Life hacks have become one of the biggest trends on the internet in recent years. What are they, exactly? They’re tricks to make your life easier, whether it’s a matter of saving you time, organizing your house, or salvaging clothes from an ink spill. Most of them are also amazingly cheap, so there are no exclusions for people living on a budget.
There are thousands of blogs, websites, and video tutorials dedicated to sharing amazing life hacks with internet users. Since 2015, there’s even been a TV show on TruTV called Hack My Life, all for the purpose of sharing one of the internet’s favorite preoccupations. It’s an amazing way of collecting all the tricks that people all over the world have learned and shared with, well, everyone!
If you love life hacks or want more ways to organize, clean, and save time, read on for 40 amazing life hacks. But even if you’re not up to date with this awesome online trend, you should still glance through these. The 40 life hacks provided are for absolutely everyone. Once you start using some of these, there’s no doubt you’ll ask yourself, “How did I ever live without them?”
1. Use milk to get ink stains out of shirts without a fuss.
There’s no reason that getting an ink stain on your shirt should ruin your day. Just soak the shirt in a bowl or shallow pan filled with milk for about 10 minutes. Then put it in the laundry and run a normal cycle. Just make sure to toss that inky milk down the drain.
2. Use a Xacto knife to resize your shampoo and conditioner bottles.
It’s always annoying when you get down to the end of your shampoo or conditioner and realize the straw — the one that’s supposed to pump the soap up — just doesn’t reach anymore. There’s no need to toss out a bottle that’s still a third full! Just use a Xacto knife to cut the bottle in half, trim the straw, and then slide the two halves together to make a new, smaller bottle.
3. Use lip balm for easy cleanup of running mascara.
If you’re caught with your mascara running with no makeup wipes in sight, don’t despair. All you need is a quick application of some lip balm and a tissue. The wax will make sure your makeup wipes off easily with no residue left behind.
Any college student can tell you half a dozen hacks about getting by without an iron. But they probably don’t know that you can use a regular pot of boiling water as a makeshift one in emergencies. It couldn’t be easier: just bring water to a boil in a covered pot, then run the bottom of the pot over your clothes for wrinkle-free perfection.
5. Reverse damage done by reds and whites mixed in the laundry.
It’s so frustrating when you open your washing machine expecting to see a load of fresh, pristine whites, and instead find that everything has turned pink. The culprit might be a single red sock or pair of underwear that got mixed in. But those clothes can be returned to new condition. Just let them sit in a combination of water and peroxide for 10 minutes, then throw them in to wash again, this time without the red socks.
Imagine being in the middle of your work day, looking down, and realizing that you have a hole in your shirt. There’s an easy temporary fix that will help until you can get home and break out a needle and thread. Just tape over the hole from the inside, then color with a marker or pen to keep it from being super noticeable to all your coworkers.
There are wardrobe emergencies, and then there are wardrobe EMERGENCIES when you just can’t hide it and you don’t have a change of clothes. For big rips or tears, use a stapler for a temporary fix. It won’t last long-term, but it will at least get you back home without flashing everyone a glimpse of your underwear.
8. Glue an eyeglass cleaning cloth to a sweater for easy access.
If you wear glasses, you know that it can be frustrating when they get blurry or smeared, especially if you don’t have a lens cloth within easy reach. Keep one at hand by sewing or gluing it into the inside of your work cardigan or your usual jacket. You’ll be able to clean your glasses safely whenever needed.
9. Use sanitary napkins to cut down on sweat stains.
If you’re out and about during the day and suddenly realize your overactive sweat glands are giving you unattractive pit stains, there’s an easy solution. Just grab a couple of pantyliners and secure to the inside of your shirt. They’ll keep you from sweating through the fabric. You might still want to reapply some deodorant, though!
Bra straps that keep riding up or falling out of place can be so irritating, and they don’t look professional. If you need a way to keep your undergarment where it’s supposed to be, just grab a couple of Band-Aids and tape your straps to the inside of your shirt (or even your skin if they don’t adhere to your shirt fabric).
There are a ton of great uses for lip balm aside from keeping your lips hydrated and comfortable. Apply it to a zipper that refuses to budget to get it to slide easily back into place. Just rub a bit on the zipper teeth and save your favorite coat or pair of pants.
