I love to discover tips which make housework easier! From time-saving
tricks to finding new and ingenious uses for old things, the Internet
provides a wealth of information and advice.
In this post I've collected 101 visual tips from all over the web to help you save time and money in every room of your home.
by Amanda Kennedy on 03.04.13
The simplest
way to slice a bunch of cherry tomatoes is to sandwich them between two
plastic lids and run a long knife through all of them at once!
Via Food52.com |
Keep brown sugar soft by storing with a couple of marshmallows
Via Storage and Glee |
Far cheaper than having coloured keys specially cut!
Via The Chive |
Install a regular coat rack low down the wall to store shoes safely of the floor
Via Destination Unknown |
Repurpose a cereal canister as a trash can for the car
Via BHG.com |
Deodorize
sponges in the microwave. Soak in water spiked with white vinegar or
lemon juice and put on fill power for one minute. Use tongs to remove as
it will be hot!
Via Shine |
Use a magnetic strip to store bobby pins on inside of a cupboard.
Via Superwoman |
Use a Post-It note when drilling to catch the dust
Via Lifehacker |
Organize jewellery on a corkboard for easy viewing when deciding how to accessorize an outfit
Via Dee Gater |
Repurpose an old picture frame as a serving tray
Via Camp Granma |
"File" clothes vertically in drawers so you can see your clothes at a glance.
Via Chasing Cheerios |
Fill an old box with skewers to make an all-purpose knife block
Via The Daily What |
Hang onions in cut-up tights or old stockings to make them last for months!
Via BuzzFeed |
Create a thrifty watering can by puncturing holes in the top of a used milk bottle.
Via A Journey to a Dream |
Use a paper plate to prevent splatters when using an electric whisk.
Via Cooking Club |
Remove pet hair from furniture and carpets with a squeegee.
Via Bobbenblog Lite |
Cover paint trays with aluminium foil to make cleaning up afterwards a breeze.
Via OurHumbleAbowed |
Place
a layer of waxed paper on top of kitchen cupboards to prevent grease
and dust from settling. Switch out every few months to keep them clean.
Via In This Crazy Life |
Flip a toaster on its side to make grill cheese
Via YesEmails |
Easily draw out a splinter for easy removal by applying a paste of baking soda and water.
Via Wikihow |
Create
a thrifty organiser for wrapping paper using cup hooks and painted
dowel rods. This technique is also ideal for storing rolls of foil,
kitchen roll and greaseproof paper on the inside of pantry doors.
Via Woman's Day |
Water
straight from the tap becomes cloudy when frozen. To make ice cubes
crystal clear, allow a kettle of boiled water to cool slightly and use
this to fill your ice cube trays.
Via Instructables |
Use a large muffin tin to cook stuffed peppers in the oven - it will help keep them upright.
Via Better Recipes |
Hang
a bundle of chalk in the closet to keep everything fresh and dry. The
chalk absorbs excess moisture - a thrifty alternative to an electric
dehumidifier!
Via Martha Stewart |
To prevent potatoes budding, add an apple in the bag.
Via My Fridge Food |
Add half a teaspoon of baking soda to the water when hard-boiling eggs to make the shells incredibly easy to peel off.
Via Delighted Momma |
Tie a sprig of eucalyptus to your shower head. The steam will help infuse your bathroom with an invigorating fragrance.
Via Apartment Therapy |
Use non-stick cooking spray in votive holders to prevent wax from sticking to the sides.
Via Real Simple |
WD40 can be used to remove crayon marks from any surface!
Via Real Simple |
Use a tension rod and shower hooks to store saucepans inside a cupboard.
Via DIY Home Sweet Home |
Make a simple laundry bag using an old pillowcase and an embroidery hoop.
Via Martha Stewart |
Use a lint roller to clean the bottom of your handbag
Via Real Simple |
To
get rid of the musty smell on old towels, wash using 1 cup of white
vinegar on a hot cycle, then repeat with 1/2 cup of bicarbonate of soda
Via Pinterest Upload |
Use a fork to press garlic when there isn't a garlic crusher available.
Via Real Simple |
When
hanging a picture frame, put a dab of toothpaste on the frame where you
need the nails to be. Then simply press against the wall to leave marks
(which can later be wiped) as guides for hammering in.
Via Somewhat Simple |
Put a dry towel in with a wet load to reduce the drying time (this really works, I've been doing it for years!)
Via eHow |
To
tell if eggs are fresh, immerse them in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs
will lie on the bottom, while stale eggs will float to the surface.
Via Discount Queens |
Use hairspray on the end of your sewing thread to help it slide through the eye of your needle.
Via Real Simple |
Sprinkle
salt in the spaces between patio slabs and at the bottom of walls to
get rid of pesky weeds(but be careful NOT to get salt near plants you
want to keep as salt will kill them!)
Via One Good Thing |
Re-purpose an old CD spindle to make a pretty small cake/biscuit holder.
Via All4Women |
Clean
patio stones with a solution of 1/2 white vinegar and 1/2 water in a
spray bottle. Leave for 10 minutes and rinse off (soiled areas may
require a little scrubbing). Also helps get rid of weeds too!
