New uses for old things
Tissue box
● Original purpose: Helping you through a weepy movie.
● Aha! use: Storing plastic grocery bags under the kitchen sink. After "Terms of Endearment" has exhausted your supply of tissues, stuff the bags into the empty box.
● Real simple reward: Order is restored in your cabinets, and bags are ready for reuse.
Citrus peel
● Original purpose: Providing an all-natural wrapper for juicy fruit.
● Aha! use: Dishing up desserts. After juicing (or eating) grapefruit, orange, lemon or lime halves, scoop out and freeze the peels. Cut a small slice off the bottom to create a level surface, then fill with ice cream.
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● Real simple reward: The usual dinner finale, with a twist.
Eggshells
● Original purpose: Playing a central role in the chicken-and-egg debate.
● Aha! use: Cleaning the hard-to-reach places in bottles and vases. Drop some crushed shells in the bottle, add warm water and a drop of dishwashing liquid, and give it a good swirl.
● Real simple reward: Shells that scrape off the gunk you can't get to, so you can save your elbow grease for the dinner dishes.
Martini shaker
● Original purpose: Shaking, not stirring.
● Aha! use: Sprinkling glitter or sequins for craft projects, sprinkles for sundaes or new seeds and fertilizer for your lawn.
● Real simple reward: A reason to shake your thing (even if you don't have the martini-making moves of a Bond girl).