102 Tips, Tricks, & Hacks To Simplify Your Life



After  receiving such a large response to my post 101 Tips To Make Your Life Easier I decided to do a follow up post. 









Some of these tips are ones that I have personally used and they have made a huge difference in my life. There are also many tips that I am sharing today that I have not tried myself, however I thought that they may be useful to you (my readers). If you have tried any of the following tips please feel free to leave a comment below to let others know what works and what doesn’t. Also feel free to comment with any of your own tips and tricks!!











1.) Get rid of ants in your home. Febreeze kills ants on contact and doesn’t leave your house smelling like poison.



2.) Have you ever had a tune stuck in your head but you couldn’t think of the name of the song? Midomi.com allows you to sing or hum the tune into your computer or phone and it will find the song for you. 



3.) Place command strips on the back of clothespins then stick them on the wall. This will allow you to hang tapestries, posters, buntings, kids art, or any other light weight decorations without making holes in your walls.

 

4.) If your ink is running low you can reset your ink cartridges. Just take out the ink and use a paper clip to press the reset button. (no source found)



5.) Reuse old crusty paint brushes by tossing them in a bucket of vinegar. The acid in the vinegar will eat away at the dried paint leaving your brushes good as new.



6.) Unsend an email in Gmail. Have you ever sent an e-mail that you wish you could unsend? Go to the settings in your gmail account and select “Enable Undo Send”.

 

7.) A Tic Tac container is perfect for storing your headphones. This will keep them from getting tangled up when they are in your purse or bag. (via – My Crazy Good Life)



8.) Do you avoid wearing your favorite button-up shirt because you hate the gaps that appear between the buttons? Fashion Tape is a type of double sided tape specifically for fabric. Apply it between the buttons where the gaps usually occur and it will keep the fabric together.



9. ) Have you ever wanted to learn how to play the piano but could not afford piano lessons? At Howtoplaypiano.ca you can take online piano courses that are 100% free. 



10.) If you want your phone to charge faster put it on airplane mode. It will charge twice as fast.

 

11.) You can make your own edible glitter. I only recently discovered that you can buy edible glitter but making it yourself is so much more fun. (no source found)

12.) Make any cake mix taste like it came from a bakery. Follow the directions on the package but add an extra egg. Replace the oil with melted butter and double the amount. Replace the water with an equal amount of milk. Mix and bake according to package directions.

13.) Spiders and mice hate peppermint oil. Add a few drops to a spray bottle with water and spray around your home and garage.

 

14.) After your first coat of paint place your roller in a Pringles can and store it in the fridge until your ready to use it again. (via – Refunk My Junk)

15.) Need an idea for dinner? Go to Supercook.com and enter in what ingredients you have. It will provide you with meals and even give you the recipes to make them.

 

16.) Use Velcro strips to keep your rugs from sliding around on the floor. Place one side of the Velcro on the floor and attach the other side to the back of the rug. 

17.) Tired of your dog dripping water all over your floor after drinking from their water bowl. Find a plastic lid that fits over the bowl (or replace their water bowl with a bucket that has a lid). Cut a hole in the center of the bucket that is just large enough for their nose to fit in. When your dog drinks through the hole it will hold their lips out of the water so that they are less likely to drip on the floor. (buy something similar here)

 

18.) Use a golf tee to fix a stripped hole. If a hole is too loose just hammer in a wooden golf tee. Cut off the excess then re-insert your screw. (via – Houzz)

19.) Hate to use your e-mail address when signing up for things? 10minutemail.com will give you a temporary e-mail so you don’t have to use your own.

20.) Relive the itch of an insect sting using a cotton ball soaked in apple cider vinegar. Apply to the bite and hold it there for 10 minutes then repeat as needed.

21.) Loose screw on your eye glasses? Secure the screw by placing a coat of clear nail polish over the top of it.

22.) Freeze milk, cream, and coffee in an ice cube tray and use the cubes to cool off you coffee when it’s too hot to drink. (via – 1000LikeHacks.com)

23.) On lozo.com you can enter the items on your grocery list and it will find matching coupons.

24.) Before grating cheese. Spray you cheese grater with cooking spray. The cheese will easily slide off instead of gumming up in the holes and will make clean up much easier.

25.) Fix a hole in an air mattress. hold a lighter over the end of a glue stick to melt it then rub it over the hole in you mattress. (no source found)

26.) If your playing a friendly game of “rock paper scissor” always start with paper. Most people will start with the rock since it is the shape the hand easily forms.

27.) To broke to travel? WWOOF is an organization that will allow you to travel the world with food and accommodations in exchange for volunteer work.

28.) If the power goes out and you can’t find a flashlight or candle try lighting a crayon. The paper wrapper will burn but the wax crayon will keep it from burning too fast. Be sure to place in on a ceramic dish or other fire proof surface.

