Pin-tabulous Tuesday #3 - Great Ideas

Have you ever heard of a good idea or an easier way to do something and thought "now why didn't I think of that"?  Yeah, me too.  All the time!


Today's Pin-tabulous Tuesday is going to be about just that.  If you have been on Pinterest, you've probably seen a pin showing an easier, quicker way to do something that always seemed difficult.  I've repinned many of them.  In fact, I created a board with nothing but good ideas, tips and tricks, genius ideas, etc....  Call it what you may but I like them.  And a Pinterest board is a great way to "store" them for future reference.

MPORTANT:  Please do NOT pin an image from this blog post.  The pins (photos) shown on this blog post are NOT my property and should NOT be referenced back to my blog in any way.  Please refer to the original source if you would like to pin an image.  

Here are a few of my favorites, some of which I have used repeatedly.  Since we're headed into summer, I'll start with some good ideas that might help you during your summer vacations/staycations.


Going to the beach?  Don't forget to pack the baby powder to get the sand off of your legs and feet...or other body parts.

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Going camping?  Or preparing for hurricane season?  (I'm from the South, y'all).  Here is a good, cheap idea for a portable, battery powered light.  Strap a headlamp, pointed in, around a gallon of water to provide ambient light.

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How about some all-around, good household tips?  Next time you're doing the laundry and need to remove a greasy stain from clothing, grab a piece of chalk.  Just rub it into the grease stain prior to washing.  The chalk absorbs the grease and makes it easier to remove by the laundry soap in the wash.

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Have you ever been boiling water (cooking rice, pasta, beans, etc...) on the stove only to have the pot "boil over"?  Try this.  Lay a wooden spoon on top of the pot.  It won't boil over.  Trust me, I've tested this one.  Just don't ask me how it works. 

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A dishwasher is great for cleaning dirty dishes.  But what about cleaning the dishwasher?  Yes, the inside of dishwashers can be pretty gross.  Just think about what you put in them.  Here is a quick and easy way to clean your dishwasher.  Put a cup (dishwasher safe) filled with white vinegar on the top rack of the dishwasher.  Next, run the dishwasher through a full cycle...using hot water.  When it's finished, sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of the tub and run a short cycle.  When it's done, you will have a clean and fresh dishwasher.

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If you're gardening this summer, here are two of my favorite tips.  I used these ideas a few weeks ago...they are fantastic!


Punch holes in the top of an 1/2 gallon (milk?) plastic container and use it as a watering can.  Cheap, easy and a way to recycle.

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Before you plant flowers in a pot with a hole in the bottom, line it with a coffee filter to keep the soil from escaping yet allowing water to drain.
Update:  A reader just told me about another idea like this...you can also use dryer sheets (already used) to line your pots.  Recycling at it's best! (Thanks, Alma)

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This is something that I need to do right now (or maybe tomorrow).  Clean your ceiling fan by sliding a pillow case over each fan blade.  When you wipe it clean all of the nasty dust will be caught in the pillowcase.

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And here is my "why didn't I think of that" moment.  Use a stretched out paper clip to hold one end of a bracelet when you try to clasp it....Duh!

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I just tried this last tip.  I grabbed one of my old Richard Marx (remember him?) cassette tapes and emptied it of the tape and the paper lining.  I brought it to my teenage son to show him how cool it was to use as an iphone stand.  Awesome, right?

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He just looked at me and said, "Mom, you're so old".  

Really?  I'll bet he was just embarrassed that he didn't know what a cassette tape was.  Kids hate it when they realize that their parents are smarter than them.  I bet he doesn't even know who Richard Marx is either :)