Holding your dish sponges with binder clips is a great way to keep them on your sink without taking up so much space. And, as an added bonus, this method of storage helps air-dry them quickly—which is more sanitary and keeps bacteria from building up on the sponge. It should also be noted that this wonderful method of air-drying your sponges and keeping them easy to access is dirt cheap.
Binder clips cost next to nothing; chances are, you already have more than a few of them in your home anyway! If you don’t already, they’re definitely worth picking up the next time you’re out at the office supply store. Not only can you use them for the kitchen sink, but they’re always good to keep around just in case you need to, you know, hold a number of different pieces of paper together, right?
Fresh Herbs Can Be Stored in the Freezer
If you love cooking, you probably purchase fresh herbs fairly often. The problem is that it seems almost impossible to use the entire amount you buy at the supermarket before it goes bad. You can put them in the freezer instead of throwing them in the trash! As soon as you get home from the farmer’s market or pick your favorite herbs from your garden, chop them up, put them in an ice cube tray with some olive oil, and have some seasoning ready for every occasion.
With these herb-infused gems at your disposal, elevate every occasion with effortlessly prepped flavors that harmonize with your dishes. Say goodbye to herb waste and welcome the frozen herb cube revolution, bringing convenience and freshness to your kitchen repertoire!
A Hanger Hack That Will Save You Space
Another problem we all sometimes face when shopping for new clothes is running out of closet space. If you don’t feel like going through your clothes and getting rid of things you don’t need, you can save some space by hanging two articles of clothing on each hanger.
Just remove the tab from a can of soda and place it on the neck of a hanger through one of the holes. That adds a place to hang another hanger from the bottom hole, and you have two pieces of clothes that take up the space of one! Embrace this ingenious hack and bid farewell to cramped closets, making room for your expanding wardrobe effortlessly!
A Magnetic Way of Keeping Your Hammer and Nails Together
Most people don’t use a hammer and nails all that often. You know you have both somewhere in your house, but when the need arises, you often can’t find one or the other. They are never where you thought you last placed them. This is not only irritating but can also be dangerous because it is never a good idea to have nails just lying around.
If you want to avoid this mess and keep them together and organized, you can attach a small magnet to the bottom of your hammer. That will make sure that the nails stick around for when you want to use them.
Clean the AC Vents in the Dishwasher
Your home may seem spotless (aren't they all?), but one thing that is probably filthy is your air conditioning vents. They are easy to overlook, but if not cleaned regularly, they are prone to collecting massive amounts of dust and then recirculating them into your house.
A simple and fast method of getting those vents sparkling is to put them in the dishwasher. Just make sure to blow dry the excess water off them (use the cool setting) before putting them back in place. Witness the transformation as your vents emerge sparkling, guaranteeing fresher, dust-free air to grace your living space.
Use Binder Clips in the Freezer
Frozen fruits for smoothies take up a lot of room in your freezer, and so do leftover vegetables from the new stir fry recipe you tried. It is hard to keep those bags sealed and organized, but a few binder clips can solve the problem. Just clip the folded open end of your frozen vegetables or fruits to the middle rack of the freezer.
They will be left hanging, free up extra space, and let you easily see what you already have and what you need to buy. Behold as they dangle gracefully, granting you ample space and visual clarity to assess your inventory and determine future shopping needs.
Organize Your Closet with Pot Lid Racks
Storage solutions may have been designed for your kitchen, but that doesn’t mean they have to stay there. A pot lid rack is the storage solution your cluttered closet didn’t know it needed. You can use one of these racks to organize your clutches, wallets, and even small purses that used to take up space and create a big mess in your closet.
This way, when you are getting dressed, you have all your choices laid out for you, and all you need to do is pick one. By utilizing the pot lid rack, your closet gains order, bidding farewell to the days of disheveled chaos. Embrace this innovative solution and revel in the harmonious harmony that graces your once-chaotic closet space!
A Rubber Band Door Opener
Unloading the groceries from your car is heavy and difficult to handle, even without you trying to open the front door with your hands full. If your door just won’t stay open, you can make your trips to the trunk a little easier by tying a rubber band to the doorknobs, as shown below.
This hack will keep the door from latching, all you have to do is push it open to get through. An important safety tip when using this one: don’t forget to take the rubber band off when you’re done! This ingenious solution transforms the chore of unloading groceries into a smoother, hassle-free experience. You are welcome!
Shoe Organizers Aren’t Just for Shoes
Everybody knows those plastic shoe organizers that hang on the back of closet doors with pockets for all your pairs of flat shoes. Here’s a groundbreaking thought, you can use them for storing things that are not shoes! A shoe organizer can help you get your pantry in order.
You can use it to store the smaller items and to see everything you have in a single glance. They can also be a great place to store all the different cords and plugs that can be found everywhere around the house. Explore the untapped potential of a shoe organizer, optimizing your space and bidding farewell to the clutter in the process.
Use a Pringles Can to Store Spaghetti
Spaghetti noodles usually come in plastic bags that are almost impossible to reclose once you have opened them. If you only cook some of the noodles, the ones left in the bag become a bit stale and tend to start falling out into your pantry. Next time you are snacking on some Pringles, keep the empty can, clean it out, and it becomes the perfect container for noodles.
It is just the right size, has a lid, and will save you the trouble and expense of getting a special container. The bottom line is, repurpose an empty Pringles can as a convenient and cost-effective container for storing leftover spaghetti noodles. Problem solved!
Flatten Your Ground Beef Before Storing
Ground beef is a great thing to have around for a last-minute dinner fix. Who does not love spaghetti Bolognais, delicious lasagna, or homemade burgers? The only problem is that if you are in a hurry, it may feel like forever while waiting for the beef to thaw.
You can speed up the process by flattening your ground beef in a gallon-sized freezer bag before putting it in the freezer. The flat surface area of the beef will cause it to thaw out faster and it will also take up less room and be easier to stack in your freezer!
Use Labels to Identify Your Cords
Using an extension cord or a power strip to power several things in your home can become confusing. Figuring out which cord belongs to which item is hard, especially when they all get tangled up over time. If you need to unplug something, you have to start following cords to find out which belongs to the device you’re trying to find.
Ain't nobody got time for that. You can avoid this confusion by labeling the different cords with bread tags. You can also use washi tape and a permanent marker to create your own tabs and identify the devices they belong to.
Your Boots Will Stay Upright With Pool Noodles
As soon as the first leaves fall, women can’t wait to pull out their beloved winter boots, but in warmer weather, they are typically put away for the season, and their storage conditions are less than ideal. Instead of being placed aside, maintaining their tallness and glam, they slowly loos their life at the bottom of the shoe drawer.
If the tall part is left flopping all summer, creases can spoil the footwear’s nice lines. In order to keep your boots standing tall all year long, just put pool noodles inside them. Simply cut the noodles into the appropriate length and place them into the boots.
Command Hooks Are Also Good for the Holidays
If you are a fan of DIY, you probably already have your share of home hacks and know that Command hooks are the greatest. Whoever invented these never thought they would go such a long way. These small, sticky friends can help hang almost anything on the wall without drilling holes or leaving a trace.
You may not have considered using these hooks for hanging holiday wreaths and other decorations on the front door. All you have to do is place the hook on the inside of your door upside down, use a string and your decoration can hang on the other side.
Cure Carpet Dents with Ice Cubes
We know most of the world had progressed to wooden flooring, however, some are still suck in the 1980s. If you have wall-to-wall carpeting, you are familiar with the problem of carpet dents. You know, when you move the furniture and the dents in the carpet just won’t go away.
