Easy Home Tips That Take the Stress Out of Chores
Maintaining a home – and just being an adult in general – is difficult. Luckily, people have come up with ways to make the most annoying tasks easier. Here are 35 tried and tested home hacks that can save you time, money, and in some cases even your sanity.
Clean LEGO in the Dishwasher
Kids’ LEGOs can get nasty fast, but scrubbing each one by hand is a nightmare. Instead, throw them in a mesh laundry bag and pop them in the dishwasher. Use the gentle cycle, and they’ll come out squeaky clean and ready to be played with again.
Turn a Hose Into a Drip Waterer
Want an easy, budget-friendly way to water your garden? Take an old hose and poke small holes along its length. Lay it by your plants, connect it to your spigot, and you’ve got a homemade drip irrigation system. It slowly delivers water right where it’s needed, cutting down waste.
Fix Wobbly Furniture With a Penny
Nothing’s more annoying than a wobbly table or chair. But instead of folding up a piece of cardboard, you can glue a penny under the short leg. It’s the perfect size for stabilizing furniture, and of course if costs you almost nothing!
Erase Permanent Marker From a Whiteboard
If you have permanent marker on your dry-erase board, don’t panic - just scribble over it with a regular dry-erase marker. The solvent in the fresh ink loosens the “permanent” stuff, and it all wipes away clean together.
Paint Keys With Nail Polish
Stop fumbling at your front door trying to figure out which key goes where. A quick swipe of colorful nail polish on the top of each key makes them instantly recognizable. You could use bright pink for the front door, blue for the shed, green for the mailbox and so on.
Use Old Carpet Scraps as Car Mats
Don’t spend big bucks on fancy car mats - grab some scraps of old carpet instead. They’re really cheap! Cut them to size and put them on the floor of your car. They trap dirt, mud, and snow just like store-bought mats. Just don’t put one under the driver’s seat, it might slide around and be dangerous.
Use a Glass Photo Frame as a Dry-Erase Board
Why buy a pricey dry-erase board when you probably have a picture frame lying around? Pop in a blank sheet of paper, hang it up, and write directly on the glass with a dry-erase marker. It wipes clean instantly and looks way nicer than a plastic board.
Coat Your Snow Shovel With Car Wax
Shoveling snow is hard enough without it sticking to the blade. Rubbing a little car wax onto your snow shovel creates a slick, non-stick surface, so snow slides right off. It saves time, effort, and your back during one of the most difficult winter tasks.
Freeze a Sponge for a DIY Ice Pack
Need an ice pack in a pinch? Wet a sponge, stick it in a zip-top bag, and freeze it. The sponge holds the water so it doesn’t drip everywhere as it melts. It saves you money on buying pricey freezing pads from the pharmacy, too.
Store Seeds With Silica Packets
If you’re into gardening, don’t let your seeds spoil before planting season. Toss them in an airtight container along with a few silica packets - you know, the little “do not eat” ones that come in shoes or electronics. They keep moisture out, so your seeds stay dry and ready to sprout when you need them.
Remove Highlighter Pen With Lemon Juice
Got a highlighter mark where it shouldn’t be? Dab a little lemon juice on it and watch the bright ink fade away like magic. The citric acid works to break down the fluorescent dye… just don’t use too much of it, because too juice will wrinkle the paper.
Reinforce Sandpaper With Duct Tape
If your sandpaper is tearing apart too quickly, stick a strip of duct tape to the back before using it. The tape adds strength without affecting the grit, so your sandpaper lasts way longer. Perfect for projects where you’re really putting pressure on the paper.
Use Ice Cubes to Remove Gum From Carpet
Gum on the carpet feels like a disaster, but it doesn’t have to be. To fix it, place a few ice cubes on top until the gum hardens. Once it’s stiff, you can chip it away without smearing. If there’s any residue, a little dish soap usually helps finish the job.
Use a Pool Noodle to Fill a Bucket
Ever tried filling a bucket that doesn’t fit in the sink? Total pain. But a simple pool noodle fixes that in seconds. Just slip one end over the faucet, place the other in the bucket on the floor, and let the water run. The noodle acts like a flexible spout – and is much cheaper!
Get Dents Out of Wood
If you’ve got an ugly dent in your wood furniture, place a damp washcloth over the spot and run a hot iron on top for a few seconds. The steam helps the wood fibers swell back to their original shape, making the dent disappear. It won’t work for all dents, admittedly, but it will for most.
Clean Lampshades With a Lint Roller
Dusty lampshades are a total pain to clean, but a lint roller makes it super easy. Just roll it across the fabric, and it picks up dust, pet hair, and fuzz in seconds. No vacuum attachments or tricky wiping needed!
