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 215806 times)

Offline YitzyS

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #320 on: June 17, 2020, 03:30:49 PM »
My favorite hack:

When something drips onto the floor of the oven, sprinkle some baking soda onto it. No smoke, no alarms going off, etc. You're good til the next scheduled cleaning of your oven. This is something I do often, as 1- occasionally, some oil from the potato kugel will run over 2 - challah seeds often scatter to the bottom when re-warming on erev Shabbos, and the next time I use the oven during the week I want to prevent a burnt odor or kitchen fire.  Baking soda is excellent to have handy in the kitchen altogether, it can put out a grease mishap in seconds (it chokes the fire). 

In case anyone is unaware, the primary ingredient in a fire extinguisher is baking soda (aka sodium bicarbonate). Not to be confused with baking powder, which can ch"v escalate a fire... Although baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate as well, it contains add'l ingredients which make it more flammable.
Is there anything baking soda can't do?

Offline SwellCindy

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #321 on: June 17, 2020, 04:52:34 PM »
Is there anything baking soda can't do?

Yup! Believe it or not, years ago on Pesach when a range-top flame exploded in seconds literally licking the top cabinets above the microwave, my neighbors were astounded how in the world I knew to grab the baking soda... By the time the FD arrived the fire was out although the smoke was still furiously pouring out the windows, odor lingered for days outside, you can imagine the intensity of that blaze... Chasdei Hashem damage was minimal. I was shocked that it wasn't common knowledge, hence the PSA here...

Offline cholent

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #322 on: June 17, 2020, 05:45:33 PM »
My favorite hack:

When something drips onto the floor of the oven, sprinkle some baking soda onto it. No smoke, no alarms going off, etc. You're good til the next scheduled cleaning of your oven. This is something I do often, as 1- occasionally, some oil from the potato kugel will run over 2 - challah seeds often scatter to the bottom when re-warming on erev Shabbos, and the next time I use the oven during the week I want to prevent a burnt odor or kitchen fire.  Baking soda is excellent to have handy in the kitchen altogether, it can put out a grease mishap in seconds (it chokes the fire). 

In case anyone is unaware, the primary ingredient in a fire extinguisher is baking soda (aka sodium bicarbonate). Not to be confused with baking powder, which can ch"v escalate a fire... Although baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate as well, it contains add'l ingredients which make it more flammable.
We do that with salt and then eventually vacuum it out when we get around to it
Don't ask stupid questions and you won't get stupid answers

Offline justaregularguy

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #323 on: June 17, 2020, 06:33:28 PM »
so basically, if you have excel and baking soda you can take over the world.
nothings impossible- the word itself says Im possible

Online yeshivabucher

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #324 on: June 17, 2020, 06:35:48 PM »
so basically, if you have excel and baking soda you can take over the world.
vinegar would be the antidote to this  ;)

Offline etech0

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #325 on: June 17, 2020, 08:29:16 PM »
so basically, if you have excel and baking soda you can take over the world.
best tl;dr
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline CountValentine

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #326 on: June 17, 2020, 08:31:15 PM »
Is there anything baking soda can't do?
Great for the pool. Just used it today.
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Offline SwellCindy

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #327 on: June 17, 2020, 08:54:43 PM »
Great for the pool. Just used it today.

Interesting! For what purpose is it great for the pool?

Offline justaregularguy

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #328 on: June 17, 2020, 11:46:10 PM »
Interesting! For what purpose is it great for the pool?
will raise pH and alkalinity of the water link
nothings impossible- the word itself says Im possible

Offline ExGingi

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #329 on: June 18, 2020, 09:54:32 AM »
When eating a piece of watermellon you always get your cheek all wet when you get closer to the bottom by the green part. I always cut the corners of the peel leaving just the center of the peel part to hold and that way you dont get dirty at all when you get to the bottom.
Never have such issues eating watermelon using a knife and fork.
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Offline etech0

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #330 on: June 18, 2020, 11:33:23 AM »
Never have such issues eating watermelon using a knife and fork.
Spoon works too
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline ExGingi

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #331 on: June 18, 2020, 11:37:51 AM »
Spoon works too

Not as well, watermelon isn't soft ice-cream to be scooped and will require more counter support than using a knife and fork..
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Offline etech0

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #332 on: June 18, 2020, 11:38:28 AM »
Not as well, watermelon isn't soft ice-cream to be scooped.
Use it like a knife but with 2 sides so you can get a piece with one cut.
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline etech0

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #333 on: June 18, 2020, 10:48:17 PM »
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.
Sounds like a nice idea, but I don't think I want to be making holes in a rental. Any idea if there's a type of glue or something that could work to attach the handle, instead of screwing it in?
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #334 on: June 18, 2020, 10:55:01 PM »
When eating a piece of watermellon you always get your cheek all wet when you get closer to the bottom by the green part. I always cut the corners of the peel leaving just the center of the peel part to hold and that way you dont get dirty at all when you get to the bottom.
Remove peel first especially for guest.  ;)
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Offline SwellCindy

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #335 on: June 18, 2020, 10:59:09 PM »
Sounds like a nice idea, but I don't think I want to be making holes in a rental. Any idea if there's a type of glue or something that could work to attach the handle, instead of screwing it in?

Duco Cement? Or,

- 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.

Offline srap

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #336 on: June 18, 2020, 11:35:13 PM »
Sounds like a nice idea, but I don't think I want to be making holes in a rental. Any idea if there's a type of glue or something that could work to attach the handle, instead of screwing it in?
Another sort of out of the box, but very doable idea:  cut a straight piece of wire hanger so that one end will fit into the length of the handle, bend it 90 degrees, for 1/16" or so on the outside of the drawer, then another 90 degree bend so it can go through the drawer hole, then another 90 degree bend towards the direction of the handle to secure it on the inside of the drawer.  The force of a pull on the handle may bend the wire out of shape (you'll have to try it) so you may want to glue the bent hanger piece (or possible blue tack or glue dot it) to the drawer.

Offline etech0

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #337 on: June 18, 2020, 11:45:35 PM »
Another sort of out of the box, but very doable idea:  cut a straight piece of wire hanger so that one end will fit into the length of the handle, bend it 90 degrees, for 1/16" or so on the outside of the drawer, then another 90 degree bend so it can go through the drawer hole, then another 90 degree bend towards the direction of the handle to secure it on the inside of the drawer.  The force of a pull on the handle may bend the wire out of shape (you'll have to try it) so you may want to glue the bent hanger piece (or possible blue tack or glue dot it) to the drawer.
The problem is that since the hole is only a drop off where it needs to be, I think the handle will just slide right off the handle as soon as it gets a little tug.
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline srap

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #338 on: June 19, 2020, 12:31:09 AM »
The problem is that since the hole is only a drop off where it needs to be, I think the handle will just slide right off the handle as soon as it gets a little tug.
It most likely will.  I'd gorillaglue the hanger end inside and then wedge in a wooden match or two.

Offline YitzyS

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Re: Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!
« Reply #339 on: June 19, 2020, 01:01:10 AM »
This is a great topic! I’m surprised it’s not holding by 100 replies already.
Reply #339