I’ve shown you guys this Cupcake Courier before. It’s been awhile, but I still love it and I wanted to show you a couple more ways you can enjoy it.
First and foremost, it carries cupcakes.
It can hold 36 cupcakes. Or 24 or 12 or any amount in between. Just remove the stackable trays to suit your need.
Perfect for larger batches of cupcakes or taking them to a holiday party or get together.
And if you remove all three trays…
Then you can use it for cakes. And pretty big ones, too.
But here is the best part. The real reason I have fallen deeper in love with this carrier. It allows me to do much more when it comes to carrying my baked goods.
I am talking specifically about cake pops here. Yep, because the courier is so tall, it triples as a handy dandy cake pop courier, too.
It serves multiple purposes. One… it simply allows you to store them upright without having to wrap them in treat bags.
And two… it allows you to carry them more easily to happy recipients. With or without treat bags.
Here … let me show you what I mean.
Tah dah. Perfectly protected pops. Of course you’ll have to imagine them made for full effect. I just used sticks and styrofoam to illustrate the idea.
If you use 6-inch paper lollipop sticks (8-inch sticks would be too tall) and some styrofoam, it will fit just fine in the base of the courier.
Styrofoam blocks come in many sizes and one of the common sizes is 4 x 12 x 2 inches high. Grab two of them and place them side by side on the base and then make 12 holes in each block. You can then easily carry 24 cake pops. And if you can’t find the styrofoam in that size, then cut down a larger piece of styrofoam to 8 X 12.
Either way it’s a great way to get more out of an already handy product. You can find them on amazon.com.
Hope that helps all you guys that are cake popping and cupcake making… and of course, carrying.
And to celebrate finding ways to do more with less, here’s a fun giveaway.
- This giveaway starts November 15 and goes until November 29, 2010. Time’s Up! Winner Announced below.
- To be entered in the giveaway, just leave a comment on this post and describe something you’ve found to be more productive or some way you do more with less. That’s it.
- One winner will be chosen at random using random.org and announced on this post at the end of the contest period following verification. See complete rules for details.
- The prize is one (1) Windows Phone 7 (all features and details of the phone will be determined by the Sponsor.)
Okay, here’s the winner, chosen at random.
Congratulations Wendy! Have fun with your new phone.
And thank you everyone for so many great ideas to do more with less. You guys are really resourceful. I’m impressed.
This giveaway is brought to you by the new Windows Phone 7. Less tech tired. More tech trendy: Learn about Windows Phone online and see it in person at local T-Mobile stores today.
Coffee. The day is brighter. The world is a better place. And I am at peace once more. I need coffee to survive!!!!
we use a tennis ball in the dryer in place of fabric softener sheets. Your clothes come out soft and wrinkle free, yet you don’t have to keep buying and disposing of dryer sheets. Who doesn’t have a tennis ball laying around?
White vingear. I use it all over the house. It helps clean windows, floors, tile, eliminates nasty odors in the air, and helps soften laundry. All that for a lot less money than other conventional chemical cleaners. Yay for vinegar!!
Pizza boxes (unused, of course) are fantastic for storing individual needlework projects, and they stack so well.
I’m sure lots of people do this, but when I first started out making my baby food, I thought I needed a fancy-shmancy food processor. After some trials, though, I realized my blender actually does a better job of pureeing baby foods than the food processor! 2 for 1 deal with the blender.
Also, regarding baby food, I don’t make “special” foods to puree for the baby, I just take a few pieces of whatever I cooked for dinner and whiz it through the blender. So much less work AND gets the baby accustomed to the foods/flavors we are eating.
Hi, Bakerella!
I make everything with lots of love anytime. There’s nothing better than that!
Best wishes from Buenos Aires!
I am a work-from-home mother of two boys and there are so many different things that we do as a family to “do with less.” I love to bake and cook, so for me it all started when my children were babies. I made all of their babyfood! It has been my philosophy from the beginning of their little lives that if it’s something that I can make, then I won’t buy it. To this day we rarely eat out and I plan ahead for school activities or family get togethers that require a covered dish or baked goodie! I am proud of this fact and I believe in practicing this way, we save a lot of money and create a lot of fun memories as a family! Happy Holidays!
I make everything in mini-muffin form..then I just put ’em in boxes and tupperware and off they go! :o)
Garage sales! They allow me to clean out areas and make a little bit of money in the process!
