Here on my blog, I strive to share simple, everyday tips and tricks that can help make your life a little bit easier. But sometimes, the tips that I want to share aren’t something I can write a whole blog post about!

And since I simply cannot waste a good idea, I tuck them away to use at a later date. Today I’ll be sharing some of those tips and tricks with you in the nineteenth edition of my ongoing series “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?”

Missed the last installment, or want to revisit some of your old favorite tips? Check out the entire archive of the “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” series at the bottom of this post!

1. Put A Mini Diffuser Anywhere

Diffusing essential oils is an easy way to freshen up the air throughout your home (or car). But wouldn’t it be nice if you use essential oils to freshen up smaller and smellier spots around the house, like the inside of your trash can or the hamper where you put your dirty laundry?

You actually can, and it couldn’t be quicker or easier to do! Simply stick a small felt pad (the same ones you’d stick on the bottom of furniture and chair legs to protect your floors) wherever you could use a scent boost, then add a drop or two of your favorite essential oil to it.

I’ve already put up a few of these DIY “mini diffusers” in my laundry room and closet, and I think they’d be equally useful in diaper pails, gym bags, and anywhere else too! I’ve been loading mine up with a few drops of sweet orange essential oil because its fresh and cheerful scent is perfect for chasing away the winter blues. :-)

2. Freezer Bag Solution

While vacuum sealing foods before storing them in your freezer is the best way to keep it fresh as long as possible, it’s not an ideal solution for ingredients you want to use a little bit at a time, such as smoothie ingredients, frozen cubes of fresh herbs or leftovers, etc. Ziplock freezer bags are a more convenient option for storing these items, but the emptier the bag gets, the harder it becomes to avoid freezer burn!

But there’s a quick and easy solution to this particular problem. When the bag is less than half full, cut the top portion off the bag in a straight line. Roll or twist the bag to close it up, then use the portion you cut off to tie it up tightly.

Not only is this method a simple and effective way to reduce the chances of freezer burn, but it’s also less wasteful than transferring the food to a new bag!

3. Makeup Brush Drying Rack

You just washed your makeup brushes to eliminate product buildup and bacteria… so now what? The safest way to dry makeup brushes is to air dry them upside down, and there’s an easy way to do it!

Grab one hair tie for each makeup brush, and place the hair tie against the backside of your towel bar. Take one of your brushes and hold it upside down in front of the towel bar, then fold the top and bottom of the hair tie over the towel bar and slide the brush through the two “loops” to secure it.

Once all your makeup brushes are suspended upside down, allow them to air dry completely. No need for any fancy drying racks here!

4. Extra Large Ziplock Bag

In instances when even a gallon ziplock bag isn’t big enough, you can combine two of them to make an extra-large ziplock bag! Just open both bags, flip one inside out, and fit the “tongue” portion of one bag into the “groove” portion of the other.

Press the seals firmly all the way around to make sure it’s closed properly. Your new two-gallon ziplock is perfect for storing larger food items, or even dirty shoes that you’re packing into a gym bag or suitcase.

5. Clipboard To-Do List

If you or your family has a set list of chores that you repeat daily or weekly, you can easily keep track of those to-dos with a clipboard and a handful of binder clips. Start by writing out each of the tasks along the left edge of a piece of paper, continuing along the right edge if you have a long list. (You can also type it up on your computer, arrange the text into two columns, and align the text to the left and right edges of the paper.)

Once you’ve got your checklist written or printed out, clip it on your clipboard, then clamp binder clips to the side of each task. After finishing a task, flip the metal arms back so they rest against the clipboard to indicate the task is done. (The little “click” of the metal hitting the board is highly satisfying!) Resetting your list is as easy as flipping the metal arms of the clips back out again.

6. Better Biscuits

Homemade biscuits are a breakfast staple, especially when you’re in the mood for something satisfying! If you make yours from scratch, you may have heard that twisting your cutter when stamping out biscuit dough is helpful, but that may not have been good advice after all!

