Life Hacks - Got any fun ones to share?

[MrsMB]

Showering: I wash my hair first then wrap in a hair towel to let it dry while I do everything else like shave and use body wash. I let it air dry while brushing my teeth, getting dressed, washing my face, etc...I don't have to use a hair dryer as long after that.

[anyastroud]

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[Deleted]

When I'm cooking/baking/cleaning the kitchen I like to listen to pandora and dance around, go ahead laugh lol. I put my iPhone in a glass and it acts like a speaker.

[amaranth]

The only one I ever remember is to put a wooden spoon on top of the pot when boiling pasta or potatoes. It really does prevent it from boiling over.


A few I've made up are: putting drops of essential oils on used drier sheets to scent and soften longer, ans shave with conditioner for extra soft legs.

MrsMB love that idea. Also would prevent feeling so cold when you first get out. Will totally try this. What kind of hair towels do you use?

[estrellita]

Apr 7, 2016 10:57:15 GMT -5 anyastroud said:

This sounds so silly feel free to laugh but I SWEAR it works every time.
Hic-up cure: Drink water through a napkin.  

I have another hiccup cure. Chug water while plugging your ears (use a straw or have someone else plug your ears). Most effective trick I've tried!

[wanderingenough]

amaranth - not to totally derail the convo, but do you know much about essential oils? i had to buy some tea tree oil today and am wondering about the safety since it's for something related to R.

[wanderingenough]

MrsMB - I can one up you. I shower at night when I'm not hitting the gym in the AM, so I don't have to dry my hair at all. I just style it with a flat iron in the morning. Laziness level: 100!

I do the wooden spoon on the pot like amaranth. Thanks Pinterest! @emtmissy's hack also works if you want to listen to songs on your phone in the car and have a cup holder in the center console to drop your phone in or if you are sitting outside in lawn chairs and forgot your iPod player!

H is all about the Samsung/Apple pay right now, but I can't get on board with that just yet. He uses it everywhere we go. #lateadopter

[amaranth]

Apr 7, 2016 13:10:01 GMT -5 wanderingenough said:

amaranth - not to totally derail the convo, but do you know much about essential oils? i had to buy some tea tree oil today and am wondering about the safety since it's for something related to R.

Ive done some research but I'm no expert. In general I don't use them for M because they're controversial for kids and most studies are biased. I'll diffuse them in his room or rooms he is in when he is sick (eucalyptus, tea tree,lavender) and have used lavender on his feet with a carrier oil.

I have an article I love written by an MD talking about the safety of oils for children. If you want I can get that link for you.

[wanderingenough]

Apr 7, 2016 13:15:05 GMT -5 amaranth said:

Apr 7, 2016 13:10:01 GMT -5 wanderingenough said:

amaranth - not to totally derail the convo, but do you know much about essential oils? i had to buy some tea tree oil today and am wondering about the safety since it's for something related to R.

Ive done some research but I'm no expert. In general I don't use them for M because they're controversial for kids and most studies are biased. I'll diffuse them in his room or rooms he is in when he is sick (eucalyptus, tea tree,lavender) and have used lavender on his feet with a carrier oil.

I have an article I love written by an MD talking about the safety of oils for children. If you want I can get that link for you.

Well, he wouldn't be ingesting it. It's for this dang cranial helmet he is wearing, that literally smells like stinky death feet one week in. The orthotist said to rub the inside down with diluted tea tree oil to kill the bacteria. Surely that's fine, right? 

[MrsMB]

Apr 7, 2016 12:26:34 GMT -5 amaranth said:

The only one I ever remember is to put a wooden spoon on top of the pot when boiling pasta or potatoes. It really does prevent it from boiling over.


A few I've made up are: putting drops of essential oils on used drier sheets to scent and soften longer, ans shave with conditioner for extra soft legs.

MrsMB love that idea. Also would prevent feeling so cold when you first get out. Will totally try this. What kind of hair towels do you use?

Good ole Turbie Twist from the infomercials )

[amaranth]

Apr 7, 2016 13:20:34 GMT -5 wanderingenough said:

Apr 7, 2016 13:15:05 GMT -5 amaranth said:

Ive done some research but I'm no expert. In general I don't use them for M because they're controversial for kids and most studies are biased. I'll diffuse them in his room or rooms he is in when he is sick (eucalyptus, tea tree,lavender) and have used lavender on his feet with a carrier oil.

I have an article I love written by an MD talking about the safety of oils for children. If you want I can get that link for you.

Well, he wouldn't be ingesting it. It's for this dang cranial helmet he is wearing, that literally smells like stinky death feet one week in. The orthotist said to rub the inside down with diluted tea tree oil to kill the bacteria. Surely that's fine, right? 

Oh absolutely fine! I use oils to scent a lot of my cleaning products. It has to be better than chemical scents. Plus tea tree is used on kids to help prevent lice, so double win.