If you have guests coming over and you want everything to look nice, you can put some ice cubes in the dents. After the ice has melted completely, the dent will be gone, but you have to make sure that you wipe off the excess water and fluff out the carpet. Take into account that this may take up to 12 hours to work completely.
Hiding Your Router
These days it is hard to live without Wi-Fi, making a router a must-have item in every home. Could you imagine having to connect to the internet as we did back in 1995 when the landline had to be disconnected so you could go online? Ok, back to lifesaving hacks.
Unfortunately, most routers are not as appealing to the eye as they are functional. If you can’t stand that eyesore anymore, you can hide it with some innovative decorating ideas. You can place your router in a pretty box and cut out a hole for the cords. Or you could make yourself look smarter by building a fake bookcase to store it upright.
Desk Organizers Can Be Used in Other Parts of Your Home
Despite your best efforts, pantries can quickly become cluttered and messy. There is no easier thing than outing all items you have no idea where to place in the pantry. Open bags and boxes of food become mixed with various spices, and soon you can’t find anything, or even worse — have everything topple when you reach for something.
Old and unused desk organizers can actually solve this problem. You can use them to organize some of the smaller items inside your pantry. If you have the room and a little technical skill, you can even attach them to your wall, freeing up more shelf space to accommodate larger items.
Use Your Beverage Dispenser as a Detergent Dispenser
How many items do you have around the house that have no use whatsoever? Is there a beverage dispenser somewhere in your house? If there is, it’s most likely dusty, unused, and doesn't do much but take up space around your house. If you are not the kind of person who hosts parties all the time, you probably barely use that old thing.
You can repurpose your unused dispenser and turn it into a laundry soap dispenser. Fill it with liquid detergent, and you can make sure you use the right amount for every wash. Your laundry area will even look better.
Old Tubes Make a Good Home for Cables
If there is a drawer in your house that you prefer not to open because it is full of unused cords and cables, this is the hack for you. Obviously, what you want is to be able to find the cable you need in an organized and efficient manner, but how can you tell which cords are which?
Fold your cords neatly and place them inside an empty tube of toilet paper or paper towels cut down to size. Don’t forget to write which kind of cord is in which tube, or else you will be back at square one.
The Secret Switch Your Ceiling Fan May Have
Most people have noticed that warm air rises at some point in their lives. That is because it is less dense than cool air. That means that in the winter months, you are missing out on the nice warm air your heating produces, but there may just be a switch on your ceiling fan that can help with that.
Many ceiling fans come equipped with a small switch that can change the direction of the fan blades. During the winter you can flick that switch to get the blades to move in a clockwise direction, causing the warm air to be pushed from the ceiling towards the floor.
Pool Noodles Bumpers
Pool noodles have many different uses, and besides being a great swimming pool companion, they are, believe it or not, a wonderful life savior. This time they come to the rescue of people with small garages, big cars, or both. If you have either of these problems, just slice a pool noodle in half and stick the pieces on the walls on both sides of your garage.
When you park your car and open the doors, they will softly open against the noodle instead of scraping the walls. This simple act will help you keep your car dent free and your walls free of scuff marks.
Essential Oils in the Bathroom
Let’s face it, bathrooms don’t always smell like roses, and most people use aerosol sprays when they need to be freshened up. Those are usually momentary solutions, for longer-lasting results, try using essential oils. They are costworthy, they come in many different fragrances, and you can choose the scent you want according to your daily mood.
Even getting this thing working is a piece fo cake. Simply place a few drops of your favorite essential oil on the cardboard of the toilet paper roll. Whenever someone pulls some out, the essential oil will be released into the air and freshen things right up!
A Squeegee Is Not Just for Squeegeeing
Having a pet is a wonderful experience, and it has even been clinically proven that children that grow up with a pet have a better immune system and grow up t be more emotionally developed. But what isn’t wonderful is the sheer mass of fur that can collect on your floor, especially your wall-to-wall carpeting.
You can try and keep up with it by vacuuming regularly, but sometimes even that isn’t enough to get rid of it all! The next time you are planning to vacuum, you can try using a squeegee first to loosen the pet hair from the carpet. That way, you can get out the toughest clumps before beginning to vacuum.
Tongs Can Help Clean Your Blinds
Window shades and blinds are great dust collectors, and whoever invented them obviously wanted to keep us in the shade and never intended for them to become a burden on our to-do list. Cleaning them is one of the most boring household chores. You can make it go faster and more efficiently by dusting them with kitchen tongs.
All you have to do is fasten some microfiber cloths or an old t-shirt to the tongs with some rubber bands, and you’ll create a tool that can remove dust from the bottom and the top of the blinds all at once!
Create Your Own Non-Slip Hanger With Hot Glue
The problem you are facing with your closet could have nothing to do with a lack of space or hangers. You do not have too many clothes, you do not have a shopping issue, and you believe in recycling and passing down whatever you don't wear anymore. YOU DO NOT HAVE TOO MANY CLOTHE.
What's really bothering you is that all your pretty tops tend to slip off their hangers and end up as a puddle on the floor. You don’t have to buy special hangers to fix this problem, there is a solution that you can do all on your own. Use a hot glue gun to squeeze a thin layer of glue on the “shoulders” of your hanger. After it dries, it should provide a good grip for all your silk blouses and fashionable tank tops.
Use a Tissue Box As a Holder for Plastic Bags
It seems like every household has its own secret stash of never-ending plastic bags. They are good for picking up after your dog, lining garbage cans, and a million other things, but are usually an unsightly mess in and of themselves, and no matter what you do, they will never project neatness.
You can up-cycle an empty tissue box by putting plastic bags inside and turning it into a bag holder. You put the bags in with the loops sticking up and fold the end of each new bag into the loops. That way, each time you take out a bag, another one will already be waiting for you!
Use a Tension Rod for More Storage
Household cleaning supplies are usually stored separately under the sink in the kitchen or bathroom. But all the different kinds of products, plus the oddly shaped spray bottles, can take up a lot of space and cause cabinet clutter. Why don't they design these bottles so they can all stand up straight one by each other's side?
A tension rod can really help with this problem. You can find them at any hardware store, and they don’t cost much. Hang one high at the front of the cabinet, and you can line up your spray bottles on it, making them more accessible and creating more space underneath.
Sharpen Your Knives Using Ceramic
Dull knives are a real no-no in the kitchen. They make it much harder to chop food and are actually more likely to cause injury than sharp knives. If you don’t own a knife sharpener, can’t find one when you need it, or cant be bothered to go out and look for a shop that specializes in these things, we have a solution for you.
Instead, You can use a household item you already have in your cupboard. The bottom of a ceramic bowl or mug is a good surface to sharpen your blade on, but if you are going to try this hack at home, please do so with caution!
Conserve Water by Doing This to Your Toilet
Saving water is more important than ever. Environmentally conscious households can do more than just shorten the lengths of their showers. They can also make sure that less water is used every time they flush the toilet. Instead of flushing less, which is kind of gross, all you have to do is put a jar full of water or a couple of bricks in the back of your toilet tank.
When you flush, the tank will fill up with less water because of the space that the bricks take up. Are you in for more water-saving hacks? Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth, and clean your vegetables in a bath of water and not under running water.
Command Hooks Help Keep Bin Liners in Place
Your old plastic bags, which can be used in so many ways, can be used as bin liners too. But the downside to doing that is that heavy items can cause the bag to go in the trash along with them, and then you find yourself trying to pull the sides of the bag back up while avoiding getting your hands smothered with trash.
You can keep them in place by using Command hooks. You stick the hooks on the outside of the trashcan on either side and put the bag’s loops around them. This will ensure that your liner stays in place and your hands can stay garbage free!
