INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Use a clear, 1USgal (3.8L) bag with a secure zip closure. Test the bag first by sealing a piece of paper inside and submerging it for 1 minute. If the paper is dry, your tablet should stay dry too! Play it safe and do your best to keep your tablet dry regardless. Don't try to read underwater! Charger cables tend to kink, bend, and break right near the ends (where they plug into the wall or your device). To protect these sensitive areas, pull apart several old, dried up pens and pick out the springs inside. Wrap the springs around the ends of the cables to give them more protection while still letting them flex somewhat. This is a great hack if your desk is cluttered with several charger cables, printer cables, ethernet cables, and so on. Choose binder clips that are large enough to clip to the edge of the desk, but also small enough (if possible) to keep the head of each cable from falling through the binder clip opening. If you can't fit the head of a cord through the binder clip wires, squeeze the sides of each wire to remove them from the clip. Then, squeeze them again to put them back in place after you've pulled the head of the cord through. For a smaller cord, stand a toilet paper tube up in the box and feed the cord down into the tube. For a larger cord, use the toilet paper tube as a sleeve and slide it over the cord once you've looped it around itself several times. If you tend to sleep through your alarm even when it's set to high volume, give this hack a try. Put the phone's speaker (which is usually at the bottom) into the bottom of the cup and get ready for a much louder sound! You can use this trick to amplify music, but it may take some trial and error to find a cup, glass, or mug that doesn't distort the sound of your favorite tunes. Try this hack if you find some old cassette tapes (with their cases) in the attic. Open the case's lid as far as it will go, then lay the case front-side down on your table or desk. The slot in the lid will hold your phone at a great viewing angle. Some larger smartphones may not fit into the slot.

SUMMARY: Seal your tablet in a zip-close bag if you like to read in the tub. Use springs from used pens to strengthen the ends of charger cables. Organize cords at the edge of your desk with binder clips. Organize cords using empty toilet paper tubes in a shoebox. Stand your phone upright in a cup, glass, or mug to amplify the volume. Use a cassette tape case as a cheap but sturdy phone stand.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Jeans do not actually need to be washed as regularly as other clothing items. In fact, washing jeans too often can cause them to fade prematurely. You really only need to machine wash jeans once ever 4 to 6 weeks. If you notice any stains during this time frame, you can spot clean with household cleaners rather than throwing the jeans in the wash. If you're up to it, washing jeans by hand can be more gentle on them than machine washing. This should be a standard practice each time you throw a pair of jeans in with the laundry. Turning the jeans inside out will prevent detergent from wearing as harshly on the dye. Jeans washed inside out will maintain more of their color. If you notice your jeans seem to fade a bit with each wash, use a color protectant detergent. You can buy this at most supermarkets or department stores. You can also opt not to use detergent at all. Vinegar can be used as replacement and may better preserve the color of your jeans. Detergent is meant to eliminate stains but often does not differentiate between stains and dye. Vinegar, on the other hand, will make for a milder wash, cleaning your jeans without removing dye. Vinegar has a strong smell, however. If you have a sensitive nose, using vinegar may be a bad idea. Jeans tend to fade less when washed with other dark clothing. Dark dyes can fade in the wash and swirl around with other clothes. If clothing is packed in together, less dye will fade out. Wait until you have a lot of dark clothes that need washing before washing your jeans. Jeans require a gentle wash and low temperatures to prevent fading. Set your washer for the slowest spin cycle possible and the lowest temperature water. If there's an option for a gentle wash or a hand wash on your washing machine, use it.

SUMMARY:
Wash jeans infrequently. Turn the jeans inside out prior to washing. Use a color preserving detergent or vinegar. Wash jeans with other garments. Use the lowest spin cycle and temperature.