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.
A tip for all you cake pop bakers………if you live in the uk and only have limited craft shops with which to buy supplies like styrofoam to stand your cake pops in this can get reeeeeally expensive…..so i found 2 large spare blocks of wood measured out 1inch squares and started drilling! i now have the perfect Cake Pop holders! I use them when decorating (I varnished the wood so its now wipe clean and easy to get chocolate off) i also use them as Cake Pop carriers (sometimes wrapping it in pretty Paper or material to match the coloured Pops)
These handy Blocks of wood save me so much money and are really sturdy so it makes things much easier when it comes to decorating! I suppose you could use this idea with a block of Plastic/Perspex or some other material…whatever you have to hand really.
Happy Baking everyone! x x x
I live overseas where (gasp!) we cannot buy Ziploc bags, so sometimes I wrap whatever I’m freezing in a regular bag before I put it in the Ziploc. That way I can use the Ziploc more than once.
I have a baby one year old…I’m really more productive than ever when she sleeps and I have a few time to do something else!! :)
use ziploc bags to store clothes. No need to buy those vacuum bags.
I organize all my craft supplies into those storage boxes on wheels you can find from Target. Except with these ones, you can pull out of their compartment and each box has a lid! Its like lots of boxes in one big box! With wheels! All levels of easy transportation.
I wash and reuse ziploc bags so I don’t waste them.
I’m productive when I’m away from the Internet! Eating delicious baked goodies make me more productive too! They’re like my personal rewards :)
I really love your photos btw, reminds me of reading parent/cooking magazines! Anyways, having to ride the train 40 minuts everyday, before I used to just sit and watch and listen to music but I’ve found that studying for class/organizing my calendar has really helped me to be more productive. It’s like my own study time set everyday, I rarely have to read at home anymore!
White vinegar and baking soda, it pretty much replaced all those harmful cleaning products in my house, and saves money.
Apparently I am the only one who does NOT hang my kids clothes! Ages 4 and 6, I let them fold and put away. Go team Mom, one less laundry (eek) related thing for me!
Hmmm productivity. That’s a hard one since I haven’t been really productive in a long time LOL. Probably when I’m listening to music (more instrumental/ambient than anything else) and probably when I’m hungry. It’s sad but I’ve found that when I eat, I get sleepy which is a shame since I love food. :(
In order to do more with less (and help my grad school budget), I hang my clothes to dry instead of paying to use the dryer. It’s good for the environment, too! (But it makes my 200 sq ft apartment a little crowded…)
I love my KitchenAid! I use it for everything and never bake without it. I should really try and whip some things myself but it does it so well!!
i’ve been saving fliers and junk mail, and making paper cranes! soon i’ll have enough to hang them up with fishing line and beads and make a closet curtain!
Oh my! I’ve got nothing! Guess I really need that phone :-)
A toothbrush has SO many uses around my house. Other than brushing my teeth, I love using it to clean the bathroom sinks and my kitchen. Its great for those hard to reach places! :D
I use shea butter, coco butter, tea tree oil and other essential oils, and coconut liquid castle soap for everything from cleaning products like laundry soap, face hair and body wash, furniture polish and even coco butter and shea butters in cooking like with chocolate and deserts. Also tea tree oil is a antifungal, and an antibacterial. It saves the planet as well as time and my health by using basic non toxic and non chemical ridden products for everything. when it comes to health and quality less additives and more natural makes the perfect less is more as in more quality!
how I use more for less – I pick flowers to make leis for ‘ohana and hoaloha instead of going to the lei stand.
I recycle food jars and use them as vases or containers for other objects :)
I love using my stand-mixer–I recently bought the attachment that scrapes the bowl, and it is a huge timesaver!
I love reusable grocery bags–I definitely use them for EVERYthing–not just groceries! They’re so great to carry everything around in. And great for the environment!
Post-its! My life would be a wasteland without them. They are my proverbial rock.
