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.
I never seem to bake by the recipe anymore, or for that matter plan what I’m going to make! I just whip open the cupboards and mix a batch of something using whatever I can find. To make sure I can always make something, I always have basic ingredients bought beforehand!
I think my favorite is the candy cane tree I got on clearance last Jan. that now displays/organizes my earrings :)
I use my garlic press as a makeshift clay extruder for my fondant. I had to make thin tassles on a graduation cake and it worked great!
I use sandwich baggies (without zippers) to mix up dog food… i wear the baggie like a glove, then just peel it off, inside out and throw it away.
this is a way cool giveaway… :-) Thanks!!!
Well I’m studying for finals right now. I have found that I am most productive if I study little pieces of each subject at a time and the minute I start to feel I can’t take in more information I switch to a completely new topic! Seems to be working so far.
I bought a big (I mean BIG) plastic bowl and I make a really big salad twice a week. This way, instead of making a separate salad to take to work every day and another at dinner time, I just portion out some from my big bowl. I find I eat more salad this way too!
My Silpat baking mat is a life (and baking sheet) saver! :)
My favorite little shortcut–when the thing that squirts water on your car windshield gets plugged and won’t squirt, don’t take it to the dealer!
Pour vinegar into the windshield fluid container. It will eat away at the deposits, and your sprayer will work within a couple of hours. And as an added bonus–the vinegar is MUCH better at cleaning windows…NO STREAKS! :D
I use egg cartons with the tops cutoff to package my cake balls. I wrap it with clear paper and pretty ribbon and eveyone loves it!!
I like saving electricity so I force my roommate to wear TONS of clothes rather than turning on the heat! ;-) hehe….
I use a little bowl filled with Vanilla Extract to eliminate odors in any room. (even when refinishing/painting our basement) It works GREAT to get the stink out! :)
bamboo skewers are my all time essential craft, cookie bouquet, cake pop holder, and gift bouquet essential, extends a silk flower or make a tie dye wash cloth into a rose and jab it on a skewer…what do i have in my junk drawer, four 100 packs of skewers…awe man now i have to go make something to drop off for a neighbor, i think brownies on a stick will be perfect, oh wait left over Halloween candy bouquet that is even better. hope you all find the treasure that is the bamboo skewer soon!
I am most productive when I have less pots, pans and gadgets in the kitchen. It is best to just be simple to create!
Whenever I buy meat from the grocery, I come home a grab my handy sharpie and freezer bags and go to town separating, labeling, and marinating. This way when I wake up in the morning, I grab a bag out of the freezer, pop it in the fridge, and when I come home from work, I have a leg up on dinner. That way I make more time for baking midweek treats!
I’m most productive at work when the lights are out and the music is softly playing after all of my students have left for the day. Ahhh..peace. :)
What a great new tool.
Not sure what hints I have but do try to reuse, recycle, upcycle whenever possible.
At the moment I am recycling some old towels into scrub cloths.
I think the biggest help in being more productive would be getting more sleep!
I never have a productive day:( In order for that to happen I would have to take off of work since with no hubby or kids is the only way things can get done.
To be productive I usually need quiet – the less noise, the more work! I can focus on what I’m doing, not being distracted by anything.
Well, but there’s an exception… while doing my maths’ homework I think better listening to silly pop radios! :D
I turn off the internet – major distraction for me!
I used to be an avid cake decorator with my mom growing up. Then I went off to college and forgot about it for a few years. When I started up again I didn’t have any of my old tools (bags, tips, etc.) so I used baggies and toothpicks to help decorate.
I’m more productive when I’m not wearing office attire. If we could extend Casual Friday to the rest of the week, my productivity would triple.
I don’t have a food processor, so I use a meat tenderizer to crunch up oreos for truffles. It makes a lot of noise but it works!
We don’t keep up on all the techy-toys so as to not consume our time with learning the next new thing. It saves us money and time as everyone else gets to work out the kinks. It allows us to spend more time with our daughter doing the things she loves.
I love my micro-plane. I use for so many things – garlic, ginger, nutmeg, cheese, chocolate. You just have to make sure you wash it really well or you will have garlic tasting chocolate!
