A few months ago, we explored a list of hacks that were designed to make road trips a little bit easier. A few months before that, we took a look at hacks that everyone who enjoys camping should probably have a look at. From getting the seeds more easily out of a pomegranate to not wasting even one drop of Nutella, it's now time to take a gander at some of the hacks that people have come with for everyday life.
"DeCreased"
Ironing close is a lot easier to do than many people think. Ironing clothes well, on the other hand, is no easy feat. A shirt that's been ironed properly should have no creases and all of its buttons. A shirt that's been freshly ironed will also, usually, have very hot buttons of which people should be aware. This next ironing hack should help a few people from suffering burns at the hands of a button.
Try ironing the shirt inside out. Either way, the crinkles will be taken out of the material, does it really matter if it's from the front or the back?
"Just Mustard, Peppers, And Pickles, Please"
Family barbeque night is always so much fun. If one has a large family, however, chances are there will be a need for a wider variety of condiments. If there are more condiments, there are more dishes, and if there are more dishes, there is a bigger mess to clean up after the barbeque is done. Unless, of course, there was some way to cut down on the dishes.
A regular muffin tray easily doubles as a condiment holder and helps to limit the number of dishes that will need to be cleaned at the end of the meal.
"No Time Like The Present"
It seems like a fairly easy concept to clean the dishes we use when we're finished using them. Leaving dirty pots and pans to fester in the sink for a long period of time, just feels counter-productive. The longer a dish sits with food drying to it, the longer it will take to clean when the time comes. So, why waste time? It needs to be cleaned one way or another, it may as well be done right away.
Whenever possible, try not to go to bed with dishes in the sink. If we take a few minutes out of our evening to clean some dishes, then future us will thank past us the next day for the time we save them.
"Don't Waste The Best Part"
Potatoes have been eaten in many ways over the years, by many different peoples, and for many different reasons. The versatile starchy delight has been mashed, baked, boiled, scalloped, and, let's not forget, french fried. When many people prepare their spuds, they peel the skins and toss them away. Sorry to say, that is quite the mistake as a potato's skin contains potassium, vitamin C, and a slew of other great nutrients.
The outside of the potato is, in fact, more nutritious than the interior. Skins-on mashed potatoes aren't just tastier, they're also healthier. Or, how about some baked potato skins? YUM!
"Just Slide Them On In"
Considering how many years most of us have been putting on pants, it should come relatively easily to most people. Get someone's feet a little moist, however, and it becomes quite the mission. Time and time again people have squirmed, twisted, and turned, in order to get their feet through their pant legs. But all they had to do was put their socks on before their pants. It really is as easy as that.
Our socks act as lube, so to speak, which allow our feet to slide right through the dark tunnels of our pant legs with ease.
"A Big Fan Of This Idea"
It might be to clear the smoke, and smell, from when someone left dinner in the oven for too long, or maybe a lactose-intolerant individual just had a gallon of chocolate milk and an extra cheesy pizza. It could literally be for any reason at all (no one's here to judge), but at some point in their lives everyone is likely to find themselves in a situation where they will need to rid a room of an aroma.
Covering a fan with dryer sheets is an excellent way to not only mask unwanted aromas but also give the room the smell of freshly cleaned laundry that everyone loves so much.
"Getting Hooked"
Tired of cooking the same things for dinner every week? Has the excitement of "Mystery Meat Monday" finally lost its appeal? Finding meal ideas from a cookbook is a great way to mix things up a bit. The problem with using a cookbook is that it takes up precious counter space and, as a result, is bound to get a little dirty. Our next hack helps to keep that from happening.
A clothing hanger is all one needs to use in order to keep their favourite cookbook from getting covered in a little bit of each ingredient they've used.
"A 4-Second Squirt For Me, Please"
Pancakes are, without fail, one of the tastiest breakfast foods that someone can make. They're so simple to make and, when made well, are very tasty. When scooping the batter out onto the flatiron, however, it's damn-near impossible to keep the counter from being dripped on. This next hack isn't just great for keeping counters clean, but a great way to make pancakes when camping.
Instead of dealing with the mess of using a spoon to scoop the batter into the pan, fill up an old ketchup or mustard bottle (that has been thoroughly cleaned) with the pancake batter.
