Topic Wiki

Food:
  • If you get a piece of eggshell in with the eggs while cracking them, use the other half of the eggshell to fish it out instead of trying to use your fingers or anything else.
  • If you want to separate the yolk from the white, take an empty clean water bottle, squeeze the bottle, place the mouth over the yolk and slowly release the bottle. The yolk will get sucked up into the bottle with minimal/no white.
  • When boiling eggs, add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to the water. Makes them really easy to peel and doesn't affect the taste.
  • 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.
  • Microwave rice from TJ's
  • Open a can of corn,put salt pepper and cheese on top, microwave or oven it (super easy lunch)
  • 2 slices of old pizza from the fridge, lay them cheese sides on top of each other and put them in a sandwich maker. Instant calzone.
  • For chulent of course.. Using only navy beans, chulent mix a big no no.
  • If you're going to freeze ground beef, put it in a gallon ziploc and squeeze/spread it flat to fill the bag. You can stack them in the freezer and it'll defrost much faster (without the outside spoiling while the inside is still frozen).
  • To easily melt a small amount of chocolate / butter, put it in a ziploc bag and put that into a mug of hot water for a few minutes. No mess! You can cut a hole in the corner to pipe chocolate too.
  • 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.
  • To cool down baby food without blowing at it (which may add your bacteria to the food) wave your hand at it.
Travel:
  • If you want a hot meal on any plane, bring a tradition soup or oatmeal packet and use the free hot water they offer with tea. Great for traveling in general.
  • Before you go on a long flight, freeze a JJ cappuccino.  If it's frozen they let it on the plane. Once you get up from your nap on the plane there is nothing as refreshing as an iced cappuccino. It should still be freezing but not frozen.
  • When packing a suitcase, put your socks inside your shoes. It will save a little space and stop your shoes from getting crushed.
  • 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.
  • When we go on trips My wife packs the childrens clothing in individual ziplocs for each day of our trip. Like that she doesn't have to look for all the matching stuff.
Computers:
  • You can open links a in new tab by clicking with the scroll wheel.

    Quickly toggle between tabs.

    1) Excel and most internet browsers: Ctrl + PgUp/Dn
    2) Google Sheets: Ctrl + Shift + PgUpDn
    3) chrome: control-tab / control-shift-tab
alternatively ctrl+number tab from left
   
  • Widows+V will open up your clipboard with all recent stuff copied.
Every day/Home:
  • If you are drilling into a wall, open an envelope and tape the flap to the wall under where you are drilling and it catches all the plaster/dust that comes out. Makes cleanup after a small drilling a breeze
  • Open glass jars with rubber gloves, Or a rubber band around the lid.
  • 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.
  • 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.
Stores:

  • Check out at the pharmacy in the grocery store when the regular lines are long.
Perscriptions:

  • GoodRX.com, even for meds that are covered. My insurance can have a $15 copay, but coupon from GoodRX gets me the medication for $7. When insurance doesn't cover the medication, it's a fraction of the cost. I've seen discounts of 90%
Holidays:
  • After Yom Tov, especially Pesach, make a spreadsheet. What on the menu went over well with guests and kids. What did you run short on and need to have more next time around. What did you way overbuy on. That way there is no need to reinvent the wheel next year.

« Last edited by qooldude on July 07, 2022, 12:22:43 AM »

Author Topic: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!  (Read 216165 times)

Offline srap

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #220 on: June 14, 2020, 03:19:32 PM »
Yes. What do you mean by "prong" sides?
The two ~1" ends.  What is the measurement from mid-hole to mid=hole on the drawer and what is the measurement from mid-hole to mid-hole at the ends of the handle?

Offline pointer

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #221 on: June 14, 2020, 03:22:32 PM »
Next thread to create
What did you do today your wife is waiting close to a year to get done   ;D

I put on window shades, changed light fixtures, fixed cabinet doors
As the saying goes:

"Ladies, if a man says he will fix it, he will.
There is no need to remind him every 6 months about it."

Offline yungermanchik

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #222 on: June 14, 2020, 03:25:03 PM »
Does that work with the "machine screws" that handles come with or do you need to get similar sized "wood screws"?
I ended up fixing the one with badly stripped threads with the toothpick and a wood-screw I had in the house and one with less badly stripped threads with the original screw + plumbers 'tape'.
Small people talk about other people.
Average people talk about things
BIG PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IDEAS.

Offline srap

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #223 on: June 14, 2020, 03:30:01 PM »
I ended up fixing the one with badly stripped threads with the toothpick and a wood-screw I had in the house and one with less badly stripped threads with the original screw + plumbers 'tape'.
MT!  Plumber's tape is ok initially, but may rip in time.  At that time try a toothpick or wooden match.
Isn't is a geshamake feeling when you are able to fix something (especially when you do it creatively)?

