Here’s a few small life hacks that you may find handy. Share yours in the comments!
- When you’re striking a match, hold the match still and move the striking surface. The match will light more strongly and not be blown out by movement.
- When you’re picking an avocado, pick the biggest one. Source: a California Eagle Scout. Believe me, it works.
- If you often use candles, get a candle snuffer with a freely swinging bell. It allows you to align exactly with the flame and snuffs more quickly and completely.
- If you don’t have the energy or time to change bed sheets, change at least the pillow cases. It’s amazing how fresh the bed will feel.
- When you’re washing clothes, you can mix whites and colors if you wash in cold water. My meticulous sister-in-law (who actually asked me if the triple washed salad needed to be washed) clued me in on this one. Bright colors might merit a separate wash the first time.
- Have at least a small waste basket in every room. Things are much more likely to be thrown away if it’s easy. If someone in the family has allergies or other nasal issues, put a waste basket near their favorite chair.
- If you have baby clothes or small children’s clothes to wash, the zippered mesh lingerie bags keep them together and save on sorting. Fewer pieces will vanish, too.
- When you buy socks, buy many pairs that match. As individual socks wear out or get lost, you will still have at least one matching pair until the penultimate one goes.
- When you grow tomatoes, half a cattle panel raised on stakes makes an awesome tomato trellis. Works well with peas and cucumbers also.
- If you use a coffee machine and count out multiple scoops of coffee for each pot, measure how much those scoops amount to and put a measuring cup for that into the coffee can.
- A great way to cook corn on the cob is to trim off the top and stem and boil the cob whole, with husks and silks. In a serving bowl, place the cobs with the cut tops down to allow draining. The husks and silks will strip off easily. Source: a Philippine friend who is an immigrant. Somehow learning in Iowa the best way to cook corn from a Philippina tickles me.
- When you’re pouring beer or a carbonated beverage from a can, rotate it so that the hole is at about ten o’clock. This leaves an air hole and the liquid will flow smoothly.
- If you’re using a funnel to transfer a viscous liquid, take a twist tie and bend a third of it over. Hook it over the top of the receiving vessel, and add the funnel. The twist tie leaves an air gap and the fluid will move more easily.
Do you have little hacks you like? Share them in the comments!
If you enjoy hacks, here are a hundred more.