GREAT ideas....

email from Kamalini Kanapathippillai.

Some old, some new, some helpful, some questionable      HELPFUL HINTS These are great!    The simplest way to slice a bunch of cherry tomatoes is to sandwich them between two plastic lids and run a long knife through all of them at once!   Keep brown sugar soft by storing with a couple of marshmallows   Install a regular coat rack low down the wall to store shoes safely off the floor   Use a Post-It note when drilling to catch the dust   Hang onions in cut-up tights or old stockings to make them last for months!   Create a thrifty watering can by puncturing holes in the top of a used milk bottle.   Remove pet hair from furniture and carpets with a squeegee.   Cover paint trays with aluminium foil to make cleaning up afterwards a breeze.   Flip a toaster on its side to make grilled cheese   Use a large muffin tin to cook stuffed peppers in the oven - it will help keep them upright.   To prevent potatoes budding, add an apple in the bag. Add half a teaspoon of baking soda to the water when hard-boiling eggs to make the shells incredibly easy to peel off.   Use bread tags to label power cords.   Use non-stick cooking spray in votive holders to prevent wax from sticking to the sides.   WD40 can be used to remove crayon marks from any surface!   When hanging a picture frame, put a dab of toothpaste on the frame where you need the nails to be. Then simply press against the wall to leave marks (which can later be wiped) as guides for the nails.   Put a dry towel in with a wet load to reduce the drying time (this really works, I've been doing it for years!)   To tell if eggs are fresh, immerse them in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs will lie on the bottom, while stale eggs will float to the surface.   Sprinkle salt in the spaces between patio slabs and at the bottom of walls to get rid of pesky weeds(but be careful NOT to get salt near plants you want to keep as salt will kill them!)   To clean a wooden chopping board, sprinkle on a handful of Kosher salt and rub with half a lemon. Rinse with clean water and dry to ensure it is clean and germ-free.   Use ice-cubes to lift out indentations made by furniture on your carpets.   Prevent soil from escaping through the holes in the base of flowerpots by lining with large coffee filters     To stop the annoying sound of a dripping tap, tie a piece of string around the faucet which is long enough to reach down to the sink.   To sharpen scissors, simply cut through sandpaper.   A very simple solution to get rid of furniture scratches!   Use rubber bands to help open a jar easily: place one around the jar lid and another around the middle of the glass. The rubber provides friction to prevent your hands from slipping.   To prevent your eyes watering while chopping onions, wipe the chopping board with white vinegar (which won't affect the taste of the onions)   Store bed sheets inside their pillowcases for easy storage and access   Drop a couple of denture cleaning tablets into the toilet bowl at night to clean off stubborn stains.     Use cupcake cases to cover drinks glasses in the summer and prevent flies from dropping in   Use binder clips to keep stacked bottles in place in the fridge   Another way to clean a chopping board is to cover liberally with Kosher salt and leave overnight. Scrape off with a cloth in the morning to find the salt has absorbed all moisture to leave your board clean and dry.   Use egg boxes to store delicate Christmas tree decorations   This has to be the simplest way to open those annoying blister packs!   Use a cut potato to easily remove a broken light bulb   Use chalk to remove grease stains from clothes. Simply rub white chalk on the affected area and wash as normal - the chalk will absorb the grease and be washed away in the cycle.   They look pretty too - a great tip for parties!     Place a wooden spoon over a pan to stop the water from boiling over   A genius tip to help prevent paint spillage!   Use a rubber band to rescue a stripped screw   Wrap rubber bands around the ends of a coat hanger to prevent dresses from slipping off.   Yet another use for drinks can ringpulls! Use to create a hanging loop for picture frames by screwing into the back