Twisting your biscuit cutter can seal the outer edges of the dough, preventing the biscuit from fully rising as it bakes. Instead, cut your biscuits by pressing straight down with a well-floured biscuit cutter, which will keep the edges open and help your biscuits rise high!

7. Maximize Your Fridge Space

Tired of playing Tetris every time you want to stick something in the fridge? Utilize the vertical space left in your fridge by placing a cooling rack on top of a bowl, casserole dish or other large item, and then you can stack things right on top of the rack!

Don’t have a cooling rack to spare? Try using chopsticks instead.

8. Safer Scrubbing For Cast Iron

Can’t find the right scrubber or brush to keep your cast iron pan clean? Try a traditional Tawashi brush! These Japanese brushes are made from tightly wound palm fibers that are sturdy enough for scrubbing, but gentle enough that they won’t strip away your cast iron’s seasoning.

And since these brushes are made from organic, biodegradable material, they’re a great choice for the environment too!

Much like its name-brand counterpart, my DIY Goo Gone effectively cuts through sticker residue, sticky messes, and other gunk, including stickers and labels. But rather than relying on caustic chemicals to get the job done, this DIY version uses just a few natural ingredients!

Homemade Goo Gone Ingredients

There are just three simple ingredients in this solution, and each of them plays an important role in breaking down sticky messes and stubborn gunk.

• Coconut Oil – Fat-rich coconut oil is surprisingly effective at breaking down sticky messes, even the stubborn ones like adhesive residue and sap.
• Lemon Essential Oil – Lemon essential oil is a powerful degreasing agent, and it lends this mixture a fresh, clean scent too!
• Baking Soda – Baking soda adds an abrasive element to help scrub away the loosened gunk.

So now that you know what goes into it and why, let’s get to the fun part! Here’s how to make and use your own gunk remover at home.

How To Make A DIY Goo Gone Gunk Remover

Ingredients:

• 1 part baking soda
• 1 part coconut oil
• Lemon essential oil

Directions:

Add equal parts of baking soda and coconut oil (see below for recommendations) and a few drops of lemon essential oil to a small bowl, then stir to combine.

• For One Use: For a single use, use 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, and 1 drop of lemon oil.
• For Several Uses: To make a batch that will suffice for several uses, use 1/3 cup each of baking soda and coconut oil and 10 drops of lemon oil.

How To Use Your DIY Goo Gone

To clean up a sticky mess, smear a generous amount of the baking soda and coconut oil mixture over whatever you’re trying to clean.

Let the mixture sit there for about 15 minutes or so to give it time to work. Then use a scrubber of some sort to cut through the loosened gunk. Rinse it clean, and you’re done!

Use your homemade Goo Gone to clean:

• Sticker adhesive
• Tape residue
• Greasy hands
• Sticky messes on skin, floors, your pet’s fur, etc.
• Dirt-covered hands
• Crayon marks on walls
• Scissor blades
• Lipstick or mascara smears
• Bird droppings
• Tree sap
• Wallpaper residue
• Wax drips and spills
• …and more!

3 More Helpful Tips

• Play It Safe. To avoid damage, do not use this mixture on leather, suede, silk, unfinished wood, or unsealed stones.
• Spot Test! If you’re worried about stains or damage, test the mixture first by applying it to an inconspicuous spot.
• Keep It Cheap. When I cook with coconut oil or apply it topically, I always buy high-quality virgin coconut oil. But for cleaning applications like this, I have no qualms about using the cheap stuff to save money!

Try It For Yourself!

For the next 48 hours, grab a bottle of 100% pure lemon essential oil from my shop for just $6.99! That’s 30% off the regular price of $9.99.

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

And don’t forget – all of my oils are backed by my 100% money-back guarantee. If you’re not completely satisfied for any reason, just contact me within 90 days to receive a full refund.

