Not everything is what it seems...

Here are some unique uses for a few everyday items, that reinvent the ordinary!

Light candles: When you don't have long matches but you do have plenty of candles, use a piece of spaghetti to fire them all up in one go. Also handy for lighting a candle in a deep holder. 

Test baked goods to see if they're done: Poke a piece of spaghetti into the center; if it comes out clean, your treat is ready to eat.

Use as bookends: A pair of bottles, with or without the contents, can hold a small library together. 

Organize jewelry: Poke stud earrings into a cork and toss it in your travel bag. 

Replace a rolling pin: Roll piecrust or pizza dough flat with a wine bottle. 

Keep your boots up: Slide bottles into boots when storing them so they keep their shape and stand up straight. This one is my favorite because I almost bought boot keepers, and Lord knows I have plenty of empty wine bottles! :)

 Stop scratches: Slice corks into disks and glue them to the bottoms of furniture or heavy pottery to protect delicate floors. 

Create a casual luminaria: Place tea lights or votives inside a metal version.
 

Wash your delicates: Don't throw lingerie into the sink for hand washing. Peroxide from some toothpastes and caustic agents from other cleansers can bleach, stain, degrade, and even disintegrate delicate fabrics. Instead, put the colander in the sink and wash the garments inside it.

Sift flour in a pinch: Pour flour into a colander and shake it back and forth over a larger bowl. (Use a wooden spoon to break up lumps, if necessary.) 

  

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