Sunday, January 9, 2011

new uses for old things: can opener

{real simple}

One of the most useful Christmas gifts I received (thank you, Kaci!) was the new book by Real Simple, 869 new uses for old things. I've always loved the section in the magazine and now I have an entire encyclopedia of ideas at my fingertips!

Today Debbie and I stumbled upon $10 cricut cartridges at Michael's - amazing deal! We each bought a different one (so we can share) but I took them both home to work on a project. Debbie commented "oh good, you can open that stupid plastic." While it's true the cartridges and many plastic clamshell packages are insanely hard to open, thanks to my new book I have a solution!

How to: use a can opener to open clamshell plastic packaging 
without cursing or cutting yourself.


Get out your manual can opener. 
Automatic can openers, you're sitting the bench on this one.


Open the can opener and clamp onto the long edge of the packaging. Squeeze until you feel its clamped on. Now turn the handle until you've cut along the entire long edge. For thicker plastic you may need this more than once.



 Now carefully remove your product from the plastic (the cut plastic may be sharp). Take a moment to pat yourself on the back for not losing your cool. Now enjoy your new toy/device!

3 comments:

Debbie Mendes Cotton said...

$10 cartridges!!!!!!!!

Unknown said...

YAY For a new use! that's AWESOME! I am so going to do it. and glad the book is useful :) or else you could use it for a doorstop for your always open front door ;)

Michelle @ Twig said...

I think you just saved my life and sanity! I get so upset with these type of packages, they are so hard to open I don't know why the makers do that to us! I can't wait to try this out!