Plus, lemon essential oil has so many great uses! Here are just a few ways that OGT readers use it in their homes:

LIKE MAGIC!! I purchased the lemon oil after reading the reviews about oily stain removal. I had five tops with set-in old oily stains (butter and salad dressing). I had tried various removal processes that did not work. The shirts were all different fabrics. I simply sprinkled the lemon oil on the dry stains and threw them in the washer with detergent. All the stains disappeared except two. I repeated the lemon oil and washed again—stains gone. It works like magic!!

Anne S.

I tried the mix of a little olive oil and several drops of lemon oil for my table that had awful water spots, and WOW, it worked wonders! I am very pleased and very impressed! 

Bonnie S.

I followed Jillee‘s suggestion and applied a few drops of Lemon Essential Oil to cotton balls and left them in my shoes for a few days. It took the oder away.

B. Johnson

Great for stain removal! I purchased this for my diffuser but thought I would try it on a set in stain as I read it could remove stains. I put a few drops on the stain, rubbed it in, and washed it. When I removed the top from the washer, I was amazed that it did work—the stain was gone. This is now a staple in my laundry room.

Patricia R.

This stuff works! I bought this as part of the recipe for a stain remover, and it worked on hair dye that had splashed on my BRAND NEW WHITE bathroom carpets. Amazing!!

Susan G.

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

What’s the stickiest mess you’ve ever had to clean up?

Print

DIY Goo Gone Gunk Remover

This simple concoction works like a charm for breaking down sticker residue and other sticky messes, making them easy to wipe away.

Total Time 2 minutes minutes

Author Jill Nystul

Equipment

• Small bowl
• Spoon
• Storage jar

Ingredients

• 1 part baking soda
• 1 part coconut oil
• 1-10 drops lemon essential oil

Instructions

• Add baking soda, coconut oil, and lemon oil to a small bowl according the amounts recommend below.
• Stir to combine.
• Use immediately, then transfer any remaining mixture to an airtight jar for storage.

Video

Notes

For a single use, use 1 tablespoon each of coconut oil and baking soda, and 1 drop of lemon oil.

For several uses, use 1/3 cup each baking soda and coconut oil, and 10 drops of lemon oil.

When it comes to snacking, I’d normally rather have a bowl of popcorn than a bowl of ice cream, but Apple Nachos are a notable exception. They’re a sweet treat that’s not too sweet, and I almost always have apples and chocolate chips on hand, so they’re easy to make too!

In this post, you’ll learn what exactly Apple Nachos are, how to make them, and how to dress them up to suit different tastes and diets. Let’s get started!

What Are Apple Nachos?

Apple Nachos are a nacho-inspired snack built on thin apple slices rather than tortilla chips. Toppings vary widely, but they can feature crunchy nuts, granola, blueberries, and strawberries, and they’re often drizzled with chocolate sauce.

Making Apple Nachos is more of a method than a recipe, so it’s easy to customize them to your liking. You could add caramel sauce, whipped cream, marshmallow creme, peanut butter, kiwi, pineapple, bananas, peaches — you get the idea!

How To Make Apple Nachos

Ingredients:

• 2 medium apples (Gala, Fuji, and Granny Smith all work well)
• 1/4 cup strawberries
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 2-3 tablespoons shredded coconut
• 2-3 tablespoons granola
• 2-3 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil

Directions:

Start by slicing the apples thinly, then toss the apple slices with a bit of lemon juice (or something like Fruit Fresh) to prevent them from browning. Cut the strawberries into bite-sized pieces.

Next, put the chocolate chips in a small bowl with the coconut oil. Microwave the bowl for 10-15 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate and oil reach a pourable consistency.

Finally, assemble your nachos starting with a layer of apple slices and a drizzle of chocolate. Add the strawberries, blueberries, and more chocolate, then top it with the granola, coconut, and sliced almonds.

I like to chill my assembled Apple Nachos in the fridge until the chocolate hardens to make it a bit less messy, but no judgment if you’d rather dig in immediately! They’d make a great after-school snack for the kiddos (provided you can resist polishing them off yourself!)

