My Mom whooped another common sense kitchen tip on us recently. So, I turned the video camera on her and had her show us how she keeps grilled shrimp moist and steady on a skewer.

Finally, be sure to soak your wooden skewers in water before you skewer your shriimp. It keeps them from bursting into flames.

BTW, do I get any points for not making any lame “shrimp on the barbie” jokes?

Special guests Susie, Jack (and Hannah) help me demonstrate how a damp paper towel can change your life. Well, maybe not change your life, but it will help keep that flexible cutting board from creeping off to Nova Scotia.

Solution: Get out the hair-dryer … apply heat to the sticker … after heating up the sticker — it will then easily pull off (without leaving much residue). The remaining residue can be removed by using a touch of lighter fluid on a rag.

Warning: Once the culprit realizes his/her sticker is gone, they will seize the opportunity to put a new sticker in its place. If this happens — repeat the ’solution’ (you may find yourself hopelessly in an endless loop). Consider yourself plugged Greg.

via Gregory M Brettell of Reno, NV
Greg kindly asked us to shamelessly plug a Memorial Day tribute he created featuring original music.

TR McCormick of Dillingham, Alaska shared this useful tip:

If you lose anything on a floor and cannot find it. Use a flashlight down on the floor sideways. This causes the object to leave a shadow and you’ll find it right away.

Place a large coffee mug that is 1/2 full of water in your dirty microwave oven. Bring to a rolling boil, then let it sit in the closed microwave for 10-15 minutes. Wipe clean with a paper towel.

UPDATE: Some readers have warned of the possibility that microwaves can overheat water which can explode and cause burns. Here’s what Snopes.com has to say on the matter:

Yes, water can “explode” in the fashion described above. However, it takes near perfect conditions to bring this about, thus “exploding water” is not something the average hot beverage drinker who would otherwise now be eyeing his microwave with trepidation need fear. Odds are, you’ll go through life without ever viewing this phenomenon first-hand, and if you’re one of the rare few who does get to see it, you will likely not be harmed by the experience (that would take your standing right over the cup at the instant it happened, and the liquid’s bolting up and hitting your skin).

Nuff said.

• 20 Most Popular Comparison Shopping Sites
  A list of the 20 Largest Websites for Bargain Hunters.

• Top 10 Amazon Power Shopper Tools
  A great list of tools for you Amazon nuts. We especially like “Subscribe & Save”. We use this service for items like laundry detergent and diapers. Amazon.com waives the shipping fee, gives us 15% off their regular price, emails us before each shipment (with an option to cancel), and charges us only when they ship. Plus we get to see our favorite man in brown on a regular basis. Which leads us to our next link.

• Mule Design’s Shirt for Amazon Addicts
  If you get all tingly at the mere sound of the UPS truck…this shirt’s for you.

• Adventures in $40 eyeglasses
  A very smart way to get spiffy new glasses for what they really should cost…about $40.00

• Sharpen Your Frugal Senses: Keep A Wish List
  Help your family keep the “I Wants” in perspective with this tip from the folks at TipNut.com.

Speaking of getting good deals. Don’t miss 5 Ways to Get 90% OFF Designer Kid’s Clothes’. It’s one of our most popular.

Our Mobile Family Video.
This video post explains a lot about our wacky family. Including how I started working remotely, how many days we knew each other before getting hitched, and the steps we take to preserve the freedom and mobility we had before we had a traveling circus to tote around with us.

The video was recorded in response to a request from author and vagabond Tim Ferriss. He asked people who had read the 4-Hour Workweek to post a YouTube video explaining their success with Lifestyle Design.

5 Ways to Get 90% OFF Designer Kid’s Clothes.
Tricks we use to dress our offspring for the cost of a Carne Asada Burrito. Mmmm…Burritos.

One Magic Word Slashes 50% OFF European Car Rentals.
A slick tip about how a French tax dodge can save us tourists big money.

10 Essential Packing Rules when you’re Traveling with the Kids.
Hannah whoops her “traveling with kids” judo on us.

Something Down The Drain? Retrieve it Without a Wrench.
An accident that turned into a post. The next day the thing went viral…splattered all over the net.

How to Rent Dirt Cheap Luxury Apartments — Anywhere in the World.
How a little negotiating mojo can get you a lot of bang for your traveling buck.

Slacker Parent and Travel-Friendly Child — Yes, they go hand in hand.
We don’t care if you’re not Martha Freakin’ Stewart. Grab the rugrats and go already…geez!

Travel Tip: Cheesy Bus Tours.
Do the tour first…it has a silver lining.

Finally, we want to say thanks for all the comments and great tips. We really do appreciate it. In 2008 we’ll be writing more about our remote work style and homeschooling, among other things. Of course there might be a bit of talk about childbirth as we get closer to our May arrival. Bear with us…we’ll make it as sugar-free as possible.

1. The Cable Shelf:

My choice for taming cord spaghetti is a cable shelf. I like it’s large capacity and easy access. When we travel I can easily remove the cables I need.

Life Hacker has a step-by-step article showing how they used my favorite cable shelf to whip one of their desks into shape.

2. The Cord Hog

The Cord Hog is simple to use, comes in many colors and is appropriately priced….ie: dirt cheap.

3. Under The Desk – DIY Grid

This design puts everything under your desk on a pegboard with wire. While I admire the ingenuity, I’d use velcro instead of wire. It will allow easier removal if you want to take something on the road or replace it. Follow the step by step instuctions at decluttered.com

4. Another DIY project.

A nice cheap solution. I love it when people use items in ways they were never intended.

5. The Cable YoYo

The CableYoyo is an interesting design. If Apple made a cord handler this would be it.

6. Closet Hooks

This video from Unclutterer.com shows a quick way to use closet hooks to kill the chaos.

7. The Cable Winder 

The cable winder is another little plastic doohickey.

What is your cable taming trick?:

Do you have a favorite way to deal with cable chaos? We’d love to hear from fellow Family Hackers who have tamed the techno beast.

Let’s face facts here. We all get to the point where we want to stuff something in our kids’ mouths and get a few minutes of peace and quiet. To guarantee effectiveness, this something is usually sweet. Oh but then the horrible sticky mess that ensues! I’m still not sure who thought that kids, popsicles, and the summer heat were a good combination.

Solve the problem by converting to the “popsicle-in-the-bathtub” philosophy. Mess and cleanup in one glorious efficient kid-friendly, house-friendly event. By the time they finish those popsicles, I’ll have clean kids and a new post up on family hack! Life is good.

An amazing trick! Our 1-minute video shows you how to easily retrieve anything that went down the drain…without a pipe wrench or a plumber.