diff --git a/ConciseKitSpecs/Spec/NSStringConciseKitSpec.m b/ConciseKitSpecs/Spec/NSStringConciseKitSpec.m
index 9f4dd65..88d1af1 100644
--- a/ConciseKitSpecs/Spec/NSStringConciseKitSpec.m
+++ b/ConciseKitSpecs/Spec/NSStringConciseKitSpec.m
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@
         assertThat([@"ab cd ef" $split], equalTo($arr(@"ab",@"cd",@"ef")));
       });
     });
+
+    describe(@"-$trim", ^{
+      it(@"removes leading and trailing whitespace", ^{
+          assertThat([@"\t \n foo \t \n " $trim], equalTo(@"foo"));
+      });
+    });
+
   });
 
   describe(@"NSMutableString (ConciseKit)", ^{
@@ -91,6 +98,16 @@
         assertThat(mstring, equalTo(@"bar"));
       });
     });
+      
+    describe(@"-$chars", ^{
+      it(@"splits the string into characters", ^{
+        assertThat([@"abc" $chars], equalTo($arr(@"a", @"b", @"c")));
+      });
+        
+      it(@"returns an empty array for an empty string", ^{
+        assertThat([@"" $chars], equalTo($arr(nil)));
+      });
+    });
   });
 }
 DESCRIBE_END
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/NSString+ConciseKit.h b/src/NSString+ConciseKit.h
index 9648b8c..c311da5 100644
--- a/src/NSString+ConciseKit.h
+++ b/src/NSString+ConciseKit.h
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 - (NSString *)$prepend:(NSString *)aString;
 - (NSArray *)$split:(NSString *)aString;
 - (NSArray *)$split;
+- (NSArray *)$chars;
+- (NSString *)$trim;
 
 @end
 
diff --git a/src/NSString+ConciseKit.m b/src/NSString+ConciseKit.m
index 4083227..4255e95 100644
--- a/src/NSString+ConciseKit.m
+++ b/src/NSString+ConciseKit.m
@@ -15,7 +15,20 @@ @implementation NSString (ConciseKit)
 }
 
 - (NSArray *)$split {
-    return [self componentsSeparatedByCharactersInSet:[NSCharacterSet whitespaceAndNewlineCharacterSet]];
+  return [self componentsSeparatedByCharactersInSet:[NSCharacterSet whitespaceAndNewlineCharacterSet]];
+}
+
+- (NSArray *)$chars {
+    NSMutableArray *array = [[[NSMutableArray alloc] init] autorelease];
+    for (int i=0; i < [self length]; i++) {
+        NSString *spot  = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%c", [self characterAtIndex:i]];
+        [array addObject: spot];
+    }
+    return array;
+}
+
+- (NSString*)$trim {
+    return [self stringByTrimmingCharactersInSet: [NSCharacterSet whitespaceAndNewlineCharacterSet]];
 }
 
 @end