Save Time and Money With These Life Hacks For Just About Everything
Life hacks
It’s a wrap
No time to stop by the florist before that dinner party tonight? Keep rolls of brown craft paper and twine (both cheap and plentiful at art-supply stores) on hand for a quick grocery-store bouquet makeover. Once you’ve got your stems, remove the plastic wrap, swathe in brown paper and cinch with a length of twine. Presto: a beautiful bunch that doesn’t betray its big-box roots.
White on
If the runways, and the streets, are any indication, the sneaker trend is not going anywhere. If you’re sick of your white kicks getting covered in scuffs, grab a new, dry Mr. Clean Magic Eraser or a sturdy, clean makeup sponge. Rub the sponge back and forth on the spot a few times and the stain should vanish.
Blade runner
As spring heats up and we switch to lightweight sweaters from chunky knits, here’s a crafty way to remove pilling: Take a disposable razor — make sure it’s not one of those with a moisture strip — and gently run it against the grain of the sweater. The blade will lift and remove all extra fuzzies without damaging the fabric.
Hair apparent
Breaking a sweat is good for your mind and body – but not always your hair. Luckily, there are a couple of things you can do to keep things fresh up there. If you tend to sweat a lot, spray dry shampoo in your hair before you work out, instead of after. This will create a barrier to soak up some of the sweat. If you don’t sweat too much but worry about frizz, simply stick a dryer sheet into your bag and use it to calm your locks down post-workout.
Get inspired
If you’re guilty of hoarding magazines, we applaud you, and have one suggestion to ease the clutter burden that may result from your addiction. After spending some time with the mags of your choice, tear out your favourite pages (recipes, beauty tips, fashion inspo, etc.). Next, pick up a folder at a craft or office-supply store with 8.5-by-11” plastic pages. Then, organize your magazine pages by topic and voila: you’re left with folders full of inspiration, and much less clutter.
Keep it fresh
There are some truths in life, and one of them is that your gym bag will always be, er, funky. Or will it? Keeping things fresh is as simple as swiping a few dryer sheets from the laundry room. These will help with keeping your sneakers and bag smelling sweet, no matter what you get up to in the gym.
Mark the spot
We all have it: the box full of old ticket stubs, be they from movies, amusement parks or that recent trip to Nashville. Instead of keeping them cooped up, give them new life as bookmarks. Slip stubs into random books on your shelf, that way, you can be surprised with a happy memory next time you open a book you haven’t read in a while.
Road rules
Fun fact: Journalists who travel frequently keep a so-called “go bag” on hand, which contains a change of clothes and toiletries, so they can drop everything and chase a story at a moment’s notice. Follow their lead this summer by keeping a pouch of toiletries packed and ready for action (throw in mini shampoos, a travel toothbrush, pain-relievers, etc.). Prepping for that impromptu road trip just got easier.
Bowl them over
Coffee table books are all well and good, but what about bowls? Reinvent the conversation piece by placing bowls full of small collectibles (matchbooks or boxes, fortunes from fortune cookies, etc.) on your coffee table. Next time people take a seat, the conversation is guaranteed to flow.
Weekend update
Weekends are for relaxing, this much is true, and these two quick hacks will make that easier: first, use Saturday morning to organize your Netflix queue. It only takes a few minutes, and will save you that what-should-we-watch-tonight time in the long run. Second, set aside some time on Sunday to flip through cookbooks; doing this with Post-Its in hand will make meal planning for the week a breeze.
Shop around
For the next time you’re travelling abroad, we have a cool secret about souvenirs: some of the best ones are hiding in the grocery store. That’s right — the grocery store. Things like cereals and condiments are easy to stash, inexpensive and really speak to the identity of a place.
Tweet, tweet
Have a device-happy household? Of course you do. We all do. Here’s a cool idea we saw at a friend’s house recently: a vintage birdcage that was used to store — and charge— devices at the end of the night. Simply place the birdcage within reach of plugs and shut the door at the end of the night. No more access! Try it at least once and see how peaceful a night’s rest can really be.
Step to it
Can you say Pinterest catnip? This storage tip has been pinned so many times, it is virtually impossible to trace where it originally came from, but that’s because it is just so good. Take a wooden ladder (one with two sides) and several flat pieces of wood. Place the wood across each of the rungs of the ladder and voila: ample shoe storage like you’ve never had before. We tip our hat to you, mystery inventor.
Can do
Are your kitchen drawers full? Here’s a cute storage solution that also helps the planet by recycling. Next time you use canned tomatoes (or anything else in a large tin with a cool picture on it), rinse the can well, sandpaper away any rough edges and use it to store frequently used utensils on the counter.
Cold comfort
It happens to all of us: you buy a big batch of herbs, and before you know it, they’re wilting in the fridge. Extend their life by chopping them up and storing them in the freezer in old mustard or jam jars. Another option is freezing them in ice cube trays. Then, just use as needed. No excuse for not eating your greens now.
Bag it up
Next time you’re heading out for the night, why not skip the purse? Instead, grab a pashmina and use it as a bundle purse that holds your phone, lipstick and cash. Simply place the scarf on the floor and put your valuables in the centre. Then, tie together the opposite corners, making a bundle. Best of all, later, when you’re cold, you can simply unwrap the shawl and wear it on the way home.
Stacks on stacks
Sure, you can store those books or magazines inside a wire or straw basket, but here’s a cool new way: flip the basket upside down and stack them on top; this results in a cool shelf-like effect that works especially well if you organize them by colour and/or fan them out like a fancy staircase.
Reading rainbow
If you’ve taken a look at Pinterest recently, you’ll see this organization/décor trend is de rigueur at the moment: organize your books by the colour of their spines. You’re left with a gorgeous ombre effect that will leave everyone who visits running home to do the same thing.
She’s got issues
Magazine junkie? Join the club — and take note of this cool storage suggestion. Pick up a cheap, simple vintage ladder (wood is best, but a worn metal one can also look cool) and find a spot to lean it in your living room. Next, flip magazines sideways and perch each group on each individual rung. Beats the doctor’s-office stack!
Best buds
Feel like playing florist? Update a bouquet by separating the different flowers in store-bought arrangements. Take the classic roses-and-baby’s-breath combo: together, they’re pretty ’90s. Separate the roses and stick the baby’s breath in a bud vase (or even an old champagne bottle) for a look that’s much more classic.
Suit up
Planning to hit the road this spring? Keep your suitcase organized with this simple trick. Those fabric dust bags you get with buying certain shoes and purses? Use them to separate groups of clothing in your luggage — undies in one, bras in another and so forth. It will make packing and unpacking a breeze, no matter where you’re headed.
Hang time
Suffer from a surplus of purses? First off, we feel that. Second, why not try this storage hack: Hit an antique or thrift store and pick up a vintage coat rack. Spray paint that baby whatever colour you want (matte white and metallic gold are two pretty options), wait for it to dry and voila: storage and decor all in one.
Makeup makeover
If your makeup table is as crowded as the ladies’ room at a Beyoncé show, may we suggest raiding the kitchen? Display eye- and lip-liners in old champagne flutes, lipsticks in vintage tins or teacups and keep eyeshadow singles tidy in ice-cube trays. Solutions so cool even Queen Bey would be impressed.
Iced, iced, baby
For a quick fix during the week before work or on the weekend, simply pour your brew into a mason jar filled about halfway with ice. Seal carefully and you have a portable sipper without the coffee-shop cost.
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