Peel Off Stickers
Did your kid stick a Bluey sticker somewhere it shouldn’t be? Hit it with a hairdryer for a minute. The heat loosens the adhesive, making it way easier to lift. Then slide a putty knife underneath and peel it off cleanly. And after that maybe stop buying stickers.
Clean White Sneakers With Toothpaste
If your white sneakers are looking a little grey, get some non-gel white toothpaste and an old toothbrush. Scrub it gently on scuffed areas, let it sit a few minutes, then wipe clean with a damp cloth. The mild abrasives lift dirt and restore brightness without damaging the fabric.
Keep Shoes Fresh With Tea Bags
And on the subject of sneakers… If yours are smelly, toss a couple of unused tea bags inside overnight. They absorb moisture and odors, leaving your shoes smelling way fresher. Black tea works especially well, but any type will help.
Use Bread to Pick Up Broken Glass
Dropped a glass and worried you missed tiny shards? Press a slice of soft bread gently over the area. The spongy texture grabs even the smallest, hard-to-see pieces that a broom or vacuum might leave behind. Then, simply throw the bread away.
Make a Phone Stand With Zip Ties
No stand for your phone? Grab a couple of zip ties and you’re in business. Loop them around your phone and they’ll keep it standing up. It saves you money, because phone stands can be surprisingly expensive.
Car Wax on the Mirror to Keep It Fog-Free
If you’re tired of wiping down your bathroom mirror every time you shower, a thin layer of car wax will fix that easily. Buff it on, let it sit, then polish it off. The wax leaves behind a protective coating that stops condensation from sticking.
Sharpen Scissors With Aluminum Foil
Here’s a hack not many people know. If you have dull scissors, fold a piece of aluminum foil a few times and cut through it several times with your scissors. The repeated slicing sharpens the blades just enough to make them cut smoothly again.
Fix Wrinkled Clothes
This one may be lazy, but it’s so clever. Toss wrinkled clothes in the dryer with a few ice cubes. As they melt, the steam relaxes the fabric and smooths out wrinkles. Ten minutes later, you’ve got fresh-looking clothes without dragging out the ironing board.
Add Carpet Padding Under a Rug
Got a rug that feels flat and boring? Slip some carpet padding underneath. It instantly makes the rug feel plush and cushy, plus it helps it stay in place. The added padding also extends the rug’s life by reducing wear and tear.
Put Sponges in Plant Pots
Too much water in the bottom of plant pots can lead to dead plants, but you can fix that. Toss a couple of sponges in the bottom of the pot before adding soil. They soak up extra water and release it slowly, keeping roots hydrated without drowning them.
Freshen Trash Cans
Even after taking out the trash, some odors linger and stink out the house. Sprinkle a little baking soda in the bottom of your trash can before adding a new bag. It absorbs smells, keeps things fresher for longer, and costs almost nothing.
Rub Rubber Gloves on Upholstery to Remove Pet Hair
Lint rollers don’t always cut it on couches and chairs, but a pair of damp rubber gloves works wonders. Just rub your hands over the fabric, and the static pulls pet hair right up. It gathers into clumps you can easily pick off.
Double Your Resealable Bags
If you run out of resealable bags fast, here’s an easy way to double the amount! Simply get a knife, heat it up with a lighter, and cut the bag in half from top to bottom. The hot knife will cauterize the plastic, making two bags out of one.
Clean Paint Spills From Carpet
Have you spilled paint on your nice carpet? Don’t freak out. Grab some denatured alcohol, blot a little onto a clean cloth, and gently dab at the stain. The alcohol breaks down the paint, letting you lift it without smearing it deeper. It’s especially handy for dried spots that feel impossible to remove.
Find Lost Tiny Items
If you’ve ever dropped a small pill on the carpet, it can be a nightmare to find it again. Same goes for small metal things like the backs of earrings. But help is at hand! Cut off the end of a nylon and put it over your vacuum hose. The item you’re looking for will get sucked into the nylon and you can reclaim it.
Wrap Bananas in Plastic Wrap
If your bananas are going brown too quickly, wrap the stems in plastic wrap or foil. It slows down the release of ethylene gas, which causes ripening. This simple trick can add a couple of extra days to your bananas’ life.
Mix Wood Glue and Sawdust for Wood Filler
Ran into a crack or hole in wood furniture? No need to buy fancy filler. Just mix sawdust from the same wood (or a different wood, even) with a little wood glue until it’s paste-like, then press it into the gap. Some DIYers don’t even buy wood filler anymore!
Use Velcro to Keep Rugs From Slipping
Rugs that slide around a lot are both annoying and dangerous. Stick a few Velcro strips on the underside and secure them to the floor. The rug stays put that way, but can still be pulled up when you need to clean.