Wow your cake pops are so inspirational. The ideas wizzing through my head, wowza! Can’t wait to try my hand at making christmas cake pops!
q-tips!
I love to make my own marshmallow fondant. It doesnt necessarily save time but it does save money and it tastes so much better!
I have a motto.. “its just stuff”
I am the mother of 4, work 8-5 M-F and do face painting for parties and events on the weekends.
At the end of the day after I kiss the kids goodnight I do a once over on the house. Every stray sock, book, toy or barrett that I find laying around gets thrown into a small basket (each child has one) Sometimes I have the kids empty the baskets out when they get home from school the next day.. but mostly we wait till Saturday morning and it gets done.
Its just stuff.. it’s not going anywhere, its not the end of the world if it sits in a basket till Saturday.
My house looks lived in, but I would rather spend the time catching up with the kids and finding out what adventures they had that day, then being the sock police!
Definitely my Kitchen-Aid mixer! I know that isn’t earth-shattering, but I just use that thing for EVERYTHING!! :) Cakes (and cake POPS, of course!), brownies, potatoes, pizza dough, even whisking dry ingredients into warm!
I’ve been learning how to juggle more and more things by planning ahead. I find if I can just get some things on my list done ahead of time, it makes a world of difference!
I’ve recently started canning/preserving jams and find it to be so much fun, plus it uses up all the fruit I get when I go picking!
I try to never leave a room without picking up two items out of place within my reach. It helps with keeping a lot of my kids’ toys in check. I’m trying to teach them this too!
My KitchenAid mixer and my food processor. They make life so much easier in the kitchen!!!
I don’t buy fabric softener or commercial cleaners anymore. I started using vinegar for most of the cleaning process, washing clothes to cleaning windows. It’s cheap and good for my health too.
I also turn off the internet every so often. It really allows you the time to do other things instead of just browsing.
Ice cream scoops – I use them for scooping cookie dough, muffins, cupcakes, fritter batter, and more. So versatile an not just for ice cream.
I am most productive in my pj’s! That is when I get the most cleaning done, when I don’t care about how I look :). Your site is so cute.
I took pictures of my children doing their bedtime routines and hung the pictures on posterboards next to their beds, that way even my 3 year old can do his routine by himself and I have more time to clean up after dinner
I have three kids. That means a lot of toys…but because I am also a cake artist, I find that using little pieces of toys are an awesome way to do imprints on fondant, instead of spending hundreds of dollars on imprint mats or rollers. LEGO is esp. handy!
Metal scoopers. I use them for everything.
I use storage bags (sandwich, freezer) for everything!
I found that empty paint buckets (covered in pretty card stock or thick wrapping paper) hold my art/decorating/hobby supplies very well. It’s easy to label them and make them easy to recognize. The Christmas stuff is wrapped in Christmas paper, the thanksgiving stuff has turkeys on it, the easter stuff has confetti eggs…etc. I collect the cans from everyone I know who has a painting project.
to combine a tip for fellow bakers and gardeners….i use my empty spice containers (the ones from the grocery store – not my fancy schmancy ones) anyway….i use the empties to put small seeds in and mix with sand to spread evenly in my flower beds…it works really well with columbine seeds, gypsophillia….etc and when ever i need more containers – i’m forced to bake!!!
Toys, I despise toys so we have almost none. With 5 small children I would have toys everywhere- so we don’t buy them we stick with arts and crafts projects and real life stuff. It saves a ton of time!
You know the cheap little plastic things that they sell to go on your toothpaste so you get it all out of the tube? I love those, I put those on everything from make up to medicine…. I always know that I am getting more from the products I buy than the traditional roll and squeeze method.
I find if I do less housework, I have more time to be productive in other areas of my life…
night # 3 with hardly any sleep. so not productive! I have however picked up some great ideas!
In terms of baking, I like the decorating more than the baking, so I cheat and use box mixes! I make cakes as everyone’s birthday presents, always made to fit their personality, from Pikachu to this one where every decoration is pure chocolate for my mom: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__sIifLnugzw/THZbHz2Z59I/AAAAAAAAAOw/7yhK_2lffEE/s320/Mom%27s+cake+028.JPG
I recently put up two cheap full-length mirrors, horizontally, above my bed. Instant headboard for less than $10! The mirrors actually make my space look bigger too!
In order to be more productive in the grocery store, I list my items in order of where they are in the store, down to each aisle!