“This is SO CLEVER!! I can’t believe I haven’t seen this before – it’s brilliant! OMG I am totally making this for my Christmas party, the kids will go NUTS over this and it’s so much healthier than the usual desserts!!”

– Nagi, RecipeTin Eats

Apple Nachos Ingredient Substitutions

This is a really flexible “recipe,” so feel free to swap out any of the ingredients to suit your dietary needs and preferences! The table below has plenty of options to choose from.

More Topping And Serving Ideas

Apple Nachos are a healthy snack you can enjoy at parties, family gatherings, and game and movie nights. They make great Halloween treats and afternoon snacks, especially for kids who prefer their fruit drizzled with chocolate.

Looking to branch out? Mix it up with your next batch of Apple Nachos with these tasty topping ideas:

• Sprinkle of ground cinnamon
• White chocolate
• Chopped candy bars
• Caramel sauce
• Sprinkles
• Almond butter
• Peanut butter
• Raisins (or other dried fruits)
• Pineapple chunks
• Sliced bananas
• Candied pecans

For more apple treats and fall snacks, check out these recipes:

• Peanut Butter Apple Dip
• Snickers Salad Recipe (With Apples And Cream Cheese)
• Make Your Own Applesauce In The Slow Cooker
• The Best Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread 

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

These loaded Apple Nachos are a healthy snack you can enjoy without compromising on taste. They’re quick and easy to make, and you can customize your nachos with your favorite fruits and toppings. Perfect for kids, adults, and chocolate lovers alike!

What is your go-to healthy sweet treat?

Print

Loaded Apple Nachos Recipe

Fruit and chocolate are a match made in heaven, especially in the form of these Loaded Apple Nachos. Dress them up with your favorite fruits and toppings for a helathy snack you'll love!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Chill Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 259kcal

Author Jill Nystul

Ingredients

• 2 apples Gala, Fuji, or Granny Smith
• 1/4 cup strawberries
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 2-3 tablespoons shredded coconut
• 2-3 tablespoons granola
• 2-3 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions

• Slice the apples thinly (and toss them in lemon juice or Fruit Fresh to prevent browning, if desired).
  
• Cut the strawberries into bite-sized pieces.
• Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in your microwave until pourable.
  
• Start building the nachos with a layer of sliced apples as the base. Drizzle some of the melted chocolate over the apples.
  
• Add the strawberries and blueberries and some more chocolate.
• Add the granola, coconut, and sliced almonds (and more chocolate, if you have any left!)
• Chill your Apple Nachos for 30 minutes to set the chocolate.
  

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 18mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 10.4mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 0.8mg

The time you spend cooking or baking in your kitchen should at least be pleasant, if not enjoyable. But cluttered countertops, jammed drawers, and a total lack of available storage space can make it anything but!

If you’ve been struggling with any or all of these symptoms of clutter in your own kitchen, then you’ve come to the right place! :-) Because today I’m sharing a list of 11 things to get rid of in your kitchen in order to cut down on clutter.

Even if you kitchen is so cluttered and chaotic that it sometimes feels like a lost cause, I’d encourage you to start by tackling all the items on this list. Addressing just these items will go a surprisingly long way, and will motivate you to continue on in your journey toward a kitchen you love spending time in!

11 Things You Should Get Rid Of In Your Kitchen

1. Duplicates

I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of buying a new kitchen tool to replace one that was broken or dysfunctional, only to forget to actually get rid of the old one. Having two of something can be useful in certain cases, but for things like can openers or potato mashers, you really only need one.

Go through your drawers and cupboards and pull out any duplicates you can find. Then keep the one that works better, and get rid of the other one!

2. Takeout Freebies

When you get takeout or order delivery, the food is usually packed with extras like chopsticks, seasoning packets, sauce packets, and utensil bundles. Many people hang on to these freebies because it feels wasteful to throw them away, but at a certain point, that stuff is just contributing to clutter!