Use Shower Curtain Hooks as Hangers
We’ve all had the experience of returning from shopping with some great new clothes, only to discover that we don’t have any free hangers to put on. It's not that we have too many clothes; we never seem to have enough hangers.
This can be aggravating, especially when you take into account that you just came in and don’t want to go out again just to buy some more. Instead, you can just use some shower curtain hooks! They don’t take up a lot of space in your closet and are perfect for clothes that have loops, such as jackets or jeans.
Save Some Paint for a Rainy Day
A freshly painted room can make you feel warm and fuzzy all over. Just changing the color of the wall can completely transform the way a room looks and feels, but it is really aggravating to see your hard work marred when a piece of furniture bumps into the walls and leaves an ugly mark.
You don’t need to save a big messy paint can to solve this problem, all you have to do is take an empty baby food jar and save a small amount of paint in it. That way, you can dispose of the paint properly but still have enough left over to do some touch-ups and keep everything looking great.
Store Plastic Bags in Wet Wipes Container
Accumulative plastic bags can really get in the way. You can bunch it up and stuff it in a drawer, but that is never very pleasing to the eyes. What can one do with all these excess bags? For starters, you can start recycling or stop taking store bags back with you. But if you already have them, there is a better solution.
If you have a bunch of bags you don't know where to put, you can place an old disinfecting wiper container and place them there. The pull-and-grab system is super convenient, and you can store it wherever you like.
Clean Scratches with Toothpaste
Our household goods and furniture are subject to a lot of wear and tear. Kids' feet, animals, accidents, spills, and more. You name it. When you stop to take a look around, you can start noticing a lot of scratches here and there. But before you start panicking and splurge on a new living room, you can simply go to your bathroom.
Toothpaste can take care of a lot of scratches. You can just rub it on those unsightly marks until they smooth out. Put just a dollop of toothpaste on the scratch and slowly buff it out in a circular motion. Clean up the rest with a damp towel.
Get Rid of Sticky Residue With Oil
It's great to reuse old jars and bottles. Those things can be really useful, but what happens when you re-label them? Or at least scrape off the last one, and all that old sticky residue is still there from the last label? Just use cooking oil, it's as easy as...pie.
Rub some oil on the stickiness with some cotton and just watch how easily it comes off when you wipe it. Now you can repurpose old jars and stick whatever you want on them, or just leaves them clean and use them as decorative pieces on your window sill. It's great in front of the light.
Patch up Windowscreen Holes with Nail Polish
Be aware that this is for smaller holes and cracks. If you have a massive hole in your window screen, you might need to replace it, but for minor ones, you can just use clear nail polish. Just paint the crack with some transparent nail polish; it will be as good as new in no time, just like you do with runny nylon stockings.
Who would have thought you could use the same hack for your beauty stocking and fixing your glass window? I guess there is a huge science lesson behind it, and we feel kind of lost for not paying more attention back in school.
Messy Ceramic Top? Use a Magic Eraser
Cooktops made of ceramic are neat and a great alternative to other stovetops. They look much better than the old fashion ones, and from what we can see, this is where the future, when concerning kitchen designs, is going. Unfortunately, they're not great to clean.
While there should be specially-made type sponges for these types of stoves, technology isn't quite there. But there is an alternative. Just use a Magic Eraser. The texture of this magnificent sponge is perfect for tough grease stains and oil build-up. Just a few swipes, and your ceramic stove top will be spick and span.
Light Up Dark Cabinets With LED Lights
Unfortunately, not all of us can afford the fancy cabinet lighting that comes with our kitchen units. Some of us mere mortals have to put up with the shame of dark cabinets and learn how to embrace the darkness and gloom. This can be rather annoying when you're trying to rummage around for cereal or a peanut butter jar.
You don't need to walk through kitchen supplies with a flashlight or candle. You can just install some LED lights on the shelves so that you see everything clearly. They are pretty cheap and look pretty sleek if you ask us.
Throw Dishwashing Liquid into Your Blender
Cleaning a blender can be a real headache. It doesn't have smooth angles, it always tends to have small bits stuck in extra small hols, and you can never get to the bottom of it. Not only that, but it can be potentially pretty dangerous. Sticking your hand into blades can cut your hand up into ribbons.
No one wants that. There are safer ways, though. You can try dishwashing liquid. Add the dish soap to your blender with two cups of warm water, and blend it together until the food residue washes away. It's super safe and totally efficient.
Avoid a Cluttered Kitchen Cabinet By Hanging Up Pots and Pans
There is no such thing as too many pans. We all need a small one for eggs, a medium size one for pancakes, a deep one for deep frying and the list goes on and on. No space for an overhead rack in your kitchen? No problem. The best way to make space in small places is to stop stacking and start hanging.
Simply place some corkboard on the inside of the cabinet and stick adhesive hooks on it. You can hang all your pots and pans and have tons of space. No need to drill holes or knock-in nails. Sticking on wood is just as good and is completely hassle-free. You won't believe how many pots and pans you can actually have.
Hang Up Heavy Utensils Too
Once you've started sticking up hooks, you will find that you will have endless space. Now you can go out and add another piece to your kitchen essential collection. You can hang up bigger utensils like spatulas, strainers, larger spoons, ladles, and even larger hanging knives like cleavers and chef knives.
This can really take away the frustration of a messy kitchen, as there is nothing more annoying than trying to find something when you are just about to prepare something for dinner. It's also much easier to find. Just make sure you don't hang anything sharp in places children can reach.
Peg Down Your Toothbrush
Bathroom surfaces are a breeding ground for bacteria. If we could give you a microscope to see what was going on on those surfaces, you would find it hard to believe. It's best not to leave your things strewn on the counter, especially your toothbrush. That is one item you don't want to get infected with unwanted bacteria.
The best way to avoid this is simple. Stick a clothespeg on the counter and clip your toothbrush in there. This will hold your toothbrush in place and elevate it above the counter. Now you can brush your teeth with a clean brush and finally do something useful for a change.
Wrap an Elastic Band Around a Soap Dispenser
We all, with no exemption, men and women alike, young and old, smart and stupid, use too much soap when we bathe and wash our hands. It's a fact, and this is why we should all wrap an elastic band around our soap dispensers. This is a great way to be careful with your soap usage, it's a good way not to be wasteful.
Just wrap a rubber band around your soap dispenser so you don't squeeze all your soap away. This will also save you some good money because you won't run to the store weekly for a new bottle.
Keep a Fitted Sheet in Place with Suspenders
Sometimes fitted sheets can just slip right off the corners of the bed, and you find yourself lying on a half-naked mattress in the morning. It's no use keeping them down yourself and believe us, we've tried, there nothing you can do about it except for this incredible hack!
To avoid this problem, just dig out a pair of suspenders. Simply clip them on each side of the bed on each corner with the suspenders, and your sheet will stay put for sure. You will never have to worry about keeping them down again (until you change your bedding, that is).
Trash Bags Sticking to the Trash Can? Just Drill a Hole
Nothing is more frustrating than removing a sticky garbage bag from the bin, only to discover that the poor bag is holding on to dear life. It's messy and kind of gross too, and always, but always, the bottom of the bag rips, and the trash is scattered all over the place instead of staying where it belongs.
Thankfully, with a bit of help from some household tools, you can solve this in a jiffy. All you have to do is drill a hole into the bottom of the trash can, and there you go. This gets rid of the vacuum-like seal that makes the bag stick to the floor of the can.
Foam Noodle For Your Car Door
Using foam noodles on your car door can be especially useful in cities where traffic is busy or when you often park near walls and buildings. Opening car doors in confined spaces can be particularly hazardous, and you certainly don't want to damage someone else's car (but more, you don't want someone to damage yours so you are hoping more people are reading this).