I live in a tiny house but I’ve become a master at using every square inch for storage and function. We chiseled out the trim under a kitchen cabinet (on the side facing the sink) so we could slide my husband’s KitchenAid stand mixer into that spot. The mixer is worth more than the cheapo cabinet anyway!!!
Well, I just got married and did quite a few DIY projects in order to do “more with less.” I do believe they were the best parts of the evening!
PS – Just made a whole batch of the Oreo truffles for my Mom’s birthday today as a surpise!
Templates, templates, templates – Any time I create a new letter, presentation or brochure, I always save it as a template. Saves time, just pull up a template and make a few specific changes
my kitchen aid mixer!
you can use it for almost all your baking needs!!
My husband shared his office tip-I keep the used copy paper to print my stuff on the back side. Save a tree!
Back in college, we used to use irons to make quesadillas in our dorm rooms. The same irons would iron out our clothes too! Whodda thunk?
I use vases as candy dishes. They make for a cute and interesting decoration.
Folgers coffee cans! they make handy storage/gift containers. We fill them with baked goods to give away, but also around the house for crayons, legos, blocks. They come in a variety of sizes and the lids are easier enough for the 3 and 4 yro to get off and put on.
Coffee filters. I don’t even drink coffee and I have a huge package of them. Recently I used them to strain a concoction to make Skittles vodka…yum. You can also use them to clean windows/mirrors, spoon rest, etc.
Getting up a smidgen earlier and getting a workout in the morning–clears the brain and I sure feel like I accomplished at least one thing that day!
well, instead of leaving soap bars in their original packages, I have my kiddo’s tear the packaging off the bars (they LOVE this project) and put them in an open storage bin in a cabinet next to the shower. The soap bars dry out, so they last longer and when you’re in the middle of a shower and find you’re out of soap, you don’t have to mess with trying to pull wet paper off a slippery soap bar. You just grab and go. Viola!
LOVE red velvet…cupcakes, cakes, cake pops. Any way you serve it!
My son and I always find lots of new uses for our kitchen utensils. Drums, trains, monsters…
I love using Freecycle. It’s a great way to avoid sending things to the landfill, and to get new items that I need!
I have always wanted one of these!
Last year, I discovered that I can freeze my chocolate chip cookie dough – just scoop it into balls onto a cookie sheet and place in the freezer for a few minutes, then place the cookie dough balls into a freezer bag for storage. The cookies still taste great and it allows me to do a bit of my holiday baking ahead of time.
I use my mini muffin pan to hold mushrooms while I’m stuffing them!
Ramen noodles are so cheap and can be used in sooo many ways. They are perfect to eat on a cold day cooked the classic way, you can add them uncooked and crushed to make a thai salad, you can add them uncooked and crushed to a veggie dip to add texture. So many other ways, I just love them! (I only buy the chicken flavor)
I use organizers for my paperwork and bills. Keeps the counters from getting messy.
I’m most productive when everything is organized. I despise clutter!
Since moving into my own home I’ve had a lot of fun going through my old boxes from my moms’ house. One of my favorite things has been finding pieces from my college pottery classes. Some might not be that pretty but they’re being put to good use!
Being organized helps me be more productive. Helps wonders so you are not redoing things that do not need to be done.
Lists..lots and lots of lists! I use them when packing, cleaning, shopping, organizing. It just makes it easier to check things off.
keeps me sane :)
I know it’s simple, but.. making lists! I would never get anything done without them. :)
I use my pizza wheel for so much more than cutting pizza! It’s great for trimming edges of dough, and for cutting the shapes of croissants and danishes, as long as you hold it up against a straight edge!
being busy helps me be productive otherwise the lazy takes over and nothing gets done!
I know this sounds odd, but I listen to Clark Howard on the radio every week day (I know… that’s not the odd part), but he suggested this tip to keep a razor sharp for over a year! (like a regular lady bic, disposable razor) Just keep it dry. Yep, just keep it dry. After you use your razor, dry it off. So, if you buy a pack of 3 razors, you’re good for 3yrs. He stated that he received a razor as a free sample last October and has been using it ever since then. I just started and I’m hoping it works. :o)
I love making cookies that start with cake mix. So quick and easy, and most of the measuring is already done… love it!