When I’m really on my game, I try to chop my ingredients for my week’s menu early as possibly — i.e. if I’ll be using chopped onions for Monday and Thursday’s dinners, I’ll chop it all on Monday. And I ALWAYS cook extra rice or pasta if I’m making it, because it can always be used as a side dish for something I’m making later in the week and easily changed with spices/veggies. Cool giveaway!
I’ve used a tupperware container with compartments to organize my daughter’s hairclips and small disposable glad containers for her barbie doll’s shoes & accessories.
I HAVE to keep a dayplanner on me at all times. It is my lifesource. The only way I stay productive.
I have a big tupperware bowl with “snapable” lid that doubles as a popcorn shaker and can hold smaller cakes when flipped upside-down. Right now it is filled with herbs we are in the process of drying and storing. The problem is that I never make smaller cakes and my mom is the only one who has used it for that purpose. I really would love a huge one!! :)
i love taking my old clothes (especially dresses!) and making them into something new, different, and more sassy to wear!
I try to go through my closet every six months or so and get rid of the things I haven’t worn in a year. Less clothes=less clutter.
Funny you should ask Bakerella, because being more productive is something that I am struggling with right now. when I figure it out, I’ii get back to you!!
I am more productive when I go to bed early. I am a morning person and don’t mind getting up at 3:00. It is such a productive time because the kids are not bothering me and the phone is not ringing and I don’t have to stop something to drop a kid off at sports, school, etc. So bed early works for me!
My scanner helps with my magazine addiction..I just tear out the articles I want to keep and scan in my computer.No more holding on to all that paper!
I have discovered that silicone cake molds make the most fantastic ice rings for my punch!
Duct tape! If you can’t fix something with duct tape you just haven’t used enough…so true. I always have a roll of that stuff lying around
x
Putting my grocery list and other lists on my phone, it gets rid of all those loose pieces of paper in my purse : )
I didn’t come up with it– but I bought betty crocker’s cupcake carrier (bake, take, and serve) which includes a cupcake server in the actual lid– pretty neat but yours is 10 times better cause I have yet to figure out how to transport cake pops :)
i use crispers soup containers as a single-cupcake container. perfect fit and enough room on the sides to put/take the cupcake out!
I re-purposed two “cleaning” buckets for my older boys to keep their shoes in one place so they’re easier to find. With three kids under 4 years old we were constantly losing shoes . . . now that they have a place to put them (and they decorated them on their own!) they always go there and no more lost shoes or mommy pulling out her hair!!! Best part is, we can dump the shoes and use them as toy cleaner-upper buckets too . . . it’s a race to see who can fill theirs up first.
I love my silpat…..nothing sticks to it. I need to invest in 2 more:)
When I don’t have time to bake from scratch, I like to “doctor up” a box of cake mix or quick bread to give it home made flavor and texture.
I use small paper shopping bags to carry my lunch. I save money by packing my own lunch, help the environment by reusing paper bags, and admire the cute little bags from different stores where I’ve shopped.
I use foam board (like whats used in science fair displays) instead of cake boards, cheaper, foam board doesn’t soak up the cake moisture, and it’s sturdier but still easy to cut unlike actual boards. Also I use straws as support dowels instead because they are cheaper, just as supportive and easier to cut and more food safe.
I drink more coffee. It seems to give me more time bc it makes me more productive!
I also LOVE my crock pot- it helps me cook dinner with little to no prep!
I am actually more productive the less sleep I get…if I get up super early and can’t get back to sleep, I get up and start my day and I find I get way more done.
I am more productive when I have a time crunch (and with two kids, that is pretty often).
My mother-in-law taught me this trick: anytime you use a crisco or butter bar, save the wrapping in an airtight container, that way anytime you need to butter or grease a pan you can just wipe it with the wrapper and don’t waste more butter/crisco! What a money saver!
To make the most of our money-my husband and I buy our meat in bulk at Costco, and then portion it out and use our foodsaver. I can spend $50 and have enough meat for dinners to last us a month!
My living quarters are tiny, so in an attempt to de-clutter (books mostly, I love books), I bought a Kindle so I can buy tons of books and only have this one little piece of equipment ;)
I used my left over yogurt or dessert pots to hold buttons/sequins/teeny tiny things while I’m crafting :-)
Would love to win a Windows phone!
