Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!

[Amusch]

If you have a room temperature bottle (and esp can) that you want to get cold fast, wrap a wet paper towel around it and put it in the freezer. It'll be ice cold pretty quickly.

[Joeymc]

If you get chewing gum on your clothes, put the clothes in the freezer for a bit, it will be much easier to remove the gum afterwards.

[Joeymc]

When packing a suitcase, put your socks inside your shoes. It will save a little space and stop your shoes from getting crushed.

[etech0]

Trying to vacuum under/behind furniture and the crevice tool is too wide or short? Fit an empty paper towel tube onto the end of the hose (or onto the crevice tool) and you can squeeze it to the size you need.

[mmgfarb]

Shredded cheese lasts longer in the freezer, but will clump up, before freezing add a little bit of cornstarch (1tbs) and shake vigorously. The pieces will stay separate and it'll be easy to use.

Most pre-shredded cheese is already coated in some sort of starch before you buy it to reduce clumping. The problem with this (and with adding more of your own) is that it prevents the cheese from melting and browning properly, it's why you'll often end up with a big clump of cheese if you try to add it to pasta or poorly melted cheese on pizza and such.

[Joeymc]

The aisle seat armrest usually has a little button underneath by the hinge that allows you to lift it. Makes it much easier to get in and out of your seat, especially if your tray table is open with stuff on it.

[mmgfarb]

When you first open a bottle of soda or seltzer or pop, begin by slowly turning the cap one-quarter turn and wait about 10 seconds, watching for the small bubbles to slow down, and listening as the sssst of escaping gas gets quieter.  Then turn another 1/4 turn, and wait another 10 seconds till it quiets down.  Now open the cap the rest of the way, and look proudly around as you pour a perfect cup.  Don't expect a pat on the back, though, because nobody will realize what didn't happen.  But you'll know. 

Because one day, soon we hope, you'll be at a shul kiddush, balancing a full bowl of aromatic chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash in one hand, and an empty cup in the other, and someone will offer to pour you a drink, and he'll twist that cap quickly, in one fell swoop, and you'll watch as the bottle suddenly erupts, and fizzy, bubbly liquid streams downward, over his greasy hands into your still-untouched chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash, filling the bowl with what now looks like brown soup, which overflows the rim and drips downwards onto your Shabbos shoes, and you'll look up as he sheepishly mumbles "Sorry!  Someone must have shaken the bottle" and you'll think NO, YOU DOOFUS!!!  DON'T BLAME SOMEONE ELSE!  ADMIT THAT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO OPEN A BOTTLE OF SODA! but you won't say that, of course, you'll just smile kindly and say "It's nothing, I'll get another bowl" and you'll return to the table, only to discover that the pan has now been totally emptied of its chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash, and you'll just sigh.  How could he know?  He's not a DDFer.

[etech0]

When you first open a bottle of soda or seltzer or pop, begin by slowly turning the cap one-quarter turn and wait about 10 seconds, watching for the small bubbles to slow down, and listening as the sssst of escaping gas gets quieter.  Then turn another 1/4 turn, and wait another 10 seconds till it quiets down.  Now open the cap the rest of the way, and look proudly around as you pour a perfect cup.  Don't expect a pat on the back, though, because nobody will realize what didn't happen.  But you'll know. 

Because one day, soon we hope, you'll be at a shul kiddush, balancing a full bowl of aromatic chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash in one hand, and an empty cup in the other, and someone will offer to pour you a drink, and he'll twist that cap quickly, in one fell swoop, and you'll watch as the bottle suddenly erupts, and fizzy, bubbly liquid streams downward, over his greasy hands into your still-untouched chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash, filling the bowl with what now looks like brown soup, which overflows the rim and drips downwards onto your Shabbos shoes, and you'll look up as he sheepishly mumbles "Sorry!  Someone must have shaken the bottle" and you'll think NO, YOU DOOFUS!!!  DON'T BLAME SOMEONE ELSE!  ADMIT THAT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO OPEN A BOTTLE OF SODA! but you won't say that, of course, you'll just smile kindly and say "It's nothing, I'll get another bowl" and you'll return to the table, only to discover that the pan has now been totally emptied of its chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash, and you'll just sigh.  How could he know?  He's not a DDFer.

TL;DR
Invite all your friends and acquaintances to DDF or risk missing out on your weekly kiddush cholent.