I’ve melted broken crayon pieces in cupcake pans to make new and interesting circle crayons with the kids I babysit (:
I found that I study the best when I have a basketball game playing on TV. I love the squeaky sounds of sneakers against the court.
I make my own “green” reusable grocery bags from all kinds of fabrics instead of tossing them. I find myself using the bags for all things not just groceries!
Lovin the Cupcake Courier! I have reused the plastic container that apples come packaged in from Costco/Sams Club to transport cupcakes. I have also reused them to store fragile Christmas ornaments.
While teaching my fourth graders to write a narrative, I have the story be about a real life problem/solution. For example a story of all of the ways a character deals with a bully.
i love using wax paper for everything, lining dishes, easily move sifted flour, so useful
The things that I find I use the most are q-tips and gallon sized ziploc bags. I seriously find myself using these for so many different things from the bathroom to the kitchen to the garage!
I have found that creating a reward for myself helps to motivate me to get things done. Also, I avoid multitasking whenever possible.
I found a set of paper crimpers used for scrapbooking at the thrift store. Took them home, dismantled the rollers from the handle, and use them to emboss fondant for my cakes! Great tools for a different look! Thx for the giveaway! :)
Address labels as luggage tags!
I am in love with my crockpot and try to make as many meals in it as I can without driving my family crazy. It is so nice to throw some things in there, go to work and come how to a warm meal.
I plan our grocery list and dinners around what’s for sale in the weekly ad for our favorite grocery store. I also stock up on non-perishables when they are on sale for a really good price.
I use my phone to send texts, talk on the phone, set my alarms, and type memos/notes at the same time sometimes!
And I find that it’s super convenient and productive in it’s multi-tasking functions.
I ? it! :D
For a while, I couldn’t find a baking sheet in my kitchen, so I used a piece of tinfoil when I wanted to warm up tortillas. Thankfully, I’ve now found my baking sheet, but it worked well for a short period of time.
GROUPON!!! I get really excited every morning wondering what the deal is going to be!
An extra oven rack. It doubles as a cooling rack, trivet, and have even used it as a cookie sheet in a pinch!! (with lots if foil). Small apartments do wonders for helping you find extra uses :)
a clean sock filled with uncooked rice put in the microwave for a minute or two makes a quick heating pad :)
I find sitting in Starbucks to be way more productive than sitting at my kitchen table. No TV!
Empty egg cartons are great for sorting small items, placing beads in for my daughter, transportation for my son’s cars , paint trays, the cardboard ones are great for starting window sill gardens. The uses are endless.
Picking out the next day’s outfit before going to bed allows me to sleep in a little more every morning, even if it is just a couple minutes.
My kitchen timer has made me more productive. I set it for 15 minutes a day to clean up the clutter around the house. It has come to the point where I am usually done before the 15 minutes is up.
Let me think seeing how this is my first time ever living by myself well on my own with my husband. I would say I have found that oven cleaner is especially useful for our glass top stoves
i make my own bread. My husband started trying to reduce the HFCS in our diet and most of the breads were so expensive! So I just make my own now. So yummy.
I reuse plastic containers for packing lunches. No ziplocks.
I love to reuse my 1 yr olds snack cans for banks or making them into crazy creatures for her to play with. Another thing that is great to use is my round cake pan….I have used to make french toast in.
I always find it a challenge in trying to use things in more then one.
Haha- I am always more productive when I have a snack!
I’ve been using my canning jars to bake and house cupcakes. they are the perfect size and they are able to be transported easily.
I love using mason jars for everything from canning to drinking glasses to decoupage and other art projects. I buy them at thrift shops or when there’s a good sale. If I use them for canning then I just need to buy new lids.
I work as a property manager and we have very few dollars to spare for anything other than maintenance items. I wanted to make my tenants’ birthdays special, so in addition to a standard card I startred baking treats. It is so simple, and doesn’t cost very much, but it is amazing the response that I have received. People are so happy and it really makes them feel like we care. I guess the gist of this, is that with very little money, I am able to do more!
Whenever I make a recipe that calls for egg yolks like a custard I always make angel food cake at the same time to use up the egg whites!
