The Secret Yumiverse Features

How To: Make Hanging Dried Persimmons (Hoshigaki)

A seasonal tradition brought over from Japan to America by Japanese-American farmers, making hoshigaki (as they're called in Japanese) is a fun outdoor autumn project you can do before the winter season really kicks in. Hang a bunch of peeled persimmons on a string outside, wait for three to five weeks, and harvest yourself some naturally dried persimmons during the winter months. Though peeling the fruit and then regularly massaging the fruit every few days after hanging may be more labor in...

How To: Pickpocket-Proof Yourself from Thieving Hands

When you are in Rome, do as the Romans do... avoid carrying your wallet in the back pocket of your jeans. But no matter what city or country you are in, there are several easy precautions you can take to keep yourself as pickpocket-proof as possible so that your amazing travel memories won't be sullied by the experience of having your camera or passport stolen.

Extreme Frugal Living: Tips For Living In Your Car

Whether you really need to pinch pennies for a long road trip or are really at the end of your rope with your financial and living situation, desperate times call for desperate measures--and sometimes that involves living in your car for an extended period of time. It is certainly not easy, but with the right equipment and know-how, making your car your abode is certainly possible if you make the continuous effort to keep things clean, be smart about where you park your car and avoid arousing...

How To: 4 Crafty Ways to DIY an Emergency Oil Lamp

If you're ever in a survival situation where you have no electricity and you're fresh out of flashlight batteries, fear not. By using commonplace items such as glass containers, old T-shirts, and cheap vegetable oil, you can very easily put together your own DIY oil lamp that will brighten up that darkness for hours. And no matter how fancy those store-bought scented candles can smell, none of them will smell as good as a DIY lard candle made with your leftover bacon grease.

How To: Raise Your Self-Esteem

Sometimes, raising your self-esteem is a matter of sticking to basic self-care routines like exercising, eating right, and getting enough sleep. Once you have that down, you can then move onto other productive mindsets and rituals, like setting realistic goals for yourself and exploring hobbies, activities, and communities that interest you the most.

How To: 14 Practical Uses for Nail Polish Remover That Have Nothing to Do with Removing Nail Polish

Acetone-based nail polish remover is great for removing nail polish, and it's also great for some DIY uses around the home. From eliminating scratches to fixing the consistency of correction fluid, its uses are varied but all effective. With nail polish remover, you can also clean your computer keyboard, get rid of ink stains, and even remove leeches from your skin. Talk about versatile!