#MicroblogMondays 22: Onion Goggles

by Mel

33 comments

1 TasIVFer { 01.26.15 at 5:52 am }

If I’m venture somewhere muddy for a brief moment – such as outside into the garden to collect herbs in the rain – I put old plastic bags over my shoes as I go outside. When I come in I can whip them off without leaving muddy tracks or having to swap shoes. Not an exciting thing to mention, however it’s the first thing that came to mind. I’ve *finally* used Microblog Monday as an inspiration to reclaim my space, and I’ve been waiting up for this post so I could link. It’s almost 10 pm here in Australia, our Australia Day holiday is coming to a close, and my book and bed beckon.

2 Jen { 01.26.15 at 6:55 am }

A tip to increase happiness: put up a pin board (or just stick a piece of coloured paper on the wall) and cover it with pictures and memories which make you smile.

Photos, post cards, receipts from wonderful experiences, cards from precious people, cut outs from newsletters, bookmarks, jewellery, things someone made for you, yourself as a child, images representing a dream you want to fulfil… Ideally place it somewhere you see it daily.

Plan what you’d like to see up there next. Then make it happen and take a picture for your happiness board : )

3 Usha Pisharody { 01.26.15 at 7:15 am }

That is a neat trick with the onions! Simply wearing glasses, of course, never helps! And instead of using the ball point pen, I use a hair clip, the U shaped, narrow long one, to pull the drawstring back 🙂
Back here after an AGE! And happy to be too!

4 Persnickety { 01.26.15 at 7:17 am }

When sewing or embroidering, if it calls for an even number of threads, I cut one long one and double it, threading the two ends in the needle. When you do the first stitch, the needle is passed through the doubled loop. It’s smoother than a knot and holds the thread better. It’s called a loop knot.
I am sure I have other tips, but it’s late at night, and my tip there is sleep!

5 Deboshree { 01.26.15 at 7:22 am }

Sounds like a clever trick. I must try it out the next time I need to face onion tears… 🙂

6 Valery Valentina { 01.26.15 at 7:56 am }

But you wear glasses! I have to ask, do you have a snorkel mask with prescription lenses? or squeeze it over your glasses?
No glasses? That would seem a dangerous combination with chopping though…
I’m too lazy to fetch my mask, I switch on the hood as high as it will go. Or if it were a significant amount of onions I would use the Magimix.

7 Corinne Rodrigues { 01.26.15 at 9:00 am }

A picture of you with those goggles would have been great, Mel! 😉
Trick – peel the onion, cut of the ends and soak in water for a few seconds before you begin the cutting!
As far as the draw string is concerned I have a threadler (for want of a better word) – a fat plastic needle with a big eye. 🙂

8 nonsequiturchica { 01.26.15 at 9:28 am }

I think that it is because I wear contacts, but I never seem to have a problem crying while cutting onions.

9 andy { 01.26.15 at 10:14 am }

Did you know that you can buy actual glasses to cut onions? Your hack is so much better!

10 UmaS { 01.26.15 at 11:35 am }

ha ha….thats a damn good idea to cut onions 😀
I generally soak them in water for sometime or refrigerate them before cutting – the tears are a lot less !

11 queenjohnsonclan { 01.26.15 at 11:46 am }

Run onions under hot water after peeling but before cutting. I got it from a chef I new way back when. It works for me.

12 Jess { 01.26.15 at 12:07 pm }

Great idea! I almost never have issues from onions but shallots just about kill me. I don’t really have any tricks up my sleeve like that… I am tip-less! I guess maybe the only thing I have is that when you make a to-do list, always put things on it that are easily crossed off and not time-consuming, even if it seems silly to put them on the list. That way the list is less intimidating and you feel accomplished from the get-go and can tackle those other tasks that just beg for procrastination. That’s all I got.

13 earthandink { 01.26.15 at 12:09 pm }

I usually have an out-the-door center. Which is complicated enough that I’ll do my #microblogmondays post on it instead of go in to detail here. But it saves me.

14 Mary Francis { 01.26.15 at 12:26 pm }

I love the idea with the snorkel mask! I once tied wrapping clingfilm around my head, but it didn’t work.

Neither did laying the toaster on its side make Welsh Rarebit ( cheese on toast/Croque Monsieur ). I have heard that some people succeed though!

15 Cristy { 01.26.15 at 12:48 pm }

Don’t know if this is life hack, but I use foil and parchment paper when baking or cooking. Leads to fast clean up and no more food stuck to pans.