I am in love with this carrier…I love how it can become one big case!
I’m big into menu planning, and pairing my list with grocery sales and coupons. It makes shopping with three little ones so much easier!
Wow, so many good ideas. I am totally at a loss for an idea, but I do love your website!
I am an elementary school counselor, and I like to think of myself as thrifty – like making a quilt (we call it a picnic quilt – for indoors or outdoors) out of my husband’s and son’s old blue jeans for my twin 3 year old granddaughters. I made it look like a cathedral window quilt and used scraps from outfits that I had made them and pieces from my old clown suit (my dad and I were Christian Clowns years ago). Ok – long story I know, but I love to bake also and do it often. My daughter is now the pastry chef at Auburn University, and we have this thing for kitchen gadgets – just love them all, I do use the ones that I have, and I guess that is my area of unthriftiness. There – I said it and I feel better now. Happy baking, Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for letting me share.
i have a new found use for the bulky deli meat slicer my dad gave me.. i use it to slice frozen chicken into thin strips for my stir frys.. and to slice frozen sausage for my spaghetti!
i feel most productive after baking something to relieve my stress. then i can continue with homework or studying
I love my cupcake courier too! Mine is pink as well!
To streamline baking I will have cakes in the oven, be dipping pretzels and assembling decorations while I wait. I also try to clean while I cook or bake so that I have less to do at the end.
at work, we decided not to exchange Christmas gifts this year due to everyone’s budget. I love to bake so I brought in my Christmas recipes and let everyone pick ONE thing that they would like. I’m going to make some of everyone’s favorite’s and make a Sweet Tray to enjoy at Christmas with my co-workers!
The dollar tree has floral foam and I wrap mine in foil and then colored cellopane.
I like to just create things with paper! It’s sort of dum but It’s been around for a looong time and it’s VERY useful! For almost anything! :)
I am actually more productive by making sure my to-do list doesnt get too long. I just choose a few important things to do every day, make sure those get done, and anything else I can do is just a bonus.
I use my treadmill to dry clothes on.
I reuse the containers that lunch meat comes in for all kinds of things in my home and classroom!
I love catching up on personal e-mails & social stuff & blogs while also catching up on the shows on our DVR. multi-tasking & relaxing at it’s best. =}
I’m so much more productive with my scrapbooking since I switched to digital a few years ago. I had an amoire full of stuff and had to pack 2 huge cased and a crate to go scrapbooking for the weekend. Now, I just grab my laptop and some Diet Dr. Pepper and I’m off. I get so many more pages done now too. I’ve probably saved about $1000 dollars by cutting out the paper habit. And I even make money at it too by teaching locally and selling tutorials online. Digital scrapbooking – can’t scrap without it!
Deb @ designedindigital.etsy.com
I say my to-do list out loud in the shower. It makes me sound a bit crazy, but it helps!
I try to recycle everything….it’s good for the earth and makes me feel better about the environment.
wow now that would be fantastic to have it would have helped about a week for the ckae pops I made for a baby shower those litte chicks were squeesed into the round carrier I had not the best we lost some beaks.lol
Trying to lose weight and found being member of TOPS Club has really helped! The comraderie and encouragement of others has been a blessing! Gal. 2:20
I’m doing more with less by stocking up on items when they are on sale and have coupons for them. That way the next time I want to use that item I don’t have to buy it at full price! My pantry has never looked better!
When I’m home alone and put on some music it’s amazing what I can get done!
This might sound weird, but I do a lot of freelance work from home – and sometimes I am really tired, or just not focusing at all because I’ve been staring at something for way too long. I find if I have a quick (under 45 minute) power nap when I get up again I am pumping out work like it’s a new day! Otherwise I’d sit at my computer for hours staring at a half-written article and banging my head against the keyboard.
