Whether someone taught you or you figured it out on your own, there’s a good chance you’ve used ordinary things just one way. But there’s exciting news. There are more uses for everyday items that you might not know about.
Now, you can make time-consuming and frustrating tasks easier. How? Well, start with these 65 options. Why continue to do things the hard way when you don’t have to.
Whether you prefer beef, pork, chicken, or even fish, marinating it will enhance the overall flavor. Best of all, you don’t have to let the meat sit overnight. Even 30 minutes in the refrigerator will vastly improve its flavor.
It’s bad enough to break something made of glass but then you have to figure out a way to get all the tiny shards up off the floor. After all, you don’t want kids or pets to injure themselves. Here’s a foolproof method — roll a ball of modeling clay over the area.
Especially if you’re someone who prefers organic remedies, this is ideal for getting rid of a sore throat. All you need is warm milk with a little cardamom added.
Headaches make even the smallest task difficult to do. While this might sound a bit odd, it works. Simply rub a slice of fresh lemon across your forehead.
5. An easy way to start a fire
If you want to start a fire, even with damp wood, light a small mound of regular chips. You don’t need lighter fluid to get a good blaze going.
Buying a new pair of shoes is exciting. To break them in quickly, put thick socks on followed by the shoes. Then use a blow dryer to heat the shoes for roughly 10 minutes.
Boiling potatoes seems to take forever. But here’s a clever hack. Add one to two tablespoons of butter. Not only will the water boil faster but the potatoes will have a creamier texture and better flavor.
8. Eliminate nasty kitchen odors
It doesn’t take much for a kitchen to start smelling bad. A simple way to get rid of unwanted odors is to add one tablespoon of any type of vinegar to a skillet. Then, simmer until it all evaporates.
If you like to travel but worry about your shoes getting damaged, place them in a shower cap. That’ll keep them together and prevent scratches.
10. Help with opening jars
If you struggle to get lids off of jars, place the tip of a spoon under the lip. This will help release the vacuum seal so the jar opens much easier.
Regardless if it’s scotch, masking, or duct tape, the end always seems to stick to the roll. That makes prying the end off for the next use challenging. Just put a paper clip on the inside when finished using it. Problem solved.
Yes, Legos are fun to play with but they have a practical purpose too. Attach a strip to a flat surface followed by a block. Instantly, you have a cute and secure place to hang your keys.
When you buy a whole watermelon, you can cut it in half and keep one portion of it fresh by covering it with a shower curtain. That’ll prevent any of it from going to waste.
14. More space in the pantry
While this works for everyone, it’s especially helpful for large families. Bags of chips and other snacks take up a lot of space inside a pantry. With some string and clips, you now have more room.
15. Cheese grating made easy
There are few things better than fresh cheese. But when grating hard varieties, the holes often get clogged. To prevent this, rub vegetable oil on the grater before using it. The cheese will slide right off.
No matter what you use scissors for, it doesn’t take too long for them to become dull. A fast and effective way to sharpen them is to make a strip of aluminum foil that’s three folds thick. Then, cut the foil several times.
When boiling milk, the goal is to do so but without burning it. If you add a pinch of sugar, it’ll boil faster, which means less risk of it scorching.
It’s not uncommon for people to have old wood lying around. If you’re a crafty person, you can make a bed that hangs from the ceiling.
19. Salvage jeans with an ink spot
Getting ink on jeans may seem like a nightmare but you can safely remove it with acetone. For this, dab a small amount of paint thinner on the spot and then launder as usual.
20. Homemade freezer packs
Those freezer packs that parents put in their kid’s lunch to keep food fresh are costly. Don’t waste another dime. Just get some clean sponges wet and freeze them and then place them in a plastic zippered bag. They work incredibly well, if not better.
21. Keep fruits and vegetables fresh
Here’s another hack using sponges. By placing a couple in the crisper drawers of your refrigerator, they’ll absorb excess moisture. Just be sure to squeeze them out regularly.
22. Protect Christmas ornaments
For your breakable ornaments, place them inside an empty egg carton.
23. A perfect egg substitution
When baking a pie or making cookies, you can substitute eggs with bananas. For this, one-half of a banana is equate to one egg. You’ll love the flavor and texture.
For kitchen towels, keys, pens, and other things you need quick access to, you can make a slit in a tennis ball. Draw on a smiley face and attach a Velcro strip to the back and wall, and you have an instant solution.
If your car’s headlights are looking dingy, you’ll love this solution for cleaning them. Just apply a small amount of toothpaste on a clean cloth. Then, rub it on the headlights in a circulation motion. When done, wipe off.
26. Alternative for painter’s tape
If you’re planning to paint an interior room of your home or office, you can use aluminum foil in lieu of painter’s tape. Just wrap it around doorknobs, window locks, door hinges, and other things you don’t want to drip paint on.
It’s surprising how many people don’t know about this. When opening a can of soda, instead of removing the tap, turn it around. That hole becomes the holder for your straw. Super cool.
28. Help with opening fingernail polish
Lids on bottles of fingernail polish are notorious for sticking. The problem is you can’t get a good enough grip to open them. Well, put several larger-sized rubber bands around the top for extra grip.
29. Prevent bending book pages
If you love to read, there’s a good chance you always have a book with you. But if not carted around right, you’ll end up with damaged pages. For this, put a rubber band around the book vertically.
While not all vehicles have built-in GPS, smartphones do. To stay safe while driving yet enjoying your phone’s navigation, secure your phone to your rearview mirror using rubber bands.
Whether your belly is growing due to pregnancy or you’ve gained a few pounds during the state-at-home order, you can make your jeans fit better. A regular hair tie slipped through the button hole makes a quick expander.
