January 24, 2012

12 “Why Didn’t I Think of That?” Tips

I never cease to marvel at the sheer abundance of amazingly useful information available on the internet. Every once in a while, I stumble upon an idea that makes me stop and think, “Now why didn’t I think of that?” In today’s By the Dozen feature, I’m passing along twelve of these tips that are simple, no-nonsense ways to streamline various aspects of your life!

one. Piping Bag Trick @ Dollar Store Crafts via Karen’s Cookies


Heather calls this amazing technique for filling piping bags mind-blowing, and for good reason: it really is! For anyone who has ever dealt with the hassle of filling piping bags for any project involving frosting, this is a must-read.

two. Cupcake Liner Storage @ Tidy Mom


I can finally reclaim my utensil drawer from all of those rogue cupcake liners! What a simple, brilliant idea!

three. Freezer Paper Pattern Tracing @ Girl. Inspired.


When I first came across this trick from my friend Stef, it was a serious A-ha! moment! By tracing patterns onto freezer paper (or by printing PDF patterns directly onto freezer paper using your inkjet printer), you can then iron each piece onto your fabric before cutting out, eliminating the need for pins or pattern weights. And no bunching or shifting!

four. Grocery Bag Storage @ Tatertots and Jello via Infarrantly Creative


Finally – a way to consolidate the grocery bags that want nothing more than to take over my pantry! Beckie’s tip for how to roll the bags so they dispense properly is downright clever.

five. Hanging Pictures with Pop Tabs @ Apartment Therapy


Have a piece of artwork with no hanger? What a smart idea to use a pop tab to do the job!

six. How to Regrow Green Onions @ Cookthink


You know those little white bulbs you are left with after chopping green onions? Place them in a bit of water, and they will sprout so you can harvest new growth several times! Who knew?

seven. How to Prevent Painted Items from Sticking While Drying @ Chica and Jo


This idea of using push pins to avoid the frustration of having newspaper remnants stuck to the edges of your painted projects is brilliant!

eight. How to Remove a Stripped Screw with a Rubber Band @ Apartment Therapy


With this handy dandy trick a dreaded stripped screw is no big whoop!

nine. Mess-Free Painting Tips @ The Family Handyman


There are some truly ingenious ideas in this lineup, but my favorite is definitely the idea to use Glad Press’n Seal to protect surfaces as you paint!

ten. DIY Foaming Soap @ Full of Great Ideas


Get the same fun foaming action at a fraction of the cost! I am definitely going to try this one.

eleven. Bread Tag Cord Labels @ Apartment Therapy


What a true sanity-saver this little trick will be the next time I need to decipher the origin of the wires behind my desk!

twelve. Lint Roller Glitter Pick-Up @ Real Simple


Not that I tend to be a messy crafter or anything. Of course not. But if I were, this might just revolutionize my crafting life! ;) This same idea would also be a terrific way to clean up small bits of paper and embellishments left over from kids’ craft projects.

***

Do you have any favorite tips and tricks you’ve discovered that made you have a serious “Why Didn’t I Think of That?” moment?

Photobucket

Amy @ Positively Splendid

Amy @ Positively Splendid

Having grown up in a home brimming with sewing notions and paintbrushes, Amy has a deep love for all things creative. On any given day, you'll find her knee-deep in her latest creative endeavor, with projects ranging from sewing and crafts to home decor and kid-friendly ideas. Amy believes that everyone, regardless of skill level or experience, possesses the ability to create something beautiful, and Positively Splendid was born of her passion for helping others harness their innate creative potential.
Amy @ Positively Splendid

@splendidamy

Mama of four, creative enthusiast, craft & DIY blogger. Find me knee-deep in my next project at http://www.PositivelySplendid.com!
Fresh strawberry-lime pie. Sweet and lively - like summer on a plate! Recipe here: http://t.co/co5Pz9UhKU - 25 mins ago
Amy @ Positively Splendid

Latest posts by Amy @ Positively Splendid (see all)

Love this post? Let's keep in touch!

Subscribe for free to have PS delivered straight to your inbox.

Related Posts:

18 Responses to 12 “Why Didn’t I Think of That?” Tips

  1. CLM-cindylu2u January 24, 2012 at 12:46 pm #

    OMG, these were FABULOUS tips, I will be using these, thanks sooo much!!