I freeze & grate the butter when I make scones. Makes it really easy.
Oh, I was hoping the prize was the cupcake carrier! I want that more than the phone! :)
More with less…. hmm…. I try to do that with everything. The less stuff I have around, the more productive and happy I feel.
hand held games help keep my kids busy so i can get somethings done!!!
i often use kitchen products like baking soda and vinegar for cleaning. it works and saves money too!
I have a glass cake display thingy (technical term there) that not only holds cakes, and covers them (or cupcakes), but that can also be used as a punch bowl! I love it!
Just planning ahead for meals and grocery shopping helps a lot.
I always use ziploc baggies and cut the corners off for piping icing instead of the messy fuss you have to deal with using a pastry bag and tip so all you have to do is toss it in the trash when your done!!
How I do more with less…I have a spare room that we use for storage and instead of having ugly boxes, I got matching tupperwear bins spread them out with a board over the top and that is now my work-space to bake craft and be merry all while having an organized storage/work room!
For Christmas, everyone gets “Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read.” It helps us have a calmer Holiday season if we have a small number of gifts to make or purchase!
I found that our love of books had proved quite expensive, so I love paperbackswap.com for exchanging books. It allows us to stretch our book budget extensively!
I’m not good at finding ways to be more productive :( I wish I was! I do try to reuse paper towels if all I use them for is water? Does that count? Cough.
I make a list every night before bed of all the things I need to accomplish the next day. It’s nothing new or ingenious but it keeps me on track and finishing all the things I need to every day!
I use ziploc bags as makeshift pastry bags :)
This is a common one, but it saves me a lot of time: reuse plastic grocery bags to line your small trashcans. Totally makes clean up easy and mess-free!
I like to repurpose things as new useful things when I can. I recently started turning old tees into yoga/lounge pants for my daughter. We also like to pass her clothes down to my friend for her daughter so she is able to do more with less in that regard as well.
I turn the tv off and turn the radio up… that way I’m not distracted by the screen, but can still totally shake my booty to 90s music!
cooking makes me feel productive when i have spare time :) not only that, it pays off to see people enjoy your food.
I put on old time radio and the time flies!
I use that very carrier (actually I have two) to carry my pins and magnets that I make out of discarded books and paper goods. I sell them at the local farmers market.
I finally got organized enough to group into each week a few meals that incorporate similar ingredients, so I can buy more in bulk and waste less in leftovers. Takes planning, but it works!
List’s and orginizing! If it’s not written down I forget so I have my calendar and my planner. that’s all I need to keep things together!
I try to be more productive by planning my weekly dinner menu. Hopefully if I have done it right then I make one trip (not multiple trips) the grocery store and I save money by planning and trying to use things I already have on hand
I have found wonderful new ways to use old frames. Making jewely holders, eyeglass holders, you can go on and on
Happy Holidays ~ Cheryl
I find that if I put on some instrumental music and pop my ear buds in, I get less distracted and don’t chit chat with co-workers.
When i purchase ground meat in bulk and freeze it, i divide it into #1 pieces that are molded flat, so it defrosts quicker. And thank you for entering me in your contest.
We use the egg carton containers to put paint in while the kids are doing crafts. It keeps the paint separated, gives them enough of each, and you can just throw them away when you are done!
Reading these comments just makes me realize even more that I need to get more organized. I am in the middle of using old shirts and sheets to make rags for crafts and things I need around the new apartment like rugs.
logging off facebook does a wonders to getting things done
i am more productive when i listen to britney spears greatest hits…why? because the beats are so familiar to me that its like background music for whatever i’m working on.
I have a whole bunch of leftover Christmas cards that I’ve never used. I’m always afraid that that I’ll accidently resend someone a card design I already sent to them. Instead, I find that if I cut the card at the fold, I can cover both sides in fancy scrapbook paper and then print out recipes I like on my printer so that they will fit in the space. They make really cute gift recipe cards that you can then attach to gifts to others.
I’m more productive when my husband isn’t home. Haha
To save time in cleaning the bathroom, I put my 4 year old in the shower. He gets clean and then spends his time scrubbing the shower walls for me. I can clean the reast of the bathroom while he is in the shower and when he is finished, I just have to clean what he can’t reach. A clean boy, bathroom adn not being hassled while I do it is the best part.