Offline moko

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #224 on: June 14, 2020, 03:38:23 PM »
As the saying goes:

"Ladies, if a man says he will fix it, he will.
There is no need to remind him every 6 months about it."
iirc, Handyman Moshe in Brooklyn had a tagline that said ' if your husband says "I'll fix it tomorrow", call me today'

Offline EliJelly

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #225 on: June 14, 2020, 03:41:19 PM »
iirc, Handyman Moshe in Brooklyn had a tagline that said ' if your husband says "I'll fix it tomorrow", call me today'
This is a popular one; "We repair what your husband fixed"

Offline etech0

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #226 on: June 14, 2020, 07:25:04 PM »
The two ~1" ends.  What is the measurement from mid-hole to mid=hole on the drawer and what is the measurement from mid-hole to mid-hole at the ends of the handle?
Drawer holes are 3 and 13/16", handle holes are 3 and 3/4". Thanks!
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline biobook

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #227 on: June 14, 2020, 09:21:40 PM »
If you want to insert a few words of Hebrew or Yiddish into your text, and you haven't yet figured out how to do this in the usual way  :-[, go to Google Translate and input the English word in the English > Hebrew (or Yiddish) translator. You can copy and paste the answer.

If this doesn't get you the word you want,  use the Hebrew > English translator.  In the corner of the Hebrew side, there's a tiny Hebrew keyboard that you can use to spell the word, then copy and paste.

At least this works on the PC, IDK about the phone app.

Offline zh cohen

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #228 on: June 15, 2020, 12:55:27 AM »
If you want to insert a few words of Hebrew or Yiddish into your text, and you haven't yet figured out how to do this in the usual way  :-[, go to Google Translate and input the English word in the English > Hebrew (or Yiddish) translator. You can copy and paste the answer.

If this doesn't get you the word you want,  use the Hebrew > English translator.  In the corner of the Hebrew side, there's a tiny Hebrew keyboard that you can use to spell the word, then copy and paste.

At least this works on the PC, IDK about the phone app.

I use the Hebrewbooks.org keyboard

Offline srap

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #229 on: June 15, 2020, 01:03:39 AM »
Drawer holes are 3 and 13/16", handle holes are 3 and 3/4". Thanks!
Enlarge one of the drawer holes to make it 1/16" closer to the other hole.  The handle would now be able to be screwed into place, but the handle on that one side would be wobbly inside of the hole that is now too big so....insert a wooden match in the drawer hole (yes, wood glue will help, but not essential) and NOW screw in the handle. A piece of a skewer will also work.

Offline EliJelly

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #230 on: June 15, 2020, 01:04:13 AM »
This is a great Hebrew keyboard. Bookmark it to keep it handy.

https://gate2home.com/Hebrew-Keyboard

Offline SwellCindy

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #231 on: June 15, 2020, 01:43:06 AM »
- For knobs that keep un-screwing (i.e. bathroom vanity knobs), brush a bit of clear nail polish onto screw before tightening - should stay rock-solid.

- To vacuum dust in places where you want to avoid sucking excess things into the vacuum cleaner (like delicate faux plant leaves, or decor with detail on it), fasten a sheer knee-hi over nozzle with a rubber band, and voila! Vacuum without 'consuming' anything.

- When frying shnitzel, or anything else for that matter, add a sliver of carrot to the frying pan - it keeps the oil from overheating and thus the food from getting burnt.

Offline SwellCindy

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #232 on: June 15, 2020, 01:45:59 AM »
To remove rust, douse liberally with lemon juice. Works magic with bike chains...

Offline SwellCindy

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #233 on: June 15, 2020, 02:02:00 AM »
To measure honey in a cup for a recipe, smear a drop of oil with a paper towel on the bottom & sides of the cup. Honey will slide right out.

Offline icapd1

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #234 on: June 15, 2020, 04:43:48 AM »
If you would like to stock the freezer with soups, but are short on space:
Saute onions, veggies etc, add spices and beans/barley. Then instead of adding water, divide the mixture into small containers. Freeze. When you are ready to use, add the frozen mixture to a pot of water and cook for an hour (or as per recipe cooking instructions)
I do this with veg soup, onion soup, mushroom barley... almost any soup that's not pureed

Offline icapd1

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #235 on: June 15, 2020, 04:52:03 AM »
When making cupcakes, mix the ingredients in a large Ziploc bag (You can first combine the wet ingredients in one bag, and the dry ingredients in another. Then add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture bag). Snip the bottom corner of the bag and pipe the mixture into the cupcake holders. No dirty mixing bowls and no mixture splattered all over the borders of the muffin pan.

I do the same for salad dressing. And when you snip the bag you can drizzle the dressing nicely over the salad instead of pouring it from a clumsier bowl...

Offline icapd1

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #236 on: June 15, 2020, 04:55:40 AM »
Put bounce sheets on the bottom of your garbage bin before you put the bag in. Keeps the bin smelling fresher for a bit longer between cleanings.

Offline icapd1

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #237 on: June 15, 2020, 05:23:20 AM »
If you are sending a kid to pick up groceries in a supermarket that you know where each of  the products are stocked, list the items according to the aisles. That way they don't have to run back and forth from one end of the store to the other and forget some stuff along the way.

Offline yitzgar

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #238 on: June 15, 2020, 07:14:17 AM »


If you are sending a huaband to pick up groceries in a supermarket that you know where each of  the products are stocked, list the items according to the aisles. That way they don't have to run back and forth from one end of the store to the other and forget some stuff along the way.
Ftfy

Offline JMHO

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #239 on: June 15, 2020, 08:06:11 AM »
If you are sending a kid to pick up groceries in a supermarket that you know where each of  the products are stocked, list the items according to the aisles. That way they don't have to run back and forth from one end of the store to the other and forget some stuff along the way.
Or husband  ;)