    Reply
  2. Goldie January 24, 2012 at 1:46 pm #

    Those are all some really great tips for crafters! I particularly like the thumb tack idea :)

    Reply
  3. Michele {The Scrap Shoppe} January 24, 2012 at 1:59 pm #

    I’ve seen many of these ideas floating around and thought they were all brilliant! I have not, however, seen the freezer paper for patterns. Wow! I will be pinning that one for sure!

    I can attest to the coke tab hanger and the green onions. Both worked marvelously! I won’t even tell you how long I kept my green onions around. It was obscene! :)

    Reply
  4. Megan January 24, 2012 at 2:44 pm #

    Cupcake liners and glitter picker-uper were new to me. Love it! Seriously, that cupcake liner thing is so common sense….why didn’t I think of that?

    Reply
  5. Brandy January 24, 2012 at 3:24 pm #

    I saw that piping bag video the other day and it changed my life! Seriously, I used to wash and re-use my Wilton frosting bags and what a nightmare that was. Now I’ll never have to wash them again!

    Reply
  6. Angela January 24, 2012 at 4:16 pm #

    Oh my gosh!! The glitter pickup… Like the guy on Despicable Me… LIGHTBULB!! Thank you so much for that one! :) My husband thanks you too, he doesn’t like going to work with glitter. ;) ha ha

    Angela

    Reply
  7. Kelly January 24, 2012 at 4:27 pm #

    AWESOME Ideas! Love it! I know I could use every one of these. :)

    Reply
  8. Stephanie January 24, 2012 at 6:19 pm #

    WOW! I don’t use piping bags, but that tip is very awesome!!! I also love the one about using a rubber band to remove a stripped screw. We are remodeling our kitchen and have several cabinets that are needing to be moved but the screws are stripped. Now we have something to try so we don’t have to tear up the cabinet and wall and create extra work for ourselves!!! Perfect timing with this post, thank you. :D

    Reply
  9. Heather - Dollarstorecrafts.com January 24, 2012 at 6:45 pm #

    These are all great finds. Thanks for including Dollar Store Crafts in your list, but even more, thanks for sharing your great finds! I’ll link up at the DSC FB page!

    Reply
  10. Stef January 24, 2012 at 10:37 pm #

    I can always count on you to put together a great roundup of ideas, Amy! You pick the perfect topics. Thanks for the great collection of tips and thanks for including me!
    xo,
    Stef

    Reply
  11. Ruby Jean January 25, 2012 at 2:45 am #

    Lots of GREAT handy tips here… Thanks for sharing them.. :)

    Reply
  12. kami @ nobiggie.net January 25, 2012 at 4:24 am #

    I’m dying over the frosting bag trick! so cool!

    Reply
  13. Lizzy January 25, 2012 at 4:25 am #

    These are great! I just finished fooling with washing and re-washing piping bags and getting frosting everywhere trying to fill them or twist them closed–wish I’d known about that little trick then! I’ll know next time! The rest are great too! Going to try the green onions tomorrow!

    Reply
  14. Clair January 25, 2012 at 3:41 pm #

    I saw something on pinterest that suggests folding your sheets so that they fit into their own matching pillowcase. Such a simple idea but something I had never thought of! Makes you feel a little stupid that you never thought of some of this stuff!!

    Reply
  15. Clair January 25, 2012 at 3:41 pm #

    I saw something on pinterest that suggests folding your sheets so that they fit into their own matching pillowcase. Such a simple idea but something I had never thought of! Makes you feel a little stupid that you never thought of some of this stuff!!

    Reply
  16. Shelly @A Creative Space January 25, 2012 at 7:01 pm #

    @Claire -I know what you mean. Years ago, I saw an article in Family Circle magazine giving the tip about storing sheet sets in their pillow cases. I have been doing it ever since. To help me get those crazy fitted sheets to fold well, I found a fab method & posted about it here: http://shanarunacreativespace.blogspot.com/2010/12/little-off-topic-how-to-fold-fitted.html

    @Amy -This is an awesome post! I am just now getting to it… Thanks for sharing all this great info. :)

    Reply
  17. Aunt duck January 26, 2012 at 3:37 am #

    Amy- thanks for sharing these! I love them all. :)

    Reply
  18. Mel the Crafty Scientist January 31, 2012 at 7:41 am #

    These are wonderful tips! I’d seen a few, but definitely not all of them and I can’t wait to try to the lint roller to pick up glitter messes (even when I use a tray, it all gets everywhere)! Please share more of these kinds of tips – I LOVE them! : )

    -Mel the Crafty Scientist

    Reply

Leave a Reply

myfreecopyright.com registered & protected


© 2009-2012. Positively Splendid. All rights reserved.