The good news is that you can just use an old foam pool noodle that you have lying around the basement. Just cut it and attach it to the door handle. This way, you won't ever accidentally scratch your car again. You can even tape it along your garage walls.
Cover Your Alarm System with a Painting
Alarms keep us safe from potential danger. But they don't look so pretty doing it. In fact, alarm systems can look rather unsightly and tend to ruin the entire interior designer's work you spent a fortune on. Removing these devices just because they don't look good would be inadvisable, and besides, there are some people out there who say it is better to be safer than sitting in a well-presented living room. We disagree.
You can do some alarm redecorating. Take a piece of art and just decorate your alarm system. You can use some hinges and simply cover the alarm with your beautiful design. It's easy and it looks great.
Use Masking Tape Before Nailing the Walls
You've moved into your new house, and everything must be perfect. There is no room for messing things up. If you want to hang up a painting, here's a tip. Before hammering into your plaster walls, be sure to use masking or painter's tape over the desired area. This prevents flaking and cracking in the walls.
We know that once you hand up the picture or precious painting your four-year-old made especially for you, no one will see the cracks, but we know it's there. We vote for crack-free walls. While the painting might cover it up, looking after your house is still important.
Purify Air and Remove Odor With Charcoal
We’re not talking about those heavy white and blue bags of BBQ charcoal you would pick up at Home Depot. Well, maybe we kind of are. Activated bamboo charcoal, in particular, can be found in most home goods stores (and might already be accidentally stored in your garage or shed!). It can be used in place of baking soda to remove odors and in place of expensive air, purifiers to purify the air.
Unlike baking soda or chemical sprays, this charcoal can purify air and remove bacteria and a lot of allergens. Simply load some activated charcoal into mesh bags, and put them around the house wherever you have odors. The best part? Every month, put the charcoal bags out in the sun, and the bag “reactivates” and recharges itself.
Use Bottles for Homemade Cloches
Not all hacks can be used by everyone, and some are designated for very specific needs. This one is for those with a green thumb and a garden to enjoy. Use scissors or a knife to remove the bottom of your old milk jugs or bottles, and use them in the garden to protect vulnerable seedlings from harsh weather and frost. Leave the top as is, but remove the cap to give the plant the air it needs.
Cloches are only meant to protect seedlings during cold nights, so they shouldn’t be used in the warmer months when temperatures remain high overnight. Recycling AND taking care of your garden? Yes, please.
Redecorate With Painted Rocks
Just like the heading says, all you need for this hack are some large rocks, acrylic paint, and brushes. Get a game plan in the works and imagine a theme, the way that you want your decorations to look, and where you want to place them (we recommend the garden). Then, paint the large rocks and let them dry for a night or two before placing them strategically. If you chose the garden, use them to frame your most photogenic plants.
No garden? no problem. This little hack can also brighten up a gray room. Simply place the rocks in a glass bowl to add a touch of color to whatever room you desire. You can get as creative as you want here and go as simple or as complicated as you like. For instance, you can use simple colors and designs or go for your favorite film characters for something more entertaining. The possibilities are endless!
Scrub Produce With Baking Soda
Chemicals, huh? You can't live without them, but you also can't live with the vegan PTA mom going on and on about how your shampoo is basically poisoning you. Thanks to this hack, she will have one less thing to nag about. For years, baking soda has been touted as one of your kitchen's most versatile must-have items.
You will have an all-natural produce scrub by adding a couple of teaspoons of baking soda to 1-2 cups of water. Combine the mixture in a large mixing bowl, or add the ingredients into a spray bottle and shake well. Once mixed, you will have the perfect all-natural solution for ridding your produce of pesticides, dirt, and unwanted yuck from every nook and cranny. Once cleaned, make sure to rinse your produce thoroughly.
Clean With Essential Oils
Essential oils have recently been enjoying great PR. Their popularity is due to their natural sources and limited impact on the environment. There are more and more companies and individuals who find new and useful means to incorporate them into their everyday products and lives. One such way is to use them in the cleaning of our homes and living areas.
The most beneficial aspect of essential oils is that they are natural, not harsh like man-made chemicals, and have much fewer side effects. By combining essential oils with other natural products, such as baking soda or vinegar, a whole new world is opened up to a more natural method of cleaning.
Put Onions and Garlic in Paper Bags
You don’t have to be a top chef to know the flavorful benefits of cooking and sautéing with onions and garlic. By adding these two staples, you can change the game when it comes to the taste of some of your favorite foods or dishes. Veggies like onions, garlic, and even shallots last much longer than their counterparts, such as bananas, apples, and oranges (and don't even get us started on avocados).
Still, there is a simple hack to further their longevity by as many as three more months. Just take a paper bag — a standard lunch bag will do — and punch holes all in the bag using a paper punch. Once you have that done, fold the bag top down a couple of turns and secure it with a paper clip.
Get Rid of Garlic Smell With a Spoon
Garlic is great. It smells great, it tastes great, and it is the supreme leader of the kitchen, ruling from its throne of the little basket on top of the microwave. The only thing keeping garlic from being the best thing that has ever existed is how it leaves your hands smelling spicey for three days after you're done using it.
Luckily, there is a way around it that doesn't involve using surgical gloves. Once you're done handling your garlic, rub your fingertips on the back of a silver spoon for a few seconds. Then, wash your hands with soap and enjoy not smelling like the fish you just cooked.
Attach a Car Air Freshener to Your Fan
If you need to get your home smelling sweet but short on time, you only need a car air fresher and a regular household fan. Purchase the kind that usually clips into a vent and attach it to your fan, being careful that it is not in the way of the rotor blades.
The moment you start that baby up, your house will be smelling like a peach, or any other scent you desire, in no time. All without having to spray aerosols inside your living space. Rejoice in the sweet scents that permeate your space with this ingenious time-saving hack!
Stinky Sneakers No More
The plague of smelly sneakers has been around since, well, the invention of sneakers, probably. The odor is one that can not be mistaken, and once it is in the lining of the sneaker — you're doomed. The smell seems to be the most daunting problem to rid oneself of. Not only is it a nuisance, particularly in potentially embarrassing social situations, It feels like something you can't get away from.
Don't worry! There is a way to get that persistent funk out, but it requires a four-step process in order to work. First, wash the sneakers and allow them to air dry. Once that is done, sprinkle them with deodorizing power, preferably a homemade version. Next, stuff them with newspaper and allow them to sit overnight. Finally, place them into your deep freezer for several hours.
Use Baby Food Jars for Spices
Anyone who has an infant or a toddler in the house can tell you that they are in no way having a shortage of baby food jars. If you do not like the idea of throwing away a perfectly good jar, let alone how they just sit in the landfills for all of eternity, then this hack is perfect for you. Take those clean baby food jars, and use them as a storage container for your spices in your spice rack.
By using the same jars for different spices, you will have a nice and uniform look, plus you will be able to see what jar contains which spice. We would also recommend labeling each jar with the name of the spice inside it. For that, you can use blank stickers or a permanent marker.
Keeps the Critters Away With Plastic Forks
Okay, so maybe it takes a bunch of plastic forks, and there’s no guarantee that they’ll actually keep critters out of your garden or potted plants, but some people still insist it works for smaller pests. The thing about inserting a bunch of plastic forks upside down in the ground of your front lawn is this: it looks super tacky. But hey, if you’re determined to try anything to keep the pests from crawling around in your plants, you can give it a shot!