I use the “free” make up bags you get from a Clinique gift as a carrier for my cake emergency kits.
i need one!
music phone and television all together helps me concentrate
How fun, I need a cake pop carrier :)
To be more productive, I have to do lists as well. But I also like to set timers. So if I have a task I don’t really want to do (like dishes or cleaning) I will set the time for 10-15 minutes and I only have to work on it for that long. You can do anything for 15 minutes. It really is amazing what you can get done in that time.
love it
need it
got to have it
t.v with work
To do more with less I recycle broken motherboards and give them to my wife to make cool coasters/crafts with them.
I love this carrier!
I save used plastic table clothes from parties (assuming they are not covered in cake) and use them for floor protectors during painting projects.
I pack my lunch every day. I save money, eat healthier and feel better about my choices. The upside is that I am losing weight and don’t feel like I missed out on anything!
My purse is my my multiple use item!! It holds my wallet and makeup and all the other normal purse stuff…but its also my diaper bag when my daughter is with me (2 diapers and travel wipes) , my bag for school (textbook and netbook) and our entertainment bag when we go out to eat (crayons, coloring books and flash cards)!!!
Great carrier! I just won your cake pops book on a blog. I am so excited and absolutely love it. You did a wonderful job. It is so colorful and I love the great instruction:)
Definitely trying to bake more treats for my kids is a productive thing I do, rather than store bought; it saves me money and I can also sneak in whole wheat without them knowing; so they are getting a little fiber anyway:)
I save old blue jeans to make patchwork quilts and pillows for my grandkids…they each have pillows with their initials patched in…the blankets are very warm and you can’t wear them out from washing!
I love taking old pieces of fabric and embroidering them into new and pretty art pieces :)
Small Tupperware for all lunchbox items – pop them all in the dishwasher at the end of the day with the supper dishes, reload them, and they’re ready for the three lunchboxes in the morning!
Peroxide has so many uses and is definitely productive. I also rave about windex with vinegar ;)
After I’m done reading my magazines, I leave them in our office kitchen. Keeps them from becoming clutter in my house and saves my co-workers the subscription fee. We also swap coupons.
Binders and page protectors are my biggest time savers. I have a binder for restaurant menus (each restaurant has their own page protector and coupons go in there also), a binder for small appliance manuals, a binder for each of the kids with their school stuff, sports schedules, phone lists of friends, etc.
I love binders – and they stack neatly on my kitchen desk. :)
I plan our meals in advance and make tons of lists. I don’t have to stress about trying to figure out last minute meals and I’m not racking my brain trying to think of something I’ve forgotten. It’s all written down.
I’m addicted to parchment paper I use when ever I can makes clean up sooo easy!
Sometimes, I make a double batch of whatever I’m cooking for supper that evening. 1 to eat, 1 to freeze. It saves me time later!
Being a teacher, I find random uses for tons of things. Most recently I’ve been using goofy youtube videos to teach writing and I use mp3 players to record the kids reading so they can hear themselves and improve their fluency. :)
Roll-on deodorant dries up cold sores like nobody’s business (I have a separate deodorant just for this), and toothpaste dries up zits!
I try to be most productive when my 1 year old is napping:) Most of the time its reading blogs and trying to get tips on how to save money. I make my own cleaning products from vinegar and other household items, which saves money. I sew reusable zip lock bags (made of PULL fabric) which are fashionable and green!!!
I find using an upside down cookie sheet great for making chocolate curls or using transfer sheets. Just melt, spread and cut out.
I have 7 kids and I homeschool, so being productive is very important. My best tip would be a 3 ring binder I have with me at all times. It has sections for school, household chores, bills, grocery lists and menus, coupons, classes I teach, my calendar, and co-op. Everything I need to do, remember, buy, etc is always at my fingertips.
I just cleaned out my pantry and stream-lined my meal prep by doing so. Was able to donate excess to the local food bank and don’t need to go shopping b/c I had lots more meals than I was aware of….sitting right there in my pantry! :)
Joanne R
A roaster oven…doesn’t have to be expensive but that puppy sure does come in handy….turkey, no problem…chicken wings, no problem……mac and cheese, no problem……great and I mean great for pot luck!
