Random Solutions Using Common Household Items
Posted on May 27, 2007
Filed Under Apartment Living | 9 Comments
I’m sure that we have all found little random other uses for items that were not their intentional use. There are a ton of them out there. Coca Cola used to clean off rust, a hair dryer used to dry glue, or an old box covered in a blanket to make an end table.
I have found a few more items that can be used in multiple ways to help you around the apartment. Check it!
Cotton Swabs- These little buggers can be used for so much more than just cleaning out your ears, so you can hear me better. Dip them in rubbing alcohol and wipe the charging connectors on your cell phone or laptop. (Make sure they are turned off before you do this.) The alcohol will help rid the battery and charging contacts of any corrosion and help them hold a better charge. You can also use cotton swabs to touch up paint on your walls or even your car. Just make sure it’s the exact same color or things could end up looking really weird!
Flossin’ with Floss- Yes, we should all be flossing every day. I’m not talking about flossin’ as mentioned in Hip-Hop vernacular. I’m talking about true, old fashioned..dental floss. Someone could literally write an entire handbook on the hundreds of uses for this age old household item. Not only can it be used to dig out those annoying bits of popcorn or beef jerky from your chicklets, but it can also be used to hang paintings, pictures, or other light weight decorative items from walls and ceilings. You can take a coat hanger, string up several pictures to it with dental floss, hang it from your ceiling, and bam, you have got a picture mobile. Need to cut into cheesecake, but can’t find a clean knife anywhere? Cut it with some unflavored floss. Also, if you’re washing your face and tired of getting your hair wet in the sink, tie it back with some dental floss.
Antacid as a cleaner- Drop some alka seltzer into the toilet, let it sit for 15-20 minutes, and then scrub with a brush. Watch it gleam.
Scotch Tape bag clip - Want to keep your chips fresh? Fold back the opening and tape it closed to the back of the bag. Then stick them in the fridge for even more freshness.
Rubber Bands- So this may look pretty ugly, but can help in a jam if you need to keep your little ones out of your cabinets. Tie rubber bands around the door knobs. You can also use rubber bands to tie your bread closed, so it doesn’t go stale too fast.
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Perfect price, Perfect restoration & Perfect apartment! This 1929 Prewar 2 Bedroom / 2 Bath co-op is strategically located on a quiet Upper East Side street. The sunny living room complete with beamed-ceilings and a wood-burning fireplace looks out onto lovely treetop views. The spacious windowed kitchen, which includes a separate room for the W/D, has been decorated with custom tile work. Both bathrooms are windowed and enjoy all of the prewar detail that one expects from this type of home. …
Help answer the question about apartment living decorating
for the ones whos married, or living together, how do you agree about decorating your apartment or house?he Added this weird looking light up in kitchen & i don't like it, what should i do? he lets me hang pictures , but lately, we been fighting ALL about decorating, how do we not fuss? Help needed bad..
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As a Managing Partner of Apartment Home Living, Jeff wants to help you find the right apartment by getting to know you. Not only where you want to live & what you want to pay, but what you like. This way, we can help you find an apartment that fits your personality, not just your budget.
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9 Responses to “Random Solutions Using Common Household Items”
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http://www.betterbudgeting.com
on the left are links,one is a link for decorating.
Go to Target and check out their chrome racks. Make sure you get the one withe zig-zag line running through it. A four shelf unit is around $40 or less.
The shelves adjust to whatever height you need. I use one and I have my photo albums on top with bookends.
My XM radio and Apple Hi-Fi on the next shelf.
My television on the next shelf.
And finally my DVR/Cable Box/DVD units on the bottom.
To hide the wires I just bundled them up along the post and held them there with zip ties (just make sure you clip the long ends off). You can't even see them. But if I need to check wires it is much easier.
Here are some of the advantages:
Cheap
You can by smaller units to hold books or DVDs.
My friend bought a flat screen and hung it on a wall, now they have a entertainment center down in their basement.
If you do the same in the future or move to a bigger house you can just use the shelves as storage in your garage or basement. No damage done.
Hit up the re-sale stores first and check out Craigslist. You'd be surprised what you can find there for not much money. Then visit the discount furniture stores. I know of a store that sells nothing but new returns and display furniture. The prices are knocked way down. There might be a little damage, but usually not much, just be sure to look it over before you buy it. You'll find modern furniture everywhere. It's just got straight and simple lines. You can always paint wood black for a very modern look.
if u'r looking for artwork.. like prints… try http://www.art.com
for decor… try http://www.overstock.com OR
http://www.target.com
if u'r looking for ideas try http://www.hgtv.com OR http://www.diynetwork.com
Check out fabric stores for remnants. For bedroom furniture, just look at an LL Bean catalog with all their painted white and pastel furniture. Any amateur can recreate that look with furniture from the junk store or flea market with a few cans of Krylon white spray paint.
Also check out the discount stores for "bed in a bag' type comforter sets and throw rugs.
Also check out eBay and http://www.overstock.com for all sorts of cool stuff.
Enjoy.
I've been married for 14 years. My advice is to approach the light issue with kindness and honesty. Otherwise, your dislike of the light may come out at the wrong time and tone.
As to who does the decorating, we both agree. And there is definitely give and take on both our parts, as we have pretty different tastes.
If you want to tie the two themes together, and Asian theme can work well. Use bamboo picture frames, furniture, whatever, you can get some Bonsai trees or live bamboo plants. Using plant life is a good way to bring the outdoors in, without having wildlife everywhere. In the bamboo picture frames you could buy some modern art for them, making a more modern motif. Using reds and blacks go really well with that theme as well. If the living room is large enough for a divider, you could get a Shoji screen divider. Some of thoe come with small shelves as well. Hope this helps! Look at the links for some ideas.
walgreens has sales all the time on photo prints. you can get like 50 for $5. & you can get frames from the thrift store or the dollar store. & you can paint them if you want. it doesn't matter what size the frames are because if they're too big, you can put a mat around the photo. it looks really nice with a mat too – more professional. hang them all over the place! you can put themes of pictures together or have them go up your stairs.
curtains help places look more homey. & lamps. so many of my friends just leave the blinds & overhead lights that came with the place. you can find lamps at yard sales or thrift stores. & curtains are a little expensive but you can be creative. put one on & pull it to the side or just add a valance.
pillows are easy to make & you can make them coordinate with your frames & curtains. old t-shirts work or old sweaters. then get the stuffing at the craft dept. it's like $2!
if you want to paint, get a kind like kilz that only takes one coat to cover. & you can just choose focal point walls to color. so you don't have to go all out & take a long time getting your place homey. just make one wall beige or something & you can paint doors & stuff too.
good luck