Get rid of the freebies you don’t actually use, and put that extra space to good use. If you do actually use them, cut your collection down to reasonable size to save space.

3. Mismatched Food Containers

Keeping food storage containers organized is hard enough without dealing with a bunch of containers without lids (or vice versa) too! Performing an inventory of your food storage containers is a great starting point for streamlining your collection.

First, go through all your lids and containers and get rid of anything that’s broken, warped, or otherwise damaged. After that, go through and match each lid to a container. If you end up with any lids or containers that aren’t part of a matched set, get rid of those too.

4. Fridge Clutter

Fridge magnets can be a fun and functional way to dress up the front of your fridge, but they can also make your kitchen look messier than it actually is. Get rid of any fridge magnets, wedding invitations, business cards, and anything else from your fridge you don’t need or want, then rearrange what’s left into a more organized display.

For magnet collectors who can’t bear to part with their collections, consider displaying them on a rotating schedule. Choose a reasonable number of your magnets to keep on the fridge, and store the rest in a cupboard or in another room. Switch them out for a new selection of magnets once a month or so to continue enjoying your collection without cluttering up your fridge!

5. Expired Foods

If your pantry always seems to be cluttered, you may be able to clear up a considerable amount of space simply by getting rid of anything that’s expired. Once you’re done going through your pantry, you’ll know that everything in there is still fresh, and you’ll have more storage space to work with!

6. Neglected Gadgets

Ever bought a kitchen gadget that you thought was going to be a game-changer, only to realize it wasn’t actually that helpful? It doesn’t make sense to continue storing gadgets you know you’ll never use, so toss your neglected gadgets in a donation box, or look for a willing buyer online.

7. Chipped Dishes

If you have any chipped ceramic cups or plates, now may be a good time to part with them. And it isn’t just about presentation or aesthetics—chips expose the ceramic’s porous interior, inviting germs and bacteria to make themselves at home in your dishes.

8. Old Sponges

According to the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, one minute in your microwave is enough to kill 99.9% of bacteria present on your kitchen sponge. But even with regular cleanings, the average kitchen sponge isn’t built to last forever!

If you have any old or smelly kitchen sponges hiding somewhere, replace them with fresh ones.

9. Unread Cookbooks

Sometimes the beautiful photographs and mouth-watering recipes in a cookbook are enough for us to convince ourselves that we’ll actually use it. But lo and behold, it’s still sitting untouched in the kitchen a year later.

Reclaim the space that your unused cookbooks are taking up in your kitchen, then sell or donate them so someone else can enjoy them.

10. Water Bottles

Between the impulse buys, the freebies from conferences, and the ones you bought to replace the other ones you thought were missing, it’s easy for a collection of reusable water bottles to get out of hand! A good rule of thumb is to keep one water bottle per person living in your house, plus one or two extra. Wash the rest, then donate or recycle them.

11. Reusable Shopping Bags

Don’t get me wrong—reusable shopping bags are great and I use them all the time! But if you keep every free tote you’re ever given at work, conferences, or elsewhere, it’s highly likely you have way more of them than you’ll ever actually need!

So gather all your shopping bags and totes together, then choose 10 of the best ones to keep and get rid of the rest. And store your shopping bags either by the garage door or in the trunk of your car, so you’ll be more likely to remember to use them!

What are usually the main sources of clutter in your kitchen?

Is there anything more disheartening than pulling a single sock out of the dryer and realizing its mate is nowhere to be found? While we may never solve the mystery of where all our lost socks actually end up, we can make sure their lonely mates get put to better use.

In fact, there are plenty of reasons to never throw out a single sock again! From dusting to keeping your holiday wrapping tools organized, there are endless opportunities to utilize those lonely socks.

And if you don’t have any lonely, single socks, no problem! You can also use socks that have holes, socks you wore once and decided you didn’t like, socks that don’t seem to belong to anyone in your household, and so on. Any old sock will do—just make sure to wash them before you put them to work!

