Introduction: 10 Life Hacks You Need to Know for Christmas!
10 amazing tips and tricks, for Holiday challenges!
Step 1: Watch the Video!
Step 2: Snack Pack Gift Wrap
If you're in need of a last minute gift idea, check this out.
Grab an empty bag of chips, and search around the house for something you think could work as a gift.
Clean the chip bag and turn it inside out, then carefully place your gift inside and twist the bag at the top.
All you need to do now is grab a ribbon, tie a bow, and your instant gift is ready to go.
Now, if you don't have a ribbon handy, it's no problem. Just cut the top inch off the chip bag and tie that on instead. It should be just enough, to get you by in your time of need.
Grab an empty bag of chips, and search around the house for something you think could work as a gift.
Clean the chip bag and turn it inside out, then carefully place your gift inside and twist the bag at the top.
All you need to do now is grab a ribbon, tie a bow, and your instant gift is ready to go.
Now, if you don't have a ribbon handy, it's no problem. Just cut the top inch off the chip bag and tie that on instead. It should be just enough, to get you by in your time of need.
Step 3: Paper Keeper
If you've got rolls of wrapping paper that you want preserved, head to the kitchen and finish up some left overs, so you can salvage the aluminum foil.
Now cut the foil into a square, that's a couple inches longer than a toilet paper tube.
Next you'll need to make a cut down the side of the toilet tube, so you can wrap the foil around the outside, and fold the edges inward to hold it in place.
Push the foil in at the ends, and now you've got a decorative clasp that will clamp around your tube, and hold your wrapping paper in place.
Your decorative wrap is preserved, for another year.
Now cut the foil into a square, that's a couple inches longer than a toilet paper tube.
Next you'll need to make a cut down the side of the toilet tube, so you can wrap the foil around the outside, and fold the edges inward to hold it in place.
Push the foil in at the ends, and now you've got a decorative clasp that will clamp around your tube, and hold your wrapping paper in place.
Your decorative wrap is preserved, for another year.
Step 4: Better Letters
With internet and email becoming so common, you may not have any envelopes to send out Christmas letters.
Rather than going out and buying some, just take your letter, and crease it in the center, then fold opposite corners into the center line.
Fold the 2 edges next, then with a slight turn, the tips are folded in to complete a rectangle.
When you tuck these two corners into the flaps underneath them, your letter has just transformed, into its own envelope.
All you need to do now is address it, add a stamp, and your letter is ready for posting.
Rather than going out and buying some, just take your letter, and crease it in the center, then fold opposite corners into the center line.
Fold the 2 edges next, then with a slight turn, the tips are folded in to complete a rectangle.
When you tuck these two corners into the flaps underneath them, your letter has just transformed, into its own envelope.
All you need to do now is address it, add a stamp, and your letter is ready for posting.
Step 5: Posh Pancakes
To make a fun and festive breakfast, start by pouring your pancake mix into a cleaned out condiment bottle.
Now dip some large metal cookie cutters, into a small tray of cooking oil, and set it on a pre-greased and pre-heated cooking pan.
Now just pour in some pancake batter and give it a minute to cook.
When the batter is firm, go ahead and remove the cookie cutter with a clean pair of pliers, and your pancake will hold its shape.
Now just finish them up in the usual way, then make a whole bunch more.
Add some butter and a drizzle of maple syrup, and you've got a festive and impressive, holiday breakfast.
Now dip some large metal cookie cutters, into a small tray of cooking oil, and set it on a pre-greased and pre-heated cooking pan.
Now just pour in some pancake batter and give it a minute to cook.
When the batter is firm, go ahead and remove the cookie cutter with a clean pair of pliers, and your pancake will hold its shape.
Now just finish them up in the usual way, then make a whole bunch more.
Add some butter and a drizzle of maple syrup, and you've got a festive and impressive, holiday breakfast.
Step 6: Grab Tab
When you're wrapping packages, you know the frustration that comes when you can't find the edge of the tape. Then when you do find it, it's surprisingly difficult to get it up.
The solution, is a simple bread clip.
There's a good chance you have one of these lying around, and all you need to do is just tuck it under the edge of the tape.
This custom "Grab Tab" will save your spot without damaging the tape at all, and makes a nice little handle for pulling the tape up when you need it.
