Fortune Cookie Friday: Pass It On

I am not an expert—in anything. Oh, I have a degree in Zoology, worked in many fields of employment, own my own company, raising two kids, active in volunteer work, and found some time to travel a little. None of that makes me an expert but it does make me experienced, and I make a point to share that experience with others.

Everything we learn in our lives is information passed down through the generations. Someone most likely taught us how to read, write, and add. We also had someone show us how to use various tools, be they for the kitchen, the garage, or the garden.

Once we have the basic skills to perform our everyday tasks, we devise ways to do them better or use those techniques in other areas. This expanded thinking is a unique trait in tool-using animals. The group includes other primates such as gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees, along with dolphins, otters, elephants, octopus, and multiple species of birds.

When I learn a new way of doing something, I pass the information on. The information might be about art, writing, cooking, camping, or even storage solutions. The tricks that I pick up along my way are little nuggets of wisdom that make life a little more manageable.

I thought I would share some with you today.

• If you can’t tell which key if for the house and the gym, color the ring end with bright nail polish
• Are the headlights on your older model car getting dingy? You can use toothpaste to clean them and make them clear and minty.
• Toilet paper and paper towel tubes don’t need to be thrown into the recycling bin right away. Use them for cord or plastic bag storage, around rolls of wrapping paper, or even on hangers to prevent your pants from creasing.
• Put a wooden spoon across the top of your pot of water to prevent it from boiling over.
• Need a spoon rest for that wooden cooking utensil? Stick the handle through the hole in the pot handle. That hole isn’t just for hanging the pot.
• You can thread your straw through the tab on your soda pop can to prevent it from lifting out of your drink.
• Use a pair of needle-nose pliers to hold the nail when hammering. Then you won’t bash your finger.
• Use a hanging shoe rack or sweater rack for other things than clothes. Shoe racks are great for storing cleaning supplies, and sweater racks are great for storing gift bags and boxes.
• Clean out an empty squeeze ketchup bottle and use it for dispensing pancake batter. Mornings are pleasant when there is less mess to clean up.

None of this is rocket science. These are just a few handy tricks that I have found to make my life a little easier. Some of these ideas I learned from others and some I figured out myself.

Hopefully, one or two are new to you, and you can use them in the future. If you know of any others, please share them in the comments below. We can easily grow our collective knowledge, but only if we pass it on.