If you think about it, the forks actually do make some sense. After all, they serve the same purpose as chicken wire – to deter and block pests from certain areas. They won’t keep everything away, but they’ll make it less likely for snails and some small animals to harm your plants. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t have a drawer full of extra forks from takeout restaurants just rearing to go for this project?
All-Natural Mosquito Repellent
No one wants mosquitoes hanging around their house or garden. No one says, “Hey, let’s set up these plants so we attract as many of those little bloodsuckers as possible!” Quite the opposite, in fact. But so many mosquito repellants rely on chemicals to deter the itchy little bastards. Luckily, there’s a way to keep them away from your garden without spending too much money or risking your health.
If you haven’t noticed when you’re buying candles or sprays that are anti-mosquito, one of the main ingredients is usually citronella – which is one of the reasons why this hack works so brilliantly! This particular grouping of plants is enough to keep the bugs away independently–no spray is needed. All you need to do is plant some citronella geranium with marigold, lemongrass, thyme, and catnip in your garden or in pots around your house. Bonus: your cats will love you for planting catnip – seriously.
Keep Your Sponge Fresh With a Binder Clip
Holding your dish sponges with binder clips is a great way to keep them on your sink without taking up so much space. And, as an added bonus, this method of storage helps air-dry them quickly—which is more sanitary and keeps bacteria from building up on the sponge. It should also be noted that this wonderful method of air-drying your sponges and keeping them easy to access is dirt cheap.
Binder clips cost next to nothing; chances are, you already have more than a few of them in your home anyway! If you don’t already, they’re definitely worth picking up the next time you’re out at the office supply store. Not only can you use them for the kitchen sink, but they’re always good to keep around just in case you need to, you know, hold a number of different pieces of paper together, right?
Easily Clean Your Microwave
When you cook things like soup in the microwave, pops, and splatters can leave the inside looking more than a little messy, and there si nothing more disgusting than opening the device and discovering dry and moldy leftovers from the last time you used it. To clean it without much scrubbing, just nuke a bowl full of vinegar or a sliced lemon, then wipe it down with a wet sponge!
This is definitely going to be a lot of help for any microwave owner because cleaning it thoroughly can be quite difficult. Many of us live with people who don’t clean up after themselves properly, so the grime and grease can get dry and hard to clean. No longer!
Clean Silverware With Ketchup
This may seem somewhat counter-intuitive, but ketchup works as an effective polish for silverware and stainless steel or copper pots and pans. There is more to our favorite red stuff than playing the french fry's best companion. Simply squirt a little on, scrub with a scouring pad, and rinse the residue away with warm water.
Who would have known that a simple condiment like ketchup could actually be such a great cleaning agent? It’s enough to make you wonder who thought of this method in the first place. How many of us see something dirty and think to clean it with the same thing we put on burgers?
Make an Organic Insect Repellant
Do you have pests eating up your herbs and veggies, but you don’t want to use harmful insecticides? Try making your own bug spray with ingredients you’ve probably got lying around your kitchen. All you need for this hack is a spray bottle, a couple of heads of garlic, some mint leaves, dish soap, and a few teaspoons of cayenne pepper. Don’t worry – this spray is for your garden, not your skin.
Toss your garlic and mint leaves into a food processor or chop them as finely as possible if you don’t have access to one. Meanwhile, boil ten cups of water and add your cayenne pepper. Combine everything into one pot and boil for 2-3 minutes. Once your concoction cools completely, strain and pour it into spray bottles along with a few squirts of liquid dish soap. Use the mixture to spray on areas where pests are most prevalent.
Help Your Sink Drain With a Toothbrush
If your kitchen sink doesn’t drain quite as well as it used to, you can scrub it clean with an old toothbrush and then drop sliced lemons in the garbage disposal to freshen everything up. It should go without saying, of course, that this should only be done with a toothbrush that you don’t plan on ever using again…at least, not on your teeth. Luckily, though, this is a great excuse to get rid of that old brush you needed to replace anyway.
Besides, it’s unhealthy to use the same toothbrush for too long. Even if you used a new toothbrush for this method, though, it wouldn’t be such a big deal. They tend to be pretty cheap, and you definitely don’t need anything fancy for this technique!
Clean With Slime or Goo
You probably remember goo balls or slime if you were born in the 80s or 90s. The latter has actually been making a comeback in the last few years. That weird, slimy, sticky substance has always been popular with kids. You could mold it, bounce it, squish it, throw it at your friends, drive your parents nuts by sticking it all over the house, and basically anything else you could think of.
The bad part was, that if you got it dirty, even if it was one speck of dust, you knew your slime was doomed – it would never be clean again. But this makes it perfect as a car cleaner. Go to the nearest kid toy store and get a ball of goo, then dab it all over your car and collect every last particle of dirt or dust. You can also make your own slime, just google “DIY cleaning slime” and chose any tutorial.
Avoid a Sticky Mess by Using an Iron
It is unavoidable for sticky messes to happen in your car – your kid drops a gummy bear, and the sun melts it into the fabric; a friend drops a piece of gum on the seat; you sit on a bug, and it goes all over your seat fabric, etc. The possibilities are endless, and the solution is not so obvious.
But don’t worry, next time this happens, and you want to cry because you think your car is doomed, grab an iron, a thick piece of paper, and some patience. Place the paper over the mess and iron over it for 30 seconds. Whatever it is, it’ll attach straight onto the paper and out of your car.
Magnetic Jars for Your Fridge
A surface many people wouldn't think to use is the fridge door, which has a lot of unused surface area. There is more to this kitchen must-have and can't live without device than just keeping our food chilled or frozen. You can easily glue magnetic sheets on your jars of spices and herbs and stick them on your fridge to keep your kitchen organized as well as easy to access.
Just make sure the jars aren't too big or heavy and that the lids are screwed-shut at all times. So, think again next time you're considering buying a magnet for a bit of color and personalization.
Egg Containers for Earrings
You throw out so many egg containers, you might as well save one for storage, right? This hack is super easy and will help you save money on an expensive jewelry organizer. Now you probably won't wonder where that one pair of earrings are or struggle to get them untangled all the time.
This hack is also great when you have little girls in the family. What could be better than having one of these custom-made? On the next rainy Sunday morning, grab onto that egg container, and start sorting out your jewelry. Your little child will be thrilled.
Reuse Plastic Bottles
Having a large wardrobe that has specific draws for shoes is never enough. Buying a beautiful wooden cabinet at the entrance of your house to store the shoes you wear daily is never enough. So, if you need more storage space for your shoes, you can always use old plastic bottles.
Simply cut off the end with a utility knife and stick them together with glue. This way, they won't fall all over the place and will keep your shoes all in one place in a neat setup. Isn't it wonderful to discover that when you last bought a bottle of soda, you actually bought much more?
An Easier Way to Make Meatballs
Making meatballs can be a messy business, but there’s a way to make it easier and a little less...messy. Most kids will go for spaghetti and meatballs any night of the week, so this next hack is one that simply can't be avoided. It has to be done. Just grab one of your trusty ice cream scoops!
After you prepare the meat and spices, use the ice cream scoop to scrape up the meat mixture and easily create a ball shape. This leaves you with nearly perfect-sized and shaped meatballs while your hands stay a lot cleaner.
No More Crying Over Onions
Even if you like the taste of onions, you have to admit that preparing them can be a hassle. The chemicals that they give off when you cut through the many layers make your eyes burn, make you tear up, and make you need to blow your nose too frequently for food prep.
If you find yourself dealing with this far too often, just put on a pair of goggles. Yes, yes, the same ones you use when you go swimming. If they can keep out water, they can keep out the stinging sensation of cutting onions. It's all about using resources properly, and this surely counts.
