1. Rubber bands give little fingers a better grip on a chilly or slippery glass.
2. Warehouse your or your kid's shoes in an empty wine-bottle carton wrapped in pretty paper.
3. Stick a sparkler in Play-Doh, then light it up. The container protects hands from flying sparks, preventing burns. (Courtesy of reader Peggy Gilchrist of Zanesville, Ohio)
4. Give Easter eggs a year-round use (and save on resealable bags) by filling them with snacks like crackers or Cheerios.
5. A paint chip strip makes a dandy place card: Cut off a length of two colors, then fold.
6. Stop searching high and low for hair clips and elastics: Store them tidily on an empty toilet paper tube.
7. A clever way to keep straight whose drink is whose: Mark each glass with removable window decals. (Courtesy of reader Linda Winterhoff of Williamsburg, Virginia)
8. Use a Post-It pad to clean a keyboard. Run the sticky side between the keys to collect crumbs and bits of lint.
9. Use newspaper to deodorize food containers. Stuff a balled-up piece of newspaper into a lunch box or thermos, seal it, and let sit overnight.
10. Use newspaper to create a home for slushy snow boots. During the winter, keep a pile of newspaper near the entryway. When your little snowmen and -women come home, they can toss their winter wear onto the newspaper instead of creating puddles on the floor.
11. Use olive oil to unstick a zipper. Using a Q-tip, apply a drop to lubricate the teeth. (Avoid touching the fabric.) The zipper should move up and down freely.
12. Diffuse the flash on a camera. When you’re taking a close-up, soften the brightness by placing a coffee filter over the flash.
13. Use vinegar to remove stubborn price tags or stickers. Paint them with several coats of vinegar, let the liquid soak in for five minutes, then wipe away the residue.
14. Use baking soda to erase crayon, pencil, ink, and furniture scuffs from painted surfaces. Sprinkle soda on a damp sponge, rub clean, and rinse.
15. Use Ziploc Bags to knead dough. Place dough in a Ziploc bag so your fingers don’t get sticky. Or slip your hand into the bag and wear it like a glove.
16. Use Ziploc Bags to store panty hose. Nude, Tan, Nearly Naked―they look the same out of the package. Tear off the corner of the package listing the brand, size, and color, then slip it into a bag. Store each pair in its own bag to keep hose organized and prevent snags.
17. Use Ziploc Bags to remove chewing gum or candle wax from a tablecloth, a couch, or carpeting. Gently rub gum or wax with a Ziploc bag filled with ice cubes until the substance hardens. Shatter gum with a blunt object, then vacuum up the chips. Carefully peel off frozen wax with a plastic spatula.
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