Here at BTFlashlights we see lots of people that buy flashlights but do not really know how to use a flashlight. Of Course we can all turn them on and off but there are some cool things that you can use them for that maybe you didn’t think about right away. Check out these 5 neat ways to make your flashlight more useful. Who knows, if you incorporate these 5 uses into your routine you might become a flashaholic just like us.
#1 Find things you have dropped
A neat trick is to use your flashlight to create shadows. This can be used for shadow puppets which will be covered in another article but it can also help you find things. Have you ever dropped something on the floor but you just can’t find it? Here is an easy way to spot whatever you dropped. Take your flashlight and lay it on the ground far enough away so the beam covers the area you think you dropped something. Whatever you dropped will make a shadow and you will be able to spot it instantly. Less looking and feeling around since the shadow will stand out. Mark this up as time saved by having a flashlight with you.
#2 Ceiling Bounce?
The Ceiling Bounce! Sometimes shining the flashlight at the ceiling is the best thing to do. Many high powered flashlights have a high enough output that if you shine them at the ceiling instead of at a particular thing in a dark room you get a nice soft light that fills the entire room. Photographers use this trick to get a more even light from flashes and you can use it too. If you have a flashlight that can not stand on its tail then an easy fix is to put it in a glass cup. You can also use this trick to bounce light off of walls or off of a hardwood floor to get around or under desks or entertainment centers. Just remember, you can bounce that light!
#3 Use the lowest appropriate setting
Now I know that you just got a super powerful flashlight so you can blast it everywhere, but it might not be the best way to use it. As a rule of thumb you should use your flashlight at the lowest setting that gives you enough light. This is better for many reasons, takes less battery, preserves night vision, flashlight doesn’t get as hot, and there is less glare and bounce back off of other objects. In short, if you want to see everything around you better use the right amount of light not all of your light.
#4 Use a flashlight to spot broken glass
You would not believe how many pieces of glass you miss if you don’t use a flashlight to help you pick up glass. There are always little specs and shards of glass that you couldn’t sweep up. If you shine a flashlight on the area that you broke glass you are sure to see it glittering all over the place. Similarly you can find dropped contact lenses, earring backs, and clean up dust or glitter if you have littles running around. Along the same lines is the ability to see dropped jewelry, coins, or anything shiny in grass or weeds.
#5 Get things done in the dark
The obvious one here is that you can use a flashlight to work in dark places. The problem is that most people do not carry their flashlight with them. If you everyday carry (EDC) a flashlight then this does not pertain to you, but to everybody else you should have some sort of light on you all of the time. Small EDC lights are useful for so many things like looking behind book shelves, under couches, trying to find where to plug something in, or even looking into your cars engine. Lastly at night and in dark parking lots a nice small flashlight could give you peace of mind and help you see into the dark corners. If you want to check out some flashlight that are easy to have on you all of the time check out our articles on AAA flashlights, AA flashlights, keychain flashlights, and EDC flashlights.
I hope that you found some of these things useful, our goal is to help you get the most use out of your flashlights. These are just a few of the things that flashaholics use their flashlights for everyday. Properly knowing how to use the tools that you have is important to enjoying the things that you purchase. Remember, the best flashlight is the one that you have when you need it.
Hey, do you have any other ways that you use a flashlight all of the time? Let us know.