Peel Eggs Easier
A cooking hack for people who like to consume eggs is one where the eggshell pieces come off smoothly and easily. The trick is to wet your fingers and start peeling the egg slowly. It's a simple trick that doesn't require any added ingredients, and it truly works! Say goodbye to egg salad full of crack shells, say goodbye to awkward-looking eggs, and embrace smooth, silky, and delicious nutritious food.
We can assure you that from now on, your kids will ask for a second helping, and you will ask yourself, how didn't I come across this hack before? You are welcome, that is what we are here for.
DIY Mug Stand
Ah, coffee. Elixir of life, the nectar of gods. The one thing we will never part from and that will forever be our bff first thing in the morning. If coffee were a religion, we would be the first converts pledging our allegiance to those heavenly brown beans.
For now, the closest thing to a coffee shrine we can have is this DIY coffee mug station. You'll need a wooden box, some rods, and several S-hooks. After securing the box to the wall, mount the rods inside, hang the hooks, and then hang the mugs. Feel free to decorate and show your appreciation for the one thing you can't live without.
Paper Towel Rack
Spills aren't only limited to the kitchen, and your house floor has stains to prove it. If you have carpets in all bedrooms, they are bout to have numerous stains and marks all over, and it has been clinically proven that the sooner you wipe them, the less stainy they will remain.
So why not keep a crisp roll of paper towels in every room? That way, you can at least pretend to have the habits of a clean person. The way to do it would be to mount a short tension rod in the closet/cupboard of the desired room and string the roll on it. Can you hear that? It's the sound of you becoming a responsible adult.
Open Your Jars Easily
We’ve all been in that place where we’ve got dinner going, and we’re starving, and all we need to add is just that one last ingredient – but the jar won’t budge. This sounds like a job for your handy, dandy duct tape! Next time you can’t get those pickles to pop open for your (otherwise) amazing turkey sandwich, try this tip.
Just make sure you press the tape into the can very well at first, otherwise, it will just peel right back off. Now you can say goodbye to calling your partner or your next-door neighbor for some help, or even worse, deciding to ditch the pickles and have dinner without.
DIY Room Divider
Lofts or studio apartments could use a nice dividing wall for when you feel like having some privacy. And the good news is that you don't need to get a contractor and mortgage your kidneys to set up a divider. What you need is a tension rod (duh) and a top-to-bottom curtain. This could also work for other spaces — large or small — that need some sort of division. After all, we all need a break from other people's faces sometimes.
The great thing about this hack is that you can also give it a personal touch. You can choose any color you want ( we are sure there are black ones out there), and you can hang all kinds of elements on to keep your little ones occupied while waiting for your to finish work from behind the curtain.
Aluminum Foil Dispenser
Nothing says "my life is together" more than having a DIY dispenser for your aluminum foil or plastic wrap roll. It sends a message that the very last of your concerns have been taken care of even if in real life you spent the last thirty minutes looking for a void to scream into.
You'll need a small tension rod to mount on the inside of your kitchen cabinets (or even inside one of your drawers). Once you have that, simply string a roll of foil on it. Stick-on plastic hooks can also work, as seen in the picture above.
For Your Furniture Cavities
We all know that brushing your teeth twice a day can prevent cavities, but did you know that toothpaste can also repair furniture scratches?! No longer do you have to spend hundreds of dollars to refinish your furniture, all you have to do is apply a small amount of paste to the scratches and buff away.
The scratch disappears and leaves a minty scent as well. 4 out of 5 carpenters recommend it! By the way, did you know that toothpaste can also perform as temporary glue if a crown or cavity falls out? Simply glue the cavity or lost crown back in place until you get to see your dentist.
Cooking Oil Degreaser
We hate buying something new only to have it ruined by the sticky residue left behind after peeling off the sticker. Well, worry no more because used cooking oil will be your savior.
Just grab your favorite used cooking oil after your fried chicken dinner night or stop by your local KFC and rub it on the sticky area. If you let it soak in for a few minutes, it should easily wipe away after. Just have some Dawn on hand afterward because as much as the oil is great at getting off the glue, we don’t want to smell KFC all day.
Coffee Grind Declogger
Drains get clogged all the time, and the worst part is pulling out the hairball that’s causing the problem. Worry no longer because your morning brew is coming to the rescue! You can mix your used coffee grounds with soap and boiling water and pour it right down the drain.
The mixture should break up anything that’s clogging the pipes and rid you of ever pulling out another hairball again. What is it in coffee grains that create this magic? Is it the caffeine that gets the hairball going? We suppose the hairball is quite a character too.
Cool Down That Candle Wax
Don’t you hate when you are blowing out the birthday candles and the wax accidentally gets on your furniture? We do too, but we have a hack that will solve this problem: ice cubes!
Place a bunch of ice cubes in a bag and let them sit on the wax for a few minutes. The ice will cool the wax down enough that it hardens, and you can remove it without ruining your favorite couch. We only wish we had known this earlier; it would have saved a few couches from birthday candle wax.
Fish for Lunch?
This hack is a lifesaver when someone decides to microwave fish in your house... is there a worse smell? The solution is easier than you think. Just pop a bowl of vinegar in the microwave and set the timer for 5 minutes. The vinegar will destroy those smelly particles and leave you with a clean microwave.
Wipe away any residue and put the smell of fish in the past. This amazing hack works in workplaces, too, so always have a bottle of Viniger handy, and if anyone asks, let them read this article. A true life savior with no doubt.
Polish With Essential Oils
We love putting our peppermint essential oil into our diffuser, but we didn’t realize we could also use it to polish our furniture! You can grab your favorite oil to clean all the coffee stains and water marks from your dining room table. We would recommend a nice lemon, lavender, or tea tree oil.
The scents smell lovely and the tea tree acts as a natural bug repellent. Just don’t use it on food preparation tables, as the oils are not safe for consumption. The last thing you want is your freshly cut-up salad, having a leftover taste of lavender, or the steak you just sliced, with an aftertaste of peppermint.
Modern Day Picasso
If your kids are “artists” and love using your painted walls as their canvas, then this life hack is for you. For some reason, all children of the world go through a stage of having the urge to decorate the white walls, so next time the little rascals Picasso your wall with crayons, simply bring out your hair dryer and blow the affected areas.
The heat from the hairdryer will soften the wax of the crayons allowing you to wipe it away with a cloth. It’s so easy, you will never have to stress about your kid’s artistic adventures ever again.
Looking at the Man in the Mirror
Vinegar has so many uses! You might not know that it can also be used to clean off your mirrors and windows. Say goodbye to ammonia-based cleaning fluids, and say hello to a natural substitute. All you have to do is mix the vinegar with cold water and spray any affected area.
Wipe clean with a microfiber cloth, and your glass will look good as new. One little tip from us: the vinegar tends to leave a strong sour smell to whatever it has been in contact with, so we suggest going through our list and finding the hack that will eliminate those unwanted odors.
Minty Fresh Feeling
Gone are the days of using toilet bowl cleaners, all you need is a large bottle of mouthwash, and you can clean your mouth and toilet at the same time. The mouthwash is an antiseptic and will clean away any grime or particles left over from its last use. Let it sit for 30 minutes, and scrub it away when you’re ready.
It works great; your toilet will be as pearly white as your teeth. We know it can sound odd, and the thought of having a ceramic detergent makes us feel a little uncomfortable, however, if it's good enough for the toilet germs, it is good enough for the ones in our mouths.
Second Shower Curtains
Your bathroom is covered with germs and bacteria, and it only becomes worse when you let them sit in their own water. One way to alleviate this issue is to install a second shower rod inside your shower and hang your sponges, loofahs, and other small toiletries from it.