"Waiting Is For Suckers"
On the day that they take place, large events have ways of completely taking over the city in which they're occurring. If someone decides to take their own car to an event, they run the risk of waiting in traffic for a grotesque amount of time, to then have to deal with the hassles of jam-packed parking lots. Fear not, there's a way to avoid the frustrations that come with driving to an event.
As long as one invests in a good bike lock, riding one's bike to a concert or sporting event is a great way to avoid sitting in traffic jams going into, and out of, the venue.
"It's The Thought That Counts"
Throughout the year, there are countless occasions in which we see gifts that we know would be great for specific people, but as a result of the relationship, that one has with that person, not being strong enough to warrant a spontaneous gift during the year, sometimes it's best to wait for their birthday to roll around. Sadly, by the time that happens, the gift idea has been long forgotten and we're, usually, left scrambling for a new and unique gift.
Instead of letting a great gift idea slip through the cracks of one's memory, try writing down the ideas (as not to forget them) and get back to the list at a later date (kind of like a certain Mr. Claus).
"A Constant Flow"
The weekly task of cleaning the floors in the house is made much more difficult by the inability of a mop bucket to fit into a regular-sized sink. Simply put, the process of getting ready to clean is, usually, quite a bit of a mess. This next hack eliminates the need to fill up the mop bucket with water from the hose in the yard and helps to prevent an indoor flood at the same time.
Placing a dustpan in the sink and a bucket on the floor below the flow of water coming from the handle of the dustpan should make life a bit easier.
"Boiling Point"
Cooking dinner for the family can, sometimes, have the potential to balloon into an all-out production - a production that utilizes the entire kitchen and most of its appliances. Once the whole kitchen is in action, at times, it can be a little difficult to keep on top of everything. In these hard times, a few seconds of not paying attention to a pot has the potential to lead to a crisis involving hot liquids all over the stovetop.
By putting a wooden spoon across the top of a boiling pot, save for a few stray bubbles, we are able to all but prevent the pot from boiling over.
"Fake It Till You Make It"
Most people don't bother to do the things that they've been told not to do, or go to events that they're not meant to be attending. There are some people, however, that throw caution to the wind and take chances. Tapestry Films even made a film based on the idea that as long as we go into things with conviction, and look as though we belong, people usually don't ask any questions.
As John and Jeremy taught us, all one needs to do is fake it until they make it. They also taught us not to get in too deep. So, heed the warning.
"Just Like New"
When ordering pizza, tough decisions need to be made. Decisions that can be quite overwhelming for some people, like how much pizza to order and what toppings to get on the aforementioned pie. Some people swear by the tastiness of day-old pizza, but the truth of the matter is that pizza never tastes as good as when it's fresh. This next hack will help day-old pizza taste, almost, new again.
Use a frying pan to heat up leftover pizza instead of the microwave or conventional ovens, it makes the crust crispier and takes about the same amount of time.
"Good To The Last Drop"
Nutella is the spread that needs no advertising. Anyone who has tried it knows how great it is, and those who haven't just don't know what they're missing. The ONLY negative thing about the hazelnut spread is that some of it gets caked onto the side of the jar and is very difficult to get to. It's a good thing that people have been working on a hack to help solve that dilemma.
When it comes to that last bit of delicious goodness that's lining the jar, try filling the empty space with ice cream or, alternatively, warm milk. Both are great ways to get every last drop.
"Make A List And Check It Twice"
It happens far too often that, when we get away for a holiday, whether it be one day or one week, we forget to bring something that we need. Alternatively, there's a very good chance that we've packed, at least, a couple of things that we could probably have done without. For instance, however practical it might seem, no one actually goes through 7 pairs of socks in 7 days, it just doesn't happen.
Spending the time to make a list of everything we might need, and checking things off as they get packed, will inevitably save us the frustrations of wondering if we've missed anything.
"Mind Your Business"
Planning on doing an outdoor trip that just might lead towards somewhere a little wet? Or, perhaps, it's just going to be a wetter than average season. Whatever the hydro-issue is, it's best to always be prepared. This next hack will help keep our shoes dry in, almost, any situation (aside from submerging them in water or enduring a tropical storm).
A bit of beeswax should do the trick. It might not seem like much, but this amazing stuff is capable of turning a regular pair of shoes into a splash-proof pair of shoes.
