re interested in more tips like this, grab a copy of my eBook Hack Your Life! It contains nearly 100 of those tips that will help you solve the little everyday problems that life throws your way. From the best way to clean your computer keyboard, to how to quickly peel a kiwi, the tips in this book cover a range of topics including cleaning & organizing, cooking, entertaining, and much more. You can buy it in my shop, or download it for free if you’re an OGT Plus member!
1. Freeze Your Water Bottle
During the summer, the water in your reusable bottle can go from icy cold to lukewarm in a matter of minutes. But there’s a simple way to keep your water colder for much longer!
Before bed, fill your water bottle halfway with water and place it on its side in your freezer. In the morning, just fill the rest of the bottle with water for icy cold water that actually lasts!
2. Better Microwaved Pizza
When you reheat pizza in a microwave, the crust can turn unpleasantly tough. To avoid this, just place a small glass of water in the microwave along side your pizza. The added moisture will help preserve the texture of the crust!
3. iPhone Cursor Hack
Anyone with an iPhone can tell you how annoying it is to edit text after you’ve typed it. Selecting the right spot in the text to place the cursor is so tricky that it’s often easier to just delete it all and start over!
But I recently learned there’s actually a MUCH simpler way to do it—just hold down the space bar! This allows you to move the cursor around freely so you can put it right where you want it.
Related: 13 More Brilliant iPhone Hacks That Make Life Easier
4. Waterproof Your Canvas Shoes
Canvas sneakers are great for everyday wear, but they don’t do much to keep your feet dry. But you can waterproof your canvas shoes using only a bit of beeswax and a hair dryer!
Spread the beeswax over the outside of your shoes, then use the hair dryer to melt the wax. As the wax becomes more pliable, spread it out in an even layer and remove any excess wax as needed. Once the wax has melted and disappeared, you’re done!
Related: How To Clean Your Canvas Shoes So They Look Good As New
5. Start Fires With Chips
Even when you have a good amount of twigs and kindling to start a campfire, an added boost can help get things started. Have a bag of snack chips nearby? Add a handful to your kindling!
The fat, oil, and additives in snack chips tend to burn up easily. Use them to get enough of a flame going to light your kindling, and you’ll be well on your way to a roaring campfire.
6. Keep Garlic Fresh
Worried about keeping those garlic bulbs fresh long enough to use them? Place them in a lidded container and cover them in coarse salt. The salt will draw enough moisture out of the garlic to help keep it fresh and ready to use!
More Ideas You'll Love
7. Grater Breadcrumbs
You don’t have to pull out your food processor just to make breadcrumbs! Instead, freeze a piece of bread until it’s solid, then grate it up with your box grater. You’ll have perfect breadcrumbs with less cleanup!
The “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” Series
- For even more simple tips and tricks that will make your life easier, check out the other installments in this series, including ones you may have missed!
- Explore the “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” series archive.
I agree about the restroom floors. I also try not put my purse on the floor when I go other places in public you never know what germs are lurking out there. I also have a little purse hanger that has its own bag. It’s great for restaurants if there’s not a chair next to me.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just thought you might want to know the difference between kindling and tinder Jillee. Tinder is usually finely divided dry material that will begin to glow under a shower of sparks. Fire starters are considered tinder as well. The flaming tinder is used to ignite kindling, which in turn is used to ignite the fuel.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Does anyone know how to prevent slugs getting into the kitchen at night? Eugh !
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Slugs and salt don’t mix. If you can find out how they are getting in, you can pour good ole table salt around the area.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Another iPhone cursor trick is to slide the cursor to (close) to where you want it, and hold it down there. A pop-up magnifier of the area appears. With that it’s easy to finish sliding the cursor into place.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Got banana sap all over my shirt and shorts. Washed and dried didn’t touch the stains. After $16 at the dry cleaners, no better success. Any ideas?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great tips!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Here’s my trick for getting those pesky sealed-on silvery plastic lids off. You know the kind – they come on some containers of coffee, or pourable coffee creamers, even those single-serve half-n-half cups. I’ve not broken nor chipped a nail since keeping a pair of needle-nosed pliers handy. The pointy end lifts the flap, then you grab it midway in the pliers and roll. So so easy. (And for those of us born back in the Jurassic period – wink – this is reminiscent of the old “key” that used to come attached to cans of coffee so you could open the aluminum lid.)
