GET A GRIP ON TWIST-OFF TOPS • Ouch! The tops on most beer bottles these days are supposed to be twist-off, but for some reason they still have those sharp little crimps on the crown seal from the bottle opener days. And those little crimps can really dig into your hand. Wrap the top in a rubber band to save the pain. The same trick works well for smooth, tough-to-grip soda bottle tops, too.
GET A GRIP ON DRINKING GLASSES • Does arthritis make it tough for you to grasp a drinking glass securely, especially when it is wet with condensation? Wrap a couple of rubber bands around the glass to make it easier to grip. Works well for kids, too, whose small hands sometimes have a hard time holding a glass.
RESHAPE YOUR BROOM • No need to toss out that broom because the bristles have become splayed with use. Wrap a rubber band around the broom a few inches from the bottom. Leave it for a day or so to get the bristles back in line.
STOP SLIDING SPOONS • When the spoon slips into the mixing bowl again, and you have to fish it out of the messy batter, try another tack next time. After you rinse off the spoon, wrap a rubber band around the top of the handle to catch the spoon and avoid the mess.
SECURE YOUR CASSEROLE DISH LIDS • Don’t spill it! That’s what you say when you hand somebody your lovingly prepared casserole dish to transport in the car on the way to a friend’s house. But you won’t have to worry if you secure the lid to the base with a couple of wide rubber bands.
CHILDPROOF KITCHEN AND BATH CUPBOARDS • The grandkids are coming! Time to get out the rubber bands and temporarily childproof the bathroom and kitchen cupboards you don’t want them to get into. Just wrap the bands tightly around pairs of handles.
KEEP THREAD FROM TANGLING
Tired of tangled thread in your sewing box? Just wrap a rubber band around the spools to keep the threads from unraveling
MAKE A HOLDER FOR YOUR CAR VISOR • Snap a couple of rubber bands around the sun visors of your car. Now you have a handy spot to slip toll receipts, directions, or your cellphone when it’s shut off.
THUMB THROUGH PAPERS WITH EASE • Stop licking your finger. Just wrap a rubber band around your index finger a few times the next time you need to shuffle papers. Not too tight, though—you don’t want to cut off circulation to your fingertip.
WIPE OFF YOUR PAINTBRUSH • Every time you dip your paintbrush, you wipe the excess against the side of the can. Before you know it, paint is dripping off the side of the can and the little groove around the rim is so full of paint that it splatters everywhere when you go to hammer the lid back on. Avoiding all this mess is easy. Just wrap a rubber band around the can from top to bottom, going across the middle of the can opening. Now, when you fill your brush, you can just tap it against the rubber band and the excess paint will fall back into the can.
TIGHTEN FURNITURE CASTERS • Furniture leg casters can become loose with wear. To tighten one, wrap a rubber band around the stem and reinsert.
GAUGE YOUR LIQUIDS • Hmm, just how much floor finish is left in that can up on the shelf? Snap a rubber band around the liquid containers in your garage or shed and move them down as you use more. You’ll always know how much is left at a glance.
PUMP LESS, SAVE MORE • Are you wasting precious –and expensive–soap, detergent, or lotion? Control portions of products that dispense from a pump, especially for kids who can’t get enough. Wrap a rubber band tightly around the neck of the pump dispenser to limit the amount of each “squirt.”
KEEP TRACK OF WINE GLASSES • Wrap a different colored rubber band around the stem of each glass the next time you have a dinner party or gathering. No more mixed-up drinks.
CUSHION YOUR REMOTE CONTROL
To protect your fine furniture from scratches and nicks, wrap a wide rubber band around both ends of the television remote control. You’ll also be protecting the remote by making it less likely to slide off a table and be damaged
SAVE A SLICED APPLE • Bringing fruit for lunch? If you slice an apple into wedges and put them all back together, a rubber band wrapped around the apple will keep the wedges from turning brown or drying out. Plus, it’s much better for the environment than using sandwich bags.
MAKE A SMALL-PARTS CLAMP • Need an extra pair of hands? Wrap a rubber band around the jaws of needle-nose pliers. It keeps the jaws of the pliers clamped together for holding small items. Works especially well for getting nuts into inaccessible spots or for starting small finishing nails.
EXTEND A BUTTON • Having trouble taking a big, deep breath? Maybe that top shirt button is a tad too tight. Stick a small rubber band through the buttonhole, then loop the ends over the button. Put on your tie, relax, and you can breathe easy.
SECURE BED SLATS • Nothing is more annoying than having your mattress fall through the slats in your bed just as you’re getting ready for a dreamy night sleep. Here’s how to secure those slippery boards. Wrap rubber bands around their ends to make them stay in place.
USE AS A BOOKMARK • While paper bookmarks can work well, they often slip out of the book. Before you lose your place in that exciting mystery novel, try wrapping a rubber band from top to bottom around the part of the book you’ve already read. Your place is now secured, even if you drop the book.