"Splish, Splash! "
A blender is a very useful appliance to own. While preparing for Mexican night, it's is great for making guacamole, on Mediterranean night - hummus, and after a long day spent out in the sun, margaritas, and smoothies. However helpful a blender can be, with all the parts and hard-to-reach places, they sure are a lot of trouble to clean.
The next time that it's time to clean the blender, try putting a little bit of soap and water inside, turn the machine on, and watch the dirt blend away.
""They're Crunchy And Juicy, What's Not To Like? "
Pomegranate is a delicious fruit that is rumoured to have, on average, 613 juice-covered seeds. While some fruits are an acquired taste, the problem that most people find with pomegranate has nothing to do with the flavour, but instead, the process which one must undertake in order to obtain the desired seeds. It's, usually, a messy experience that leaves pomegranate eaters looking as though they've just committed a heinous crime.
To make things easier next time, slice the pomegranate in half, place one of the halves face down over a bowl, and hit the back of the pomegranate with the back of a spoon. All the seeds should just pop right out.
"How Many Litres Have You Had Today? "
Snacking through the day is a common thing for people to want to do, however, not everyone has the time, or the job, that allows them to fulfill this desire. When the middle of the afternoon rolls around, and there's a grumble beginning in one's belly, try to suppress it with a glass of water. Drinking water is one way to help temporarily alleviate hunger pains.
A fun little tidbit to know is that once we start to feel thirsty, we're already starting to feel the effects of dehydration. Don't forget to drink water throughout the day.
"Not The Splash Zone I Had In Mind"
Going to the washroom and getting unwanted splashback is not something that the majority of people enjoy taking out of the experience. Although bathroom-goers have tried all sorts of tricks over the years in order to ensure minimal splash upon each visit, there is one method, in particular, that has proven to be quite effective. It just takes a little bit of forward-thinking.
When nature calls, and it's not the business that can be left to "mellow", it's a good idea to put a layer of TP down first to act as a bit of splash insurance.
"Yup, That's Mine"
Being on holiday is great, but going on holiday, now, that's another story. Going on holiday is the part of every trip that includes the commute to and from the holiday destination. That part of the trip is full of the stresses of going through the airport and the frustrations of waiting, for what seems like an eternity, for our bags. While we can't do anything about the wait at customs, this hack should, at least, make the baggage search a little bit quicker.
Marking our baggage with something unique and distinctive is the perfect way to single out our own luggage and cut down on the time we spend scanning the conveyor belt at baggage claim.
"How Sweet It Is"
Burning our tongues on soup, coffee, or a plethora of other hot foods and beverages is a tradition that dates back to the people who first discovered fire, thus being able to cook their food. If, after all these years, humankind has not figured out a way to avoid burning our mouths, we may as well look for a cure. And for that cure, we turn to Marry Poppins.
A spoonful of sugar doesn't just help the medicine go down, in this case, it is the medicine. After burning one's tongue on something hot, a sprinkle of sugar, usually, helps to alleviate the burning sensation.
"This Bottle Half Full"
During the summer, going to the beach, or out to the park, with some friends is always fun, but the cold drinks that we bring with us never stay cold for too long. Although freezing bottles of water might sound like a good solution, it just takes too long for the ice to defrost sometimes, and we inevitably end up finding ourselves shaking the bottle of ice in order to help it melt quicker.
Try filling only half or a quarter of the bottle before freezing it. When ready to go out, just fill the rest of the bottle with whichever drink one might desire, and enjoy a refreshingly cold and icy drink.
"I Think There's A Glare"
It's fairly safe to say that most of us have had to pose for, at least, one picture in our lives that we were not in the mood to pose for, but in the case of weddings and other monumental family events, we don't have much choice. When duty calls, we have no choice but to answer, and with this next hack, even a disgruntled family member will look, relatively, happy in the family photos.
Perception is reality, and by squinting our eyes, our cheeks raise just enough to fool the camera into believing that the smile is real.
"Tastes Just Like Nonna's"
Making pasta might seem as simple as boiling noodles in a pot of hot water, but, apparently, it's much more complicated than that. It's hard to believe, but there are actually tricks to stop our pasta from sticking to the pot, and each other, as well as helping to speed up the cooking process altogether. These tricks used to be passed down from generation to generation, these days, however, we just find everything online.
Adding a bit of salt to the water helps it boil quicker and gives the pasta a bit of a nicer flavour. Adding a bit of oil to the boiling water stops the pasta from sticking together. Give it a go.