I have 3 of these things and they are AWESOME!! My most recent use was at my cousins wedding-I had to make 3 cakes, and the carriers made transport stress-free. As an added safety measure, I use the sticky cupboard liner under the carrier so it doesn’t slide around in the car:)
I use my bobby pins in my hair and then I can take them out and use them as a paper clip…
Menu Planning — it makes me more efficient, and saves money at the grocery store!
something that i’ve found numerous uses for is Gerber pre-fold diapers. i used them mainly for burp clothes, but have used them as wash clothes, emergency changing pad, makeshift bib, towel, and to add another layer to the pocket diapers that we were using with my son.
I use a large 3 ring binder to organize my bills for the entire year. Once a bill is paid it is put in the binder under the proper tab. I then keep the binders for a couple of years. I found it to be a better way to organize my bills instead of a filing cabinet. After a couple of years, I just shred the documents in one notebook and re-use it for that year.
I get a lot more done when my husband is at work and my daughter is at kindergarten!! That one is kind of a no brainer though, but thats all I had :)
Like many other women, not getting enough sleep is the only way that I have been able to get more done. If I get up really early hours before anyone else is up it allows me to get things done and I also get time to myself.
I’ve found that if I can reuse the same clear glass plates to fit different party decors. I attach a circle of scrapbook paper (with a holiday print or color to match my theme) to the back of the plates with liquid starch. It stays on until you dip in the warm dishwater after the party. You can use fabric instead of the paper if you want.
I gave up my DirectTV 2 years ago!!!! It was strange not having it but now I love it and I have more time to do many other things. More time for baking, crafts and reading!!!
Q-tips!! they do more than just clean ears!!
I’ve discovered that when you do ALL of your basic Christmas baking and candy making, use a friend to help. One that doesn’t really care if they are actually doing the baking, but is content with washing dishes as you go, reading the recipes to you, and filling the wine glass… Now THAT’s a friend!
I am a huge list user, I try to be really organized and that is the way I find it possible! Thanks :)
I set my alarm on my phone for regular breaks. Even though I’m stopping to take breaks, I end up being way more productive & getting much more accomplished without stressing out or getting overwhelmed.
Nikki
I’m more productive when I get enough sleep! Doesn’t happen often these days with a teething 7 month old… So I just try to do what’s most important and don’t worry about the rest.
A designated trash bowl while cooking helps me to focus on preparing meals or baked goods. After I am finished all I have to do is dump one bowl.
I keep my coupons organized and ready before grocery shopping, so my trips are quick and easy!
hmm… more productive with less… money! I always have to be more productive with less money!! Grocery shopping, clothes shopping, in any way I can always get more for less!!!
I have a carrier similar to this and sometimes my cakes will slip so I cut a piece of the Rubbermaid shelf liner (rubbery kind) the width of my carrier and no more slipping. I use that stuff for everything other than lining my shelves!
I have a lazy susan on my counter so that I can see all the sprinkles, dyes and decorations with a quick turn. :)
Hmm…this probably shouldn’t be that tough a question to answer, but I guess it is. The one thing that comes to mind for me is that we’ve turned our crawlspace under our house into a root cellar. We get potatoes pretty cheap here in Idaho during harvest, so if we have a place to store them, we stock up! It’s also great for our onions, carrots, and apples.
I love the way you are able to use the carrier to fit your needs. I am not baking nor cooking savy but I enjoy learning from you.
I am most productive when I have background music :-)
More productive would be me simply not sleeping just because my kids are. I bet I could get a lot done in that time if I used it right… :)
I do a lot of baking, for a variety of purposes besides just the delicious outcome for myself. Study-group snacks, holidays, birthday gifts, etc. It’s my way of saying, “I’m spending time on people I love while doing something I love.” :-)
A cookie sheet. I am going to paint them and use them to make a messge center in my laundry room,
I do all my chopping of veggies and divide them up in containers for different meals when I bring them home from shopping. It saves SO much time when making dinner during the week.
tshaw6580@yahoo.com
I use old Clorox wipes containers to store plastic shopping bags. I keep one in the house, and one in each car. You never know when you might need a bag!
I also use the box the Cascade complete dishwasher packets come in to store some of my kids smaller toys. Works great for Mr. Potato head pieces, matchbox cars crayons, etc.
Lately, we have switched to paying for our groceries with cash only. That may not seem productive, but we are a family of 7, and our food budget was one place we knew we could cut back on if we were careful. So far, I’ve only spend 2/3 of our budget. And we are eating healthy…my husband is on WW, and he’s lost 20 pounds in 10 weeks. Our kids eat like horses, but we still have money left at the end of every week. So we are doing more, with less. ;-)
Instead of using a mixer to make whipping cream or whipping by hand, I use a blender. It is faster too, done in just a few seconds!