11 Practical Uses For Old Socks

1. Keep Wrapping Paper In Place

To keep wrapping paper securely rolled on its cardboard tube, try cutting off the cuff part of a crew sock and sliding it over the roll. The elastic in the sock will hold the roll together, making them easier to organize and reducing the risk of folding and tearing.

2. Cover Your Swiffer

Recruit a sock as a reusable (and thus more eco-friendly) cover for your Swiffer Sweeper, or any other type of dry mop. Just stretch it over the base and get sweeting, and if you happen to have a fuzzy sock, even better—those fuzzy fibers are excellent at trapping dust and hair.

3. Protect Shoes While Painting

Tired of ruining perfectly good shoes with accidental paint splatters while working on craft or home improvement projects? The next time you need to paint something, slide a pair of large or stretchy socks over your shoes keep any potential paint splatters from falling on them.

4. Prevent Foggy Windshields

Chilly weather outside and a warm body inside is a recipe for a fogged-up car windshield. To help keep your windshield fog-free, fill a couple of socks with silica kitty litter (which absorbs moisture very efficiently), tie them off, and set them at the front of your car’s dashboard.

For more ways to use these absorbent cat litter socks, check out this list.

5. Make An Ice Pack

Whether you’re healing from an injury, suffering from inflammation, or are just plain accident-prone, the cooling effect of an ice pack can work wonders. Instead of rushing to the pharmacy to buy a cold pack, just fill a ziplock bag with ice and tuck it into a sock for cooling relief that isn’t painfully cold.

6. Relieve Dry Skin

Colder weather already drying out your feet? Give them an overnight moisturizing treatment by slathering them in lotion (or my super-moisturizing homemade “Naked Salve”) and covering them with socks before climbing into bed. You’ll wake up with softer, smoother, more hydrated skin every time!

7. Make Fragrant Sachets

You can use a sock as a simple sachet to help keep your closets and dresser drawers smelling fresh and keep that stale aroma at bay. Add a scoop of dried flowers and herbs to a sock (lavender flowers are always a good choice), knot it, and stash it wherever you keep clothes and linens around the house.

8. Deodorize Shoes

Fill a couple of spare socks with baking soda and leave them in a pair of smelly shoes overnight to deodorize them. Baking soda is highly absorbent, and can help remove moisture and unpleasant odors at the same time.

9. Clean Nooks And Crannies

Your hands are often your most useful tools, including when cleaning up around the house. Pull a sock over your hand and use it (with a cleaner or dampened with water) to wipe the slats of your window blinds, along baseboards and molding, in tight corners, and to get grime out of your car’s cup holders. You can also keep a sock in your car or near a whiteboard to use as a cleaning cloth.

10. Corral Game Pieces

If your family is anything like mine, then you know there’s plenty enough drama during family game night without adding a never-ending hunt for crucial pieces to the equation. If it seems like you’re always searching for the same pieces, tuck them into a clean sock and tie it off. That way, they’ll be easy to find the next time you go to play.

11. Protect Fragile Items In Storage

From Christmas ornaments to delicate trinkets, fragile items can be damaged when you pack them away if they aren’t properly protected. Avoid the heartache of a broken item by placing small, breakable items inside a sock before packing them away.

Do you have any clever uses for socks you would add to this list?

It seems like no matter how diligent we are about maintaining a clean home, we all have those spots that linger around the bottom of our cleaning to-do lists. But unfortunately, that dirt isn’t going anywhere unless you address it, and the longer you ignore it, the worse it’s likely to get. Today’s tips will help you make short work of those difficult-to-clean areas, so let’s get to it!

7 (More) Cleaning Tricks For Hard-To-Reach Spaces

1. Coffee Grinder

If you use your coffee grinder frequently to grind coffee beans or spices, it may be pretty grimy. Luckily, cleaning your grinder is as easy as grinding a handful of Rice Krispies for 30 seconds. (Seriously!) The rice cereal bits will loosen up any gunk and even help absorb odors, leaving it clean and ready for grinding.

