Life is hard and full of unpredictable stuff. That’s why accumulating experience and finding small life hacks along the way can drastically improve your journey as you move forward. These life hacks don’t have to be something profound or cost a million dollars. Very often, it’s the simple things that make our lives more comfortable and pleasant to live.
Whether it’s household hacks like how to best take care of your favorite frying pan to make it serve you longer, or life hacks for excluding toxic people from your life (better yet, recognizing them and not letting them into it in the first place), every piece of knowledge can become a game-changer for someone.
The beauty of such lifestyle hacks is their simplicity. They don’t require any sophisticated knowledge or even particular skills. But once someone shares them with you or you discover them absolutely by chance, you can’t help but think, “How come I’ve never realized this before?”
Luckily, the internet is full of useful life hacks. As soon as people discover something simple but incredibly useful, they usually want to share it with others who might need this knowledge. For this article, we collected some of the best life hacks the online community has to offer. Which one of these made you go “This is something I really needed to know!”? Do you have a simple but invaluable life hack you would like to share with us? Head over to the comment section and let us know.
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"When moving house, always set up your bedroom first so when you are exhausted and just had enough you can fall into bed. Nothing worse than being exhausted and having to make the bed before getting into it."
To facilitate this, make sure your bed is the last thing that goes onto the truck so that it's the first thing to come off.
"The mask goes over your nose too. Literal life - saving hack."
I've always wondered about those idiots walking around during Covid with their mouth covered and their nose stuck out. If they were to board a plane, having never been on one before, and there was a problem which meant that the masks drop down, would they be able to work out how to wear it? Or would they put it over their ear or something? I think they'd work it out pretty fast. Which leads me to suspect that the Naked Nose Brigade (TM) just want to watch the world burn. Nobody is that stupid accidentally, surely.
"5 minutes of daily exercise is infinitely better than 0 minutes and will make a big difference."
"You don't actually need to keep contact with your family. If a relationship with them causes any anguish, you're allowed to cut them out. Their failures aren't yours."
Had to do this myself with my younger brother. It was sad and broke my heart
"Read the 3 and 4 star reviews for the most reliable information on Amazon items."
Can confirm. And the worst ones. But dismiss all reviews that don't explain the problems in detail and specific enough. 'stopped working after just one week ' sounds bad, but you don't know what they did to it. 'We followed the instructions for cleaning and used the recipe in the booklet that came with it and everything was great, but after one week it suddenly didn't turn on anymore ' is more likely to be a fair review.
"If you want to wear something white/light in color, wear underwear that matches the color of your skin, not white."
"Before going on vacation, always wash and make your bed. The best thing I ever do after a long weekend at a music festival is a long shower and fall into a bed with clean fresh sheets."
"If you want someone to get more mad you tell them to, 'Calm down.'"
"If you have a spare minute or are just playing video games on a computer at home, take a few minutes to just pet your dog/cat and really appreciate them. A phrase I heard somewhere just really stuck with me: 'Pets are only a part of your life but you are your pet’s entire life.'"
"If you have trouble choosing, flip a coin. While you're waiting to get the result, your mind automatically starts to wish for what it wants. Then you can choose easily."
You can take this up a notch by writing down six possible outcomes and rolling a die. There's a pretty good book about a guy that reputedly did just that. It's called 'The Dice Man' and it's by Luke Rhinehart (which is the pen name of George Cockroft). BP, maybe you could monetise this comment by adding a 'Buy Now' link? 50/50 split?
"Learn when it is time to give up. No one is successful at everything. People fail. Relationships fail. Dreams aren't always achieved no matter how hard you try."
A quote I once heard “Every dead body on Mount Everest was a person who never gave up” basically, it’s ok, and good to give up sometimes.
"Whenever somebody you know mentions something that they like/need or their favorite things, keep a note of it on your phone. Eventually, you’ll have a list for all your friends and family that you can dip into whenever you need to get them a gift!"
"'Oh, I messed that up. I'm sorry, I'll try and fix it,' is a LOT easier to say with some practice than excuses or shifting blame. After you say that, it's on the other person to act as maturely as you just did."
"Sometimes changing your pillowcase daily can help with acne."
Also, when doing laundry give the pillowcases an extra rinse to make sure no detergent remains.
"Most of the time keeping your mouth shut is a great option."
"For the love of God, wear sunscreen, please! Doesn’t matter what weather, or how dark it looks, if you don’t technically go outside for that long each day. The sun is a deadly laser people."