I use beautiful trays to keep organized. For example I have a wooden tray that I use to keep my magazines in order, I have a tray that my daughter uses on car rides to keep crayons and paper on for coloring, I have a tray on top of my dresser, that I keep perfumes and misc. jewelry on.
I use mesh pantyhose bags as produce bags. They are super cheap at the local big box stores and they work wonders! I even leave my veggies/fruits in them when I wash them. It prevents me from losing grapes, etc. when washing.
I use the plastic containers that baby food comes in for many things! This can be done with the glass ones too of course, but it’s nice to use the plastic ones since they’re not breakable!I put home-made baby food in them after the original food has been used. They’re great jewelry holders when traveling, they organize my little craft stuff like beads and small scrapbooking embellishments. Seems like I can always find a use for them!
This is going to sound silly, but beakers and flasks!
I’m a chemist but I love using scientific glassware as glassware, vases, measuring cups, fish bowls, you name it.
They make for pretty decorations and interesting discussion pieces =)
I love the giveaway!
I’m also an up-cycler and love making new things out of old. Mainly clothing for my daughter and my friends’ kiddos.
Christmas idea: A few years ago our family decided to have a “homemade Christmas” Each husband/wife had to hand make an item for our siblings/spouses. We basically chose one item and made it for each family. (ex: i knitted a scarf for each sister/ hat for each bro-n-law) The gifts were great, and straight from the heart! We have decided to do this every year from now on. It saves money and puts thought back into Christmas gifts. :)
We also exchange one “white elephant” gift. These are often fun and tacky.
Keeps Christmas fun- and there is never the “what do i get for the person that has everything” issue!
I’m SO much more efficient during the week when I spend an hour over the weekend chopping veggies and prepping my dinners for the week — then all I have to do on the weeknight is to mix, cook & serve. :)
Okay so over the weekend I was making a huge, HUGE Miami Dolphins Grooms Cake [65 lbs. to be exact] and with all of the extra cake crumbs I had left over not only did I make some CAKE POPS!! for some people at work, I also made some pretty awesome ‘Chocolate Pomegranate Bread Pudding’..
No food waste here, love that!
I’m more productive when my husband is not home, which is really bad for me right now – since he works from home!!
I save spaghetti sauce jars and use them for all kinds of things – storing craft supplies, leftovers, desserts…
I am more productive when the computer and tv are off!
I write my to-do list on my phone and use the calendar as well so I don’t have to carry a planner with me :)
Giving up sleep lets me get a lot done — at least for a little while.
Our family decided to cut back on expenses to save money for family vacations and things we really want to do. We’ve found that we can live very happily without all the extra stuff like cell phones, brand new clothes and cable tv and spend more quality family time together going to the library, walking to the park, baking together, learning to draw, playing board games, etc. We are frugal and buy second hand whenever we can which keeps even more money in our pockets. Living with less works for us and we feel like we finally have our priorities straight!
what great ideas everyone is sharing! i’m most productive when i can turn the ringer off on my phone and not be distracted by it. sorry, not as creative as the others, but that’s the best i can come up with right now.
I use safety pins to keep socks together in the wash. After their tumble in the dryer, sock pairs are still together so I don’t have to go hunting; I can just put them away :)
I find that I am much more productive at home if I give myself a time limit. Its something my mom used to do with us as kids. For example, if I need to clean the kitchen, I’ll set the timer for say, 10 minutes. Then its a race between me and the clock to see how fast I can get the job done. Childish, I know, but it helps me get the job done faster!
I LOVE making Key Lime Pies…but only with FRESH Key Limes. I used to hate making them because squeezing them was such a pain….until I found my cast iron hand squeezer! makes making my pies a dream! I love it!
I bake my brownies in mini cupcake pans to make brownie bites. I also used my 12 cup cupcake pan when I recently made the burgers and fries. That way the brownies were the right size.
Not having a lot of $ right now and wanting to change up the decor in our living room, we had to get creative. We rounded up all of our picture frames and spray painted them black and created a picture gallery and it looks wonderful! (and only spending about $5 felt really good too, lol!)
