This article was originally published on RealLifeDIY
Microwaving The Right Way
Some people love to eat leftovers from last night's dinner or a delicious restaurant meal taken home in a doggy bag. When it comes to eating leftovers, it is important to ensure they are safe to eat and properly heated. However, microwaves do not evenly heat up food. The right way to heat leftovers is to space out a circle in the middle of the food as it helps achieve even temperature distribution.
Why does spacing out a circle in the middle work? Well, it is because the center of the pile takes longer to heat. Therefore, the best approach is to arrange the food in a way that there is no center. Smart, right?
The Cupcake Sandwich
We cannot buy happiness, but we can buy a lot of cupcakes to feel happy. When it comes to eating cupcakes, one does not simply eat ONE cupcake. However, we all know that eating cupcakes can be a messy business. It has a lot to do with the way they're designed. The best solution to the “oh, there’s no frosting for my last bite of cupcake” problem is to turn the cupcake into a sandwich
So how can one make a cupcake sandwich? Just take off the bottom part of the cupcake and place it over the icing part. It’s as simple as that!
Increase Storage Space With A Tension Rod
Who knew that a tension rod does more than just hold up curtains? Using it under a sink can help manage the cluttered mess and prevent the items from flopping around everywhere. Given that most under-sink storages are like black holes where spray bottles, cleaning supplies, and other items usually disappear, the best solution is to install a clothing rod to keep things organized. It’ll just take a couple of minutes.
The space under the sink becomes the ideal cluttered place to put anything that doesn't have a designated area in the kitchen. So, hanging a tension rod can help free up more storage space.
Make Words Unreadable By Writing Over Them
Neat handwriting is considered to be a reflection of someone's good organizational skills. However, writing something clean and free of mistakes takes a lot of practice and attention to detail. The worst enemy of neat & organized handwriting is scribbling lines over mistakes. Whether it is a research paper or anything else, scribbled lines over mistakes make it unprofessional and untidy. The solution is to write random letters over the word to hide the mistake.
A bunch of letters can hide embarrassing words that could make the written work unprofessional. In addition, it will help make the words completely illegible for the reader.
An Easier Way To Untie A Knot
There are several effective ways to tie a knot, from improvisational knots to time-tested knots. But it is an altogether different game when it comes to untying a knot. One of the common mistakes when untying a knot is to yank on the loose ends in hopes that it will pop free. However, it further tightens the knot and makes untying even more difficult. The easy way to untie a knot involves twisting the loose end.
Instead of grabbing one part of the knot or yanking one end, try to twist the loose end of the knot to a point where it cannot be twisted anymore. Then, simply push after that to unravel the knot easily.
Save Packing Space By Rolling Clothes
Ah, the age-old debate of folding vs. rolling clothes will never be over. Although some travelers swear that the best packing method is to roll clothes, others believe that it should be a combination of both. However, there’s no denying that rolling clothes not only save space in luggage but also fit in the luggage without making it seem like it's about to burst. So anyone who doesn’t pack light should try this method.
Rolling clothes in the luggage also helps keep everything organized. There are luggage compartment dividers available on the internet that could be useful when using this method.
The Correct Way To Make A Sandwich
Most people who think they know how to make a sandwich usually throw everything on the bread. People have been making sandwiches the same way for so long. The problem with this technique is excessive space at the sides of the sandwich that is not so delicious and fun to eat. After all, the meat is at the center of the sandwich. Instead, the right way is to cut the center of the two pieces of meat and overlap them.
This amazing technique works with cheese as well. Moreover, a perfectly layered sandwich holds together better this way. We have been making sandwiches wrong all our entire lives.
Drill Holes in Trash Can To Prevent Suction Problems
Taking out the trash shouldn't be a difficult task at all. However, the heavy garbage bag creates a vacuum in the trash can, which makes pulling the bag out frustratingly time-consuming. And there's always a risk of ripping the garbage bag open and spilling it all over the place. Luckily, the easy way to prevent it from happening is to drill a few holes in the trash can.