If the UV is above 3, wear sun protection. In Australia there is a SunSmart app to help.
"Train yourself to always keep an eye out for things that need to go in the direction you are going. If you are about to go downstairs, does any item nearby need to go with you? Perhaps a cup can be brought to the sink on your way to the bathroom."
"Sometimes, you agree with people, so that they stop talking."
"If you f*cked up, admit it. In most situations just admitting how you were wrong and accepting responsibility is so much easier than trying to blame someone or make up an excuse."
"If you accidentally have Caps Lock on, instead of deleting it and starting over, you can highlight the caps and hit Shift & F3 to switch it back to lowercase."
"Eat Cheetos with chopsticks."
As a person who isn't great with chopsticks, mini tongs also do the trick.
"Tell the people you love that you love them, more often."
It takes three times for something to sink in. My husband tells me three times every morning, "Good Morning, I Love You!"
"Buy a pack of bagels. Slice them all into halves (the way you usually do before you chuck them in the toaster.) Put them back into the pack/plastic bag/whatever and into the freezer. The result, pre-sliced bagel you were going to toast anyway + no chance of mould and waste."
"Take a shower before bed, not when you wake up. This allows your bed sheets to stay cleaner and not become a cesspool of bacteria from the day prior."
"When you're cooking and the recipe calls for onions and garlic, don't put the garlic into the pan until the onion is nearly translucent. Garlic cooks way faster than onions do, if you throw them in at the same time it won't taste as good/the garlic will burn. It literally takes 30 seconds for minced garlic to cook."
"Get into a routine of stretching your hip flexors and chest if you sit for long periods. Absolute game changer for people who suffer with chronic lower back pain as a result of being hunched over a desk."
"If you ever fall off a ship/ferry at sea and were lucky enough to be spotted - don't try to swim your way to safety. The more you try to swim, the lesser the chances of survival. Just try to keep afloat and conserve energy (and body heat) while the rescue team does what they're supposed to. Unless you are in hypothermic waters, the best bet always is to stay afloat without trying to swim somewhere. This information about falling overboard, hypothermia and conditions, survival at sea, etc are based on my own experience of 12 years sailing on merchant ships."
"Don't discuss politics at work."
There are a lot of subjects one should stay away from in a workplace.
"If you're having trouble getting your baking paper to fit your tray, scrunch it up first and then unfurl it. It stays in the pan easier and fits like a dream."
Another way is to turn your baking tray upside down and roughly smooth the paper over it. You get the shape without having to go into battle.
"If you have a cold pizza put it in a frying pan with a tiny bit of oil and then put a sheet of tin foil over the top, it will then reheat the pizza to perfection."
"Simple, learn how to manage your money. I think it should be taught in school. So many young people waste money on stuff they don’t really need. Always have a rainy day stash."
"When cooking, clean as you go! It has changed my experience in the kitchen significantly!"
"No matter how good person you are, at some point, you will be the bad guy in someone else’s story. You can’t please everyone, and you shouldn’t try to. Be a good person, and have friendships with people you can respect and look up to."
I'm pretty sure something here is misworded, but I can't figure out exactly what.
"Pay your bills when they arrive, not when they're due.
Banks, credit card companies, mortgage lenders, utility services, etc. absolutely love, love, love it when people wait until the last minute to pay their bills. When I signed up with my bank, I read the agreement and got the personal banker to concede that yes...they made a lot of money off late fees.
The thing is, paying your bills when they arrive doesn't cost you anything extra. If you can get into the habit, you'll always be ahead of the curve, and if something comes up which necessitates you holding off on a bill, you've got a couple of weeks to figure it out."
I agree this is responsible and would suggest the same for the average person. I pay my revolving accounts early and have other accounts on auto pay (the day they are due). However, when you state it doesn't cost you anything, this does amount to giving the lender or service a 30 day loan. When the market is good, it does cost you money (assuming the money is invested properly). On the converse, when the market is in a downturn it is actually preferable. But none of us are oracles and hindsight is 20/20. Edit: 30 day interest free loan. This is also like overpaying taxes, that money is not working for you, it is just giving an interest free loan.
"Find friends where it is a 2-way relationship. You're there for them and they're there for you. Make each other better people."
"In a lot of daunting situations, for example asking someone out or standing up for yourself, you only need to be brave for a few seconds to get it over with."
"Don’t use an alarm tone when you wake up in the morning, just set your phone to vibrate. You won’t feel as groggy when you wake up. I guess the tone startles you awake and interrupts the body making cortisol which wakes you up calmly.