If you have a button that pops off a sweater but doesn’t roll away, there’s a quick and easy fix until you can get to a sewing kit. Just grab a paper clip and unfold it into a single long piece of wire. Then thread it through the holes in the button and through the material of your sweater. Twist in the back like a bread tie to keep it in place.
If your favorite cardigan is starting to unravel, there’s no need to go hunting for an extra-large needle (or worse, throw the sweater away). Just grab a regular bobby pin and hook the loose thread through it. Then pull the loose thread back through the fibers of your sweater until it’s secured. Trim any excess.
14. Combine gelatin and milk for an easy DIY face peel.
If you have clogged pores or just want to get the feel of a face peel without dropping the money for it, look no further: all you need is some gelatin and milk. Combine the two ingredients in a bowl, stir, and then heat for one minute in the microwave. Apply to your face, let rest, and peel to exfoliate.
15. Tackle dry heels with aspirin and some citric acid.
If your heels are dry and cracked from cold winters and lots of physical activity, there’s an easy way to get some relief. Crush up a couple of aspirin and mix with citric acid (you can buy it at Walmart or construction supply stores as well as online) and warm water. Pour into a plastic bag and slip your feet inside, put on a pair of socks, and let rest for 30 minutes.
If you get stains on your underarms as a result of sweat and fabric dyes in clothing, there’s an easy way to make them disappear. Just combine salt, water, baking soda, and white vinegar and apply. Then wash away and watch the stains disappear.
If you live in a cold climate, the skin on your face and hands probably gets chapped and irritated during the winter. You can make an easy DIY soothing gel with just a few ingredients. Mix some aloe vera, honey, and coconut oil, and dab it on to get soft, relieved skin in just a few short minutes.
18. Rub glasses with soap to keep them from fogging up.
If you wear glasses, you’ve probably had the annoying experience of having them fog up in the rain, in warm rooms, or when you’re drinking a hot cup of tea. It’s easy to protect them, though. Just rub a thin layer of bar soap over the lenses and rub in to create a DIY protective coating.
19. Use pieces of soap to freshen shoes and drawers.
Do you have extra scraps of bar soap that you don’t know how to use? Don’t throw them away. Instead, put them into sachets or tie together with string. Then slip them into storage boxes, clothing drawers, or shoes to keep them smelling fresh and fragrant.
Here’s another way to use up old soap scraps. Boil them down in hot water until they dissolve completely. Then pour the water and soap mixture into a liquid soap dispenser. Ta-da: you have your own homemade shower gel.
21. Turn regular soap into bath bombs to clean the toilet.
Wish cleaning the toilet weren’t so up-close-and-personal? Make your own DIY bath bombs to clean it instead. Combine liquid soap with baking soda and citric acid and freeze in an ice cube tray. Then pop a piece out whenever your toilet needs a scrub. Just throw it in, let it fizz, and flush.
If your walls are full of unsightly nail holes, there’s no need to spend long hours patching and painting. Just grab a regular bar of soap and scrub gently over the nail hole to fill it up. Use a similar color to match the wall if possible!
23. Bar soap and an old mascara brush make for fuller eyebrows.
If your eyebrows are in need of a bit of styling, there’s no need for expensive products. Just get an old mascara brush and make sure it’s cleaned thoroughly. Rub some bar soap onto the dry bristles and comb gently upwards through your eyebrows to create the illusion of fullness.
24. Use bookbinding clips to get perfect creases in suit pants.
If you’re struggling to get that pristine crease in a pair of dress pants, just grab a couple of bookbinding clips. Secure them in place where you need the crease to be and run an iron over them. Voila: you have perfectly-creased pants with almost no effort at all.
If your dress shirts are looking a bit floppy, perk them up with a DIY starch spray. Just combine a spoonful of starch with hot water and fabric softener. Mix thoroughly, then put it in a spray bottle. Spritz your collars down before you run a hot iron over them for a sharp, professional look.
26. Get rid of sweat stains with baby powder and an ironing job.
If your work shirts are going limp because of sweat stains, revitalize them with a couple of simple steps. Just rub the stains down with baby powder and then iron thoroughly. They’ll smell fresh and sweet and look even better.
27. Boil faded whites with lemons to restore brightness.
If your white clothes are looking old and faded, there’s an easy way to get them looking good as new once again. Just throw in a large pot with water and bring to a boil with a couple of sliced lemons. Then throw into a regular wash cycle. Your clothes will be brilliant once again!
