If you know these measurements ahead of time, you can more accurately use them to estimate lengths. When you are at home, take a moment to get out a ruler or tape measure and measure the length of these common items and body parts. Luckily, these body parts can make it easy to estimate the length of an object. In fact, nothing could be handier than your own hands, feet, and arms, and once you’re an adult, they don’t change in length. The trick to taking measurements without a tape measure or ruler is to already know the length of some common items or even your own body measurements. What do you do if you don’t have a tape measure with you? You improvise! You see a desk left on a curb with a “Free” sign attached and you want to know if it will fit through your front door. You might be at a garage sale looking at baking trays, trying to find the best size for your oven. You could be at the furniture store wondering if your purchase will fit in the back of your vehicle.
There are times in life when you need to measure something, but don’t have a ruler, yardstick, or tape measure with you. The Trick is Getting the Most Accurate Measurements, But Don’t Expect Exact Dimensions.Other Measuring Tips Without a Tape Measure.Measurements Based on a Dollar Bill and Coins.