If you don't have a bread clip, try using a penny instead.
The solution, is a simple bread clip.
There's a good chance you have one of these lying around, and all you need to do is just tuck it under the edge of the tape.
This custom "Grab Tab" will save your spot without damaging the tape at all, and makes a nice little handle for pulling the tape up when you need it.
If you don't have a bread clip, try using a penny instead.
Step 7: Air Care
Your Christmas tree may be fake, but you can still enjoy the scent of a fresh cut tree.
Just take the air filter from your furnace, and pick up a bottle, of pine essential oil.
And remember that a little goes a long way.
Now add 10-20 drops on the backside of the filter, then place it back into position.
Open up your air register, then sit back, and enjoy the fresh piney aroma.
Just take the air filter from your furnace, and pick up a bottle, of pine essential oil.
And remember that a little goes a long way.
Now add 10-20 drops on the backside of the filter, then place it back into position.
Open up your air register, then sit back, and enjoy the fresh piney aroma.
Step 8: Nicer Cookie Icer
When the cookies are baked and ready for frosting, it can be a pretty messy job. And no matter how hard you try, they still look like they were frosted by a 4 year old.
You can win this challenge by pouring your frosting into a few different condiment containers.
Screw the caps on tight, and now you've got a much nicer cookie icer.
This will give you so much decorating precision, that your imagination is the only limitation.
There's no sugary mess to clean up, and if you press the cap back on, your frosting will stay good for days.
You can win this challenge by pouring your frosting into a few different condiment containers.
Screw the caps on tight, and now you've got a much nicer cookie icer.
This will give you so much decorating precision, that your imagination is the only limitation.
There's no sugary mess to clean up, and if you press the cap back on, your frosting will stay good for days.
Step 9: Light Saver
When the season's over and it's time to take the Christmas lights down, you know that throwing them in a bin just means you'll have a major rats nest to deal with next year.
Try using a simple extension cord holder instead.
You can find these at hardware stores for about a dollar and a half.
When your lights are wrapped, plug the two ends of the cord together, and now your guaranteed, to be tangle free.
By the way, if you can't find one of these cord wrappers, try making one out of a piece of cardboard. It will work just as well, and nothing beats the price of free.
Try using a simple extension cord holder instead.
You can find these at hardware stores for about a dollar and a half.
When your lights are wrapped, plug the two ends of the cord together, and now your guaranteed, to be tangle free.
By the way, if you can't find one of these cord wrappers, try making one out of a piece of cardboard. It will work just as well, and nothing beats the price of free.
Step 10: Shavings for Cravings
When you're entertaining friends with a nice warm chocolaty drink, go one step further by grabbing a potato peeler and their favorite chocolate bar.
Carefully shave down the side of the candy bar and you'll see it creates a decorative chocolate garnishing.
You can use these tasty shavings to deliciously garnish their drink, or decorate anything else you can think of.
Your friends will be super impressed, and wondering why they never thought of this.
Carefully shave down the side of the candy bar and you'll see it creates a decorative chocolate garnishing.
You can use these tasty shavings to deliciously garnish their drink, or decorate anything else you can think of.
Your friends will be super impressed, and wondering why they never thought of this.
Step 11: Upcycled Appreciation
Rather than letting all that wrapping paper go to waste, try removing little decorations like ribbons and bows, then use something like glue or spray adhesive to attach the wrapping paper back to the box your present came in.
Now cut a rectangle about the size of a postcard, and reattach the bows and ribbons.
Just like that, you've got an impressive "thank you" card to return your appreciation.
Your family and friends will be blown away, and hey, it's better for the environment anyway.
Now cut a rectangle about the size of a postcard, and reattach the bows and ribbons.
Just like that, you've got an impressive "thank you" card to return your appreciation.
Your family and friends will be blown away, and hey, it's better for the environment anyway.
Step 12:
Well there are a few ideas that will hopefully make your Christmas a little merrier.
If you liked these projects, perhaps you'll like some of my others. Check them out at www.thekingofrandom.com
By the way, if you haven't watched the video yet, you can still see it below;
If you liked these projects, perhaps you'll like some of my others. Check them out at www.thekingofrandom.com
By the way, if you haven't watched the video yet, you can still see it below;