28. Remove ink stains from skin with alcohol and lemons.
If you have ink stains on your skin that just aren’t budging, try scrubbing them down with a little bit of alcohol and lemon juice. You can use isopropyl alcohol or something similar if you like. Then wash your hands to make sure the double punch of acid doesn’t irritate your skin!
29. Make a head massager out of a regular kitchen whisk.
Make an easy DIY head (or beard) massager by taking a standard metal whisk used in cooking. Cut the top off so that there are “fingers” left behind. Then cover the tips with bits of hot glue to protect from sharp edges.
Love messy foods like wings, but hate getting sauce all over your fingers? Use a couple of hair clips to grab effectively and keep your hands nice and clean. You might get some strange looks, but don’t worry about it — just dig in and enjoy.
31. Make a combination spoon and fork for ramen and other pasta/soup combos.
If you love eating ramen but don’t want to use two utensils, put together this clever spoon and fork combo. Just cut the handle off of a plastic fork and glue in place on a plastic spoon. Presto, you can alternate seamlessly between sipping delicious broth and twirling up a mouthful of noodles.
32. Cut three-ring binders to make a private liquor storage cabinet.
If you want to store your favorite drinks in a discreet place, why not make a stylish fake binder wall? Cut the covers off of a handful of three-ring binders, then super glue together. Your drinks of choice will be cleverly concealed behind what might as well be your class notes.
If you have an old seat belt off a car, car seat, or anything else, repurpose it as a convenient key fob. The main part of the buckle goes on your wall, the other gets threaded through your keys. When you come home, just buckle together for easy, secure key storage.
34. Use muffin tins to bake stuffed peppers upright.
If you love to make stuffed peppers but have problems with them falling over and spilling, ditch the baking tray in favor of a muffin tin. You’ll have perfect, delicious stuffed peppers without a big mess to clean up when dinner is done.
Dry shampoo has recently become everybody’s favorite friend for looking presentable even when there’s no time for a shower. But it can do more than just keep your hair from getting greasy. Spritz a little into your shoes to keep them fresh and dry.
If you enjoy cooking fish but don’t love that icky scent that’s left behind on your hands, don’t try to tackle it with just soap. Before you wash your hands, rub them down with a slice of lemon. It will kill that raw fish smell and leave your hands smelling fresh and clean. The rest of the lemon can go on your plate with the prepared meal.
37. Put scented wipes on a fan for a DIY room freshener.
Don’t have any candles or plug-Ins to get your house smelling sweet? Just lay some scented wipes on top of an oscillating fan and let it blow. It’s a quick and easy way to get your home smelling fragrant without a lot of time or effort.
If your porcelain throne isn’t smelling so fresh these days, try pouring a can of Coke in to freshen it up. The acidity of the drink is great for cleaning out pipes and removing odors, so it’s a quick way to get your bathroom smelling sweet again.
39. Use toy cars to turn regular furniture into rolling furniture.
Turn furniture into furniture-on-wheels with personality by hot-gluing toy cars to the legs. It’s an easy way to make it extra portable and give it a little more pizzazz while you’re at it. No need to buy anything new or try to attach real wheels. The tiny ones will do!
40. Put a couple of drops of aromatic oil in toilet paper to freshen your bathroom.
If you want to keep your bathroom smelling amazing, put a couple of small drops of aromatic oil in your toilet paper roll or tissue box. As the paper is used, the smell will keep unfolding, making a self-dispensing perfume that all your guests will love.
40 Genius Life Hacks For Everyday Life That Every Person Should Know
Cedric Jackson
01.10.19
Life hacks have become one of the biggest trends on the internet in recent years. What are they, exactly? They’re tricks to make your life easier, whether it’s a matter of saving you time, organizing your house, or salvaging clothes from an ink spill. Most of them are also amazingly cheap, so there are no exclusions for people living on a budget.
There are thousands of blogs, websites, and video tutorials dedicated to sharing amazing life hacks with internet users. Since 2015, there’s even been a TV show on TruTV called Hack My Life, all for the purpose of sharing one of the internet’s favorite preoccupations. It’s an amazing way of collecting all the tricks that people all over the world have learned and shared with, well, everyone!
If you love life hacks or want more ways to organize, clean, and save time, read on for 40 amazing life hacks. But even if you’re not up to date with this awesome online trend, you should still glance through these. The 40 life hacks provided are for absolutely everyone. Once you start using some of these, there’s no doubt you’ll ask yourself, “How did I ever live without them?”