Appendix A: Do you go to shul?
Appendix B: Does your shul have a kiddush?
Appendix C: If the cholent is parve does it count?
[citations needed]

[Sam Finkelstein]

You can open links a in new tab by clicking with the scroll wheel.

[jj1000]

Most pre-shredded cheese is already coated in some sort of starch before you buy it to reduce clumping. The problem with this (and with adding more of your own) is that it prevents the cheese from melting and browning properly, it's why you'll often end up with a big clump of cheese if you try to add it to pasta or poorly melted cheese on pizza and such.

Have you tried it with the costco bags of shredded cheese? It clumps in the freezer, but not with 1 tbs of corn starch, never had a problem with melting/clumping when cooking.

[Mordyk]

When making homemade pizza on a pan (cast iron is better) partially bake the dough for a few minutes before putting on the marinara , cheese, oregano, etc. That way you end up with a perfect crust instead of half doughy out of the oven.

I use a pizza stone in my oven.  Get crispy through and through

[mmgfarb]

I use a pizza stone in my oven.  Get crispy through and through

Yep, can't really get anywhere close to a real pizza oven without at least a stone, a pizza steel is even better.

[mmgfarb]

Have you tried it with the costco bags of shredded cheese? It clumps in the freezer, but not with 1 tbs of corn starch, never had a problem with melting/clumping when cooking.

Try emulsifying the cheese into a sauce with all that starch on it 

[etech0]

Have you tried it with the costco bags of shredded cheese? It clumps in the freezer, but not with 1 tbs of corn starch, never had a problem with melting/clumping when cooking.

I'm told if you shake it before putting in the freezer it won't clump. Haven't tried it though.

[moko]

Trying to vacuum under/behind furniture and the crevice tool is too wide or short? Fit an empty paper towel tube onto the end of the hose (or onto the crevice tool) and you can squeeze it to the size you need.

genius! Love it.

[etech0]

You can open links a in new tab by clicking with the scroll wheel.

Yup or control-click (if you're on a laptop with no scroll wheel).
On that note, control-shift-t will open the tab (or tabs) you closed most recently, and control-shift-n will open an incognito window.

[mmgfarb]

Yup or control-click (if you're on a laptop with no scroll wheel).
On that note, control-shift-t will open the tab (or tabs) you closed most recently, and control-shift-n will open an incognito window.

On that note, ctrl-n will open a new window.

[moko]

Have you tried it with the costco bags of shredded cheese? It clumps in the freezer, but not with 1 tbs of corn starch, never had a problem with melting/clumping when cooking.

this is true. World is more starchy than Anderson. So the pizza experts tell me . Can't use regular world mozzarella because it's two starchy. They use a blend of muenster and mozzarella.

[YitzyS]

When you first open a bottle of soda or seltzer or pop, begin by slowly turning the cap one-quarter turn and wait about 10 seconds, watching for the small bubbles to slow down, and listening as the sssst of escaping gas gets quieter.  Then turn another 1/4 turn, and wait another 10 seconds till it quiets down.  Now open the cap the rest of the way, and look proudly around as you pour a perfect cup.  Don't expect a pat on the back, though, because nobody will realize what didn't happen.  But you'll know. 

Because one day, soon we hope, you'll be at a shul kiddush, balancing a full bowl of aromatic chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash in one hand, and an empty cup in the other, and someone will offer to pour you a drink, and he'll twist that cap quickly, in one fell swoop, and you'll watch as the bottle suddenly erupts, and fizzy, bubbly liquid streams downward, over his greasy hands into your still-untouched chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash, filling the bowl with what now looks like brown soup, which overflows the rim and drips downwards onto your Shabbos shoes, and you'll look up as he sheepishly mumbles "Sorry!  Someone must have shaken the bottle" and you'll think NO, YOU DOOFUS!!!  DON'T BLAME SOMEONE ELSE!  ADMIT THAT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO OPEN A BOTTLE OF SODA! but you won't say that, of course, you'll just smile kindly and say "It's nothing, I'll get another bowl" and you'll return to the table, only to discover that the pan has now been totally emptied of its chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash, and you'll just sigh.  How could he know?  He's not a DDFer.

I would click 'like' but his post to like ratio is intimidating me.

[farmbochur]

Quickly toggle between tabs.

1) Excel and most internet browsers: Ctrl + PgUp/Dn
2) Google Sheets: Ctrl + Shift + PgUpDn