We all want to know the shortcuts in life – what will make our days easier and those pesky chores go by quicker. A few simple tricks can completely change the way you go about your daily activities. Here are 17 life hacks that will make your life a little simpler.
1. Grow Roses from Cuttings
You don’t have to throw those beautiful roses out – you can enjoy them longer by growing more roses from the cuttings. Push the bottom ends of the cuttings into small potatoes, then plant the whole thing. The potatoes will provide moisture and nutrients for the cuttings as they develop roots. Goodbye hassle and hello gorgeous garden.
2. Freshen Your Shoes with Tea Bags
No one likes the smell of dirty feet. Luckily, this quick fix will spare you hours of embarrassment. If your shoes stink, place a few dry tea bags in each shoe and leave them for a few hours. The tea bags will absorb the smell and leave your shoes refreshed. If your shoes are wet, filling them with rice and baking soda will do the trick. After a few days, they will be good as new – on the inside, anyway.
3. Stretch out Tight Shoes
Tight shoes are not only uncomfortable, they are bad for your foot health. If your shoes are too tight, you can breathe easy knowing that there is something you can do to fix it. Fill your shoes with wet newspaper – stuff the paper in as tightly as you can. As the newspaper dries, your shoes will expand a little. When your shoes are completely dry, remove the paper and enjoy your proper-fitting shoes.
4. Never Get Dehydrated Again
It’s hard to drink the proper amount of water – especially if water is not the only liquid you drink throughout the day. Grab your favorite colored marker or pen, and draw lines and times on your water bottle. These marks will keep you on track for your water goals all day long.
5. Start a Fire Faster
When it comes to campfires, gathering kindling can be bothersome. Potato chips make starting a fire quick and easy. The fats, oils, and chemicals found in these chips make them the ideal kindling for your next fire.
6. Find Small Items Easily
We have all been there – you dropped an earring or another tiny item on the floor and have no idea where it went. Instead of bending over for hours looking in every crevice for it, try this simple trick. Put a stocking or pantyhose over the suction cup of your vacuum, and let the vacuum find the item for you. Your long search will be over in half the time.
7. Remove Toilet Bowl Stains
No one wants to clean the toilet, but it’s something that has to be done. Luckily, this hack will cut down on your cleaning time and take away those yucky stains without you having to put in all that elbow grease. Pour a can of Coca-Cola into your toilet bowl, and leave it there overnight. Then simply wash it wish soapy water, and flush.
8. Clean the Shower Head
Cleaning the faucet or shower head is one of the most frustrating bathroom cleaning tasks. This is where the water comes from, and it is a hassle to splash it back up over the shower head! Struggle no more. Fill a plastic bag with white vinegar, wrap it around the shower head or faucet, and secure it with a band. Remove the bag the next day, and watch those stains magically disappear!
9. Destroy Body Odor Naturally
If you forgot to put deodorant on in the morning, or just got done with a gym workout and realize you don’t have more, this hack is for you. Cut a fresh lemon or orange in half and rub the fruit on your skin. The citrus will absorb body odor and leave you feeling fresh.
10. Keep Ice Frozen Longer
No one wants the ice in their cooler to melt in the middle of the day. To keep ice frozen longer, sprinkle a little salt on it. The salt will absorb the moisture in the air and help the ice stay frozen solid.
11. Brush with Fruit
Did you forget to pack your toothbrush? Or maybe you spontaneously spent the night somewhere besides your own home. Don’t spend the day worrying about your breath! Chew an apple, or better yet – brush with it! Some tribal cultures actually use apples as natural toothbrushes. They will freshen up your breath and help your teeth stay clean.
12. Open Your SIM Card Tray
If you have ever tried to get your SIM card out without a tool, you know that almost nothing can help you. With this trick, you won’t have to go to a phone store to get your SIM card out. Use a bent paperclip to open it up. Paperclips are just about the only household object small enough to fit into this tiny space.
13. Unclog the Drain
If your drain is clogged, never fear. Run hot water for a minute, then slowly pour one cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by one cup of vinegar. Run hot water to rinse it all down, and voila!
14. Paint Your Keys
Are you tired of getting your keys mixed up? Make them easy to identify with nail polish. Paint a little nail polish over the top part of the key, and you will always know which key goes to what.
15. Use the Proper Ice Cubes
We all want cold drinks, but we don’t always want to dilute our drinks by dropping in ice cubes that will melt into water. Use frozen fruit to keep your drinks cool, like frozen grapes for wine. Better yet, use an ice tray to make ice cubes out of your drink. Love soda? Pour some soda into the tray, freeze it, and keep your drink cool without having to water it down.
16. Keep Buttons On
No one wants to take a shirt to the dry cleaner’s just to have a button sewn back on. Paint a little clear nail polish over the threads on your buttons to keep them on your shirt and out of your way.
17. Amplify Your Phone’s Volume
Want your phone’s speakers to play louder? Try putting your phone in a glass or bowl. The speakers will echo in the confined space of the glass, making the volume sound even louder. This also works as a great alarm clock. Your phone’s vibration will be amplified by the glass, giving you a good reason to get out of bed and turn that sound off.
Some aspects of life are complicated, but you can make yours a little easier with these handy life hacks.
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Sources: Bright Side, Lifehack, featured image credit: LavozDelmuro
