When cleaning out your freezer, it’s a great idea to keep a freezer inventory sheet on the front door of the freezer. That way you can write down what the contents are and it will keep you super organized. You can write the dates you placed your item in the freezer so you can assure it doesn’t stay there longer than it should. When cleaning out your freezer, it’s a good idea to spray the inside with Pam; it helps keep the frost away should you not have a self-defrosting freezer.
I like to use a wrinkle releaser …. Sometimes I put my Shabbos tablecloths on the table and they need a little pick me up. I make my own using water, liquid fabric softener, isopropyl alcohol and a spray bottle. Fill the spray bottle up with bottled water. Leave room at the top for 2 tablespoons of liquid fabric softener and 2 tablespoons of isopropyl alcohol. It is usually 1 tablespoon of each with 16 oz. of water. Just shake and spray.
If you are making cake pops and need to find a place to dry them, just turn over an egg carton and stick the lollypop sticks right into each compartment; works like a charm. An alternative to this would be to stand the sticks into an upside down colander.
It’s easy to clean your Legos; simply put them in a mesh laundry bag and stick in the bathtub.
Did you know if you add 1/2 tsp baking soda to the water when hard boiling eggs, the shell will come right off when you peel… yes, it really does work…
Use car wax as a stovetop polish by applying a thin layer of the wax, then wipe it off. Future spills will lift off easily.
A great thing to reuse is the large bags that come with a new comforter or mattress cover. These bags are great to store artwork in, knitting supplies, old clothes, just about anything.
Take an old cassette case and store your headphones in it for your next trip. That’s if you still have any cassette cases left!!!
Put a couple of marshmallows into your brown sugar bag to keep the sugar from getting hard
Trying to organize your man’s Yarmaka bobby pin in one place? Use an old magnetic paper clip holder.
Did you know you can use aluminum foil in place of a dryer sheet?
Don’t throw away old sweaters that pill out. A pumice stone can be used to remove pills from your sweaters. You can also use a disposable woman’s shaver. They both work very well.
You can use a clean comb to decorate a frosted cake.
Take pages from unused favorite storybooks, laminate them and use as kiddie placemats.
Use an upside down muffin tin as a cooling rack for some of your baked goods.
Have an old earring that you lost the mate to? Don’t throw it out. Use it as a pushpin on a bulletin board. It will dress it up and you’ll feel good putting it to another use.
Have an old eye glass case? Use it for a convenient storage area for nail files, clippers or other manicure things you need to keep safe. You can also use a padded eyeglass case to store a small ipod. I took a hard eyeglass case that I bought at Target; I hot glued some really nice decorations and am now using this as a quickie wedding purse. I get so many compliments and it was so easy!!!
Equal parts coconut oil and baking soda makes an effective, non-toxic replacement for Goo Gone.
Gail Hochman has been a resident of Bergen County for over 30 years and has been blessed with many grandchildren.
By Gail Hochman
