Interstate freakout
Uncapping and recapping the Prius gas tank can create the problem, and uncapping and recapping the gas tank can make the problem go away.
Orange Crate Art
A transcription tip
Just write down the first letter of each word: o b o e w s c o b w i t g n o e i a y n f p o t u s Which you can then expand into: “On behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on earth, I accept your nomination for President of the United States.”
Baking soda for the dishes
For the first time in many years we have dishes and glasses that sparkle, with virtually no hard-water stains.
How many retired English professors does it take to change a lightbulb?
The problem: the dome/globe hiding the dead bulb would not budge. The solution: tap the dome with a shoe, many, many times.
Ian’s Shoelace Site
Twenty-five ways to tie your shoes, and more than a hundred ways to lace them.
Cures for hiccups
t looks like clickbait, but it’s from The Atlantic.
A fix for the check engine light light
Or does everyone already know this trick?
A Lifehacker headline
A clickbait headline from Lifehacker this morning: “How to Start Dating Again If You’re Unvaccinated.” Stay classy, Lifehacker.
Mr. Grip
I speak of household repair, not my hold on sanity. Woodmate’s Mr. Grip is a handy item to have around the house.
Klean Kanteens and denture tablets
Two tablets per Kanteen, warm water, an hour-long soak, and the stains were gone.
Oui yogurt
It’s worth buying a four-pack of Yoplait Oui yogurt just for the little glass jars.
Blade tumbler
Can you lengthen the life of razor blades by sharpening them on the inside of a drinking glass?
Shredded Wheat hack
Materials: two Shredded Wheat biscuits, one bowl, one one-gallon plastic bag, one free hand.
Pogue’s Basics: Life
Pogue’s book collects tips and shortcuts about cars, travel, food, clothes, and (as they say) much, much more.
Recently updated
Ten years later, Rachel adds one more tip for success in college.
Found in my mother’s kitchen
Masking-tape hack by Louise Leddy.
Minor bill-paying wisdom
“When you need to write a check, sign first.”
Noisy for Mac
Noisy is a free app (OS X 10.5 or later) that generates pink noise or white noise, masking background chatter and other distractions.
String-bag hack
Elaine Fine has figured out a way to keep string bags from getting tangled in her shoulder bag.
Fake ironing
Fixing a wrinkled collar, without ironing
How to pack
A flight attendant demonstrates: a New York Times slideshow
Sue Shellenbarger on time-management
Trying out FranklinCovey's Focus, GTD, and the Pomodoro Technique
Repurposed dish drainer
Elaine Fine's great idea for holding working folders
Uncle Mark Gift Guide & Almanac
"Hurst's guide offers single recommendations in various categories, along with some unusual and useful lifehacks."
NowDoThis
Simple online tool for tracking to-dos
Allergy or cold?
Tips on telling the difference
Staple!
What a missing staple says about one's work
Proustian advice for students
My friend Stefan Hagemann has observed that so many students on a college campus seem to be elsewhere. As I walk around my university's camp...
Tool to limit browsing
An online timer
Free fax
A free online fax service