photo by sciondriver
Pots or pans are often used to soak dirty utensils. But you risk getting cut when reaching in to grab a fork or knife. The first tip solves that problem. Utensils can stand up, and you can see what you’re grabbing. And putting them away will be a breeze, too.

PRE-SOAK AND SORT UTENSILS: I have a big, thick-walled jar that I keep filled with water (if I do it, I add dish soap; if my husband does it, he adds just water). That’s where all our dirty forks, knives, spoons, etc., go as they get dirty. The technique of soaking silver is common in cafeterias, or at least that’s where I learned it. It really makes it much easier to clean the utensils, and you don’t put your hand in the dishwater and cut yourself pulling out a knife this way. Also, I sort the silverware as I put it in the dishwasher rack. I started not just sorting it but putting the larger forks, knives and spoons handle up in the slots and the smaller stuff handles down. This means when I pull the silver out of the drainer, it’s already sorted by size and type. Saves me a bunch of time. — Judi, New Hampshire

MAKE CLOTHES LAST: We dry very few of our clothes (and usually only for five to 10 minutes to get the wrinkles out first and then hang everything on hangers to dry). We have my grandmother’s huge wooden drying bars, on which we hang all of our underwear. (As she says, drying things in the dryer makes the elastic wear out sooner.) When the weather is warm, I hang my towels and sheets on the clothesline. — Rhonda, Michigan

CLEVER REUSE: I use my old dryer sheets as backing for embroidery projects. Also, all old sheets get made into pillowcases and curtains, and the parts that are too old for that get made into strips for rag rugs. I save cat-litter jugs and cut the bottoms off and paint for cheap outdoor planters. I use 12-pack pop boxes with the top cut out for organizers for plastic “Tupperware” and another for jar lids. I also use one with just the end cut off for plastic bag storage. I save bread bags to reuse in the freezer for foods. I use old socks as stuffing for homemade cat toys (yes, I have very spoiled cats!), and I cut them in strips for more rag-rug yarn. — Shelley, Kansas

EXTEND LIFE OF WIPER BLADES: When your blades are not cleaning the windows completely, if you take a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol and wipe the blades down, you can make them “new” again. This works most times but not always, so don’t kill the messenger. This doesn’t work for blades that are cracked and split and falling off. You gotta replace those. Sorry. — Jan S., Indiana

TEA-BAG REUSE: I’m giddy I can still get 100 tea bags for $1 at Wal-Mart. I also use loose tea, and I can get by using much less than the recommended amount, especially when using a quality tea. In the summer, I’ll stick my used-once tea bags in a plastic container in the freezer until I have five to eight bags. I will use them to make a concentrated form of tea (1 quart of hot water). You can do the same thing with tea bags that haven’t been used (three or four bags). The concentrated tea is kept in a container in the refrigerator and is used to make iced tea by the glass. That way, we don’t have to have a large pitcher taking up space in the refrigerator. — Karen, Kansas

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