By The Editors of Real Simple magazine
New uses for old things
Every month, Real Simple unearths hidden uses for everyday household items. Some double-duty surprises are:
Drinking straw
Original purpose: Making it simpler to drain your glass to the last drop.
Aha! use: Extending the stems of roses and ranunculus to fit a vase. Place the bottom of each stem inside a straw, then arrange the flowers as you normally would.
Real simple reward: Blooms that stand up tall, even when you've been overzealous with the trimming.
Matchbox
Original purpose: Lighting your fire.
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Aha! use: Storing a tiny travel sewing kit. A matchbox is the perfect size for holding the essentials: needles, thread, buttons and a few safety pins.
Real simple reward: No need to panic when a button emergency strikes during a business trip.
Pencil lead
Original purpose: Tackling the Sunday crossword when you're feeling tentative.
Aha! use: Unsticking a stubborn zipper. Just rub the teeth on both sides of the zipper with a pencil. (Graphite is an excellent dry lubricant.)
Real simple reward: An end to zippers that have lost their zip.
35 mm film container
Original purpose: Keeping that roll of birthday snaps safe from harm.
Aha! use: Dispensing postage stamps. Cut a slit in the side of the canister and tuck a roll of stamps inside. Thread the end of the roll through the slit.
Real simple reward: Stamps stay coiled neatly.
Ketchup bottle
Original purpose: Flavoring Mom's meatloaf.
Aha! use: Portioning pancake batter with precision, without the usual mess of transferring batter from the bowl. Squeeze out baby-size or plate-size rounds or add Mickey Mouse ears to a batch of silver dollars.
Real simple reward: Restaurant-worthy flapjacks.
● For more Real Simple solutions, read Real Simple magazine.