29.) You can remove pet fur from your carpet using a rubber broom. (via – Amazon)

30.) Hide your ugly fuse box by hanging a picture over it. Find a picture large enough to cover it and your guests will never know that there is an ugly fuse box hiding behind it. 

31.) Lemon juice will remove water spots from kitchen and bathroom faucets. Cut a lemon in half, rub the juice over the faucets. Let it sit for a few minutes then use a rag to buff out the spots.

32.) Vinegar also works just as well as lemon juice to remove water spots. Soak a rag or paper towel in vinegar, wrap it around your faucet and let it sit while you finish cleaning the kitchen. Take the rag off and buff out all the spots.

32.) You can grow your own grass table using a real grass! Wouldn’t this be perfect to outdoor entertaining. (via – DIY Home Sweet Home)

33.) Pour a small amount of Pinesol in your toilet brush container. It will leave your bathroom smelling clean and add a little extra cleaning boost every time you scrub the toilet.

34.) Using a flat microfiber mop is the easiest way to clean your walls and ceiling. Just do a quick rub down every couple months and your walls will be dust and cobweb free.

35.) Bake your cookies in a muffin tin. Instead of thin and crispy cookies, they will turn out thick and fluffy. (via – Chocolate Covered Katie)

 

36.) If you accidentally shrink a shirt place it in a bowl of ice water with a cup of hair conditioner. The shirt will restore to it’s normal size.

37.) Before your next run check out the jog.fm app. Enter your time and pace and it will select a playlist based on your tempo.

38.) If it’s raining outside and your a dog owner it’s almost guaranteed that your home will end up smelling like wet dog. I found a solution. Keep a box of dryer sheets and a towel by the door sheets by the back door. When your dog comes inside dry them off then wipe them down with the dryer sheet. Your pooch will instantly go from “stinky wet dog” to “fresh scent”.

39.) Place a magnet on the back of a metal spice container and stick it on your fridge. Perfect place to keep pens and pencils within easy reach. (via – DIY Home Sweet Home)

40.) Need to quickly soften butter. Pour hot water into a glass. Once the glass itself is warm dump the water out and turn the glass upside down over your stick of butter. The heat from the glass will soften the butter within a few minutes.

41.) Don’t toss your used Visa gift cards! Next time you want to sign up for a free trial online that requires your credit card info just use an old visa gift card. Once your free trial is over, they won’t be able to charge you since the card is not linked to your bank account.

42.) Are flies becoming a real pest? Cut a lemon in half, stick a few cloves into the flesh and place it on the table or wherever flies are. The flies can’t stand the scent and will leave.

43.) Make your own coiled charging cable. Just wrap the charger around a pencil and carefully heat up with a hair dryer. Allow the coil to cool then remove it from the pencil. (no source found)

44.) Place a dryer sheet to the back of a fan while it’s blowing. It will stick to the fan and scent your room at the same time.

45.) Need some background noise? Go to Ambient-mixer.com to listen to background ambiance of fictional places. Enjoy a storm while riding the Hogwarts Express. Relax in a Japanese zen garden. Or chill in a haunted castle (perfect for your next halloween party).

46.) Get relief from a stuffy nose. Mix 2 tablespoons of Vicks into one liter of hot water. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Next time you take a shower place one on the shower floor. As it melts the steam will rise up giving your relief from a clogged nose.

47.) Create amazing photo backdrops using wallpaper images on your computer. (no source found)

48.) Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to your eggs when you boil them. The shells will be much easier to peel off. 

49.) A mixture of Dawn dish soap and vinegar is guaranteed to remove water spots and grim from your glass shower door and leave it sparkling. In a large bowl heat up 1 cup of vinegar in the microwave until its boiling. Add one cup of blue Dawn dish soap and stir until well mixed. Let it cool for a few minutes then liberally spray it on to your shower door. Let it sit for a couple hours then wipe it off. Your glass will be cleaner than you’ve ever seen it.

50.) Cut down on the time you spend cleaning your shower door. Use the tip above to clean your glass shower door. Once it’s clean spray the glass with rain-x rain repellent. The rain-x will repel the water from the shower. This will keep your shower door sparking and will allow you to go longer between cleanings.

51 .) Place a strip of ribbon in your melted scentsy wax and then let it cool. Once the wax is cool just give the ribbon a gentle tug and the wax will easily pop out. (no source found)

52.) Shoes too tight? Fill two Ziploc freezer bags about half way with water. Stuff the bags inside your shoes and then place them in the freezer. As the water freezes it will expand and stretch the shoes.

53.) If you have a sweater with a lot of pilling (little fuzz balls) run a shaving razor across it. The razor will scrap the pilling right off and your sweater will look brand new. 