32. DIY wine glass holder
Are you a fan of the farmhouse style? If so, you can use a broken rake to create a cool wine glass holder. It’s super easy to make and fun to display.
33. Car spoiler table and chair
For people who are young and agile, and with a spoiler on their vehicle, they have a handy place to enjoy lunch. Hey, it works.
34. Awesome sandwich maker
A lot of people prefer a toasted cheese sandwich to grilling one. A super-fast way to toast a sandwich is by turning the toaster on its side. That way, the cheese melts evenly but without making a mess.
Although wallpaper today is much different from years ago, some people prefer paint. An easy way to remove wallpaper is by soaking a cloth in liquid fabric softener. After rubbing it on the wall, the paper will come right off.
If you cut the top off an empty and clean juice container or milk jug, you can secure it over the top of various packages. This keeps the food fresh while providing you with easy access.
That dustpan you have for cleaning up messes can be used as a water spout. If you need to fill a bucket with water but only have a sink, it’ll do the trick.
Whether you have a trunk lying around or you find one at a thrift shop, here’s an awesome idea. Add a few legs purchased from a home improvement store along with a few cushions. You’ll end up with a fantastic conversational yet functional piece of furniture.
Most of us throw out empty toilet paper rolls. But here’s a better idea, you can place several in a small box to keep all your electrical cords perfectly organized.
Those disposable plastic containers food comes in from the store also have multi purposes. One example is to reuse it as a sandwich container. They work great for small salads, too.
Especially if you have shag-type carpet, it’s not easy to vacuum up all the pet hair. Using one-part water and liquid softener, sprinkle it on the carpeting and let it dry. Hair will come right up and your floors will smell fresh and clean.
42. Squeezing lemons or limes
When you want to get every drop of juice for a recipe but don’t want to get your hands sticky, use regular tongs. They’ll make squeezing super easy.
If you have a picture you want to hang but it doesn’t have the necessary hardware on the back…no problem. You can attach a tab from a soda can and use it as the hanger..
Are you looking for something fun to do with your downtime? Well, why not turn an old chair into a masterpiece. Paint the frame and for the seat, weave old belts you have on hand or ones you find at a thrift store.
45. Trash can for your car
If you have an unused plastic cereal container, convert it into a trash can for your car. Simply add a liner. What makes this so great is that it’s convenient but with a closeable lid, it prevents odors from making your car smell bad.
By cutting empty and clean plastic containers, you can shape them so they perfectly hold books. If you want to be more creative, you can paint them to match a room’s color scheme.
At some point, socks wear out. Usually, it’s either the toe or heel area. But the top portion is still good. Rather than throw it out, you can make a sweater for your cup. It’ll keep the coffee hot and prevent you from burning your hands.
48. Do-it-yourself sprinkler
With summer just around the corner, it won’t be long before you’re watering the grass. Here’s another awesome way to use an empty plastic bottle. Poke holes in it and then screw on the garden hose. This is brilliant
49. Sparkling clean glass
Are you tired of dealing with streaky windows and mirrors? The Sunday newspaper you get will work far better than paper towels or cloth. For extra sparkle, use a mixture of vinegar and water as the cleaning solution.
When eyeglasses break, it’s usually because the tiny screw that holds the earpiece in place fell out. To keep the screw securely in place, dab on a small amount of clear nail polish.
If you’re like most people, you snack while working on the computer. Even though you’re super careful, small crumbs end up all over the keyboard. To remove them, use a large makeup brush.
Not only are pool noodles fun to play with while swimming but they’re also perfect for storing your winter boots. Just place dry noodles inside of your shoes to keep them standing upright.
53. Decorative lids for jams and jellies
Even muffin and cupcake liners have more than one purpose. After making homemade jam or jelly, you can place one over the lid and tie it off with twine for a decorative look.
Along with using shower hooks in the, well, shower, you can also loop them over a closet bar to keep your purses organized.
A great way to clean baseboards is with dryer sheets. These also prevent dust buildup and will leave your house smelling fresh.
Hair straighteners are commonly used by people with curly hair. But when trying to iron hard-to-reach areas, like around buttons on a shirt, you can use this same small appliance.
57. Hiding place for jewelry
When you run out of stick deodorant, don’t throw away the container. Instead, you can store small pieces of jewelry inside. If someone ever breaks into your house, they’ll never look there.
The next time someone gives you flowers, before placing them in a vase, slip the stems down through a plastic straw. This will prevent the stem from breaking so the flowers last longer.
59. Make snow shoveling easier
Shoveling snow is a back-breaking job, especially when you get a big scoop only for it to stick to the shovel. To prevent that from happening, coat the shovel with cooking spray before using it. The snow will slide right off.
60. Hanging large pictures
When hanging an oversized picture, you need some kind of guide so you know where to hammer in the nail. Colored toothpaste works great for this.
61. Traveling with scarves
If you enjoy wearing scarves while traveling but you hate when you pull them out of your suitcase only to find them a mess, here’s a tip. Keep the paper towel holders you usually throw away. Then, roll your scarves around them before placing them in your luggage.
62. Organizing bathroom drawers
The next time you visit a dollar store, pick up a wood or plastic silverware divider. You can place that in the bathroom drawer for organizing toothbrushes, toothpaste, medication, and more.
63. Small purse container
For women who go out but prefer to carry a small purse, a closing eyeglass case is perfect. It’ll hold a credit card, money, ID, lipstick, and perhaps a few other items.
You know those plastic containers used to hold baby wipes? Well, they’re also the ideal size for a lot of cameras. If you go sightseeing, you can keep your camera inside the container to prevent any damage and then quickly pull it out when ready to use.
If you enjoy a bottle of wine now and then, there’s a good chance you have a cork lying around. Rather than keep it tucked away, you can use it as a pin cushion.