It gives them a nice place to hang and ensures they dry without becoming a breeding ground for the bacteria. It’s one of those hacks that have helped us, and we think it can help you too! Now the hardware store near your home will be thrilled, as they will be making a fortune. Every household will now have to buy more than one rode.
Plop Plop Fizz Fizz
Plop plop fizz fizz, Alka-seltzer tablets are no longer just for your headaches or heartburns but can also clean off that pesky mess on your pans. Simply put two tablets into hot water and pour it all into your dirty pan. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes, and then wipe away.
The bubbles should have attacked even the most baked messes, and your pan should look as good as new. If you need an extra strength formulation, do it twice or opt for four tablets and a 30-minute soak. Now we must ask. What DO they put in the Alka-seltzer we put in our bodies?
Bathroom Organization
Have you ever thought, “We need some help organizing our bathroom,” but didn’t know what to do? Well, head to your kitchen and grab the closest silverware tray because it will be your best friend in the bathroom too. The dedicated sections will offer you space to put your toothbrush, floss, brush, and any other toiletries you may need.
It may not be the first thing you thought of, but it will definitely make your morning routines much more efficient. Hers'e to organizing fast in the morning and making more of the silverware's tray initial intention.
Soaking up the Juices
Garbage bags dripping as you take out your garbage may be one of the worst things in the world. It’s just a mixture of all your runnings and smells terrible. Yet, a simple hack can take away all of your worries. Next time, add some paper towels or newspaper to the bottom of the bag and check your worries at the door.
The paper will catch any loose liquid and stop anything from dripping on your floors. It's better to be left with a smelly and soaked piece of paper towel at the bottom of the garbage can than to have the bag swimming in all of its juices.
Repurposing the Lysol Bottle
We all have that one corner in our pantry that has the endless pile of plastic bags we pick up from the stores but often have no way to organize them. Well, your solution may have been under your sink the entire time. Next time after you finish with your disinfecting wipes, reuse the can to store your bags.
It cuts down on your waste and makes it easier to pull them out as little garbage bags whenever you need them! And on this occasion, we would like to thank the designer of the disinfecting wipes container for creating such a useful and practical item. What would we have done without it?
This Doesn’t Suck, It Supports
No one likes when a flower begins to wilt, maybe it reminds us of the fragility of life, and nothing beats a beautiful bunch decorating our dining room table. Regardless of the reason, this next hack can help boost your flowers in their final days of life. Just add some straws around the stems and let them be.
The straws will give the flowers much-needed support and allow them to take up essential nutrients during their final hours. Best of all, after the flowers pass, you can reuse the straws for your next bouquet and help them live happily during their final hours too.
Places for Pots and Pans
If you are anything like us, you probably have a remarkable collection of all-sized pots and pans. And if you are really like us, then your cabinets can be organized better. One of our worst offenders is the lids of our pots and pans. They just lie there and are a hassle to use whenever we cook.
But what is the solution? Your vertical wire magazine rack! It can help keep them organized and clean up some space in your cabinets. Remember to get two so you also have one to organize your favorite subscriptions too. Now everyone can see your magnificent collection and maybe get a chance to taste some cooking too.
Get Your Mind in the Gutter
Oh, the long, never-ending list of chores we have and the not enough hack we have for dealing with them. Cleaning the gutter is one of our least favorite tasks, but with this tip, it no longer is. It’s a no-ladder gutter cleaner; you only need a long PVC pipe and a vacuum cleaner.
This tip will let you reach and deep clean even the grimiest gutters on your roof. All you have to do is switch the vacuum cleaner on. Simple but EXTREMELY effective. Again we discover a device that is used for something completely different than what it was intended for. We love.
Brushing It Off
If you ever have to paint, you understand the struggle of removing excess paint from your brush. There is nothing worse than getting ready for a decoration scene only to discover the brush you have is useless and nothing can be done about it.
You can use the edge of the bucket, but it’s not the most efficient way and can cause trouble sealing the paint later. Instead, opt for a rubber band that bisects the center of the open hole in the paint can. You can use the edge to wipe off the excess paint and never have to worry about resealing issues.
This One Is an Ace
No one wants a door to be slammed into the wall of your house, but you also don’t feel like drilling into the baseboard to install a new doorstop. There is nothing more annoying than a mark on the wall just where the knob hits, and for that reason, we have gone out of our way and brought you this great hack.
One of France’s oldest sports may be of help. Simply cut a slit in a tennis ball and place it on your doorknob. This will prevent the door from slamming into the wall and not require you to do any carpentry. It’s a quick and easy solution that will save you stress from worrying about making a dent in the wall.
Painter's Tape Perfection
We love using devices and materials for other things and not for their initial use. We love creativity, we love thinking out of the box, and we love straight lines. Painter's tape isn't only for making clean lines for paint but can be used whenever a person needs a clean line.
One we found helpful was to use it for caulking our tubs and windows. The clean lines make them look professionally done, and we love showing them off. If you want to do this too, just grab your nearest roll of painter's tape and tape both sides of where you will caulk. Once removed, you will have a perfectly caulked surface each time.
Cat Deterrent
We all hate nails on the chalkboard. It just sends shivers down our spine. However, if you have a cat that has been clawing your favorite piece of furniture, you can use the same tactic to prevent your cat from clawing. Simply cover the area with aluminum foil and wait.
Next time your cat begins to claw the area, it will have that same nail-on-chalkboard sensation and be less prone to scratch your sofa later. Now, if the aluminum foil is not glued onto the furniture, we have a feeling the foil will find itself on the floor before we even get a chance to sensation. Well, not all hacks are as successful.
Vanilla Ice
We all love the smell of freshly baked cookies in our house, but rarely do we have time actually to bake the cookies. If you want a similar sensation without the baking, try baking vanilla instead. All you have to do is simmer a vanilla bean in water for 10 mins and place that solution in a spray bottle.
Then perfume your house with the mixture, and you will be smelling freshly baked cookies without needing to bake anything. We love the smell, we love the taste, however, this might make us actually bake more frequently, so you can do the same with bringing orange peel to a boil, which will distribute an addictive citrus smell.
Longing to Shear
Getting to the top branch of your tree can be a hassle, but it doesn’t have to be next time. Instead of getting your ladder and wondering if the earth beneath you is stable enough, slip some long PVC pipes onto the handle and tape them in place.
This will extend your reach and cut those branches without ever worrying about falling off the ladder again. Have fun trimming! Say goodbye to fearful moments and wobbly ladders and stumbling tools. It's time to embrace coyness and wonderful home hacks to share with your loved ones.
Non-Slip Caulk
A slippery rug is bad and can lead to injury, but the non-slip mats can be expensive, and we don't want to spend loads of dollars on something that had a home hack solution. So what are we to do? You can use caulk instead! Add a few lines of the caulk to the bottom of your favorite rug, and wait for it to dry.
Once finished, flip it over, and you will never have to worry about the rug moving out of place again. Economical and efficient! Now no one will be able to excuse walking into the house with muddy boots.
Plant Pot Sliders
A garden is a spot of a haven for some of us; the green bushes and tall trees are what can make one's day. They color our domestic landscape in all shades of green, plants are essential for the oxygen that we breathe, but the pots they come in can leave scratches on our floors. We don’t want to get rid of the plant, but we need a solution for the scratches.
If this problem affects you, grab some furniture sliders and place them under your pots. This will allow them to slide easily and remove any chance of them scratching your floors. This way, we can have our plants and keep our apartment deposits too.