54.) Place vanilla scented tea lights inside small bowls filled with coffee beans. When the candles heat up they will also heat up the coffee beans and your home will smell life french vanilla coffee. (no source found)

55.) Storing ice cream in a Ziploc freezer bag will keep it soft.

56.) A tackle box isn’t just for fishing. With all the small compartments, a tackle box is perfect for organizing small craft and office supplies, creating a first aid kit, tool box, or storing all of the miniature toys that your child collects. 

57.) Do you store your cleaners under your kitchen sink? Place a tension curtain rod in the cabinet near the top. Hang spray bottles on the curtain rod to free up more space on the shelves. 

58.) Place Elmers glue around your fingernails and let it dry before painting them. After you paint them, before the nail polish has time to completely dry, peel the glue off. (via – BuzzFeed)

59.) Burnt food stuck to the bottom of you pots and pans? Pour vinegar into the pan (enough to cover the bottom) and let it sit over night. If the food still doesn’t come off or if you don’t want to wait all night then place the pan on the stove and heat up the vinegar until it starts boiling. Let it boil for a few minutes then turn the burner off and let it cool. Once it’s cool enough to touch just wipe the pan and the burnt food will come right off.

60.) Give a pair of inexpensive sandals a makeover with braided fabric scraps. (via – Make It & Love It)

61.) Update dollar store buckets. Spray any cheap, plastic bucket with a coat of metallic spray paint. It will look like a fancy metal bucket and no one will know the difference. 

62.) Hang a shower caddy on your kitchen or pantry wall to store fruits and veggies and keep them off the counter.

63.) Make your own skinny jeans by turning a regular pair of jeans inside out and pinning around your legs. Take them off, sew where you pinned then trim the excess. (via – Rachel Toedoro)

64.) Egg shells will keep slugs off of your precious garden plants. Remove any slugs that are currently on the plant then sprinkle crushed shells on the ground around the perimeter of the plant. Slugs don’t like the pointy edges of the shells and will avoid climbing over them. 

65.) Find your lost phone even if the sound is off. Install the Wheres My Droid App to your android. It will allow you to send an email to your phone which will turn your sound on and make your phone ring.

66.) Hang stuff on a brick wall using painters tape and a hot glue gun. Place tape on the wall first then hot glue over it. (via – Life Tips)

67.) Keep bugs out of your drinks when your outdoors. Place press n’ seal over your glasses and cut a small opening for a straw. The press n’ seal will also keep messes to a minimum if kids accidentally knock their drinks over.

68.) Toothpaste will remove crayon, marker, pen, and pencil from most painted surfaces. Put a dab of toothpaste of a damp cloth and scrub it over the mark until it’s no longer visible.

69.) Put your recipe cards in a clear ziploc bag before you start cooking. The ziploc bag will protect the card and keep it clean if anything spills on it.

70.) Make your own headphone buds using earplugs. (via – Diy Relics)

71.) Store plastic grocery bags in empty wipes containers. Keep one in your bathroom, kitchen, car, or your office. Then you’ll always have them within reach when you need to collect trash or other items. 

72.) When buying pants and shorts they sometimes come with plastic hangers that have clips (like these).  Before you toss them cut the clips off. They are perfect for clipping chip bags so that your chips don’t go stale.

73.) Easily find the angle of an area with this fun tool called an angle-izer. Perfect for craftsman, builders, and DIYers. (via – Amazon)

74.) To extract a splinter fill a small glass jar about 3/4 of the way full with hot water. Press the mouth of the jar tightly against the skin where the splinter is. The suction caused by the heat will pull down the skin and the splinter will pop out.

75.) Use hanging pocket organizers for everything. Hang them inside your pantry to organize spices. Use small organizers to hang inside your kitchen cabinets to store food storage lids or spices. Use them in your closet to store your shoes. Hang one on the back of the door in your craft room to organize craft supplies. Use one in the bathroom to organize make-up and hair supplies. Hang one in your child’s room to organize their toys. Where else would you use them?

76.) Tired of messy counter tops? Keep your kitchen and bathroom counters clutter free with these multi-purpose storage baskets. (via – Amazon)

77.) Ironing a shirt with buttons? Sometimes the buttons are too close together and the iron is to large to fit between them. Try using a hair straightener instead. It easily fits between the buttons and will leave your shirt wrinkle free.

78.) If you step in gum spray WD-40 on your shoe. The gum will slide right off. 

79.) Use a shower caddy to store and organize baby bottles and pacifiers. (via – Brook McDaniel’s Facebook)

80.) Use shower curtain rings to organize belts. Just hang the rings on your clothing rod in the closet and hang your belts from them. 