"Eggspect The UnEggspected"
To make a chopped-egg salad, one must first hard-boil some eggs. When the boiling process is complete, obviously, the shells need to be removed before the eggs are chopped, but, for some reason, the egg is not too keen on separating from its shell and usually hangs on to it a bit, causing the egg to become slightly mutilated. This next hack will teach us how to more easily remove the shell from an egg.
In order to make it easier to peel hard-boiled eggs, the next time they're on the menu, add a little bit of baking soda to the boiling water before the eggs go in.
"This Little Light Of Mine"
This next hack is great for a variety of circumstances up to and including, but not limited to, camping and blackouts. Being out in the woods or home alone during a power outage can be a frightening experience for some people especially if they suffer from nyctophobia or, in other words, the fear of the dark. Let's just say that it's a good thing for those people that modern cellphones all come with flashlights.
By turning on the flashlight of one's mobile phone, and placing the phone under (or next to) a water bottle, the light will shine through and be amplified by the bottle, thus providing amble light for nighttime activities.
"This Seat's Taken"
Taking public transportation one is sure to meet all sorts of interesting characters. As much as everyone does need to understand that public transportation is for the public, sometimes we just don't want anyone sitting next to us. A good way to help ensure that the empty seat next to us stays empty is to stare at the entrance when someone is getting on and creepily motion for the oncoming passenger to over.
99 out of 100 times, the person will be happy to go sit somewhere else, however, with the off chance that they do come over it's best to play it off as though we thought it was someone else.
"Just Try To Blend In"
As children, we wanted to go to the zoo in order to see all of the fun animals that we learned about in our picture books and our favourite cartoons. As adults, we enjoy the zoo because of the fascinating things we've learned over the years through the incredible documentary series of David Attenborough. Either way, it's rare that we're able to get close enough to have a good look at the animals.
On the next visit to the zoo, try wearing the same colour clothing as the zookeepers. It just might be enough to trick some of the animals into coming in for a closer look.
"One Spoon, Or Two? "
Whether out camping, or sitting at home with the window open in the summertime, there is a tiny little creature that buzzes around us, taking what it wants when it wants, without asking us, or our loved ones if it's okay. They spread disease and were also responsible for storying preserved dino DNA in "Jurassic Park". Yup, we're talking about mosquitos - those little vampires drive us mad with the endless hours of itching they cause.
The next time that itch becomes too much to handle, try running a spoon under hot water then pressing it against the bit. It should help with the irritation.
"It's Gettin' Hot In Here"
Over the years, people have used many different methods to rid their cars of the tremendous heat that leaving them out in the summer sun brings with it. One of the popular methods is to lower the windows of the car and turn the fan on full. Theoretically, this should push out the old warm air while simultaneously pumping in the cold refreshing air. Believe it or not, there's an even quicker way to cool of the car on a hot summer's day.
A quick and effective way of cooling off the car on a hot day is by opening a door on one side of the car and using a door on the opposite side as a fan to help circulate the air quicker.
"It'll Add Up If We Let It"
Owning a car is great for the daily commute to and from work, however, in spending such a prolonged amount of time in one's vehicle, one is highly likely to be accumulating a large quantity of trash - mostly, old coffee cups and paper bags that once held breakfast sandwiches or toasted bagels that were eaten on the drive to work.
When it's time to fill up the car at the petrol station, think of that weekly pit stop as a chance to do a little housekeeping, and throw out the cups and bag instead of letting them add up.
"An Apple A Day"
There are many different things that people do in order to attempt to make themselves appear to be in a better financial, or life, situation than they in fact are. Some people wear expensive suits to appear more sophisticated, while others change little things, like the soaps in their washrooms. These days, in order to appear "put together", a growing trend is to have fruit around the house.
When entertaining, try placing a bowl of citrus or other fruit on display for the guests to see. Chances are, at least, one of them will be impressed.
"The Longest Hour"
It's not always easy to keep ourselves focused, especially when most of us have the ultimate distraction in the palm of our hands. When we need to buckle down and get to work there are few things more distracting than our cell phones. Our cell phones have taken over our lives. It's amazing how much more productive we can be when not distracted by our phones.
Set a kitchen timer for 1 hour, and in that hour put the phone on silent and focus completely on the task at hand.