Those Little Lifetips That Just Make Life Easier

There are certain things that you wish you just knew. How did you learn those little tidbits of life? Did you learn them from your mom or did you read some and think, hey, that's a better way of doing things, so I'm going to do it that way. One of my very first blog posts was tips that I had learned from my grandmother. She was a wise woman, and she seemed to have so many neat ideas that just made life easier. I racked my brain to think of a few more that have helped me along in life. Here they are.

• Need to measure something gooey or sticky in the kitchen? Spray the inside of the measuring cup with cooking spray, and it'll slide right out.

• Don't shave your legs before going to a pedicure. You'll open up tiny imperfections that could cause bacteria to enter. It's better to shave a few days before your appointment.

• Take your shoes off at the front door and have a doormat and wet wipes by the door. You'd be amazed at what dirt you bring into the house on your shoes! If you have pets, you can use the wipes to wipe their feet if you truly don't like to clean too often.

• Store things together that work together.

• When defrosting meat in the refrigerator, put the meat package in a bowl in case it should leak.

• Keep a package of wipes and hand sanitizer in your purse and car. You'll find the uses are endless and wonder how you got by before without this stuff handy.

• If you don't want wrinkly clothes, take them out of the dryer immediately after they are done. If you don't have the time to put them away, drape them over a chair. If you notice wrinkles later, put that item back in the dryer with a wet washcloth. That will get most of the wrinkles out for you. Can you tell I hate to iron?

• Use the exhaust fan when frying food. Microscopic droplets of oil float around and settle on all your kitchen surfaces. Cut this down by sucking up the oil.

• Set your watches and clocks five minutes ahead. You'll never be late again.

• Cook twice the amount of food today and freeze the other half for another meal.

• I don't typically waste time making our bed and here's why. Just fold your comforter over halfway and let your bed air out.

• Don't waste money buying bottled water and continue littering the environment. It's just tap water anyway and the company that makes it has no requirements to tell you if the water was tested and what the results were, unlike your local water company. Plus, the cheap grade plastic can allow chemicals to leach into your water....eeeew, so don't re-use them. Better to use sturdy water bottles, fill them up with your own tap water and keep them in your refrigerator.

• Cut down on laundry. Some things can be worn twice. For me, what works best is wearing pants or skirts more than once.

• Save money on cereal by buying the generic brands and then getting a cool cereal dispenser or one of those nifty bowls with a straw. Your kids will be so enamored with that, they'll forget about the namebrand stuff.

• Sneak veggies into kids' food by grating them and mixing them into sauces, meatloaf and meatballs.

• It's okay to buy second hand clothes. I've found some nice designer suits and dresses at Goodwill, all still with original price tags.

• Buy groceries in bulk and share with a friend, neighbor or relative or join a food coop.

• Never forget anything again. I keep a basket by the front door for my wallet, keys and cell phone. There's also a hook for my purse. If you are too forgetful for that, stick an index card with a checklist into the basket. Just glance at it before you run out.

What tips do you have to share?