I’ve been unemployed for over 18 months, but I’ve done plenty to keep me busy and productive, including baking. Living in a tiny apartment with an equally tiny kitchen has taught me all sorts of creative ways to get around the space issues. Turning on the AC gets expensive, but it only goes on when I’m frosting…Melted frosting is not fun to work with when the oven is in use!
baking soda… not only for baking, but for cleaning as well…
I use my pizza stone in the bottom of my oven to keep my oven temperature more even, which makes for more even baking. Love it!
Use clothespins to seal cereal bags after you’ve opened them! That’s my mom’s trick that my sisters and I all do now on our own.
I’m productive early in the morning. So I get up two hours before I have to be on the road with our 2 children. I get more done, or I have time to be lazy and pad around the house in my jammies.
It’s not really a product, but a system rather. I find that if I take 5-10 min. on Sunday night to plan meals for the week it makes my life MUCH easier! And stress free.
My hot glue gun!! I used for a ton of different stuff…crafts, clothes, school projects, toy repair…everything except baking:)
1. Parchment paper. I rarely have to wash my cookie sheets and I put my homemade pizza (Pre-cooked crust, stored in the freezer until needed) right on the rack.
2. Paying for things in cash and planning (no more than 15 minutes) before I grocery shop. I think things through before I spend. My grocery lists are less about me just grabbing stuff. I could eat my husbands paycheck given yhe chance.
3. Deep freeze. I almost always make extra and store it for a time crunch.
The slow cooker has saved tons of time and money. On busy nights, it’s a great way to have a meal ready when you get home and saves you money on running out for something like a pizza or McD’s.
One way I’ve increased productivity is to no check e-mails or facebook on the weekends. Everyone close to me knows I’m not online during the weekend and having a few tech free days really lets me relax more and focus on “real” things during the wknd.
I have found that with less “stuff” in our home, everything runs much more effeciently. My husband and I recently learned about Dave Ramsey and have been working through his “baby steps”. As we have been doing this, we have sold and gotten rid of lots of different items to pay off debt. The plus to that is with less “stuff”, we truly have found that things are much more manageable around our house. It was a win-win all the way around!
My pressure cooker is such a time saver! Homemade broth in 15 minutes…risotto in 8…LOVE IT!
when I have complete Silence l work the best (:_
I have alot of my decorating supplies in a tool box. I always know where it is at and I can also carry it around with me to different places!
I bought a pineapple cutting knife for $5 when I was living in Hawaii. I use it for EVERYTHING. It’s curved shape makes it easy to cut watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, mangoes, peel apples, pears, etc.
I use a three ring binder and page protectors to create my own cookbook. I can make the categories that suit me best. The pages wipe clean after I’m done cooking. And I don’t have to pore through a bunch of recipes that I’ll never use
Instead of throwing the plastic cards that come in the junk mail, I use them to clean the bottom of my pans and cooking sheets after soaking them for 15 min. The cards scrape all the burned stuff smoothly and without any damage to the pans.
I use Google Calendar religiously. I have several different calendars going: my main one for work and dr appts, a blog calendar, and our Girl scout troop calendar. I love it.
My enameled cast iron Dutch Oven. I don’t know how I lived without it before-it’s the most versatile pot I own. It was a bit pricey, but totally worth it.
Wow, this carrier is awesome! I have one kinda like it that has a double sided insert to carry either cupcakes or a sheet cake. And they’re attachable so you can click them together and carry several. What’s also cool is that the insert pulls out and becomes a tray to store them on. I use it all the time for cupcakes.
I like using ice cube trays as earring holders for all my extra earrings!
I’m most productive when I don’t check my e-mail and reader all the time.
having everything in one place helps me be more productive. Awesome giveaway!
I have an egg slicer that someone gave me as a gift. I use it nearly everday, but have never once sliced an egg with it. I use it for a million other things that need to be sliced. It is great with all kinds of fruit, boiled potatoes, mushrooms, and you know that thing you do with a strawberry where you cut it, but not all the way and then fan it out, you can totally do it in a quarter of the time if you have an egg slicer.