I found waffle cone holders on clearance somewhere, and they work perfect for holding & loading bags of frosting when decorating cakes!
I never buy any of my son’s clothes new. I get killer deals on like-new or new-new kids’ clothes at local consignment sales.
what a great giveaway!
my daughter (3) is the ultimate repurposer. gift bags function as places to store toys, it’s a “SURPRISE!” every time she reaches in and pulls out a toy. of course, used up paper towel/TP rolls are telescopes and “bi’culars.” old hotel key cars function as “tickets, credit cards, and ride passes…” i dont know why we bother buying new toys, she’s so creative with junk we have laying around..
StAY AwAY from Facebook AND Twitter…basically keep my phone hidden! haha
Something else that is great for transporting cupcakes is a chip and dip tray, specifically one with a lid. Just pop those bad boys around where the chips would go and one in the dip bowl and wa-la! Instant cupcake carrier!
For a while, I didn’t have an oven but a conventional toaster oven and when I was really itching to bake things, I’d just work overtime to make it work in there. Trying baking a 10cup bundt pan in that tiny thing! Also not very creative on my part, but the double sided, magnetic measuring spoons for Crate & Barrel has to be one of the greatest inventions EVER.
The only tip I can think of right now is using safety pins to pin together dirty socks before you put them in the laundry basket. It saves so much time when you don’t have to match up 100 white socks. Comes in very handy with tiny little baby socks. :)
Ok I will have to say I’m loving Comment 96. WOW who knew. I’ve just been making a double batch of cake pop “dough” and wrapping them in cling paper to be stored in the freezer in plastic containers. Saves me time, when a coworker wants to order a dz pops. (I just defrost a cake pop dough ball and get to decorating :)
If I let myself go I can be a total TV junkie. I am embarrassed. So that I am not completely unproductive while lazily watching smut TV, I clean during commercial breaks. It is amazing how long commercials are and how much you can get done during them. Another plus is I don’t have to spend time during the weekend to catch up on my cleaning.
I find that ways I can be more productive. Is the advantage of my job. With my job I am able to get my school work done while at work. So this leaves me extra time in the evenings, to get things done around the home.
shopping at the large membership stores really does save a lot. More stuff, less money
Making a to-do list on my phone, and actually doing it! Most of the time, anyway…
Most versatile item in my life right now is baby wipes. Not just for cleaning a baby’s tushee. My kids are 2 and 4 and I still carry a baggie of wipes with me whenever we’re out and about. They can clean anything.
Anytime I get up and go from room to room, I make sure I bring something with me. This way I am putting things away throughout the day which eliminates clutter!
My blackberry makes me more productive! I can answer emails, get directions, websurf and social network on the go!
I think my favorite “more for less” tip is when mailing cookies, I reuse empty cleaned out pringles cans. It’s the perfect diameter for a typical cookie and they stack all nice and neatly so when you mail them they don’t crumble from all of the movement :)
At the beginning of every new year I buy greeting cards in advance and file the cards in the correct month for all of our family/friends birthdays. This way I am prepared for the whole year! I feel so accomplished when I finsh the box!
Lists! I make lists for shopping, for work, for vacation trips, etc. I find when i have things to check off i have a goal and work towards it a lot faster. I get more accomplished in less time. oh and post-it notes!
since we are beyond blessed, this year we are not giving presents to eachother in our family. instead we are giving to the gift tree at church to families that are in need. we already have more than we need.
I’ve just bought a crockpot and with a new baby, I can now make homemade meals again even though I rarely have time to cook in the evenings.
Mason jars and toothpicks! Great for all kinds of things!
I bought a birthday cake for my friend a while ago and decided to keep the box it came in. I’ve recently taken up baking and the box has come in useful in more times than i imagined. I’ve used it to transport my goodies on many occassions but i know in time the box will give in…i think i need to invest in one you have!
Love everyones ideas! I am learning a lot today. :)
We have instituted – Thursday night cleaning- so that all of the weekly chores can be finished before the weekend. That way when the weekend arrives we are free to do fun things, rather than having to clean the house!
a year ago we moved to chile for 7 months. we cleaned house BIG time. donated A LOT of stuff that we just didn’t need. coming home to a less cluttered house, we have decided to at least pretend we are moving once a year. =)
I try to always be getting something done while I’m waiting for something else. :) I love Bakerella!