A few 1/4 inch holes in the trash can make taking out a full trash bag a lot easier. A couple of holes on each side should be enough.
Easily Open Key Ring With Staple Remover
Who knew that the annoying task of adding or removing keys to a keyring could be painless? After all, we have become used to the pain and never tried to look for other ways that don’t end badly for our nails. Luckily, a staple remover is the best solution for this problem because it has perfectly sized thin teeth that easily slide between the rings of the keyring.
Just clamp the teeth down to spread the rings apart and slide a new key in it. Next time, try this little tip to avoid breaking a nail or pinching a fingertip.
Using Chopsticks To Eat Cheese Balls
Eating Cheese balls or other cheesy snacks is all fun and games until your fingers get all sticky with cheesy power. Instead, use chopsticks to avoid cheese dust buildup on fingers. It is a much better solution than pouring all the cheese balls into your mouth straight from the bag or wearing cheese gloves (if anyone was ever clever enough to invent that). It is a solution for those who hate getting sticky, cheesy fingers, so do give it a shot.
The practice of using chopsticks to eat cheese balls was popularized after a photo of actor Oscar Issac eating Cheetos with chopsticks went viral in 2018. Genius!
Open The Side of A Popcorn Bag
A movie and popcorn is such a great combination that it automatically comes to mind whenever someone wants to watch a film whether in the cinema or in the comfort of their own home. The problem with microwaveable popcorn is that we get butter on our hands, and that's no fun. To prevent it from happening, just open a popcorn bag lengthwise.
Many popcorn bags come with the instruction to open them longways, yet we don’t even know about it. So, is it time for Netflix and chill?
Soda Cans Have A Straw Holder
Ever wondered why there's a hole in the opening tab of a soda can? Apparently, we have been using cans all wrong because the soda can tab can be spun around to use as a perfect straw holder. It is the right way to drink from a soda can because its exterior is not sanitized, and having your mouth touch whatever the can touched is really kind of nasty. Plus, this prevents the straw from floating out of the can!
Next time, crack open the soda, spin the pop tab around and put a straw through it. Just make sure not to accidentally get a straw in your nostrils while instinctively trying to sip soda the old way.
No Speakers For The Party? No Problem!
If there are no speakers, paper cups can be used to amplify the sound. Although the DIY phone speaker won't be as good as a high-end sound system, they'll do the job just fine or at least enough to get the small party started. Making DIY phone speakers is easy as it is all about placing the phone inside something that is curved or tubular.
The DIY phone speaker amplifies sound because the sound waves move in one direction instead of scattering all around. Who knew!
Dispense A Single Tic Tac With Ease
Pouring the Tic Tacs usually ends with two results: either no Tic Tac or getting way more than a handful. For years, we thought that maybe this is how it was always meant to be, and there was no other option but to accept the harsh reality that we can't dispense a single Tic Tac without spilling the whole container. Apparently, an oval-shaped compartment found within Tic Tac containers enables a person to extract a single Tic Tac if they open it just right.
Although Tic Tac has never publicized the existence of a small compartment in the lid, one can assume that they just wanted people to find it themselves. So, now it is our job to let others know about it.
Cupcake Wrappers As Drink Covers
When the summer arrives and we are finally out to enjoy it, the bugs also come out to sunbathe. Unfortunately, they also try to get a taste of our drinks. The most practical way to prevent bugs from spoiling the fun is to use cupcake wrappers. Just poke a hole in the center of the wrapper and insert a straw through it.
Next time, try to make outdoor dining and entertainment fun and less irritating by using cupcake wrappers to prevent bugs from entering your sugary drink.
Cut Crusty Bread Loaves Upside Down
Cutting bread was supposed to be easy and satisfying. However, it can be annoying and messy to cut the crusty part of bread because it’s often really, really crumbly. So when cutting a loaf of bread, don’t cut the top, do it from the bottom up instead. It’ll prevent the crumbles because the underside of the bread is usually much softer.
Just turn it upside down and cut the bread without getting crumbs all over the place. It makes so much sense, it's shocking more people don't do it this way.
