A Life-hack is defined as a strategy or technique adopted in order to manage one's time and daily activities in a more efficient way. I'm sure most of you have seen lots and lots of these popping up on social media sites and other blogs. Therefore you're probably wondering why I chose to do a post about these hacks.
I'll tell you why... I feel that several of the Life-hacks that I've come across are pretty silly. I know that statement was more of an opinion as opposed to a fact. But I just felt the need to explain my reasoning behind this post. Furthermore, not many people that I know, including myself, would do nearly half of the hacks out there. So I have compiled a short list of hacks that I feel make sense. Some I have personally done, while others I plan to try in the near future.
1. DIY Foam Hand Soap
I'll tell you why... I feel that several of the Life-hacks that I've come across are pretty silly. I know that statement was more of an opinion as opposed to a fact. But I just felt the need to explain my reasoning behind this post. Furthermore, not many people that I know, including myself, would do nearly half of the hacks out there. So I have compiled a short list of hacks that I feel make sense. Some I have personally done, while others I plan to try in the near future.
1. DIY Foam Hand Soap
I personally love this hack! This is a great way to conserve and be frugal. Not to mention the simplicity of this technique. Now for this trick to work, you must already have a foam soap dispenser. This will NOT work with a regular soap dispenser. You can either buy a decorative foam soap dispenser (click link at the bottom of page to see one at Amazon), or just reuse one that you had from a previous foam soap purchase. Next, all you have to do is fill the dispenser about an inch or two with your favorite soap. Then you add water to fill up the bottle and shake it up a bit. POOF!! You now have foam hand soap just like the ones from the store. You can do this with your body wash as well. I want to add that I have seen that some people prefer to use distilled or spring water for this concoction. They say that the soap keeps better that way. I personally have used just regular water and have had no issues as of yet. If I do, I will certainly switch my water.
2. Pet Food Ice Cubes
2. Pet Food Ice Cubes
Another one that I love and have done! This works well for me when I want to buy a large can of wet dog or cat food. The reason for this is because my animals are small and there is no way that they can eat all of the contents in a large can of wet pet food before it goes bad. Now I know some of you are thinking, "why don't you just buy small cans then?" Well, there's that thing that happens when people like to save money. It would cost me a lot more to buy a few small cans than it would for me to buy one large one. Its great if you're trying to proportion any animal for any reason. So all you need to do for this hack is scoop out the contents of the can into a standard ice cube tray. Freeze it overnight, and pop them out of the slots and store them in a Ziploc bag(s). Now it's up to you whether you'd like to defrost the cubes or not. If you leave them frozen, it makes a great treat for your pet. Especially in the summer months. Be sure to supervise them while they eat it so they don't choke on the cube though. I personally take out what I use the night before I need it and put it in fridge. Therefore it is thawed out by the next day for me to easily mix it in with my pets kibble.
3. Stick a Straw Through a Soda Tab
3. Stick a Straw Through a Soda Tab
This one is pretty self explanatory and I know it seems silly. But I can't stand it when my straw pops out of my soda can. I'll be going in for a nice cold drink and I magically can't find the straw. Oh wait! there it is, bopping me in my eye. So yes, I'd rather do this nifty trick than to go blind trying to sip on my soda.
4. Hang Your Ipad or Tablet Almost Anywhere
4. Hang Your Ipad or Tablet Almost Anywhere
Now this idea I have not personally tried. But I must say that I am intrigued by it. This seems like a really cool and cheap way to hang your Ipad or tablet. You may want to watch or read something on it without holding it. Such as if you were reading or watching a recipe. This will make it virtually hands-free (with the exception of you possibly needing to swipe or tap something) and keeps your device away from food or spills. So from what it looks like, you just get the appropriate sized 'Command hooks' that would properly anchor your device. 3-4 of them should be sufficient. Also an added bonus, if you use the 'Command hooks', you know they are designed to be easily removed from your wall. You know while writing this, I just thought of something. I wonder if you could do this in your car too? Hmm.. definitely something to think about.