I have a “Top 5”. My “To Do” list seems to be getting longer and longer these days. Each day I mark 5 things that I must complete that day. This prevents me from becoming so overwhelmed that I give up! If I complete more than the “Top 5”, WOOHOO! If I complete fewer than the “Top 5”, I simply carry that item to the next day as the first on my list.
Taking away my iphone makes me more productive.
Wow, everybody has great ideas! I use my lingerie bag not only to keep bras from tangling around everything else, but to wash my kids’ stuffed animals and tennis shoes when they get grody. It keeps the stuffed animals fluffier, I think, and when they’re in the lingerie bag I think they’re less likely to be damaged by other things in the wash.
Cutting out coupons! Anything helps these days.
I tend to be more productive when my fiance assists with cake ball/pop orders. He has actually perfected (more than me) parts of the process. I LOVE that he is so willing to help me because we get probably 3 times as much done in the same amount of time. I tend to draw things out….not with him around. He makes me more productive!
I’ve recently being going through clothes I no longer wear and then either give them away, or if my children like the fabric, make something for them to wear out of my old clothes (if the original item is not too worn). They love having something that I used to wear and that I made for them!
I always reuse aluminum foil. If it’s clean and was just sitting on top of a container that I’m done with, I fold it up and store it away for future use. It saves money!
I have found out that moving to a smaller home with less stuff is so liberating! And yes, I can do more without a lot of clutter.
Cream of mushroom soup! Can use it to make all sorts of last minute dinners!
I use my food processor for everything – it is one of the greatest investments I ever made.
As Alton Brown teaches us.. I avoid buying unitaskers in the kitchen! We have a core set of kitchen tools we use – having less stuff gives us more room to cook up a storm!
Purging “stuff” every couple of months definitely helps me to do more with less. The kids just seem to accumulate so many different things…things that we definitely don’t need! So donating toys, clothes, etc. not only makes our home tidier, it also helps out others.
We are not a big family, so when I make a full size recipe (i.e. Lasagna) I always split it up in to 2 smaller baking dishes. We use 1 that day, then put the other in the freezer for later – 2 meals for the time of 1. Then we don’t have to keep eating lasagna for days & days :)
My tackle box. I have a few of them in different rooms of the house for different projects. One for my cake decorating supplies, one for scrapbooking, one for the picture hanging supplies. The tiered levels with different compartments works great for small things and everything is where you can see it!
I love a great bag..and in particular a great backpack.
Perfect for books, groceries, overnight luggage, toys, and just about anything.
I make a lot of lists – especially before I go shopping. I meal plan and gather recipes, write down everything I will need, match coupons ahead of time, and it saves me a lot of time in the stores
I love speaker phone. It allows me to freely move about putting things away or cooking while I catch up with friends, or my mom. The cats like it too.
I like to re-wash ziplock bags that have been used for dry items (cookies) and use them again.
I try to plan my meals for the week, and buy based off of the weekly sale at my two local grocery store. It’s saved me a lot of money so far, and we seem to be eating more meals together as a family!
I’m most productive when my 4 month old is sleeping and I have a prioritized list I can work through. When you have mush for brains (from not sleeping well for weeks on end) lists are a definite must for productivity!
Bleach, I use it for tons of stuff, way more than I used to!
I can’t really think of much right now. Oh! I did just “repurpose” an old featherbed into three good sized dog beds. They are happy dogs!
I also use vinegar for cleaning! That stuff has a zillion and one uses.
Everything is a lot faster after I make my lists.
Well, I just ordered the Cupcake Courier. I don’t even make cupcakes that often! Last year, my girls and I built our gingerbread house on my cake saver base, but the house was too tall to use the lid. I’m thinking this courier will be just what we needed. Thank you for the post!
I love making homemade gifts, party favors, cakes, etc. I love the way the recipient’s faces just light up when they receive it and are just thrilled. It take more of your time of course but it’s a blast and so worth it in so many ways.
Christmas cards – cut the back off and use the front (with the picture) as next year’s gift tags.
One way I do more with less it I got rid of the TV! It has allowed my family to do more things together.
Quick question. How do you make the santa cupcake? Thanks
Not such a product but a recipe. If that is ok. I found, from a friend, another way for cinnamon rolls to actually jump them to another level. So to me, this is as good as a double use of a product. Take muffin tins, spray with quick release butter. Take a apple and cut up. Add a little bit of brown sugar, vanilla, and pecans. Mix together and place in muffin tins. Place store bought cinnamon rolls on top. Bake. Then flip out of tins and add icing. More than delish. Delectable, deish!