2. The Inside Of Your Bag

If shaking your bag, backpack, or work bag while holding it upside down doesn’t take care of all the dirt, crumbs, and other bits, try using a lint roller along the bottom of the bag. The sticky paper will pick up dirt, fragments of gum wrappers, pet hair, and anything else hanging around down there.

3. Cracks And Crevices

For cracks that are too narrow even for a cleaning cloth (such as the crack between your stovetop and kitchen counter or the tracks of windows, wrap a disinfecting wipe around a butter knife and use it carefully to wipe out those narrow areas.

4. Underneath Appliances

Lying on the ground to get underneath your fridge, washing machine, or dryer is already not very fun, and most of the time you can only reach half the dirt and dust anyway. Instead, invest in a long, flat duster to clean up all of the dust under your appliances with ease.

5. Cabinet Corners

The elusive and dusty rear corners of your cabinets are easy to clean out using my favorite simple DIY vacuum attachment. Once you’ve made one, you can reuse it again and again for other hard-to-reach places, too.

6. Garbage Disposal

It’s definitely not a good idea to attempt to clean your garbage disposal out by reaching in there yourself. Instead, keep your sink smelling fresh with these vinegar-lemon cubes that clean and sanitize your garbage disposal while also helping to keep the blades sharp.

7. Containers With Narrow Openings

No bottle brush to scrub the inside of your narrow jars, vases, or bottles? No problem! Just pour a splash of vinegar into the jar, vase, or bottle and add a handful of coarse salt. Then place your hand over the opening and shake your way to a sparkling clean container! (Learn more about this method that bartenders swear by here.)

Which areas of your home give you the most trouble when you’re cleaning?

When I’ve tried making poached eggs at home in the past, it has gone okay — but it’s just a finicky process. And I normally don’t have the time or patience in the morning for anything finicky! So poached eggs were mostly a dining-out-for-breakfast treat.

Related: These Weird Scrambled Eggs Are Actually The Most Delicious Thing Ever

That is, until a few weeks ago when some of my girlfriends and I took a girls’ trip to Nashville. We stayed in a gorgeous Airbnb rental and had a great time! But one morning, I noticed that a few of the ladies were microwaving something for breakfast. I asked what they were making, and to my great surprise, they told me they were making poached eggs! I was intrigued, to say the least, so I had them show me how it’s done. It sounds too good to be true, but it works!

How To Make Poached Eggs In Your Microwave

You’ll need:

• Microwave-safe mug or bowl
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 egg
• Small microwave-safe plate

Directions:

Gently crack an egg into a microwave-safe mug or bowl.

Pour the water and white vinegar over the egg, then place a small plate over the mug.

Microwave for 1 minute. (The cooking time will vary from microwave to microwave. The microwave at our studio is a 1000-watt model, and I used full power. If your microwave has a lower wattage, you may need to increase the cooking time. If your microwave has a higher wattage, you may want to use a lower power setting!)

After cooking, carefully remove the mug and plate from your microwave. Use a slotted spoon to check on the egg. If the white is set, it’s done! If it’s not quite set, put the mug and plate back into the microwave and cook for another 20 seconds. Repeat until the egg white has set.

Be sure to let the egg cool off a bit before piercing the yolk with a fork. Although, rare, it is possible for the the pressure in the yolk to release and spray hot egg onto your face.

Serve your poached egg however you like! One of my favorite ways to eat them is on top of toast, with some arugula and cherry tomatoes if I’m feeling fancy. ;-)

I think it’s safe to say that now I know this quick and easy cooking method, I’ll make poached eggs at home much more frequently! And a HUGE thanks to my girls for teaching me this trick!

Here’s another poached egg hack! I can’t get enough of them! :-)

Have you tried cooking eggs in your microwave?