Via Thrift Culture Now |
To
clean a wooden chopping board, sprinkle on a handful of Kosher salt and
rub with half a lemon. Rinse with clean water and dry to ensure it is
clean and germ-free.
Via Off the Wheaten Path |
Use
scrap paper to help hang an arrangement of picture frames easily. Cut
templates for each frame,marking nail locations on the paper, then tack
to the wall until you find the ideal arrangement. Then simply nail
through the marks on the paper!
Via Centsational Girl |
Prevent soil from escaping through the holes in the base of flowerpots by lining with large muffin cases.
Via This Old House |
Place
a length of masking tape along the edge of a spirit level and mark the
location of nail holes for your picture frame. Then simply transfer the
level to the wall to ensure you hang your pictures straight.
Via The Family Handyman |
Use a toothpick to prevent tape ends from sticking back to the roll
Via Real Simple |
To
easily peel potatoes, boil with the skins on them immerse in cold water
for 5 seconds. Then twist the potatoes between your hands and the skin
will peel right off!
Via All That's Interesting |
To decorate a chocolate beautifully, lay a piece of lace over the cake and sprinkle icing sugar over the top.
Via Painted by Cakes |
To
stop the annoying sound of a dripping tap, tie a piece of string around
the faucet which is long enough to reach down to the sink.
Via Re-Nest |
A very simple solution to get rid of furniture scratches!
Via Obrienkr18 (Uploaded to Pinterest) |
Use
rubber bands to help open a jar easily: place one around the jar lid
and another around the middle of the glass. The rubber provides friction
to prevent your hands from slipping.
Via Martha Stewart |
To
prevent your eyes watering while chopping onions, wipe the chopping
board with white vinegar (which won't affect the taste of the onions)
Via Pinterest Upload |
Use
ketchup to remove the tarnish from copper pans. Slather the pan with
ketchup and leave for 30 minutes for the acid to break down the tarnish,
then rinse clean and buff with a soft cloth.
Via Pinterest Upload |
Re-purpose an unwanted Slinky to create a pretty bird feeder
Via Re-Nest |
Store bed sheets inside their pillowcases for easy storage and access
Via Storage and Glee |
Place a few drops of essential oil on the cardboard tube of a toilet roll to make your bathroom smell wonderful
Via Ekwetzel |
Drop a couple of denture cleaning tablets into the toilet bowl at night to clean off stubborn stains.
Via Stockpiling Moms |
Take a bunch of bananas apart to prevent them from ripening too quickly
Image via Keepon |
Store cut lettuce in mason jars and refrigerate to make it last much longer
Via Salad in a Jar |
Organise scarves by tying around trouser hangers to store in your wardrobe
Via Squidoo |
Line salad drawers with newspaper to absorb bad odours in the fridge
Via Babble |
Another
way to clean a chopping board is to cover liberally with Kosher salt
and leave overnight. Scrape off with a cloth in the morning to find the
salt has absorbed all moisture to leave your board clean and dry.
Via Joseph the Butler |
This has to be the simplest way to open those annoying blister packs!
Via Babble |
Tape a laundry bag to the inside of your tumble dryer door for easy drying of sports shoes
Via Good Ideas for You |
Use
chalk to remove grease stains from clothes. Simply rub white chalk on
the affected area and wash as normal - the chalk will absorb the grease
and be washed away in the cycle.
Via Budget101 |
They look pretty too - a great tip for parties!
Via Daily Pix |
Slot the stick of an ice lolly through a cupcake case to prevent drips on little fingers.
Via Good Ideas for You |
Store laundry dispensers in the drawer of your washing machine so you won't forget where it is
Via Glamumous |
Trouser hangers make great frugal cooking book holders!
Via Simply Frugal |
Another great use for used drinks cans!
Via Buzzfeed |
Just don't press down too hard or you will squash the bread!
Via TheChive |
Pin document wallets inside your pantry door to store recipes and takeaway leaflets
Via MawMawOfTwo |
Towel hangers on the inside of a pantry door make great storage for awkward saucepan lids!
Via Squidoo |
A genius tip to help prevent paint spillage!
Via Buzzfeed |
Store matches in a mason jar and add a disc of sandpaper to the lid on which to strike them.
Via The Burlap Bag |
A ball of aluminium foil makes a great glassware scrubber!
Via Budget 101 |
Wrap rubber bands around the ends of a coat hanger to prevent dresses from slipping off.
Via Re Create Design |
Yet another use for drinks can ringpulls! Use to create a hanging loop for picture frames by screwing into the back.
Via Babble |
For even more storage in the kitchen, cut up a shoe holder to hang inside a cupboard door.
Via Mrs Polly Rogers |
Lost the back to your favourite earring? Use a pencil eraser instead!
Via Good Ideas for You |
Use a tension rod to store spray bottles in your undersink cabinet
Via Blue Velvet Chair |
About this post
Most of these tips were found via Pinterest (which by the way is a great
resource for discovering tips to help around the home!). Wherever
possible, I've attributed the image and tip by means of links to the
original site or web-page, but if you think I have made a mistake please
let me know the original source and I will correct the link.