[luv2rn4fun]

wanderingenough- I never blow dry my hair. I usually wash at night and put in a braid. It stays that way until I am not lazy enough to flat iron so I can pull it back in a ponytail...I only flat iron the ponytail part. Clan't remember the last time I blow dried my hair or flat ironed all of it...total laziness!

[estrellita]

luv2rn4fun I never blow dry my hair either. I just let it air dry. It's not amazing looking but it looks fine and I'd rather sleep in more than get up earlier just to do my hair, lol. And prefer showering in the morning personally though I've considered night showers.

[melsamoony]

My only life hack: use a cookie cooling rack as a drying rack for dishes, pots, bottles, cups, ect.

[ewall]

I'm jealous of all you who can go without blow drying your hair! Mine is a complete mess if I sleep on it after showering. Maybe I'll take a pic tomorrow to share with the group.

[estrellita]

Apr 7, 2016 20:06:14 GMT -5 ewall said:

I'm jealous of all you who can go without blow drying your hair! Mine is a complete mess if I sleep on it after showering. Maybe I'll take a pic tomorrow to share with the group.

That's why I shower in the morning, haha. Braiding it while wet sometimes but not that well

[luv2rn4fun]

Apr 7, 2016 20:06:14 GMT -5 ewall said:

I'm jealous of all you who can go without blow drying your hair! Mine is a complete mess if I sleep on it after showering. Maybe I'll take a pic tomorrow to share with the group.

Mine is a huge frizzy curly mess if I leave it to air dry on it's own...that's why I put it in a braid and then flat iron whenever I get around to it.  I have way way too much hair and blow drying takes forever.

estrellita- night showers are really the only time I have to shower...plus I go in a lot of walks throughout the day and wouldn't want to go to bed before showering (it happens on occasion but isn't the norm).

[estrellita]

luv2rn4fun on ML I showered more at night because that's when H was home so if I stayed home I'd probably do the same!

I'm trying to think of things to post. My "hacks" are usually work related, lol. It's fun teaching people at work things I thought were basic computer knowledge like Ctrl+A to select all. Sometimes things disappear from the task bar so I taught a few people Alt+Tab, which I used a lot while gaming. I love short cuts and it drives me nuts watching someone take way longer than they need to, lol. I'm also super impatient...

[estrellita]

Oh I do have one. Though a lot of you probably already do it. We get paper bags when we go grocery shopping and use the bag for recycling. That way you can just throw the whole bag into the recycling. Obviously only helpful if you have single sort but you could do multiple bags I suppose if you have to sort them! My mom has always done this but I don't notice people doing much in other homes.

[awick14]

I'm late to this but I just wanted to add that I don't own a hair dryer. So I have gone to work or out with wet hair. (Usually in a braid)

[amaranth]

Apr 10, 2016 15:12:00 GMT -5 awick14 said:

I'm late to this but I just wanted to add that I don't own a hair dryer. So I have gone to work or out with wet hair. (Usually in a braid)

I own one, but only use it about once a month. Nothing wrong with wet hair.

[MrsAggie]

White burn spots in wood can come out with a paste made of 1 tbsp of baking soda and 1 tsp of water. You can also use that paste for water rings in wood or stone.

[HoneySpider]

My hair looks so much better when it's blow dried. I could not live without my dryer!

[luv2rn4fun]

estrellita- we use the plastic grocery bags for trash bags. I can't remember the last time we used a real trash bag.

amaranth- thank you for the wooden spoon tip- totally used it last week and it saved me from having to clean the stove!

[katespade]

Apr 11, 2016 7:34:32 GMT -5 HoneySpider said:

My hair looks so much better when it's blow dried. I could not live without my dryer!

Me, too! Every morning that I wash my hair involves blow drying and straightening/curling (depending on my mood). My hair is definitely not wash and wear. 


MrsMB - I save my hair for last so that the towel can help dry it, too! My hair is ridiculously thick, so I try to do as much as I can to cut down on drying time. If I style it up without drying it first, it will still be wet at bedtime. 

[estrellita]

Apr 11, 2016 8:14:34 GMT -5 luv2rn4fun said:

estrellita- we use the plastic grocery bags for trash bags. I can't remember the last time we used a real trash bag.

amaranth- thank you for the wooden spoon tip- totally used it last week and it saved me from having to clean the stove!

We use the plastic ones too for things, like garbage bags or for when we scoop the litter boxes. I just prefer the paper bags because we always get so overrun with plastic bags. We need to remember our tote bags more often!

[ewall]

Apr 10, 2016 22:06:27 GMT -5 MrsAggie said:

White burn spots in wood can come out with a paste made of 1 tbsp of baking soda and 1 tsp of water. You can also use that paste for water rings in wood or stone.

Hmm, I'm tempted to try this. Thanks!

[wanderingenough]

Oh yeah, toothpaste can get scuff marks off your car