Thanks for the contest Bakerella….you rock!
I know that this doesn’t go with this post but I just got my cake pop book that I ordered over 3 weeks ago from amazon.com (didn’t realize it was coming from the UK). I am so excited that I found your website and order this book. Even more so that I finally have a use for those tiny cookie cutters that I ordered from Pampered Chef years ago. Thanks so much for sharing this!! I make pumpkin cake pops for my son’s classes for halloween & cannot wait to make more! Thanks Again. You Rock Bakerella!!
START EARLY! That’s the most productive advice I have! If you start early, you end early. Sometimes! :)
I’m more productive when R&B music is playing and I have earphones on! Keeps energy and spirits up :)
To be more productive I make bunches of food that I can freeze and take to go one piece at a time, and by the time I’m ready to eat it, it’s defrosted. (Think muffins and calzones).
I use wire hangers to hang my wrapping ribbon from it. Just unwind the hook part, put the ribbons on the long part and wind back up! So helpful and keeps them out bags where they get tangled and unruly! :)
Today’s do more with less: I go to the thrift store and find cool sweaters for about a buck. Then I cut them and serge the edges. Sew them together and make them into pillows.
Hi. I need a new phone too!! If I need to run errands I have to do them right after work because if I go home first I’m done!
I have been far more productive in getting the house clean when I put my children to work. Delegation = Productivity!
:)
I use an ice cream scoop for many uses, but the best is for dolling out cupcake batter. yum!
I use tupperware/rubbermaid/gladware food containers to transport my baked good…especially cupcakes. I use the lid of the containers as the base and sit the cupcakes on the lid and use the body of the container as the top.
What a great give-a-way…when I was ready, I thought the Cupcake Carrier was the give-a-way! Where can we order it from?
I forget everything, so I keep post-its next to my bad, which render me more productive!
So many uses… i like it :)
This can also be used to stack a lot of cookies on top of eachother. This is a really smart idea!
This is such a splendid idea!
How awesome! I use my round pizza trays to cook all kinds of things besides pizza : )
Those last three hours of my day I used to spend watching tv until 1230…………..I’m using them to SLEEP :)
My KitchenAid Food Processor, it works for everything! I can grind up cookies for dessert toppings, puree anything, chop chicken for chicken salad, chop veggies for soups…I use that thing all the time!
Well…When making cake pops…I get alot more done by using a chocolate melting pot rather than using the microwave over and over…they are inexpensive and save alot of time!!
No one in my home likes Tuna Casserole so it’s sensless for me to make an entire casserole and too time consuming to make two dishes, so I make a mini casserole…it’s super easy, I cook Knorr Lipton Garlic Shells and about 2 minutes before they’re done add some frozen peas and tuna fish. After letting it sit to cool I add some Parmesan and shredded cheeses to it, stir and put some on top to melt….delicious!! Feel free to steal this quick meal for yourself.
I use the “I don’t have any buttermilk” Buttermilk recipe – regular milk with a little vinegar or lemon juice. Works like a charm, and no bottles of buttermilk spoiling in my fridge!
I am at my most productive at night, listening to the ipod and drinking earl grey tea! right now, my cricut exspression is my most productive tool, it is currently cranking away at my holiday cards for the troops overseas. I always wait until the last minute and without this handy tool I would most likely not make the deadline this year!
A mommy who naps is a happy mommy :) I am at my best when i get a cat nap in lol
My family and I (hubby, daughter and me) actually went out and purchased Windows phones on the first day they were available. I have found the calendar feature to be fantastic – I can put an event on my phone and make it show up on my hubby’s or daughter’s.
I have recently started making my own biscuits and egg cooker for homemade egg and cheese biscuits and I have been making my own sweet tea good enough to rival the Mc…so our breakfast budget has dropped!
For a long time all of my cookies were made one dozen at a time with a hand mixer, but I just got a Kitchenaid and now I can do 4 dozen at once! Still small enough batches to control quality, but it sure saves a lot of time!