Not throwing clothes into the dirty hamper after simple use. I have a sedentary job so I normally wear my work pants 2 times before washing. Cuts down on the washes needed and energy used!
I have two small children, I work three days a week, and my husband works full-time the other three days of the week, with only one day a week to spend as a family. This results in a ton of errands and a house that doesn’t know the meaning of clean anymore. So I have 5 different baby carriers and three types of strollers. Depending on the child, the mood of the child, and the type of chore or errand, I choose the most appropriate equipment. Day of rest – what’s that?!
I put a few drops of water under wax paper before I roll dough out on it – it keeps it from sliding around!
Instead of throwing away old toothbrushes, I use them for various cleaning tasks. One of my fav is to soak my wedding ring in a mix of water and jet dry dishwasher rinse aid, and then scrub with a toothbrush. My diamond is always so clean and sparkly afterwards!
getting rid of excess clothes & shoes in my closet. i found with less in there i can “find” or see more outfits or ways to wear things:) less = more!
You can use a panini press to make pancakes- no flipping required.
For some reason, I can always get the house cleaned and the dishes washed so much faster when I have my headphones on and my music blasting. i guess I’m just not thinking about it so much, and before I know it, I’m done!
Keeping my kids things in order can be so tricky. Using different containers for cars/dolls/pretend toys etc. helps me keep things organized (and teaches my kids grouping skills). I can also put a number of containers away for 6 months and then reintroduce those toys and they are like new for the kids. All in all this hleps me be more productive!
I host a cookie exchange before the holidays start to find new cookie recipes that I will use for Christmas gifts that year. We also do a wine exchange at the same time and I end up with 2 or more wines to get me through the holidays, many of which I would never have purchased myself.
I bake chocolate chip cookies in bulk and freeze them. When my three boys are starved after school they can just pop one in the microwave and it’s almost like coming right out of the oven!
I have the cupcake courier, too and it is the BEST!
My husband recently lost his job so we know all too well about how to do more with less. We’re still able to find (cheap) ways to stay entertained.
reducing and reusing as much as possible, especially w/ sending a lunch to school every day now that my son’s in kindergarten. he just leaves everything in his lunchbox so if i sent a baggie, i can get several uses out of it.
How do I do more with less? I married a frugal wife!
Clipping a bunch of coupons saves me a bunch of money, and plus when I go to buy something using my coupons, it feels like I’m winning a series of small prizes!!
My favorite multi-purpose tool is my cupcake pan. I use it to make cupcakes, muffins and meatballs and to divide up snack options for my son. See, he likes to see all of his options and I can get him to eat more if he gets a little of each thing. So I put grapes, crackers, cheese, applesauce, raisins, carrot sticks, celery bites or any other snack I have on hand in the perfectly sized cups. Then he can eat them at his leisure throughout the day, if we’re home. It has worked perfectly for us.
I buy ground beef in bulk, cook it up, and then store it in quart size bags in the freezer.
I love that carrier! I bought one when I was doing the cupcakes for my brother-in-law’s wedding.
I used to use two pans as a make-shift double boiler-thingy to melt chocolate. I had a friend come over and she said, ‘Look! Danae has one!’ She had asked for one and he said no because it was useless. I then had to explain that I was being ghetto :)
I have found that using Groupon in the cities where extended family lives allows me to give more with less in harder economic times.
I make my own cleaners too – mostly from baking soda. I read once on a thread on an expensive stovetop cleaner that it “worked pretty well” and that they just finished off the job with baking soda/water paste and it got the rest off. Yeah, skip the cleaners.
You can use a beer bottle to roast a chicken!
Cookie Cutters!! I use them for much more than just cookies! My kids love when I use them for their sandwiches and we also make magnets & Christmas ornaments for them to paint.
We use plastic grocery bags as trash bags.
ohmygosh, I have that same courier, and I didn’t even think of using it for cake pops! Brilliant!
Taking a much needed vacation to Hawaii has helped my productivity at work immensely. It’s given me renewed energy. I need to take more vacations!