Haha, Lyn! I remember those keys! And hopefully it will be a long time before WE go extinct
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just use the point of a small knife and go around the perimeter, when you get about half way just peel back or off. Also you can use a tweezer.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Razor knife
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How to get rid of a lot of little ants in your house?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.There’s a product called ‘Terro’ for ants. Years ago I had those big black ants invading – two days after Terro they were gone. This summer, out of nowhere, the little ants started invading. Terro again to the rescue in 2 days, and I haven’t seen any for months. Best product I’ve ever used to get rid of those critters.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That is what we use, too. An exterminator told us it is the strongest thing you can buy without a license. One caveat – when you put it out, you will have ants such as you’ve never seen and wonder what on earth you’ve gotten into. But as Lyn said, in two days it’s all over. They take the stuff back to the nest and it poisons the whole crew.
We had ants in the bedroom, and found they were crawling up the porch posts. Terro is a sort of loose gel, so we ran two lines of it around the post just above eye level. Too high to worry that the cats would get into it, anyway. The ants didn’t cross the gel, so it kept them out of the house and solved the problem.
The Terro products are great, but expensive. If you prefer to DIY, The active ingredient in Terro is Borax. Just add some water to make it liquid, and you’re good to go. Replace when no longer effective.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use Borax and sugar – a bit of liquid to make it stick together, put it on a bit of cardboard and the ants eat it up. Replace it when gone, a few days later – no ants.
Check around the perimeter of your house as well. Terro works very well. Place on paper, otherwise it hardens and is hard to clean up. You don’t need to use much.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I dry my bread and put it in a gallon freezer bag to break it up with a rolling pin!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love the hints especially the jumpy curser and the water bottle; freeze a chunk or 2 of orange or other fruit as well! Or maybe left over coffee? hum….we could get carried away with this ; )
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This happens all the time at my house… (4 adults):
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Morning, time for a bowl of cereal… You pour the Cereal into a bowl, open the fridge… NO MILK!!!!!
Lately, instead of pouring the cereal, back into the box…
I just use water, simple, “on tap”, and the cereal still tastes Grrrrrate! (Tony The Tiger)
Don’t knock it, until you’ve tried it :)
Used to date a guy who poured his orange juice over his cereal. He said it saved time.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Another way to reheat pizza – put it in a frying pan and heat – the crust stays crisp
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, I’ve done it that way, as well. (:
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We even skillet-crisp ours up a bit when it’s fresh, works perfectly.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for the iPhone hack! I never knew this. So helpful!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Here’s another tip – did you ever go into a restroom stall with no hook to hang your handbag? If you have a long strap on your handbag, you can loop it around the top edge of the door where there is a space for the door to swing open. No more hanging the handbag around your neck while you do your business!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have had to do this several times and it works well. NEVER ever, put your bag on the floor!!! You have no idea what *^%# is on the floor and then you take it back to your home and spread all these germs. I have seen so many bags on the floor, just almost makes me nauseated. A public restroom is one of the most nasty places, and no manner how clean you keep your own at home, they still have germs lurking, and it’s so unreal how many persons will leave the rest room and ‘never’ wash their hands. I ‘know’ this doesn’t pertain to today’s post but thought I would throw it in.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Exactly! Ugh… :(
Be careful doing that. Someone can walk by and grab that bag. I don’t even use the hook on door when it is high, had a friend lose a purse when someone reached over and grabbed it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.She was at a high in store in a mall in Utah. I usually leave my purse hanging on my shoulder.
Or hang it off the toilet paper dispenser if possible. If the strap is long , I tie it in a knot then drape it over the tp holder
I’m from New York, and would NEVER leave my bag where some mean person could grab it.
The stalls usually have a sliding latch. I just hang my pocketbook over that. If you have a should bag just shorten the strap or if not adjustable try wrapping around vertically on center. It may sound nutty, but I started carrying some toilet tissue in a zipper lock bag as sometimes you go to use the restroom and no toilet tissue. This could especially useful if you go to a port when on a cruise and use a public restroom.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My mother NEVER left the house without spare tissue/toilet paper.
I also love the iphone hack. I’m an Android snob but occasionally have to send texts from the front desk at work via iphone notifying an employee their visitor has arrived. Not being able to click into a word to edit it has been so frustrating. Eager to try this out!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Toilet paper or paper towel rolls make great fire starters.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I fill them with dryer lint.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes, toilet paper cardboard roll filled with dryer lint…the best fire starters! Wrap in pretty tissue….give to campers and fun gift
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I spray the kindling with Pam. Works great!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.OMG the spacebar hack is GENIUS!!!!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you for this tip!
Jillian, I noticed a couple of ads on your website for cigars. Are you a smoker?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The ad people target ads these days, so it just means they think you are.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That iPhone hack just blew my mind. Thank you so much!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve done the water bottle trick before. It really works. It’s great for jobs like mine where you go outside a lot in the heat.
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