Don’t know how true the science is, but however, it works for me for years."
"If you need 'Pull a Karen' and talk to the manager about poor service or something similar, you will get so much more by being NICE about it than being mean. I just had this happen at a hotel we stayed in. Politely explained the problems with the room and asked for a discount, she gave me half off the room which was about $70!"
"Honey does not go bad if it has gone solid. It has just crystallized and can become liquid again with just a little heat."
"Sometimes doing nothing and letting things run their course is the best thing to do, in addition to being the easiest."
My father took this attitude, easy for him but disastrous for everyone else in most cases.
"If you’re outside in extreme heat and feeling faint, or like you’re about to pass out: take cold water or pieces of ice and rub it on your forearms. You will feel the effects immediately. Your head will no longer be dizzy and your internal core temperature will stabilize."
"If there's a jar or container you can't open, run the lid under hot water for 30 sec. Dry it so you can get a good grip, then open it. Never had this not worked."
I tend to get the tip of a knife or spoon around the rim under the lid and wiggle until I hear the pop. Then whabam, it opens.
"Brush your teeth more thoroughly before bed after you are done eating and drinking for the day.
Morning brushing is important too, but more for fresh breath; while evening cleaning will prevent bacteria from breeding and damaging your teeth and gums."
They always say you brush your teeth in the morning to keep your friends and brush them at night to keep your teeth.
"Whenever you have a time to be somewhere, aim to be there 15 minutes early, to allow for time snags or for traffic. People respect punctuality."
"Find a hobby and become passionate about it, might lead to more friends. How do you find it? Try something new and don't be afraid to be a noob. You'll find a lot more people in a hobby willing to help you than that'll make fun of you."
"When you study use mind maps, color coding and before a test reread your notes before going to sleep."
"If you ever wanted to park your vehicle and don't know where to park and wanted to avoid theft, park your vehicle near banks or ATMs."
"If you put something down temporarily, say out loud, 'I've put the screwdriver by the microwave' or whatever. This engages many more areas of the brain (particularly the language centers), which creates a richer memory making it less likely you'll forget where you put it."
This technique also works for turning off something. When I've finished cooking something or straightening my hair, I say out loud three times, I have turned (appliance) off. It stops that internal panic you get after you have left the house.
"Manners and general politeness will get you far and become the norm with but a small amount of practice. I'm not talking overboard, 'Ms lady', but a simple 'please' and 'thank you' with a genuine smile."
"If you bring something to someone’s house that you don’t want to forget, put your keys with it, assuming you can trust the people there. Also, get a Tile or similar bluetooth device so you never lose your keys or phone again."
"Regularly change the oil in your car. On time. Do it. Will help it last longer."
hurtsdonut_ wrote:
"No one actually knows what they're doing."
schelias replied:
"Also, no one knows what you are thinking, so might as well be honest to yourself."
"In a pinch, the seat belt in your car can be used as a bottle opener."
"For back acne - after you rinse the conditioner out of your hair, clip it up off your back. The last thing you should do in the shower is wash your body. This removes any residual conditioner or shampoo that may have been left behind. These can irritate acne if left on your skin."
"WD40 removes just about any type of adhesive residue. Those stickers that refuse to come off easily and just leave a white streak of leftover sticker...easily removable."
"Have some water & a snack, then come talk to me. Seriously, it is shocking how few adults are aware of how blood sugar levels impact mood. Eat a snack. A real, substantial one. That's it, that's the secret."
"When you’re in a group of people and they start laughing, see who looks at each other. People look at the people they feel closest to when laughing."
"The easiest way to remove blood stains is to use bar soap and handwash it. Works better than using laundry detergent."
Use cold water, if you use hot water you cook the proteins into the fabric. I learnt this during my forensic training.
"Rinse your rice before you cook it! This might be an obvious one to some people, but rinsing it really does noticeably improve it."
I read recently that it doesn’t make an measurable difference so I stopped.
"Never talk to cops in case of any serious legal trouble. Always ask for a lawyer. Surprised how many people don’t really know this."
"A manager once told me, 'Don't bring me a dead cat without a shovel.' The idea being if you have a problem, bring an idea of the solution."
"Shower or bathe before you shave, especially if your hair is coarse. Moisturise after and you won't get bumps, rash, or burns."
"When pulling out all the ingredients to make a sandwich, make a second sandwich."
"Sewing. You’ll preserve your clothes and items with simple repairs. If you get good enough you can even make your own stuff!"