16 Mrs T { 01.26.15 at 1:32 pm }

I am fascinated by life hacks posts, but I don’t think I have any of my own and I don’t end up following the suggested ones either because I can never remember them. I need a life hack for remembering life hacks.

17 Kasey { 01.26.15 at 2:18 pm }

Onions have never made me tear up, and eating a raw onion is the best.
I have no life hacks.

18 torthuil { 01.26.15 at 2:31 pm }

Haha, the goggles are a good idea! looking forward to reading the comments section for more ideas when I have time. The only life hack I can think of right now is wearing leg warmers over my pants to keep them clean when I have to walk in mud/melt off. I’m sure I have more but I can’t think of them right now lol.

19 Pam { 01.26.15 at 2:32 pm }

Parchment paper for baking. I freeze onions.

20 torthuil { 01.26.15 at 2:32 pm }

Oh, I just thought of another one. When baking a cake or loaf, grease the loaf pan and then put a piece of wax paper over the bottom of the pan. That way the loaf won’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Been using that one since I was a child!

21 Baby, Are You Coming? { 01.26.15 at 3:24 pm }

I’ve never had onion tears. I don’t know if that’s because I wear contacts, or because I only buy sweet and red onions! haha

I do like to keep my green onions in a cup of water (with roots attached). They keep growing even after you cut them. Mine generally lasts for a good few months, probably more if I remember to change the water more often!

22 Jessica { 01.26.15 at 4:01 pm }

When you want to drink only a half-bottle of wine, which is generally all I want with dinner with DH, upon opening, immediately pour half into an empty half-bottle (375 mL) and cork it. This preserves the undrunk half better than vacuum pumping or nitrogen. It also ensures that you only drink a half-bottle at once and don’t keep pouring just a little more.

23 Fran { 01.26.15 at 4:13 pm }

Ahaha so clever!! For the onions I found that if I freeze them I don’t cry at all. The defrost very quickly at room temperature while I cut them and don’t get soggy at all. I also read this one somewhere and absolutely stole it: children clothes hanger that have pegs are often to small to hold anything else when they grow, but those pegs are fab to close biscuits and pasta bags!!

24 Amel { 01.26.15 at 4:29 pm }

Oh yeah, I use my swimming goggles as well when I need to cut onions. They work like a charm! 😀 But I don’t have any tips…

25 Laurel Regan { 01.26.15 at 7:20 pm }

I remember my mom teaching me the drawstring trick using a large safety pin, and that’s the way I’ve always done it. I love learning about those little hacks that make life easier!

26 Alexicographer { 01.26.15 at 9:17 pm }

Ah, Fran made me think of one — after opening a loaf-of-bread (or similar) bag, to reclose it, just let dangle from (open) end — hold that one one hand. Then twist bread around — spin it, twisting mouth of bag above bread. Now fold the top down over the twisted section, which will keep it closed. Hope that makes sense. I never fool with twisties, etc., to keep bread bags closed now that I’ve learned that one.

27 Lori Lavender Luz { 01.26.15 at 9:55 pm }

I’m totally trying this. My kids will be amused.

Been trying to think of my own hack all day. Maybe freezing leftover coffee from the french press into ice cube trays? Easy to cool down burning coffee for a ride in a thermal mug. Also, makes good iced coffee during the summer.

28 Stephanie (Travelcraft Journal) { 01.26.15 at 10:34 pm }

So smart! I need onion goggles now! I love little hacks like that. Can I think of one now, though? Hmmm…oh! You can use used dryer sheets for dusting. And coffee grounds in your garden. How about those?

29 Claire { 01.27.15 at 12:43 am }

I light a candle when I cut up particularly heinous onions. It seems to help. I posted my first microblog Monday post! Trying to get back into blogging via this short story version of a post.

30 Shail { 01.27.15 at 3:25 am }

Neat idea. I myself keep the peeled onion in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, in sealed bags of course.

31 Buttermilk { 01.27.15 at 7:33 am }

To avoid hoisery snags at my toes I wear nude colored toe socks under the hosiery.

32 Middle Girl { 01.27.15 at 8:14 am }

My daughter has been filling me in on some lifehacks. I don’t know if she’s tried any yet. I too, use cold water over onions to quell the tearing. OR, get my daughter to cut them up. 😉

33 Obsessivemom { 01.27.15 at 9:59 am }

I’d really have liked to see you in those goggles, Mel. Here’s a tip to clean combs. Soak them in soapy water and in a few hours you won’t need to struggle with the muck – it just sails out on its own.