This Hack May Go Over Your Head
There never seems to be enough space to store everything in our garage. Bring out that spare PVC pipe you have laying around and make a simple rack from it. You can even bolt it to the ceiling of your garage, and voila! Extra space immediately! Plus, the smooth surface makes getting anything you put up there so easy.
This great hack can be used in so many different ways. Large books can be stored on this handmade shelf, and if you own your own kindergarten and have many kids and many plays in many colors, just look at this photo. Wonderful.
Paperclip Plus
It's going back to school time of year. You prepare yourself for book wrapping and get out all of the essentials you need. The scissors are ready, and the wrapping paper is already laid out, however, the duct tape user all is throwing a tantrum. Finding the end of the duct tape can seem frustratingly futile.
It doesn’t have to be, though. Instead of folding the end to make it easier, opt for a paperclip. This method will save duct tape wasted on the fold and prevent your fingernails from picking up the glue. It’s super simple and has helped us tremendously whenever we use it.
The Cool Side of the Pillow
Do you sleep hot and want something cool to sleep on at night? Then forget about flipping over the pillow to the cool side, and use your freezer instead. All you need to do is spray your pillow with a bit of water and shove it in the freezer for 30 minutes before bed. This will give it enough time to cool and will allow you to fall asleep faster.
If you want an aromatic experience, place it on top of your favorite ice cream, and you can smell cookies and creme as you drift off to sleep. Just remember. Not a lot of water is needed here. Just a gentle spray. If you use too much you might end up sleeping on a solid pillow of ice and then waking up in a small cozy pond.
Painted Keys
Are you having difficulty differentiating your house key from your bike key? A bit of paint can help! Find your favorite paint — we recommend nail polish as an easy solution — and paint your keys always to tell which is which. Just don’t forget what each color means, otherwise, you might just need to engrave them at that point.
Alternatively, you can use any permanent market, like the ones you use, to write something on a cd (when cd's were still alive). This way, you can add an initial to helo you recognize each key. B for back door, F fro front door, and D for don't remember.
You Shall Not Pass
No one enjoys puddles forming on your garage floor. They always end up seeping in and soaking your tools and toys. But there is a way around it. You can keep everything nice and dry by spraying some expanding foam on the floor around your items. It creates a makeshift dam that is waterproof and durable enough to handle steps and car tires.
The best part is once you are done, it scrapes right off without damaging the floor. This can be used in any room you want to seal completely, it's not dangerous, and it won't harm little children, however, it does have one fault. It doesn't look as neat as we would want it to look.
Recharging Your Batteries
Are you tired of your batteries running out at just the wrong time, and you don’t want to go to the store to pick up more? Invest in rechargeable batteries next time! Yes, they cost a little more initially, but they pay for themselves over time. Plus, you will keep some batteries out of the landfill and save money in the long run.
Disposal batteries are so 20th century, and rechargeable ones are what everyone is going for. The next thing we need someone to invent is that all devices requiring batteries should have a charging option instead. Them we can say goodby to batteries, especially the disposal ones altogether.
Hair Curling Hack
Is your bathroom a mess with your curling iron cords everywhere? Find your nearest hook-and-loop tape and two five-inch pieces of 2-in PVC pipe, then tape the PVC pipe to the inside of your vanity door. This can act as a holder for your curling iron and gets them organized when you need to use them next.
You can also do this to hold the curling iron cords. Now you can say goodbye to that cluttered vanity. Many of the things we create alone and design by ourselves are the best things we will ever own, and this innovative hack is one of them. Name one person who has the same drawer arrangement as you.
Growing Your Garden
With how expensive produce is, we know we don’t want to pay those prices. Good news! You can have your vegetables and save money too. Simply build your own garden, and you solved both problems at once. Yes, it will require some water and love to tend to your plants, but the benefit of having fresh produce from your backyard is worth it.
This is a wonderful hack for those who have a very small garden and those who don't have a garden at all. Find yourself a bare wall and get your greens growing. You can personalize your own herb hatch and spice up your evening cup of tea.
Sealing in Those Savings
Drafts cost homes lots of money each year from the air conditioning or heat escaping your residence. Seal up those drafty areas with clear plastic and removable weather stripping. This will act as a barrier keeping the elements out and your air conditioning in.
You will see your utility bills fall and the weight of your wallet grow. You guarantee within no time, you will see a decrease in the hours the heating is on in the winter and the time it takes to call those burning walls down in the hot summer.
Your Ride Rack
If you're a cyclist, take notes! You can use your spare PVC pipes and build your own bicycle rack. You can customize it to fit the number of bikes you have and their size. There is no limit to how many you can fit; it goes perfectly in any corner.
If you are feeling extra DIYey today, you can even mount it to the wall and clear up floor space in the process. This is a great hack for those living in a ground private house. Even if you share an apartment block, find the space, and now all of your neighbors can enjoy it.
Lighting Your Way
When doing home maintenance in dark spaces, all we want is a light attached to our tools so we can see. However, we don’t want to fork out the bucks to buy tools with built-in LEDs. Find a LED keychain flashlight and tape it to the tool of your choice. It turns your tool into its own LED tool and illuminates exactly where you need it.
You'll get the benefits of the more expensive tools at a fraction of the cost. No more using excuses of not being able to see anything, no more using your mobile phone as a flashlight and running down the battery. This is a life savior in moments of need.
All Aboard the Tarp Train
The summer is just around the corner, the grass is unseen as it is covered with piles of leaves, and you have just spent your Saturday cleaning up and getting your personal plot of green ready. Taking multiple trips to dispose of your garden trimmings is a pain. Instead, you can use a tarp! You can buy a large tarp for cheap and use it to drag those branches, mulch, and leaves to the compost.
This is far more efficient and will save you from bending down and making multiple trips for yourself. Just make sure you are strong enough to carry everything in one go, otherwise, it may be smarter to get a wheelbarrow next time.
The Sock Pool Is Closed
Are your socks also jumping off the diving board and finding themselves between your washing machine and the wall? Well, this next one is for you; all you need is a foam noodle. Next time you are in your laundry room, stuff that noodle in between your washer and the wall.
Now when they try to take the dive the pool noodle will catch them and you won’t have to reach down the side ever again! The next creative hack we have to think of now is what to do with those solo socks whose partner never got missing between the washing and drying machine. Where do all the lost socks go to?
Put a Cork in It
Do you have a table that wobbles all the time? Well, your cork can help you with that, so next time you open up your favorite wine, keep the cork; it will come in handy. All you have to do is cut it to the size that will make the table balance out and glue it to the bottom of that leg. Now when you put pressure on the table, it will stay in place.
This is a much more permanent solution than shoving folded paper under the leg. Our good old friend, the bottle of wine, always knows when to come in handy, and now not only will it make us cheerful and keep our table in place.
Look Ma! No Hands!
If you don’t want to hold a flashlight while working in a dark space, you can opt for this hands-free light instead! All you have to do is zip-tie a mini flashlight to the glasses you are working with, and tada! You’re own pair of lighted glasses.
They are much cheaper than the camping headlamp you can get, and if you don’t like them, you can always cut them apart and have your flashlight and safety glasses again. Now after writing this hack, a few questions did arise. What happens to those few lucky people in the world who don't have a pair of personal-use glasses?
Resting on the Rungs
Leaning against the rungs of a ladder can get painful. Next time you have to spend a lot of time on a ladder, get a pool noodle and slice it so it can fit around the rung. Then when you lean against the rung, it is cushioned against the pool noodle. Plus, they are easy to move if you are moving up and down the ladder.
This one is a shin-saver, a car crash savior, and a great way to use those pool noodles your kids have grown out of. Remember, everything you own presumably has more than one purpose.