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 fourth 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!
Be sure to scroll down to see some of these brilliant hacks in action on video!
Instant Drink Lid
Place a small piece of “press and seal” cling wrap over the top of any cup to make a quick and easy lid. Poke a small hole through the center and slip a straw in for easy drinkability!
Pizza Cutter Possibilities
Pull that dusty pizza cutter out of your kitchen drawer and put it to good use. Your pizza cutter can be used to cut quesadillas, pancakes, herbs, pita bread, and more!
Keep Lettuce Crisp
There’s an easy way to prep a big bowl of salad and keep it fresh all week long. Place the chopped and dried lettuce in a bowl, and place a dry paper towel right on top of the lettuce. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge. The paper towel will absorb the moisture inside the bowl, which will help keep your lettuce crisp for a week or more!
Microwave Magic
Reheating leftovers in the microwave can often result in unevenly heated food. Some spots will be too hot to eat, while others are stone cold! But there’s an easy way to get much more even heating – arrange your leftovers into a “donut” shape on your plate, and then microwave as usual. Problem solved!
Homemade “Canned” Soup
For perfectly portioned soups, pour your favorite homemade soup into paper cups and place them in the freezer. Once the soup is frozen, peel away the paper cup. Now you’ll have “canned” soup at the ready anytime!
Toothpaste Helper
Here’s an easy tip to help you get the most out of your tube of toothpaste. Roll the end of the tube towards the opening to squeeze the toothpaste forward, then secure it with a binder clip. You won’t have to keep re-rolling the tube, and the bottom of the clip makes a handy stand, too!
No More Boil-Overs
Place a wooden spoon across the top of a boiling pot to keep it from boiling over.
Zipper Fix
A zipper that won’t stay up can be a real nuisance. Create a quick fix by threading a keyring onto the end of your zipper. Then, zip your pants up and loop the keyring over the button of your jeans. The zipper will stay hooked in place!
Put A Ring On It
You can make a simple ring holder from an egg carton and a bit of paint. Just cut a small raised section from the bottom of an egg carton, and cover it in a coat of your favorite paint.
Opt For Cash Back
If your card or bank doesn’t reimburse you for ATM fees, those fees can add up fast! If you’re in need of cash, consider visiting a grocery store rather than an ATM. Buy something small and get cash back when you check out. A candy bar costs quite a bit less than most ATM fees, and you get to eat the candy. ;-)
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.
More Ideas You'll Love
I’ve actually used the skinny hair elastics for my pants if I’m having one of my fat girl,days.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Awesome tips as usual! Thank you Jillee :) What I want to know is what kind of soup is in the picture above? It looks delicious!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wendy, I honestly don’t remember what soup this was, as we re-used a picture from a post that I wrote a long time ago. However, here are a couple of my soup recipes that I love. Enjoy! :-)
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I’ve tried the one about putting a wooden spoon on top of a pot to keep it from boiling over, and it works! If you are as culinarily challenged as I am, you would try anything to help you cook better.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love, love, the tip about wrapping greens in paper towels to keep fresh, prior to placing in plastic containers! I’ve tried many other methods, green bags, etc…all to no avail. Living alone, I tend to waste too much produce due to not consuming it quickly enough. Anxious to try this out, asap! So grateful for your columns, Jillie!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I never thought of that
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Rub a graphite pencil over a stuck zipper to unstick it!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I will snap a picture from my phone so I remember where I parked
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I WRAP ALL GREENERY IN PAPER TOWELS, ALL HERBS, LETTUCE, CELERY THE LOT, AND PUT THEM INTO PLASTIC CONTAINERS OR PLASTIC BAGS. KEEPS FOR WEEKS AS FRESH AS THE DAY THEY WERE BOUGHT. NO MORE MOULDERING JAM JARS OF PARSLEY ETC. ON KITCHEN BENCH. OH – AND MUSHROOMS! SOMETIMES NEED TO CHANGE TOWELS AS THEY GET DAMP, BUT IT WORKS!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have read some great ideas here today. Some I have been using for years and some I need to change something. Thank You. I will be back to read more past post.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Very cool ideas that we can use and so simple too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How do you get tea stains out of metal and plastic thermos?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have had success removing stains in metal thermos by putting salt, ice and touch of water in the thermos and swirling it around. Rinse and you’re done!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Fill the thermos with water and add about 1/4 cup of white vinegar. Let sit for a few hours, and the stains should wipe off easily. :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you lose a button on your slacks or skirt, use a safety pin to replace the button. Pin it where your button was and insert your safety pin ‘button’ through the buttonhole.