Is it sad that I was hoping you were giving away the cupcake carrier? Anyway, I have found my meat tenderizer (or as I call it, my food hammer) to be useful for so much more than tenderizing. I’ve never actually used it for tenderizing, yet it’s one of my favorite tools in the kitchen. Breaking up bags of ice, hammering the pin back into my stand mixer, mashing bouillon cubes for faster dissolving, making bread crumbs, etc. Great for anything you need flattened, smashed, or broken.
Using vinegar to clean glass shower doors! It’s better than all those fancy pants cleaners at the store, and it’s so cheap!
I’ve found I’m more productive (and happier) when I don’t sweat the small stuff. So the laundry basket is overflowing- my kids want to play one last game of freeze tag before it gets dark. Live in the moment! In the end no one will remember what an awesome housekeeper I was, I’ll just remember that I had fun.
Fabric softener sheets (Bounce) double as cleaning tools. :) If you have a pot/pan that has a lot of stuck on food, stick a sheet at the bottom, add water and leave it for 30 minutes. The mess wipes right out! This is also really great for cleaning the window of your oven. Warm your oven (200 degrees for 10 minutes). Turn off the oven and lay a water saturated sheet on the window. Wahlah!
I also use peanut butter jars to store leftovers. They can handle anything, solids, liquids, hot, cold… Everyone at worked made fun of me, but now the fridge is full of peanut butter jars!
Do more with less – we cut up our credit cards and using cash forces us to think very carefully, spend less, and make do with what we have, or trade with others for what we want. We’ve had good success using freecycle.org and paperbackswap.com, dvdswap, craigslist, etc.
I use my son’s magnet letters to hold his masterpieces on the fridge!!!
We’re living on a budget to become debt free. And while it’s less, it’s showing us how much more we can spread a dollar! (Actually, I’d rather win the cupcake currier!)
freezing extra sauces in ice cube trays! I’m right out of college and cooking for one, so any way to easily save leftovers is great by me.
Don’t need to enter in the giveway – but just had to say that I have two of these carriers and LOVE them – but thank you for sharing the cake pop method of carrying as well – I never would have thought of it!
Small decorative hay bales (the kind used for Fall floral arrangements) can be used to display Halloween or Thanksgiving cake pops = )
i have found that I am more productive if i listen to music while doing stuff around the house. it always amazes me at the amount i can accomplish when i’ve got some tunes playing in the background.
I find enforcing a “family” clean house day a great way to motivate less of a mess that only Mom gets to clean up.
I’m not that good at being productive. My house is proof of that, but when I do get down to business, I like to have music blaring that I sing along and dance to! Time goes by so much faster, I get a lot done, and it makes it fun!
Wish I could enter :( but my mom works for Microsoft. LOVE this carrier, though!
I found that it was worth re-arranging my cabinets and pantry so that things went in a place that made sense for the way we use them. It was a LONG day, but so worth it! I definitely use my kitchen and everything in it, in a more productive way.
I currently have an obsession of using Brillo pads on like…everything.
I love listening to audiobooks while I bake. It is so relaxing and I can still be productive at the same time!
My kitchenaid has been a huge time saver.
I use Shout Color Catchers in every laundry load. Now I can wash whites and colors in the same load. Saves me a ton of time. I love them so much that I give them as my “Favorite Thing” at a friend’s Favorite Things Christmas party. Yay!
does parchment paper count?… theyre my cooling rack and skip card for cleaning the cookie sheet
Well, with this economy – I have discovered that I do much more with less money. I’ve been forced to be creative – finding free things to do, reading more, spending more time outdoors, spending more time with family and friends, and learning how to make things rather than just buy them. It’s actually fun to find new “treasures” that I wouldn’t have considered before.
I work best when I turn on great music. It gets me in the zone :)
if I clean dishes while my goodies bake, I get a clean kitchen AND yummy treats together! now if I could always do this instead of letting the dishes pile up! love the tote!
I love using kitchen items in tupperware for rattles for little ones. I can constantly change what I put in them (rice, beans, etc) to make different sounds and keep them interested.
LOVE this carrier – it sure would have come in handy a few weeks ago when I was trying to figure out how to transport my jack-o-lantern cake pops and tipped them over in the car!
I am productive when I blast the music and have a deadline looming ahead, like a party that I need to get the house cleaned up for. I also cook/bake better when I start with a clean kitchen!