81.) You can make a plastic like substance with vinegar and milk. Place 1 and 1/2 cups milk in the microwave and heat up until it’s hot but not boiling. Add in 4 tablespoons of vinegar and stir for about a minute. The vinegar will cause the milk to clump up. Use a strainer to strain the liquid out. Press your “plastic” into a cookie cutter or other form and then set aside for a couple days until it’s dry.

83.) Does your garbage disposal stink? Chop up a lemon and place the pieces inside an ice cube tray. Fill the tray up with vinegar and freeze. Pop one in the garbage disposal and turn it on anytime you need to clean it. The vinegar will clean the blades and remove odor. The lemon will leave your disposal smelling fresh and clean.

84.) Take an index card or a piece of thick card stock and cut to the size of a credit card. On it write your name, emergency contact info, medications you are currently taking, and any allergies you have. Keep this card in your purse or wallet and make sure you update it as needed. If you are in an accident it could potentially save your life. 

85.) Eat Oreos with a fork. If you enjoy dunking your Oreos in milk, try pushing a fork into the creamy center. This will allow you to dunk your entire Oreo into the milk without dipping your fingers into it.

86.) Use pants hangers to hang items from wire shelves and free up shelf space. (no source found)

87.) Dealing with broken bones is no fun but if you had a bad break why not show it off. At Casttoo.com you can send in an image of your ex-ray and they will send you a “tattoo” for you cast with the x-ray image on it.

88.) NASA will send you a text of e-mail when the international space station is flying over you.

89.) When you’re dog escapes out of the yard don’t chase it. Instead lay down and act like you are hurt. The dog will instantly come back to you.

90.) Clip a car air freshener to your home vent for a fresh smelling home. (via – The Krazy Coupon Lady

91.) If you accidentally sit on gum and get it stuck to your clothes try this trick to get it off. Boil some vinegar and pour it on the gum. Use an old toothbrush to wipe it off. 

92.) Keep a laundry basket in the back of your car. Use it to corral groceries and keep them from rolling around all over your car. You’ll also be able to carry more groceries into your home at once and make fewer trips back to the car.

93.) Get something stuck in your eye? Fill the sink or a large bowl with water. Submerge your face in the water and then open your eyes. The item will fall right out.

94.) Poke a few holes in the lid of a small mason jar. Place some wax melts in the jar and keep it on your car. As your car warms up in the summer heat, the wax will melt and make your car smell amazing.

95.) Easily clean gas stove burners. Place the burners inside a gallon size ziploc bag. Pour in 2 to 3 tablespoons of ammonia and let it sit for 12 hours. The gunk and grime will wipe right off. (via – Pinching Your Pennies)

96.) Use the metal ring from a mason jar lid to make perfectly round eggs for breakfast sandwiches. Just place the ring on your pan then crack an egg and place inside the ring.

97.) Is your house smelling a little funky? Place a tablespoon of vanilla extract in a small oven safe dish and place it in the oven at 300 degrees for one hour. Within a few minutes your whole house will smell amazing.

98.) You can wash a shower curtain liner in the washing machine. Don’t waste your time scrubbing the mildew off your shower curtain. Just toss it in the washing machine with a couple towels and add a small amount of bleach (or vinegar for a more environmentally safe alternative). When it’s done washing hang it back in place to dry, making sure that the bottom edge is inside the tub or shower to catch any drips. 

99.) Make a these healthy yogurt drops. This is a great, healthy alternative to ice cream during the summer. (via – 1000LifeHacks)

 

100.) You can use a bleach pen to clean your grout. Just run the pen along your grout, leave it for 5 minutes and then wipe it off.



101.) Store your lettuce in your salad spinner. After washing your lettuce, use your spinner to remove as much water as possible and then store it in your fridge. The lettuce spinner acts as a crisper and keeps it fresher for longer. I do this every time we purchase lettuce and it’s still been good 2 to 3 weeks later.



102.) Keep your swimming pool cleaner with tennis balls. When your swimming in the pool sweat, lotions, and sunscreen come off in the water. The greasy substance will rise to the surface creating a film across the top of your water. Once everyone is out of the pool toss in 4 or 5 tennis balls. The grease will cling to them as they float around the pool. Toss the tennis balls in the washing machine or dishwasher clean them and reuse again later. 



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2 thoughts on “102 Tips, Tricks, & Hacks To Simplify Your Life

  1. I've done number 95, it works every time, I was amazed the first time I tried it.

    95.) Easily clean gas stove burners. Place the burners inside a gallon size ziploc bag. Pour in 2 to 3 tablespoons of ammonia and let it sit for 12 hours. The gunk and grime will wipe right off. (via – Pinching Your Pennies)

    1. That's awesome Kathy. I currently have an electric stove so I haven't been able to test that one out but we do plan on converting to a gas stove in the future. I'll definitely keep it in mind.

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