Learned this when I was an office worker and putting on hand cream magically made the phone ring! Put your hand lotion on the back of your hand first, then rub it against the back of the other hand. If you need to use your hands, they’re not covered in lotion and I find it’s the back of the hands that are thirsty anyway….
Please log in or create a free account to comment.After i wash nd y my whole iceburg lettuce i wrap it in paper towels and seal it in a bowl. I use it everyday and change the paper towels. It has lasted for over a month like this and still taste fresh and crisp. Im not throwing out whole heads of lettuce since i discovered this idea.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I also find that if I put my Cilantro, Parsley or lettuce in a large mouth jar or bowl in the case of lettuce–put it in the fridge it keeps for a long time–don’t know how long as I use it up in a weeks time. Also I do this with celery but I have to cut some of it to make it shorter or it will not fit in my fridge. I find you can also leave it out of the fridge for some time if you don’t have room in it. I use to roll up my clean my veg. in water with a few drops of YL lemon Essential Oil and then put them in a net bag (one that is for washing nylons)-(3 for $1 at dollar store) and then wrap in a clean towel and put them in the washing machine on ‘spin’ to get most of the water out of them and then roll them in a white tea towel and then in a ‘green’ bag to keep them fresh in the fridge but by simply putting them in a container with water
Please log in or create a free account to comment.saves me a lot of time.
awesome ideas……………………Love that these ideas are so practical, economical and easy………………..Thank You…..
Please log in or create a free account to comment.So many helpful ideas. Thanks a lot. I will look forward to reading new ones.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Put a paper towel over whole mushrooms in their container, then cover with plastic wrap. They will last a lot longer. Mary S.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love help with the zipper!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks Jillee for helping us simplify life
My girlfriend had an outdoor bbq and she used upside down cupcake liners on top of cups that she punched straws through to keep bugs/dirt out — super cute but I think this press and seal topper would’ve been easier. I LOVE that salad idea! I hate soggy salad….
-Clarissa @ The View From Here
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve tried the wooden spoon on a pot before and it’s never worked. :(
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have also tried the wooden spoon idea many times & it has never worked… :-( lol
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Oh, but it does work…
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Look for plastic clips for use on tooth paste. Metal binder clips rust when they get wet. However, they’re great for closing almost any kind of bag for short-term storage in freezer or fridge. Good for dry bags like chips too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love your blog. Here is an idea that I like even better than the pizza cutter one you shared. Use a pair of kitchen shears instead. I use it to chop nearly everything.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use my kitchen shears for everything! I have a specific pair I use for cutting raw meat and another that gets used for everything else. It’s also great because with a lot of stuff, you don’t even need to haul out the cutting board!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you so much for such a FANTASTIC Web site….you have become one of my most FAVORITE reads. I learn so much from you and wanted to tell you how much I appreciate it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I also just read your bio and was saddened but happy to see you have rose above those
Difficult times. I wish you an eternity of sobriety and a wealth of good health and happiness.
I once bought a terry cloth bag that was sOld to keep lettuce fresh. Now I make my own. I wash the leaves, drain them and place them in a bag made from a terry cloth hand towel that I have fo,died in half and sewn up the sides. It will keep the lettuce fresh for a week or more. I use the bag when for head lettuce that I have washed and drained as well.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’m always saying to myself, “Email Jillee and tell her what a great idea that is.” Then life interrupts, and I forget. So let me tell you- your blog is fantastic; your ideas find me saying, “Damn, that’s a great idea!”
I’ve told several people about you, and their feedback is so positive.
I’ve always believed in passing on those positive & glowing tributes to their owner.
So, job well done, my friend. Keep on going.
Jessica Geiger
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you so much Jessica!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This has got to be my new favorite site! So many good ideas and wonderful recipes. Now very useful hacks that most people can use. Well done Jillee!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great ideas. For disposing of the pads etc at home I put a separate non see thru bag in the trash , and cover with newspaper. Those perfume inserts in magazines are great for masking the smell. The scented dryer sheets that irritate my skin are good for this too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.to dispose of your used pads or tampons while you’re out running errands or at a restaurant, buy the diaper disposal bags at the dollar store. easy disposal. place wiper sheets in the bottom of your garbage pail to keep them sweet smelling and to absorb any leakage. if you love the smell of your fav lotion but hate how runny it is, us a small dab of dollar store vaseline in your palm and mix it with the lotion. makes it thicker and your skin will be super soft.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Good tips as usual. Just bought at Dollar Tree a toothpaste roll upper. Who knew those stinking blinders in my drawer would work. Love the soup idea and the covered drink. Love love that press and seal stuff. I buy big bags of kale, mustard etc for my bunny but it always gets icky and I end up throwing it away. This I will be doing as soon as I feed everybody.
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