Make Iced Coffee By Replacing Ice Cubes With Coffee Ice Cubes
When spring gets into full swing or there is a need for a smooth cool beverage, only a few options hit the spot like iced coffee. It's super easy to make, but iced coffee becomes a little less tasty when the ice cubes melt and get watered down. Although ice cubes are the easiest way to chill the complex, creamy drink, they take out some of the pure coffee flavor.
Instead, try to pour cold coffee into an ice tray and use coffee ice cubes later. This is the best way as coffee ice cubes don’t dilute the flavor and keep the coffee strong, even with all the added liquid.
Create A Plastic Bag Seal By Cutting Open A Bottle Top
When there is a need to reseal plastic bags after opening - chocolate chips, powdered sugar, snacks, you name it - the most important thing is a rubber band. However, rubber bands are notorious for disappearing when we need them the most. Even a Ziploc or twist tie suddenly disappear when we need them. No need to worry as creating an airtight seal for bagged food is super easy with the help of a plastic bottle.
Just cut the top of a bottle open, pull the plastic bag through the top, and simply screw on the lid. This DIY plastic bag sealing trick can come in handy when we need it most, so say bye-bye to depending just on rubber bands.
Use A Hair Dryer To Break In A Pair Of Shoes
The excitement of buying a new pair of shoes and trying them on for the first time quickly turns into disappointment if they feel too tight, especially when it is a case of online shopping. However, there is a simple solution to make them more comfortable to wear. Take a thick pair of sports socks and use a hairdryer to blow warm air into the shoes before stuffing your feet in them. Then, blow more hot air onto the shoes and walk around for a couple of minutes.
Breaking in new shoes can be frustratingly long, painful, and annoying. This trick can make breaking in a pair of shoes easy and pain-free, so there is no need to return them.
Double Microwave Space By Using A Mug
Ah, one of the most painstaking issues in the kitchen and probably the silliest one is not being able to fit two bowls in one microwave. We have given up long ago thinking that it is impossible to fit two bowls no matter how much we try to rearrange them. Instead, it turned out to be real simple. Just place a coffee mug upside-down, stack one bowl on top of the mug, and voila.
Whoever came up with this trick is a wizard. This quick tip could have easily saved so many lost hours had we known about it earlier. Better late than never, right?
Put Ice Cream In A Ziploc Bag To Keep It Soft
Ever met a person who wishes for a bowl of ice cream soup? However, putting ice cream in a freezer to prevent it from melting has one problem: it makes the ice cream rock solid, and scooping it from the box becomes a struggle. So instead, try this simple trick to prevent freezer burn that makes ice cream rock solid. Just place the container in a Ziploc bag before putting it in the freezer.
It helps prevent freezer burn because there is an extra layer of insulation. Moreover, it also prevents ice cream from absorbing the freezer smell.
Cut Cakes And Dough With Floss
Here's a clever hack that helps make cutting a cake in half super easy. As the knife messes up the frosting, the world needs a simple, less messy solution. But, we didn’t know that we could use floss to cut through a cake with such satisfying ease. Just pull some dental floss over the cake and cut it down with a sawing motion.
To get perfectly even layers, wrap the floss around the cake and pull in opposite directions. Also, remember not to use scented floss to cut a cake!
How To Eat Chicken Wings The Right Way
Apparently, we've been eating chicken wings all wrong. Yes, there's a way to eat chicken wings in one fell swoop. People usually gnaw around the two bones, but there's a simple trick to pull out wing bones before eating them. Pick up your flat part of the chicken wing and find the end that has the bigger protrusion of bones. Then, simply pull off the little bone after twisting it and do the same with the bigger bone.
If the chicken wings are cooked properly, this little trick can turn any wing into a nugget. Try this trick the next time to eat complete chicken wing meat without the bones.
Peel Ginger With A Spoon
Peel a ginger with a spoon?! Yes, a spoon! Anyone who loves fresh, aromatic ginger knows that it is not easy to peel it without wasting chunks of the stuff. That's because ginger has gnarly crevices and bumps, making a knife and peeler slice off a bit too much. We accepted that there's not much we could do about it but the spoon arrived with silver armor to save the day.
