I'm the kind of person who loves a good "life hack," but most of the ones I see online are really more like five-day DIY projects that involve a cotton candy machine, a bag of rusty nails, and a bucket of slime. I really just want simple things that I can do every day that makes my life easier. I've written a handful of hacks posts already, and ya'll seem to enjoy them, so let's keep them coming!
So, here's your fresh batch of actually doable hacks from the r/lifehacks subreddit, as well as the comments of my previous posts:
1. "Use two thin rubber bands to hold rickety gingerbread walls in place!"
2. "You can set most microwaves to silent. Just search your brand name, even if your model name/number eludes you. My wife loves this. My midnight snacks don’t wake her anymore."
3. "If your bathroom stall doesn't have a hook to hold your bag or purse, try using the door lock."
4. "I flip my pill bottles after taking them so I remember if I took them or not. It really helps if you take the same pill in the morning and at night."
5. "Wear gloves when you're decorating or touching anything covered in glitter."
6. "I saw an episode of Wife Swap in 2005 where the mom had this system with her sponges that stuck with me. You just downgrade the dishes sponge to the wiping-off-the-counter sponge and then to the bathroom/tub sponge. It makes me feel like I have my shit together and reduces waste."
7. "Foil, baking soda, salt, and boiling water. Perfect for cleaning silver-plated flatware."
8. "Use a shower cap instead of plastic wrap to cover mixing bowls and other dishes in the kitchen. They are especially great if you need to take the cover off and on, like with making bread or chilling cookie dough. One cap can be used over and over numerous times, so while still eventually going in the trash, it is still saving a lot of garbage by not using the annoying film that loves to stick to itself more than anything else. I get a bulk pack from the beauty store for a few dollars, so it's an inexpensive hack, too."
9. "I got tired of family members using a cup then abandoning it, so now, we each have our own colored rubber band we put around whichever cup we’re using that day. I end up washing fewer dishes!"
10. "I keep a notepad on my pantry door. When I take something out, I jot it down. Voilà, instant shopping list."
11. "Use a safety pin to keep all your bobby pins together while traveling."
12. "Use broth in your boxed mac 'n' cheese if you’re out of milk."
13. "Save those plastic packages (with the zippers) that bedsheets and comforters are sold in. I use them to pack liquids (shampoo, etc.) and shoes (to protect my clothes from contact with the dirty soles) when I travel."
14. "When I have something in the fridge that I don't want to forget to bring with me, I put my car keys on the handle."
And finally...
15. "Heavy cream about to go bad? Shake it in a jar and make butter (and some bonus buttermilk). Don’t forget the flaky salt!"
Now, it's your turn! What's a life hack that you started doing that has improved your daily life? Comment below!
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.