A lot of people are into buying panini presses, but I just use my waffle iron…a little different grill mark and may leave a different taste in the waffle iron, but it works for me and I haven’t noticed any weird tastes when I use it for waffles after.
Tin cans! Use a nail and a hammer to punch a simple design on them, slap on a coat of paint and you’ve got a lantern!
The fewer stuff I have, the easier life is! But I still want this phone and this cupcake carrier. :)
At the beginning of each week i write down the different chores to be done for the week but break them down into a list for each day. Breaking the list up makes it seem a little less overwhelming and I can refer to my list each day when I get home and know what I need to do.
That anonymous was me!!!!
Serious?? A phone??? Right on!!! I love to use plastic bags instead of fancy decorator bags for decorating. So simple and just throw away when done..
I use Vodka for my Bloody Marys…and to make a simple Household Cleaner- with hydrogen peroxide and water! The cleaner works great and disinfects well.
Gotta love some good ol’ Vodka! :)
I make my favorite chai tea at home and bring it to work in a reusable mug. Saves a ton of time and money at the coffee shop!
I use my shampoo to clean, its from lush and its very aromatic with citrus. I have thin hair that get oily quickly so the shampoo is good at cutting the grease, I mix the shampoo with water and can use it to clean my floors or the stovetop. Also I live in a city and like to cook, but have to be creative. I love angel food cake, but after you take it out of the pan you need to wrap it in something. I put the cooled cake in a large pot, its tall enough and has a lid. My grandma would use a saltines box, the large one, because its portable and light.
Music always helps me be more productive.
Parchment paper…for baking, for piping icing, for drying chocolate….wouldn’t want to live without it!
you’re right i can think of PLENTY of great uses for that bad boy :)
To be more productive cleaning I have two baskets with me and a garbage bag. I start on one room and do not move to another without finishing one. One basket is for things that do not belong in that room to go into, if there are items in the basket that do belong to that room I put them away. The other basket has cleaning supplies. The garbage bag is sometimes full by the time I get done, since I empty every garbage can in the house. If I do not do it this way I start in one room and get lost going back because I had to keep returning stuff to the rooms they belonged in, this way I only have to do it once. Once the last room is clean the items that are leftover in the basket go to the rooms they belong in. :)
The elliptical machine can also be used as a rack for drying clothes…
I put my pots and pans in the oven (oven off of course) as extra storage space. I reuse zip bags until they cannot be used anymore. I buy food items in bulk separate and freeze/store. I use big tubs of plastic ice cream containers (and lid) for kids craft items. ie:markers, stamps, stickers etc.
Instead of buying fabric (at least 12 dollars) to make skirts, I buy long dresses at the thrift store (about 4 dollars) and cut them to make easy skirts. I love it!
I get up 30 minutes earlier than I used to. I was always one of those people that said I could never do it. Oddly enough it’s a life saver!
It’s amazing how productive I can be when I turn off the computer! Imagine that!
toothpick toothpick toothpicks….
I use those little babies everytime I make anything in the kitchen!
I have become somewhat of a coupon fiend… I haven’t yet ventured into the world of buying coupons online, but I scour weekly ads for deals and always end up with a few free or very cheap things at the end of the week!
Using the plain white toothpaste to fill nail holes in the wall. Not the blue gel, unless, of course, your walls are that color, i guess.:)
We plan out our weekly meals before going shopping, so we know exactly what we need for the week and only have to make one trip to the store. We try to come up with meals that include whatever we already have on hand, so nothing gets wasted and we have less to buy.
I’m most productive when I give myself one to two things to do per day. That way, I don’t get overwhelmed and throw in the towel:)
I live in a house of 16 people (and counting!) and we have a lot to do to keep up with our house hold. It takes a lot of patience and productivity to keep it going. One thing that definitely makes a big difference in our house is skilled organization. On cleaning day it can be very hectic with all the supplies you need to get a big house clean. What we started doing was using these little wine bottle carriers that hold 6 bottles of wine (that we got at Wegmans) and we put our cleaning supplies in them so its easy to tote them around!
I am most productive when my family is not at home. When they are here I just want to spend time with them.