Growing up, almost every food or home-oriented magazine contained columns dedicated to making life easier. They included everything from how to get red wine out of the carpet (see #1) to overhauling the linen cupboard (see #2).
While the internet is an awesome creation, we sort of miss these columns and Q&A pieces that highlighted stuff we didn't even know we needed to know.
Here's Kitchen Magic's own version of tried-and-true household lifesavers.
1. Get Red Wine Out of the Carpet
Preserve extra bottles of white wine (which has subtle fruit colors that also stains), ditch the salt and save the vinegar for pickling. All you need to get fresh red wine out of carpet is patience, time and towels.
First, press folded towel after folded towel over the wine stain until you can't get a single bit more up out of the carpet (Always press/blot (never rub). Heat from friction helps a stain set). You'll be amazed at what 10-minutes of diligent towel-absorption can do.
Then, use another clean towel, damp with cold water, to continue blotting, and a dry one to soak up additional liquid and the remainder of the stain. If you can't stand the fact it's this easy - use some soda water rather than tap water - but it's not necessary.
2. Overhaul the linen closet
From now on, fold all of your sheets nicely, and put them into a pillow case from the same sheet set. That's all you have to do. Why aren't we taught this from the get-go? Now, go figure out what to do with all that blank shelf space...
3. Find that earring back (or other tiny object)
You just dropped a small object (or earring, or earring back) but can't find it for the life of you. Grab a pair of tights or a panty hose (a used dryer sheet would work) and rubber band it securely to the end of the vacuum hose.
Then, run the hose around the floor, under the couch or the kitchen hutch - - and the object should be sucked right onto the thin, fabric barrier without being sucked all the way in (only use very thin and permeable fabric or it will overheat the vacuum motor).
4. Bread tag cord IDs
Tired of figuring out which cord goes to what in your power strip? Use the tags from bread bags and mark them - TV, soundbar, monitor, printer - and the hunt is over.
5. Easy-open clamshell and blister packs
You know that tough, seemingly-lethal and impossible-to-open plastic stuff everything seems to be packaged in these days? Spare yourself a wrestling match with the household's sharpest blades and grab a hand-held can opener instead. Easy-breezy.
6. Get Rid of Rarely-Worn Clothes
ll the closet de-cluttering gurus advocate eliminating clothes you haven't worn in a year, right? The best way to do that is to switch the direction your hangers are facing. Then, when you wear something - put it back with the hanger the usual way. Next year, you'll know exactly which clothing items are ready to be donated.
7. Just Say NO to Diluted Iced Coffee
Tired of watered down iced coffee? Pour leftover coffee in an ice cube tray and freeze it. Then, it's only coffee that melts in your coffee - preventing that awful, diluted taste. So common sense, eh?
8. Photo Borrowing Records
Letting a friend borrow something? How nice. Take a photo of the friend holding the item with your phone and you'll remember who borrowed what. How brilliant!
If you're a fan of simple, no-brainer tips, check out our 8 Cooking Tips You've Never Thought Of.