Simply grab the spoon upside down and firmly scrape it over the skin in a repeated forward motion to peel the ginger. Interestingly, the ginger skin looks tough but comes off easily with a spoon.
Wear Bobby Pins Wavy Side Down
It turns out the right way to use a bobby pin is all about the placement. So, does it mean sliding a bobby pin into hair with the smooth side facing down is the right way? Yes, it is because bobby pins were designed to grip hair by layering against our scalp with the grooved side down.
If the bobby pin fails to stay in place for longer, try using it the right way. Imagine how many people out there are still wearing bobby pins the wrong way. It makes us feel sad.
Quickly Pit Cherries With A Straw
Preparing cherries for a cherry pie without a cherry pitter takes a lot of time. Skip the tool that most of us probably use once or twice in a season and take an empty bottle and a straw. Place a cherry on the bottle's mouth and push the straw where the stem attaches to the cherry. Keep pushing until the cherry pit pops out and falls right into the bottle.
Although a straw alone can do the job, a bottle prevents juice splash and stains. If there is no straw in the home, a chopstick can also work.
Peel Bananas From The Bottom
Yes, we’re talking about bananas. Although there is no trick to eating bananas, we have been peeling bananas all wrong. Sometimes, bananas don't peel off easily. Instead of following a method that humans use, try the monkey way. Monkeys peel bananas by starting at the bottom, not the stem. This trick is surprisingly easy!
Simply grab the bottom of the banana and start peeling; it makes the skin come off a lot easier. We recommend going with this method because when it comes to bananas, monkeys know best.
Use Windex To Shine Patent Leather
Keeping shoes looking new is not easy, especially when they are made from a material like patent leather. Moreover, there is always a fear that cleaning shiny patent leather shoes could leave scratches on them. The marks on the shoes kill their shiny vibe. But there's no need to worry as cleaning them with Windex is quite simple.
Take Windex and spray each shoe with it. Leave it for a few seconds and clean it with a dry cloth. It will help restore the luster of the patent leather and make your shoes look good as new.
Slice A Watermelon Like An Onion!
Ah, our never-ending love for refreshing watermelon. Be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner, there's always room for this irresistible snack food. The refreshing flavor and juiciness of this fruit make it the ultimate summer treat. However, cutting a watermelon can be a struggle. Instead, cut the watermelon in half and lay one side on the cutting board to start slicing from one side to the other. Next, turn the watermelon halfway to cut the opposite direction. This will make perfect cube-sized shapes.
Watermelon sticks are not only quick & easy to eat and non-messy, but also great for storing. This is also an excellent way to make children eat more fruit. Who knew we could cut a watermelon without making a mess?
Remove Red Wine Stains With White Wine
Talk about fighting fire with fire. Most of us would find it silly, but it actually works. At least to some extent. When disaster strikes, the best approach is to use a store-bought red stain removal solution. If stain removal solution is nowhere to be found (just like rubber bands in the kitchen), the second-best solution is to go for white wine.
Surprisingly, white wine is effective in diluting red wine stains. Just soak the stained garment into white wine for a few minutes before washing it.
Make S’mores Better
Who doesn't love a good campfire s'more? No one ever said that we can't break the tradition of how to make them. Although old-fashioned s'mores are perfectly fine, it is time to make some exciting and creative changes in how we make them. For example, one such creative way is to use an Oreo for the edges to make s'mores much tastier.
Then there is another way of using strawberries, marshmallow fluff, and chocolate. So many inventive ways are available on the internet, it's time to break out of the s'mores box!
Most Foil And Wrap Boxes Come With Locks
Tearing off a sheet of aluminum foil is a dangerous game. After all, the roll can easily slip out of place, which is the last thing anyone wants when handling a package with a serrated edge. So it made us wonder why the manufacturers never came up with a solution to the problem. It turned out that they actually did, but we never really knew about it.
The ends of the aluminum foil boxes come with tiny tabs that have perforated edges. Just punch in those tabs, and they'll keep the tube in place.
