There may not be any cheat codes in life, but there are certainly some tips and tricks that make things easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable. So Redditor my_peen_is_clean asked, “What’s a life hack that made you go, ‘how do ppl live their whole life without knowing this’”? Here’s what people said.
1.
“I know people use dryer sheets for dusting and even cleaning windows and mirrors, but I like to use my used ones to clean out the clothes dryer vent. It’s so handy after drying a load of clothes: Just grab the used dryer sheet and clean out that lint immediately, so your dryer is ready for another load!”
2.
“Use a scrap bowl while cooking. Just bring out an extra mixing bowl, and toss all the scraps/wrappers/egg shells in there. It saves a bunch of trips to the garbage and prevents things from piling up and cluttering the counter space.”
3.
“You can schedule text messages on Android or IOS phones. For example, if you have an important message for your employer that you don’t feel like bothering with on Sunday night, schedule it to be sent Monday morning when he or she usually arrives at work. Been incredibly useful as I tend to forget about things.”
4.
“The most important person to make friends with or be kind to wherever you go is the receptionist. They can really help and make all the difference in your experience.”
—Crizzy444
5.
“To avoid losing things, pick one place where you will always, always put it. Like when you get home from work, don’t just toss your keys on the first convenient place. Have one place to put your keys so they’re always either there or with you. Also, especially for things you don’t use often, keep related things together. For example, I have a drawer labeled ‘stationery supplies’ where I keep pens, pencils, paper, staples, paper clips, and whatever else. That way I don’t have to remember a dozen different places for all these things, I just remember one place.”
6.
“My memory is really bad when it comes to things I do automatically, like closing my garage door. To remind myself of things like this, I sing a little song I made up. The weirder, the better! I might not remember closing the garage door, but I definitely remember singing my silly song.”
7.
“Here’s something I started and has changed my life: Don’t be afraid of doing things on your own. Want to see that sci-fi movie, but your friends don’t like sci-fi? See it alone. Want to try a restaurant, but your family can’t go? Do it alone. You want to see the world, but don’t have anyone to travel with? Take a solo trip. It’s way less lonely than one might think, and it can actually be really fun.”
8.
“Whenever I get mosquito bites, I just put clove oil on them. It has a numbing effect — in fact, dentists used to use it for toothaches. By the time the numbing effect wears off, it usually has stopped itching for good. And as an added bonus, it smells good!”
9.
“When it comes to making the bed, your sheets contain the only hack you need. When you’re at the foot of the bed facing the sheet, the tag goes on the right side corner closest to you every time.”
10.
“Take the bottom part off a cupcake, put it on top of the icing, then eat it like a sandwich.”
11.
“Put appointments and tasks in your calendar with reminders. Your brain is terrible at remembering — let tools do the work.”
12.
“Here’s a simple psychology trick: If you want two people to get along, simply tell each of them after they’ve met that the other person likes the other. Hearing they’re liked makes them legitimately like the person other person more.”
—Ohshutyourmouth
13.
“Put Dawn dish soap on clothing food stains. I actually learned this on Reddit, and it changed my life.”
14.
“If you actually want to help someone, ask if you can assist with specific tasks. For example, if you ask someone, ‘Do you need help?’ they will tend to say, ‘No, thanks.’ But if you say something specific like, ‘Do you need help sweeping and mopping the floor?’ then people are more likely to say yes.”
15.
“When looking at recipes online, click the print link. This cuts out the unnecessary backstory and random musings. You can also save the recipe as a PDF to your computer or even just the link to the printable version.”
—FriedChickenDinners
16.
“I started bringing my gym clothes to work with me and leaving them in my car so I could go straight to the gym from work. This has significantly increased my weekly gym visits. Before, I would come home, unload all my work crap, change…and then I’d notice how cozy the cats looked, or I’d stop for a snack, which would be the end of it, I’d never make it to the gym. Now, I just don’t give myself that opportunity. I drive right by my house on the way to the gym from work. It’s simple, but it totally tricked my brain.”
17.
“A library card is worth its weight in gold. My physical library comes with (mostly for free): tool rentals, laptop rentals, studio rental space (video cameras, audio equipment), 3D printer usage in the library, sewing kits, free classes, and more (in addition to the usual book rentals, of course). Then, on the digital side, my library card comes with digital movie checkout, Hoopla/Libby/Kanopy, a free subscription to LinkedIn learning, some free online courses, language learning apps, and virtual workshops.”
18.
“For chores that I don’t like to do (like washing a big pile of dishes), I set a timer for four minutes and tell myself I will do it for four minutes, and after the time goes off, I can stop if I want to. Just giving myself an out makes it seem less cumbersome. Sometimes I quit after four minutes and pick it up again later, but I just keep going. Getting started is the hardest part.”
19.
“Pour corn starch or baking soda on goopy or oily messes. It helps solidify it a bit, and then it’s easier to ‘scoop up’ the mess and throw it away.”
—sleepingminion78
20.
“Put milk or cream in your coffee first. When I used to buy my coffee every day, I noticed that it was always lighter in color when I got it with cream than when I had it at home. That’s when I discovered that they were putting the cream in first. I started doing the same thing at home, and the rest is history.”
21.
“I keep markers by the fridge and write the ‘throw out’ date on anything that is a ‘use within X days’ product when I open it (shredded cheese, jams, etc.), so I’m never wondering if something is still good.”
Now it’s your turn! Tell us your best “life hacks” in the comments or in this anonymous form.