5. Coat the Bottom of a Shaving Cream Can to Avoid Rust Stains
5. Coat the Bottom of a Shaving Cream Can to Avoid Rust Stains
This is a fantastic idea! Clear nail polish is so versatile. Not to mention, most women already have this on hand. If you don't happen to have it, it's budget friendly, so no worries on that. I have been a victim of rust stains on my tub from shaving cream cans. I would complain while trying to remove them from my tub completely, "why can't the manufacturers do something about this?" Well, this was one of those situations where I was sick of waiting for change. I had to be proactive and make change happen for myself. So off I was to research again and found this. Now I can save my bathroom surfaces and I am very happy about that. Try to put a coat on when you first get the shaving cream. Therefore you don't give it any time to build up any oxidation or rust. In addition, if it takes you a long time to use up the can of shaving cream, re-coat it periodically to be on the safe side.
6. Bring a Laundry Basket Shopping With You
6. Bring a Laundry Basket Shopping With You
I totally love this idea! I have not tried it yet, but plan to in the near future. All you need to do is put a laundry basket or two in your trunk or backseat when you go grocery shopping. This will cut down on the amount of trips you have to make while unloading your groceries in your home. Furthermore, it will keep your bags organized and things won't be rolling around. I'm sure you'll have to be careful not to overload the baskets and make them too heavy. Or not put delicate items on the bottom of course. But I'm sure there can be modifications to this hack to make it work for your situation.
7. Drill Holes in Your Trash Can to Reduce Suction
7. Drill Holes in Your Trash Can to Reduce Suction
Aahh, the joys of taking the trash out of the can. As if it isn't already a disgusting battle. I just love pulling the nasty filled up bag of trash out only to find that it doesn't want to come with me. Its like it wants to take up permanent residency there. Guess I should charge the bag rent then. Alright, alright I know that was corny, but you get the gist. Drilling an equal amount of holes around the waste basket helps reduce that suction. I suggest 2-3 on each side. I know it doesn't necessarily look attractive, but what about trash really is right? Anything that can help with this daunting chore is worth it.
8. Use a Paper Plate to Control Electric Mixer Mess
8. Use a Paper Plate to Control Electric Mixer Mess
Heck, I may want to bake more often now that I know this. I know some people don't mind the mess while they're mixing, but I do. So before using your mixer, cut a hole in the center of the paper plate. Make sure the hole is slightly larger than the width of the 2 beaters. Cover your mixing bowl with the paper plate and put the beaters through the hole to prevent splatter while you're mixing. This hugely cuts down on the mess. With this method you may be more willing to let your children enjoy using the electric mixer as well. Such a win-win!
9. Use Cupcake Wrappers to Prevent Popsicle Drip
9. Use Cupcake Wrappers to Prevent Popsicle Drip
Don't know if you can tell yet, but I don't like to get messy. Especially my hands, I don't know why but I've always been this way. So this comes in handy for my household when it comes time to have a popsicle. I loathe the drips from the melting popsicle. No matter what I do, I can't seem to eat it quick enough before that happens. Neither can most people I know, especially kids. So in my opinion, this is a valuable tip to remember.
10. Use a Paper Clip To Find the End of a Tape Roll
10. Use a Paper Clip To Find the End of a Tape Roll
There's nothing like struggling for what seems to be hours trying to find the end of a tape roll. Drives me absolutely nuts! It's even more difficult for the people that have less than perfect vision and barely any finger nails. I really like this idea because the paper clip is easy to see, and easy to get off the roll. Not to mention that paper clips come in a variety of sizes, so you can kind of match it up with the width size of your tape roll. I have seen this trick done with bread tabs. But I feel that those aren't as easy to come by all of the time, since most bread comes with twist ties now. Paper clips are nearly a staple in the majority of households these days. So this idea makes more sense to me.
It's now time for the drum roll.....the one extra bonus hack that I have found that I know most of you will be grateful for!
BONUS HACK:
It's now time for the drum roll.....the one extra bonus hack that I have found that I know most of you will be grateful for!
BONUS HACK:
That's right, you said it! The one and only Wendy's Chocolate Frosty. I found a recipe for it online today and I was thrilled. I still need to try this, but I felt it was a notable hack. It's very popular, and this should save you some money. Here's the recipe for 1 serving:
1/2 cup of milk
4 teaspoons of Nesquik Chocolate Drink Mix
2 cups of vanilla icecream
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend on medium speed, stopping to stir several times with a long spoon, if you feel it's necessary to blend the ingredients well.
Oh and don't forget to get some fries so that you can dip them in lol.
~Thank you again for taking the time to read this post, I hope you enjoyed learning about some of my favorite Life-hacks. If you have tried any of these tips, or know any hacks that you feel make sense, please leave a comment below.~
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