We keep a pad of paper on our fridge so when we need a food item, we jot it down. This saves time at the end of the week when we are ready to go to the grocery store. It takes less time at the store and you also don’t forget anything.
I’ve started going to the Library instead of buying books. It saves me tons of money and I don’t have books around the house I have to find homes for :)
I love my microplane. I use it to grate cheese, chocolate,nutmeg,ginger,garlic and all sorts of fruit zests.
Model the behavior of always picking things up and putting them away, encourage your children to do this too. On cleaning day you don’t have to spend an hour just “picking up” before you can actually clean.
In my family we are doing a “decorator swap”. We get together and bring items (candle sticks, dishes, decorations, etc) things that you are tired of and then we ‘pool’ them all together and everyone picks what they want and go home with a new decoration. It is a great way to “new” decorations for the holidays.
When decorating Christmas cookies I use a garbage bag ( unscented of course)cut at the seams to put over the table. It makes clean up a snap no scrubbing frosting off the table.
Am totally productive when an idea just lights up and they just keep on coming and it doesn’t stop!
I use cookie scoops to measure cupcake batter. They make the job of filling cupcake liners oh-so-easy!
I buy small cupcake boxes from Micheals and then I can take out the cupcake dividers and use them for small cakes too
I re-wash ziplocks. I also use peanut butter jars as banks, crafts etc. As far as productive around the house I give myself 2 goals and a deadline.
I use a pizza cutter all the time to cut sandwiches in half and when my kiddos we itty bitty I used it to cut that “gross nasty burnt bread off” (the crust!)…
the pizza cutter is my favorite kitchen tool, next to my scissors. I love making homemade chicken nuggets out of boneless skinless chicken breast. just cut them up into small bite size pieces and Shake and Bake…it’s a girls best friend (healthier and cheaper too!)
I found that, after the ice cream is gone, those big plastic ice cream tubs make great Hot Wheels and Lego carriers…they even have a handle!
I look for and purchase cleaning products that are super concentrated, so I and the Earth are not paying for shipping (and lugging around) a lot of water.
meal planning and making a list has made me more productive in the kitchen and save money! also i waste way less food.
Menu planning. I make my menu on Sunday, hit the grocery store and I dont have to worry about what to cook through out the week. It’s already planned out.
I make a lot of lists and have a folder of recipes and crafts that I tear out of magazines and newspapers so I can recycle the rest without leaving a big stack around!
My scrapbookking supplies……..I use it to preserve memories, make greeting cards, and gift tags/wrapping.
I have found that accepting the fact that having a pre-schooler and a toddler the house along with a husband who is TDY about 2 weeks out of every month means that my house is going to be just as it is whether I like it or not :)
chopsticks! i use it for absolutely everything food related- pasta, spaghetti, salad, fish cakes, etc and of course all things oriental :D
I don’t know if this counts but I put myself on a Facebook break and I was much more productive w/ my time! ;) Of course, it’s only this one time…
I always try to find ways to do more with less. One is with shopping. I never buy clothes that aren’t on sale, aren’t from a discount store or outlet.
Thanks Bakerella!
Baking soda is my best friend. There are so many uses other than for baking. You can use it to clean fruit and vegetables, put out a fire, remove chlorine from your hair, clean your fridge,
deodorize, polish silverware etc.
baking soda and vinegar instead of drain cleaner. It works so much better and is much kinder to the environment.
I am most productive when I put on musicals that I know extremely well. That busies one part of my brain so that the productive part can work.
My usb! It’s amzing it can carry all my important documents (such as photos, assignments and music) and still fit in my back pocket! To make it easier to find what I want I make detailed folders for example in school- I have all my subjects then in each of those I have semester 1 and 2 and then I have a folder for photos and a folder for music! It makes it alot easier for finding assignments! I also have it on a lanyard so I don’t loose it!
I also use post it notes alot! I write down lists and stick them places stops me from forgetting things :)
I love this! I used to bring cupcakes/cakes/brownies to school in high school, and I hated using foil because it always stuck to the frosting and made a mess. I got wise and bought a smaller version of this carrier my senior year.
Hmm. Tip I use a lot is to freeze my steel scrubby pads so that they don’t rust. This way I get a lot more use out of them.