"Meditating for 10 minutes in the morning before you start your day will improve your mood, lower your stress levels, and help you live with a little more clarity. Been meditating for nearly 12 years now, and every day feels better than the last."
I walk my dog around the neighborhood every morning. It's usually very peaceful and quiet, and it's a great way to start the day for both of us. I don't even look at my phone until after I make the coffee and sit down with it.
"Tip on how to be stress-free: Live for yourself, not everyone else."
"If you throw a house party where you, as the host, plan on getting quite drunk. Start the clean-up while drunk. Trust me, waking up to a clean house when you’re hungover is fantastic. Drunk you will barely remember and sober you has so much less to worry about in the morning."
"You will often have to make decisions in life without being able to know all the information related to the choices. Being able to identify what you don't know is invaluable. It allows you to make assumptions and contingency plans if those assumptions fail."
"As soon as you wake up, drink two pints of water, (about 1 liter.) It will wake you up like caffeine and get you pooping in about 30-45 minutes, like clockwork."
"Turn natural peanut butter, the ones where the oil separates and you have to mix it, upside down for a few hours. It will bring the oil to the top and make it a lot easier to mix! Then, after you mix it, put it in the fridge and the cold will solidify the oil so you don't have to mix it again."
"If you use a bidet, you’ll never have to worry about running out of toilet paper during a global pandemic."
"Mask? Glasses? No worries! Use dish soap and wash your glasses with it! Here's the catch! Don't use water, just wipe off the soap with a soft towel and fog is no more!"
"If you get caught up in a riptide, swim diagonally or parallel to the shore. If you swim perpendicular to the shore, the riptide will pull you further away from it and you will waste your stamina. I'm pretty sure this has been addressed already but knowing this can save your life."
"Invest even if it's a few dollars per month. And if greens in your fridge look withered, soak the whole thing in water for an hour."
"If you are having a party, open a bag of chips from the bottom of the bag into a bowl, and then all the pretty whole chips are at the top and all the crumbs are all at the bottom of the bowl."
"To confirm which circuit breaker is associated to an outlet, plug in an old radio and turn the volume up before you flip the circuit breaker."
"On the topic of garlic, when you are cooking in the oven, (roast, skillet) you can add garlic cloves with the hard skin (but remove as much as possible paper skin.) It will cook the garlic inside the shell to a creamy texture. It's amazing!"
"Turn your bed mattress when you renew your blanket. Through time your mattress will deform and that can make you sleep worse."
"Become attractive and the world is your oyster."
"If you accidentally close your browser tab hit Ctrl + Shift + T to bring it back. If you closed multiple ones just keep pressing it."
"Don't go to bed with wet hair, especially up in a bun or braids. Not only can you make your pillow get moldy, but you can get a yeast infection on your scalp."
"You can poke a straw through the middle of strawberries, and it efficiently gets the green part out. Useful for making a salad or cooking."
"When you have cold cereal, put the bowl and a glass of milk in the freezer for about 10 minutes beforehand. It will be the best cereal you’ve ever had.
The milk stays cold, and it keeps the cereal from becoming soggy so quickly.
(You can also just perpetually keep an empty bowl in the freezer, which works for cereal or ice cream.)"
"Meditation could save you 15% or more on life satisfaction."
"For people with short fingernails, (mostly men), push down on the closed end of a soda can top to push up the other side to make it very easy to open."
"Sometimes you have to work hard, sometimes you have to work smart. But learning to work smart will not come without actually working hard."
"Get restaurant quality food at home by adding a little extra salt/butter and turning down the lights."
"When setting up a Smart TV with Netflix/Hulu etc. you can usually plug in a USB keyboard and enter the password faster avoiding using the remote."
"The best way to be healthy is to get the correct amount of sleep. Don't go on a strict diet but learn to portion properly and make sure you have a variety of food. Then be active. The first two are more important than the last."
"When writing an essay, Wikipedia is not considered reliable. But using Wikipedia sources and footnotes are 100% reliable and not even anti-cheat software can trace it."
Or you could take it one step further and actually consult those sources cited in the Wikipedia article instead of pretending you did.
"Some gas stations have screens that play ads while you're filling up. If you press a button on the right of the screen, I forget if it's the second from the top or bottom, there's a good chance the ad will be muted. It doesn't always work but it's nice when it does."
I love how half of these are vague and philosophical and the other half are weirdly specific
I love how half of these are vague and philosophical and the other half are weirdly specific
