Clever Ideas

Here are just a few ideas that I thought were clever:

1. Keep a few bungee cords in the trunk of your car. You never know when you might purchase something large and need to strap down the lid. Always be prepared.

2. Keep one or two mini-sized Doodle boards (the kind with the magnet pens) The kids can use them to practice writing letters and numbers or you can do the writing and quiz them (If there is another person driving or you’re stuck waiting in a parking lot or heavy traffic).

3. Want to use some planters on your deck but not sure how to keep them from falling off? Double up. Screw the first one onto the ledge (or strap down with wire) and then set the other one inside. This makes it really easy to bring them in for a late season frost or even a severe thunderstorm. Also, if you plant something that grows towards the sun then you can turn the pot/plant easily.

4. Add a little whimsy to your weekend. Put a smile on your pancake. Add a few drops of water to a little syrup and a drop or two of food color then use a Q-tip to draw on a smile.

5. When I pack snacks or lunch for school, I always put a note on the napkin. It started with a simple picture and then when she could read, I started to use small words now we are up to phrases. It’s my way of letting her know I’m thinking of her while she is away from me. (A friend of mine did this with her kids until they were in high school. Although to save them from humiliation in front of their peers, the notes turned into simple smiley faces and then to two dots just as a subtle reminder.

6. The next time you get something that is in a large box, cut off the side of the box and save it under your bed or behind your dresser. This will come in handy the next time you need it for a craft or to make a painted T-shirt.

7. Get a roll of craft paper to have on hand. You can find it in white or brown. It’s great to have if you need to ship a package, or for a craft. I use the white to make my own wrapping paper when I run out or forget to get some new. You’ll see in an upcoming post that I even used it for a puppet stage.

8. Make a choke-E checker. Cover the cardboard inside a roll of toilet tissue with some contact paper and teach young children to use their new tool to see if items are safe to have around a baby. If it can fit in the tube, they can’t let the baby play with it. (works most of the time)

9. Put a bunch of candles or tea lights and some matches in a cookie tin and place it somewhere easy to get to in the dark. This will come in handy during a power outage.

10. Make your own Popsicles using jell-o they melt much slower…less mess.

What sort of little tricks or clever ideas do you like?