I use my salad spinner to do the little laundry I have wenn we are out camping, then it dries very quikcly cause the most of the water I spinned out , is’nt that productive on vacation :)
I make sure there are dififerent bins in my house for recycling! :) This way, I can use the recycled money to buy more sodas! :p
I recently started painting with tea! So after I’m done enjoying my delicious cup of tea, I can use the little bit of tea that’s left in the mug, along with the bag, and color some of my drawings or just paint a new picture entirely. AND it smells good! Like scratch and sniff without the scratching. Chai smells best, in my opinion.
We live in a very small house, so we’ve put up lots of ugly shelves and covered them in pretty fabric. We also have a magnetic rack above our stove with spoons and whisks and spatulas and things on it.
And, cute carrier!
I love that cupcake carrier, but I love the Windows Phone even more!!! I use clorox wipes for everything. They are very convenient and have a multipurpose use just about whatever you need to clean up. I also use my calender to write important events down. :)
Hello Dear Bakarella!
Yesterday I recivied my bog-box carrier!!
Thanks for all you do!!
¿Can I post this in my blog?
Old sweaters and clothespins!!! You can do so much with both! I love cutting up old sweaters and making anything from a cell phone case to a stuffed owl from it. And clothespins are perfection when it comes to holding glued crafts togther! I’m all about doing less with more.
I use a baby bottle cleaner to clean muffin tray pans…the long handle and soft sponge in the end make it easier to clean each of the cups, and my hands don’t have to be tired as much!
My lunchbox is currently doubling as a teabag storebox!
I’m a bit of an oddball when it comes to productivity, because I am 100x more productive at night than I am during the day.
Btw, ziploc bags are my saviors, I use them for everything! Packing lunches, frosting cupcakes, storing miscellaneous things, etc. :D
I am able to “do more” with my time and increase productivity if I work/play in 30m/15m increments. For 30m, I focus completely on working on the task at hand and then take a 15m break….repeat!
Well last night our power went out for about 7 hours and I was able to get a lot of reading caught up on….. Although I was in the middle of reading your blog online when the power went out, so that was a bummer! lol…
I can read your blog, and watch TV at the same time…now that’s productive! =)
A rice cooker with “fuzzy logic” (like Zojirushi’s) is surprisingly uh-mazing. =]
It makes perfect rice, but it also has settings for rice porridge and stuff like oatmeal. You can even put oatmeal, water, cinnamon, and some dried nuts in the night before, set a timer, and you will have no work, perfect, freshly cooked hot oatmeal in the MORNING (when you don’t even have the will to make cereal).
<3 it.
Soooo many good ideas this week! … Freezer zip close bags get used many times over in our pantry, any dry good in a packet goes into these before it goes into our pantry, or they go into larger canning jars.
I love my kitchen aid mixer! It is so handy!
I’m baking and cooking from scratch. Buying in bulk those basics like flour, sugar, etc, it costs less and the food actually tastes much better.
I’m most productive late at night when the tv and internet are turned off! =)
Awwwwww! I think it would be the internet!
I use it for stealing some recipes from others :P
I REALLY hope to win!
Use my contact case to carry around lotions and liquids when traveling to keep the minimum liquid rule.
I have a very small closet and I gave away most of the clothes I don’t wear often enough, and now only buy quality pieces I need that will last a while! It is wonderful to have less clothing, but more clothing that you really love… peace!
I try to walk or bike to work a couple times each week. I also ride bikes with my girls often to and from their school. Great workout and time together.
a mid days nap if you can steal one…goes a very long way. I really wish my 4 yr old would take one..loll
Canceling cable = So much more time for fun baking :)
I am a college student, but I am totally a coupon clipper. I watched my mom clip coupons growing up and didn’t think that I would ever do it, but now that I am on my own I try to save money every where and coupons are one of them.
I make to-do lists for everything!! It helps me remember things because I have a terrible memory and makes me feel accomplished when I can cross something off!
I use lemon juice to clean my counters, for some reason it works really well. I also love to use it for baking:) I also find I am most productive when I am listening to music!!
I’m most productive when I limit my time on the computer
I`m more productive when decorate cupcakes hearing good music on my computer and
when I make filled cupcakes I cut the center with a round cutter and later I use the centers to make delicious “Bakerella” wannabe Cake pops :)
saludos desde Guatemala!
I love using containers for storage. These help me out so much. I use them to organize my baking drawers, my cabinets, pantry, closets, etc. It’s so much easier to look at a storage container and read what I have in it than digging through piles of stuff. :)