I use to do lists first thing in the mornging while drinkin’ that first cup of coffee sand then number them, greatest to least important. I find that helps me plan my day and not waste time
Good old duct tape and maksing tape makes my life more productive when in a pinch.
Less Christmas shopping means more time for everything else! By mutual agreement, my friends and family have scaled back gift giving plans this year to focus on shared activities and good food to celebrate the season.
OAMC or freezer meals!
I’ve found that making extensive to-do lists is the only way I’m productive. I include various easy, mindless tasks on the list so that I feel super productive crossing them all off. It’s good motivation to keep going with the harder tasks!
I use ribbons not only for my girls hair but to child proof my cabinets, decorate and real ribbons make any gift prettier.
I try to cook my meals so that I have plenty for at least one more dinner – and I try to do shopping ONCE per week – keeps me from getting those “extras” everytime!
I feel that making lists for everything saves me time… I have a lot going on and my lists help me keep my head on straight. Also posted notes are like drugs to me, if I don’t use them I start to shake.
I make lists. It sounds simple but very effective. Make a list for even the smallest things in the day or for a whole season like a “thinks to do this Summer” list and stick to it as much as you can. Its awesome crossing stuff off the list and seeing what you’ve accomplished. Make a list, it works. Helps to prioritize a busy life and get more done.
My friends make fun of me, but I use bottle caps as a makeshift laptop stand to prevent it from overheating. Sometimes my trusty old Vaio gets a little hot, and the bottle caps help the ventilation!
As a college student, we come up with ways to make do with less all the time :)
I seem to be more productive when I’m on a sugar high late at night. :) It’s all that candy. ;)
I multitask and use all the features on my phone to fully take advantage of my time. Thanks Bakerella for the post!
I make lists and more lists.. Now if i could actually stick to the darn lists and GET THINGS DONE, then life would be much easier.. As in i have 10 things i should be doing RIGHT NOW, but i’ve found my way onto the internet to kill time and procrastinated, if i add that to my list am i technically getting more done! HAHA :)
You know, it’s funny you posted this because my husband and I were just marveling at our cake carrier (similar to this) and all the uses I find for it. Any baked good I need to store or transport goes into the thing, and it keeps stuff so wonderfully fresh.
I take old wine bottles and cut the tops off to make my own vases! Saves a bunch of money and they come in such great colors!
I use a blue sewing cutting mat for rolling out fondat. The fondant doesn’t stick to the underside of the mat.
I’m currently de-cluttering because cleaning is so much easier when there is less stuff!
You know those plastic Sterilite 3-drawer storage containers? I use the medium-sized one for Christmas wrapping supplies. I used to have tags, tape, markers, scissors, ribbon, and other supplies all over the house, but when you keep them all in the little drawers, it helps keep everything organized! Also, not only is all the junk organized, but it’s all in one place when I need it!
Thanks Bakerella!! <3
I make lists!
Hmm…well I always like to substitute ingredients, so I don’t have to buy so many things at the store. I make my own cake flour using flour and corn starch, usually make my own buttermilk from milk and lemon juice, among other things :) I’d love to win this!!!
I’ve learned recipes are the way :)
This really isn’t a “thing”… but I find it more productive to send the husband outside if I need to clean the house, rather ask for his help. Terrible, I know, but oh so true.
I use an old credit card as a scraper for my cast iron pans. silly but totally functional.
I decorate old bankers boxes in scrap peices of fancy scrapbooking paper to recycle the box, the scrap paper, and have a fancy new storage unit!
keeping my room tidy helps me sleep & study better
To self-motivate, I make myself a sticker chart! Works every time. I’m a sucker, what can i say.
I use my sons too small jeans for scrapbooking! I cut off the pockets and slide tags for journaling inside them, and the buttons for accents!
Ikea spice jars. They come in a box of six for only 2.99. I use these for everything. In total I have bought 300 of these spice jars. I use them for spices, decorating tips, crafts and beads for my pandora. I love these jars.
