Have you ever seen something and thought to yourself “why on earth didn’t I think of that?!”  I know I have!  Here are just a few tips & tricks to make your life just  a little simpler!

1. When serving a crowd, cut a circle in the center (place a small bowl on the cake and trace around it). Then cut the outer ring into slices. You’ll have nice square pieces that fit on a plate, instead of long wedges that drop off the edge. You can cut the small round middle into pieces too!   (From Woman’s Day magazine)

2. When you paint a room, fill a small jar (preferably with a plastic top) with extra paint.  Keep it for when you need to do small paint touch ups.   (From Real Simple magazine)

3. When packing for a trip, use a small piece of plastic wrap for your  shampoo, conditioner, and body wash bottles to prevent them from leaking in your suitcase.  Instead of wasting countless ziploc bags, simply unscrew the cap, place a piece  of plastic wrap over the mouth of the bottle, and screw the cap back on!  (From SelectStudyAbroad.com)

4. Have you ever  driven yourself crazy trying to put nails in  the wall to hang a frame? Don’t they always seem to be just a little off?  Well, simply place  a piece of tape between the holes on the back of the frame, remove the tape, place on the wall  (use a  level if needed), and drill holes at the end of  the tape!  (From I Heart  Nap Time)

5. Worried that your card will get separated from the actual gift?  Never fear!  A clever way to avoid this is to cut the wrapping paper several inches larger than the amount needed to wrap the item. Fold paper in half, pattern side in.  Fold top layer of paper back partially creating a pocket of desired depth; press to crease.  Wrap and tape presents as you normally would, keeping the pocket fold in place. Decorate the pocket with ribbon, cord, or other trim, and then pop the card into the “envelope” you just created!  (From Martha Stewart)