One of my favorite things in the world to have on hand.

Duct tape.

Seems like such a silly thing to be excited or adamant about having on hand at all times right? When you think duct tape, chances are you only think about using it to hold something together.

Your thinking, while technically right, is also quite wrong. I've known for quite some time how many different useful things it can do, but I found some that absolutely blew my mind. I'm going to share a few of them with you.

REMOVING SPLINTERS

No joke, this one actually does work. When we get a splinter, it's painful. The removal process has a tendency to be just as painful. How many times have you taken a pair of tweezers, pushed it down where the splinter is then try and force that thing forward and out? It hurts, and now we have an easier way.

The beauty of duct tape is that it's SO sticky, it can pull up nearly anything. If you take a small piece of tape, lay it on top of where the splinter is then slowly peel it off, you'll find the splinter should most likely pull right out.

You may have to do it a couple of times, especially for those pesky ones. Once you're done though, you'll have found a non invasive way of getting those little splinters out of you.

HIDING YOUR VALUABLES

This is actually brilliant. How many times have you needed a good hiding place, but you're worry about it being exposed or falling?

Well, duct tape with it's stickiness and thickness is the PERFECT answer. You know it's going to hold something small like a credit card or drivers license, but what if you need to get something heavier to hold?

Masking tape is too thin and doesn't have the stick. However, try taking your keyring, place them up underneath a desk or something of the sort, then grab a decent sized piece of duct tape. Slap that tape on the keys and press the exposed edges up against the surface. I promise you, they'll stay there for days.

CATCHING FLIES & BUGS

We've all seen those little rolls of fly paper right? It comes in a little tube, then you pull and this crazy long sticky paper is exposed.

Don't have one on hand? Grab that roll of duct tape. All you have to do is hang a long strip of it from somewhere, the flies will be buzzing around then land on the tape. They aren't going anywhere after landing on it. Remember, your keyring is still taped up under your desk. If those aren't falling, a fly isn't getting off it.

KEEP YOUR FEET WARM

Now before you freak out and think I'm about to tell you to wrap your feet in duct tape, relax. That's not where I'm going with this.

Did you know though, that you can take a pair of shoe or boot insoles, wrap duct tape around them then place them back in your shoes? Seems a bit silly right?

Here's the thing, the reflective surface of the duct tape actually will reflect heat back into your shoes or boots! So before you go stuffing hand warmers in your feet, give this one a try. It's cheaper and will last longer.

So there you have it, a few hacks you may or may not have known about...and the reason I always have duct tape on hand in my house.

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