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20+ Tips and Tricks That Will Solve All Your Everyday Problems

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There are some things we learn that we wish we could have learned sooner.

Some knowledge is passed down from generation to generation. After all, family is supposed to teach you life lessons and hacks that make life easier and better.

But not everyone has access to that kind of wisdom at home, which is why people share what they know wherever they can.

A recent community discussion asked: “What’s one household hack someone in your family taught you?”

The responses ranged from important life-changing lessons to small hacks that make everyday life easier. Here are 25 of the best ones.

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Kitchen Hacks

  1. Smash Garlic the Easy Way: Lightly smash garlic cloves, put them in a cup, and shake. The peels come right off. No more sticky hands or time wasted peeling clove by clove.
  2. Freeze Tomato Paste: When a recipe calls for just one tablespoon of tomato paste, don’t let the rest of the can go to waste. Measure out tablespoons onto a plastic wrap-lined plate and freeze. Once frozen, cut the plastic into squares around each scoop, twist them up, and store them in a ziplock bag. Premeasured, no food waste.
  3. Scoop Eggshell With Eggshell: If a piece of shell falls into your batter, use the remaining eggshell to scoop it out. Shell pieces stick to each other naturally, making it far easier than chasing them around with a spoon.
  4. Grate Hard-Boiled Eggs: When you are making egg salad or tuna salad, use a cheese grater instead of chopping. It’s quick, easy, and provides consistent results every time.
  5. Run a Dry Bagel Under the Tap: If a bagel seems a little dry, run it under the tap for a few seconds and then toast it. It’ll taste fresh out of the oven. The same trick works with day-old or slightly stale bread.
  6. Even Out Your Popcorn: Instead of a deep bowl, put popcorn in a shallow, long casserole dish. Butter and toppings reach every piece, not just the top and it’s easier to share.

Cleaning Hacks

  1. Steam-Clean Your Microwave: Place a damp cloth inside the microwave and cook for about one minute. The steam loosens everything inside, and you can wipe it all down with no scrubbing or scraping. Bonus: the glass plate spinner can go straight in the dishwasher.
  2. Vacuum the Bathroom Before You Clean It: Vacuuming first picks up all the dust and hair before any wet cleaning begins. For those with long hair, a small handheld vacuum used daily makes a noticeable difference and gives a small sense of accomplishment.
  3. Streak-Free Mirrors and Windows: Clean mirrors and windows with water and newspaper for a completely streak-free finish.
  4. Use a Shower Sponge to Keep the Tub Clean: Keep a dish scrubber filled with a 50/50 mix of blue Dawn dish soap and white vinegar in the shower. A quick three-minute scrub of the walls as you’re finishing your shower keeps the whole bathing area consistently clean.
  5. Salt for Spills on Carpet: If something spills on white carpet, immediately pour a generous amount of salt over it to soak up the liquid. Once dry, vacuum it up. Especially effective for staining liquids like red wine.
  6. Dishwasher Detergent for Burnt Pans: Sprinkle powdered dishwasher detergent on a stuck or burnt pan, add a little water to make a paste, and let it sit. The baked-on gunk comes right off.
  7. Toothpaste Removes Sharpie: Toothpaste will remove permanent marker from most surfaces. This is a life hack every parent of a toddler needs to know.
  8. Toothpaste Cleans Jewelry Too: A small amount of toothpaste on a cotton ball polishes necklaces, rings, and other jewelry with ease.

Laundry Hacks

  1. Shake Clothes Before Putting Them In The Dryer: Shake out clothes as you move them from the washer to the dryer. They dry faster when not clumped together  and it also removes any shredded bits of paper towel that may have gone through the wash.
  2. Add a Dry Towel to the Dryer: Tossing a dry body towel in with wet clothes helps them dry significantly faster. This is really important if you are dumping a load in at the last minute. 

Home Organization Hacks

  1. Stack Extra Trash Bags at the Bottom: Place extra trash bags under the one currently lining the bin. When it’s time to take out the trash, a fresh bag is already waiting. This is especially useful during busy holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
  2. Break Cleaning Into Daily Tasks: Don’t try to clean the whole house in one day. Doing a little bit each day keeps things manageable and prevents the job from ever becoming overwhelming.

Life Hacks Worth Passing On

  1. Clean Before You Leave for Vacation: Clean the house, wash the sheets, and remake the bed the day before or the day you leave on holiday. Coming home to a spotless house and fresh sheets after a trip makes all the difference.
  2. Rinse Dishes With Cold Water: Rinsing dishes with cold water clears suds away much faster than warm or hot water.
  3. Open a Stubborn Jar Without Help: Take the back of a spoon and jam it into the gap under the lid. You’ll hear a pop, and the jar opens easily.  
  4. Clean as You Cook Multi-Task: When you are cooking, wash dishes as you go. By the time the meal is done, there’s no overwhelming pile of pots and pans waiting.
  5. Eat Pickled Garlic at the First Sign of a Cold: Eating a pickled garlic clove when a cold feels like it’s coming on is a remedy passed down through families. Whether it’s the garlic or simply a placebo effect, many swear by it.
  6. Invite People Over for Dinner: Every few months, invite friends over for a meal. It’s great motivation to clean the house more thoroughly than usual and a great way to actively build relationships at the same time.
  7. Marry Someone Who Shares Household Responsibility: Perhaps the most foundational life hack of all: if you marry, marry someone who regards housework as equally their responsibility. Sharing the load makes every other hack on this list a little easier.

Some of the best knowledge never makes it into books (although those are good too!)

It gets passed down at kitchen tables, through offhand comments, and in the margins of everyday life.

These hacks are proof that practical wisdom, no matter how small, is always worth sharing.

 

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