Use A Bobby Pin To Extract The Remaining Toothpaste
All these years, we have been throwing away toothpaste tubes filled with at least some toothpaste left. If we take into account the amount of toothpaste left in the tubes - no matter how little it was - we must have wasted a lot of money by now. For a budget-conscious person, this trick can prove to be handy.
Take a bobby pin (one the extra-long ones), squeeze and slip the bobby pin on the bottom to secure the tube. Move the bobby pin upwards to ensure there is no waste of toothpaste.
Remove Strawberry Leaves With A Straw
Strawberries are so delicious and easy to eat (any pineapple reading this should feel ashamed). As much as we love to eat them in one fell swoop, the green stem prevents us from doing it, unless we remove it. The problem is that slicing the leaves from the top makes us waste some of the sweet stuff. Instead of cutting the top, just spear a straw through the center of the strawberry to remove the tip of the stem.
We wish we knew about this hack sooner. It could’ve saved a lot of unnecessary waste of strawberries. Next time, try this hack to save more of the strawberries, and it’s fun too!
Dry Nail Polish Faster With Ice Water
We've all been there. We've endured the annoying wait for the nail polish to dry, preventing us from using our hands. It turns out there is a better solution instead of waiting patiently for the nail polish to dry! The internet is full of nail-drying tips and some of them actually work while others really don't. Well, one such tip is to plunge freshly colored nails into ice water. And it does work.
Simply fill a bowl of water and throw a few ice cubes in it. Next, dip nails in the water and wait for 3-5 minutes. Do make sure to dry your hands and nails afterward.
Knot A Wire With An Extension Cord
Wires easily come out of the extension, even where there is a slight pull. To prevent it from happening, simply tie a knot between the wire and extension lead. We can also tie them together in an overhand knot 12-18” down the wire then plug them together. The pulling is all on the knot, which in theory is in a slightly different spot every time. Also in an emergency, unplugging them is easy.
Do make sure not to make the knot too tight as it could cause cord failure due to the stress on the wires. It could also crack the exterior casing.
Use Paper Towel Freezer Method To Cool Down Bottles
There's nothing worse than opening a fridge to grab a cool beverage only to realize that it is still warm. When it comes to cooling down a beverage, it usually takes a lot of time. Instead of waiting patiently for a cold drink, wrap the bottle in a damp paper towel and put it in a freezer. The surface area of the damp paper towel will cool the beverage faster than the surrounding air.
It'll make the drink cold in about 15-20 minutes. Just make sure to set the alarm because keeping the drink, especially beer, in a freezer could make it explode due to the expansion of the freezing liquid in the tight container.
Open Plastic Packaging With A Can Opener
Is there anything worse than opening stubborn plastic clamshell packaging? It is so annoying and sometimes dangerous to open the packaging, especially in the gift-giving season. Instead of opening the packaging with your hands, which could result in cutting them, there is a clever and straightforward alternative.
Just use a can opener to cut through the vacuum-sealed plastic packages. It will cut the thick plastic with ease. Do try it the next time when opening clamshell packaging.
Secure Long Hair With A Vacuum And A Band
Who’d have thought that using a vacuum on someone’s hair would make the perfect ponytail? Well, it works and that’s what matters the most. This is an ideal tip for all parents, especially fathers, to give their daughters perfect ponytails. Some readers might have seen the video in which a father tried this super-advanced method to give his daughter a perfect ponytail
Dads can try this trick to make moms jealous. We have a feeling that this trick might even make some hairstylists jealous.
Use A Takeout Container As A Plate
Who knew that the iconic little cardboard takeout boxes used for Chinese food could be used as plates? As if Chinese food wasn't good enough, they made it easier for the customers by designing boxes that could be turned into plates with minimal effort. It’s sad we didn’t know about it for so long and were munching the food straight from the box. Just fold the takeout box’s sides down and start eating.
Ah, why didn’t we know about it before? For so long, we had to deal with greasy hands from digging deep into the takeout boxes. Not anymore!