Use a muffin tin to hold toppings for a BBQ
Everyone likes their burgers, brats, and hot dogs a different way. Make a “burger bar” at your next BBQ by using a muffin tin to hold all the toppings for your guests. This will eliminate the need for a multiple bowls or dishes, making cleanup a breeze. Relish, chopped onions, ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce… we’re getting hungry just thinking about it.
Always order the large pizza
Next time you want to order pizza and someone suggests ordering the medium – to save money or a few pounds – bust out a little math and prove that a large pizza is always the smarter economical decision. Here’s an example explaining why one 18 inch pizza is more than two 12 inch pizzas:
Area of circle = pi*r2
12-inch: 113.1 in2 x 2 = 226.2 in2
18-inch: 254.47 in2
Use a paperclip or toothpick to clean out a charging port
If your phone isn’t charging when plugged into the charger, it might be because of lint or dirt buildup in the charging port. It is a common problem caused by storing your phone in your pocket or purse. So before you go out and spend money on a new charging cable or phone, grab a paperclip, toothpick, or another narrow option to dig around in there and clear out any lint.
Steam your microwave for easy cleaning
No one likes cleaning a dirty microwave. Make the process a little easier by steaming the inside of your microwave first. To do this, simply fill a microwave safe dish (I personally use a large Pyrex measuring cup) about halfway with water with a splash of vinegar or lime juice. Heat the water up in the microwave for a couple of minutes and voila! Stuck-on grime will wipe clean easily.
Light the end of a candle with spaghetti
Nothing is more frustrating than trying to light the end of a candle. We’ve all tried it and came away with nothing besides soot covered hands and burnt finger tips. If you don’t have any long matches or one of those long lighters, grab a piece of uncooked spaghetti. The dried pasta holds a flame surprisingly well, allowing you to ignite those hard-to-reach candle wicks.
Clean your foggy headlights with toothpaste
Are your headlights not as bright as they used to be? Oxidation can cause headlights to become “foggy,” potentially becoming a safety hazard. Many car stores sell expensive cleaning kits, but why fork over your hard earned money when some classic toothpaste can do the job just as well?
Stop your rugs from slipping with velcro
Anyone with a young child or rambunctious puppy knows how frustrating (and potentially dangerous) slippery rugs can be. Address slipping rugs by using some velcro, the kind that sticks on both sides, to keep your rugs in place. Make sure to test it in advance to make sure the adhesive doesn’t damage your floors.
Catch debris when drilling with a post-it note
Drilling holes in walls to hang pictures or shelves can be hard enough. Save yourself some cleanup work by using this neat trick to catch the debris from the grill. Simply crease a sticky note in half and stick it a little bit under where you are going to drill. The the dust will land in the paper, making for easy cleanup and no need for the broom.
Cook your egg in an onion ring to make the perfect breakfast sandwich
Sure, you could buy a special pan or some fancy electric contraption to make perfectly round eggs for English Muffin sandwiches, or you could do it the American way and use a little ingenuity. A sliced onion makes the perfect container to keep your egg from spreading and BONUS: you get a nice cooked onion on your breakfast sandwich!
Cut a small carton of ice cream to make the perfect ice cream sandwich
If you’ve ever tried to make your own ice cream sandwich, you know how difficult it is to get a perfectly circular slab of ice cream on a cookie. Solve that problem by buying a small pint (make sure it’s not one of the plastic ones), turn it on it’s side and cut through the ice cream – packaging and all – to get that perfect circle. A warm, serrated knife works best.
Print something even when you are out of black ink
Everyone knows how infuriating it can be when you need to print something important but your printer is out of blank ink. Solve that problem by switching the color of the font to #010101 – that is the computer code for a gray so dark that it is basically black. Your eyes won’t be able to tell the difference, but your printer will.
Ask a veteran the right questions
Don’t ask a veteran if they’ve ever killed someone. It is both the first and worst thing a veteran is asked.
We should respect our veterans, not make every encounter with a stranger awkward. If you must ask about a veteran about their service, ask them something like, “What was the most rewarding part about serving our country?”
And a tip in the same vein: if someone says they don’t drink alcohol, don’t ask them why, just accept it.
“Vacuum seal” food without a machine
If you want to “vacuum seal” food but you don’t have one of those expensive machines, put your food in a ziplock bag and submerge it in water (a big bowl or a full sink work great) with the bag open above the water. The water will push the air out of the bag, allowing you to close it without any air left inside, making an airtight seal that will keep your food fresh for longer.
Clean up your nachos with a taco
Everyone knows that nachos can be messy and that they often lead to a plate full of nacho toppings but no chips. Solve this problem by putting a tortilla down on the plate before you start building your nachos. Instead of all those delicious nacho toppings dropping onto your plate, they will land safely on a warm tortilla – making yourself a taco for dessert!
Get your hospitalized friend a gift they actually want
Have a friend or family in the hospital? Skip the flowers and get them something they can and will actually use.
Consider giving them comforting items like cozy blankets, soft socks, or slippers. For entertainment, pick out a book or better yet, an eReader or tablet. If your friend is a millennial or cell phone junkie, an extra long charging cord makes the perfect gift.
Get your coworker to return a borrowed pen
Tired of that coworker who always borrows your favorite pens without giving them back? Next time they ask, give them a pen, but keep the pen cap at your desk. They will be much more likely to return your pen because no one likes having a pen without a cap rolling around!
Use Doritos to start a campfire or charcoal grill
Camping without a fire is basically like being homeless. Impress your friends and family on your next outing by starting a fire using Doritos as kindling. The flavored tortilla chips are completely dry and hold a flame really well, making them the perfect fire starter for a campfire or a charcoal grill.
As an added bonus, you have an excuse to eat a bunch of Doritos.
And while we’re talking about camping: Always inspect trees for dead limbs prior to setting up your tent. These dead trees are known as widowmakers for a reason.
Make your own powdered sugar
Powdered sugar, also known as confectioners sugar, is one of those ingredients that you always seem to have in your cupboard until the time comes to actually use it.
To make your own powdered sugar at home, simply put regular sugar (about half the amount of powdered sugar the recipe calls for) in a food processor, blender, or even coffee grinder. Pulverize the sugar until it’s “powdered” and that’s it!
Keep your tie from blowing around on a windy day
If you’ve ever worn a tie on a windy day you know how big of a pain it can be to keep it in place. Give your tie some weight to stay in place by slipping a quarter or two down the inside hem. This will make the end of your tie heavy enough to avoid flapping around in the wind.
If only President Trump knew about this, he could have avoided the great Scotch Tape Tie Scandal of 2017.
What was your favorite life hack from the list? What would you add?
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