As a recently graduated college student, my husband and I don’t have all the fabulous furniture we would love to have…yet :) However, its amazing all the ways we have used our “hand-me downs” to create a whole different space. Coffee table turned into a TV stand, stackable drawers/shelves turned into side tables….
I use Mason jars for everything, for collecting soup labels, bottle caps, and pens. Great for candle holders too and very easy to decorate!…so so handy!
I have found that a calendar next to my computer is my life-line! If things aren’t written down on it , then it is forgotten all about! So my Calendar is my life-line to the world. PS i have 5 daughters so now you know why I forget things!
Hey I’m very productive when I’m on the laptop on this site and on my phone on facebook doing both things that I love ;)
I am a huge list maker…I even have master check lists for camping, grocery shopping, traveling, etc. :) LOL!
One thing I bought this year that I’ve used for a lot of different things is my Cricut. :) Not just for Scrapbooking! :)
Every time I finish a roll of paper towels I have to give the cardboard tube to my 2 year-old son. He loves to use it as his very own pirate telescope. He looks through it and says “I see you.”
I recently went through my kitchen and gave away a LOT of stuff, leaving myself with just the basics + a few loves of mine. It’s amazing how much easier it is in the kitchen when you’re not digging through piles of crap all the time!
I’m really into being eco friendly and replacing all my house hold light bulbs with fluorescent light bulb really cuts down on the electricity bulb. Helps out our environment as well !
Looks fab … also good for taking cakes to work!!! I wonder if I can get one over here in the UK ????
Love your cakes/pops/everything Bakerella x
I set goals to be more productive!
Give me your talent.
:D
Productivity. I don’t think a college student should be allowed to answer this one. hhaha
I like to have my ipod plugged in at all times so I can focus :)
Sharing/pass it along. Bring my magazines and newspaper to work when I am done. Imagine! a waiting room with current issues!
I try to recycle most things, and use my time effectively since I am a wife, I work 2 jobs and take classes full time.. So while watching TV in the background I do homework, while showering I clean the bathroom, while cooking I clean the kitchen.
cubbies and bins have been a saving grace in a house with two little girls under 5. toys, coloring books, knick knacks all fit in cubbies and bins that can be stowed away. makes it easier for me to “clean” up the house (because with kids, when does it ever really get clean?) :o)
Ice Cream Sandwich Makers
~Ice cream sandwich mold (intended use)
~Onigiri mold
~Egg mold (hard boiled eggs)
~Cookie Cutter (using the frame portion)
~Stamp (using food coloring and the face detail “lid” top)
~Stencil (using the frame) for sprinkling toppings
~Egg sheet cutter
To get more done I definitely think list-making helps my productivity level. Not to mention it helps with my short term memory! As for being resourceful, recycling is definitely a big part in my house. Reusing plastic bags, plastic take-out containers, plastic water bottles, etc. helps me reduce my carbon footprint!
That cupcake carrier is definitely going on my Christmas list! I’ve had cupcake orders coming in and that’s the perfect way to cart them around without worry!
Wow I LOVE that carrier! Seriously so amazing, and I have never seen one quite like it!!
My calendar hands down is my biggest asset in keeping me organized, and thus more productive. I don’t know what I would do without it! : )
I try to plan ahead with menu items that I can prep all at once and then make throughout the week without having to spend the time after wrok
My ice cream scoop is one of my favorite baking tools. Allows me to make even cookies, cupcakes, whatever I want to portion evenly. Much easier to get batters from place to another.
I love rubbermaid storage bins….every size and color. Cleaning up is so much easier and faster if there is a place for everything. Plus the closet looks great!
ooh I hope I win… those I found VERY useful is a pizza cutter. I use for my kids’ sandwiches, pancakes, fondant, etc. Clean and simple.
I have the same carrier and LOVE it!
Someone above mentioned cooking all the meals for the week at once. I do that too, and I’ve definitely found that planning for the week in this way has helped save time and money; we cut our grocery bills pretty drastically when we started really sticking to a menu-based list. More than anything, I love getting home after work and having meals ready to reheat!
I most productive when I’m home alone in the morning.
