I thought this might be a good topic since everyone has such good advice to share. List your favorite "I had no idea" tip.
Here's two of mine:
I seriously had no idea that you didn't need to precook lasagna noodles. Lifechanger for me, since lasagna is now so easy to prep on the weekends and pull out and bake later in the week.
I also had no idea that you could muffle a doorbell with a flat refrigerator magnet.
nectarine / 2636 posts
@bamblm: wait! You just put the lasagna noodles in uncooked with the sauce /cheese and everything!?
cherry / 211 posts
@abbydabbydoodlebug: yes!!! you don't even have to buy the oven-ready kind. Layer your lasagna like you normally do, pour some extra sauce & sprinkle cheese over the top, then you bake covered for about 15-20 minutes longer than normal. The last 15 mins you can uncover if you like you cheese to be browned. Just make sure all the noodles are covered with sauce..
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
Hmm...the first one that comes to mind is that shaving with baby oil instead of shaving cream is a HUGE money saver. It barely takes any oil (one bottle lasts me like 6 months), keeps my legs moisturized and helps prolong the life of my blade. Also, I wipe off the blade when I'm done and keep it outside of the shower.
Tweeze after a warm shower. The hair comes out easier.
pineapple / 12566 posts
@bamblm: I made lasagne last night using this method! Definitely an easy weekday dinner.
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
A couple more--maybe not "I didn't know" but things that have come in handy for me.
Use a can opener to open blister packs.
Cut open a toilet paper roll and use it as a cuff on rolls of wrapping paper to keep them from unrolling
When a candle in a holder is low and you don't have one of those long trigger-lighter things light a (raw) stick of spaghetti and use that to light the candle.
Use a muffin tin to serve condiments at a cook-out.
If you accidentally close a window, Ctrl + Shift + Tab opens it back up. At least in Chrome.
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
I was shocked when I first learned about the upside down high chair trick for an infant carrier.
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
@Alivoo01: I have no idea, DH keeps a beard/mustache, so he hasn't shaved in years.
grapefruit / 4681 posts
@bamblm: @abbydabbydoodlebug: You can make homemade mac n cheese with raw noodles too!
grapefruit / 4862 posts
If you are far from your car and then remote lock/unlock doesn't reach it, hold it to your chin and try again. It uses your body as a conductor and will have a farther range. Good for finding your car in a crowded lot!
GOLD / coconut / 8266 posts
These are awesome tips! And now I want lasagna even though I'm relegated to a BRAT diet until tomorrow.
bananas / 9628 posts
OMG, you guys are rocking my world right now! i've been buying those noodles that say you don't have to precook them, but i didn't know you could just use regular ones!
i'm not the brightest bulb, so i'm not sure i have any.... although DH thinks i'm a genius for keeping the ice cream upside down so it doesn't get ice crystals, they stay on the lid. haha, yup, that's all i've got =D
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts
@mrs. bird: um, you just CHANGED MY LIFE with that ice cream thing. oh my.
I heard something about putting a piece of Magic Eraser in your toilet tank keeps the toilet ring from happening. haven't tried it yet.
I can't think of anything else...!!!
pomegranate / 3516 posts
I don't have any right now but this thread is great! I had no idea you didn't have to precook noodles in lasagna and baked macaroni!
blogger / coconut / 8306 posts
I iron some of Chloe's clothes with my flat iron. Especially some of her cotton tops that have ruffles. I hate having to break out my iron and ironing board, and my Chi really does the trick!
honeydew / 7091 posts
@Mrs. Jump Rope: Haha, I do that with my pillow cases! I thought I was a weirdo
The only one I can think of is the little arrow on the gas gauge in your car that tells you which side of the car to pump gas (in most cars, but not all)
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@mrs. bird: Ice cream doesn't last long enough in my house to get ice crystals, but that's good to know anyway!
And I never knew about the regular lasagna or macaroni going in unbaked!!
Um... I like the one I saw on pinterest or something-- if you have a plastic bag that is tied in an knot that you can't undo, twist the loose end until it's tight and you can push it through, rather than trying to pull it out with your nails. Kind of dumb but I use it all the time now.
pomegranate / 3452 posts
Similar to the ice cream trick ... we buy natural peanut butter and store it upside down. That way you don't have to stir it!
pomegranate / 3577 posts
Obv not my own, but I like the "tension rod in the cabinet" trick...this is for all those under sink spray bottles. Just put in the tension rod and hang the bottles by the spray trigger!
grapefruit / 4442 posts
@bamblm @mrs. bird: @aprk: my mind is blown! does the PB slide down and stick to the jar?:
coconut / 8299 posts
@swurlygurl: OOOH interesting! Never knew that about the gas gauge thing. Both of our cars have the gas thingie on two different sides and I always get confused between the two.
papaya / 10560 posts
wet a dish rag and throw in the dryer with clothes and it steams wrinkled clothing! i use when i have like 1 pair of wrinkly pants that i don't feel like ironing.
put tennis balls in the dryer with pillows to fluff them back up.
grapefruit / 4235 posts
I use my k cup machine as a bottle warmer, which I'm pretty proud of figuring out bc our kitchen is tiny and our hot water isn't super hot.
I put white vinegar in with our towels - it gets the mildew smell out and makes the towels fluffy.
GOLD / pineapple / 12662 posts
@dagret: how much white vinegar? if you have front loading machines, where do you put the vinegar (in the fabric softener bin)?
GOLD / pineapple / 12662 posts
@matador84: is that instead of fabric softener? I read fabric softener can decrease the absorbency of towels!
papaya / 10560 posts
@MsLipGloss: I just have one of those bounce bars in our dryer! i mainly use the wet rag tip to steam wrinkles out of clothes last minute!
grapefruit / 4235 posts
@MsLipGloss: I probably put a half cup in. I have my grandparents old top loader but I usually put it in the fabric softener dispenser.
papaya / 10560 posts
@dagret: i use our kuerig for hot water to make tea too! (with a tea bag if i don't have any k-cups)
olive / 72 posts
I don't know why eating a chicken wing properly is so cool in my mind but it has revolutionized my buffalo wing experience.
watermelon / 14206 posts
There's notches on the ends of the boxes of cling wrap and foil. Push them in when you're pulling some out, so that the whole roll doesn't fly out of the box.
GOLD / pineapple / 12662 posts
@matador84: ahhhhhh-for some reason I read towels instead of pillows!
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