When my kids hit the door at 3pm I done for..
One sure fire way to be more productive, send my husband and son fishing. They think they are the ones getting a treat, HA!
Parchment paper! Could not live without it! I use it for cookies and for cakes, especially layer cakes!
I’m an Independent Avon Rep. and I use the cardboard boxes my products come in for paper recycling. When It’s full, I just throw the whole thing in the cardboard recycler at work.
When the cupcakes are stacked in the holder they are not able to move around and mess up the carefully iced frosting! How nice! No need to use tin foil either! The tray will cover the cupcakes. And that makes it more eco-friendly too! Desserts are loved world wide, however smooshed desserts are like global warming. You’re going to deal with it, but you don’t like it.
I emptied the playroom… with less toys the kids make less mess for me to beg them to pick up!
can’t beat the productivity of a quiet house…keep the tv off.
I have found following flylady’s methods saves time and allows me to spend more time with Mr.Cooke and our Dane puppy.
Duct Tape…I can do amazing short term repairs with Duct Tape…it’s in the car, when I travel…must keep duct tape everywhere!
I use vinegar for cleaning and baking soda
I am just simplifying lately, which means going through stuff and throwing away in brutal fashion. I have been looking into painting furniture to give it a new look. Using what I have and loving it has become more important.
so i think i already so this in the comments before me but i love using ziploc baggies for icing and what not :3
i also just got this egg beater/hand mixer its more fun to use and you can use it to mix almost anything, but its probably more just for my simple amusment >_:3
Awesome website and awesome giveaways as always! Instead of buying disposable paint trays when I decide to paint a room I use plastic grocery bags to line my tray. They fit perfectly and cleanup is a breeze.
This is a little silly, but a discovery I just made at lunch time, I have been buying the Gerber Graduate snacks for my daughter at $2 a can…and just realized she is totally able to eat as well if not better the vege straws I buy for my other daughter from Costco…so much cheaper and I always have them on hand, wahoo! Silly I know, but made me happy at lunch
I use clementine boxes help keep my pantry and spice cabinets organized. I can stack them for more storage space and easy accessibility since I can just pull a single box out to get what I need instead of rooting through everything trying to find the item that just so happens to be in the back bottom corner every time! They work great and are Free! (with a purchase of clementines.)
I am most productive when I can stay focused on the task at hand, so my trick is to avoid multi-tasking at all costs!
There are these things called cake strips. You line them on the side of your baking pan, line the bottom with greasing it, putting down parchment paper, and greasing it again. Cakes stay more leveled and cook more evenly!! You don’t have to try and cut the top of cakes to level them either! It saves you time, and you cut away less cake!
I find that if i create a list of my “to-do’s” — i am much more productive. Also helps if I stay away from my computer. I can be on your site — reading and admiring forever!
Tina
It is a simple thing that has been used forever by everyone, but I LOVE using an ice cream scoop for everthing from muffin or cupcake batter to cookies. I almost never use it for ice cream! :)
I’ve found using my pressure cooker to make dinner a few nights a week helps me to be more productive because I can workout while it’s cooking, or make a dessert!
Fewer toys. I have made three large totes of toys and they get one tote for a few days then I put it away and pull out another tote..fewer toys to worry about at the end of the day and they are easily put away :)…
It’s just me but I still find that making a weekly meal plan helps save time in the grocery store and at home. I also use my two plastic bowls w/ lids as cake/cookie carriers. Just flip it upside down and the lid holds the cake while the bowl protects it. My lids snap on so I don’t have to worry about anything falling out. :) I am also a firm believer in going through the closet twice a year and giving away clothes that haven’t been worn.
Homemade gifts………..cost less and mean so much more.
Lists keep me sane and coffee :)
I have to say that the crock pot is the best invention! Now that I use it more often, there is a stress-free mom with more playtime for mom and kids.
The tip I’ve used most often is frosting cup cakes by filling a zip top bag with frosting and snipping the tip to use. We always have zip top bags, around and when done just toss.