Here on my blog, I strive to share simple, everyday tips and tricks that can help make life a little bit easier. But sometimes, the tips that I want to share aren’t something I can write a whole blog post about, so I tuck them away to use at a later date.
I’ve built up quite a catalog of these life hacks, so I decided to share a couple dozen of them today! Enjoy the first installment in the “Why Didn’t I Think of That?” series.
Be sure to scroll down to see some of these brilliant hacks in action on video!
1. Remove Strawberry Tops With a Straw
Use a drinking straw to quickly remove hulls from strawberries. This will save you a lot of time when using fresh strawberries in your baked goods or homemade strawberry ice cream!
2. Slice More Than Just Eggs
In addition to slicing hard-boiled eggs, an egg slicer is a perfect tool for slicing other soft fruits and veggies too, like mushrooms and strawberries.
3. Prevent Cutting Boards From Slipping
If your cutting board tends to move around on your countertop when you’re using it, place a damp towel underneath it. This will provide enough resistance to keep it from sliding, and you’ll be much less likely to have a knife mishap!
4. Keep Wastebasket Liners in Place
I love reusing plastic grocery bags as liners in my smaller trash cans, but I hate when the handles slip down into the can, making it hard to get out. A simple fix is to place small removable hooks upside down on opposite sides of the can. Just slip the bag handles under the hooks, and the problem is solved!
VIDEO: Keep Trash Bags in Place
5. Snap a Photo of Your Fridge
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to call home while at the grocery store to ask my husband or kids how much milk we had in the fridge because I forgot to check before I left. Now when I’m heading to the store, I stop and snap a photo inside of my fridge so I can refer to it while I’m shopping.
6. Connect Hangers With a Soda Can Tab
You can use an aluminum tab from a can of soda to create tiered hangers. Not only does using tiered hangers save on precious closet space, but it’s also handy for keeping outfits together.
7. Turn an Empty Bottle Into a Charging Station
You can use an empty oval-shaped bottle (like a baby shampoo bottle or similar) to make a convenient charging cradle for your devices. Use a utility knife or craft knife to cut a straight line across the front side of the bottle, then cut around to the back so that the back side is an inch or two taller than the front.
Cut a hole near the top of the back side of the bottle. Finally, plug your phone in, hang your cradle on the charger, and place your device inside. Easy!
8. Clip Recipes to a Hanger
Hold your cookbook open to the correct page by hanging it from a clip-style hanger. It’s also a great way to keep a printed recipe closer to your eye level (and away from spills and splatters) while cooking.
9. Stick a Bread Tab to the End of Your Tape
Use the plastic tab from a loaf of bread to mark the end of a roll of tape. No more hunting for the end, or struggling to get it unstuck!
VIDEO: Never Struggle to Find the End of the Tape Roll Again!
10. Clean Keyboards With a Sticky Note
If your keyboard keys are looking a bit dusty and grungy, all you need is a sticky note! Press the sticky side in between your keys to pick up dust and crumbs easily.
11. Keep Cords in a Glasses Case
Carrying around cords can turn into a tangled nightmare. Keep your cords organized and easy to find by storing them in a spare glasses case. (Looking for a way to keep your cords neatly coiled? Try a small hair clip!)
More Ideas You'll Love
VIDEO: Easy DIY Cord Organizer
12. Protect Photos & Documents in Transit
If you’re transporting important photos or documents and are concerned about them getting bent or wrinkled, just place them in a large plastic baggie with a piece of cardboard or a paper plate to keep the bag sturdy.
13. Stop Toilet Paper From Unrolling
Tuck the end of the toilet paper roll inside the cardboard tube to keep pets and kids from unrolling them.
14. Make a Pop-Up Grocery Bag Dispenser
Make a pop-up dispenser for your plastic grocery bags by storing them in a tissue box. Before putting a bag in, thread the bottom of the bag through the handles of the previous bag. This will make them pop up just like tissues.
VIDEO: An Ingenious Way to Save Your Plastic Grocery Bags
15. Turn Old Markers Into New Crafts
Make watercolors out of old washable markers by placing them upside down in a bit of water with the cap off. The color will mix into the water, making some fun watercolor paints for the kids.
16. Test Your Eggs for Freshness
How fresh are your eggs? Find out by putting them in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs will sink to the bottom, old eggs will float, and eggs that are in-between will stand up on their ends.
VIDEO: Take The Egg Freshness Test!
17. Use Sunglasses as a Phone Stand
If you’re referencing something on your phone, it can be hard to see when it’s lying flat on a table. Make a simple kickstand for your phone by placing it on a pair of sunglasses.
18. Use Nail Polish to Color Code Your Keys
Make your keys easily identifiable by painting the ends with different colors of nail polish. This is very useful when a lot of your keys look the same!
19. Don’t Waste a Drop of Nutella
Got a nearly empty container of Nutella on hand? Get one last treat out of it by placing a scoop of ice cream inside, and eating it out of the container. Yum!
VIDEO: Get One Last Treat Out of Your Nutella Jar!
20. Take a Photo When a Friend Borrows a Book
I’m always happy to lend things to friends, but I’m not great at keeping track of who has what. An easy way to keep track is to snap a photo of your friend with the item they’re borrowing. You can also just keep a note on your phone with their name and the item.
21. Carry More Bags With a Carabiner
Make it easier to get all the grocery bags in the house in one trip by using a carabiner. Slide the bag handles onto the carabiner, and you’ll be able to carry several bags at once!
More Ideas You'll Love
VIDEO: Get All the Grocery Bags into the House in One Trip
22. Add Accented Letters to Passwords
A simple way to create a stronger password is to add a letter with an accent mark. It’s easy to type on your devices, just hold down the letter and the accent options will pop up.
23. Hide Your Stuff in Plain Sight
Going to the beach or the pool this summer? A lot of people aren’t careful about their valuables while they’re in the water, and someone may walk off with them!
But you can easily “camouflage” your valuables by storing them inside an everyday item like a large sunscreen bottle. Just cut part of the container off, wash it out, place your items inside, and slide the bottle back together.
VIDEO: 4 Quick Household Tips
The “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” Series
- For even more simple tips and tricks that will make your life easier, check out the other installments in this series, including ones you may have missed!
- Explore the “Why Didn’t I Think Of That?” series archive.
Some clever tips on this list. Using a plastic straw to core strawberries? I learned that trick years ago. Stick a bread tab to the end of a roll of tape? The bread I buy uses wire twist ties. I use eyeglass cases for the remotes for my HVAC system. Make a pop-up grocery bag dispenser? I use reusable grocery bags. Use nail polish to color-code keys? I use only two keys, for my car and my post office box. Easy to keep them straight without the nail polish.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Soda can tabs to connect hangers aren’t always the best bet, particulary with fine fabrics which may become snagged. A far better choice is plastic chain available at any hardware store: simply choose a chain with sufficiently large links through which your hanger tops will fit.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks for adding to my tips, Rose_Anne. That’s a great idea.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Some great ideas.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Kind of off topic, but I really love that green nail polish you show in the color coded key tip, where could i find a bottle of it?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.RE: The carabiner tip for many grocery bags: if you are on foot or taking public transportation you can use a dog collar [I use one from the Dollar Tree], string the bags on the collar, split the bags into 2 groups, toss one group over your shoulder and the collar on your shoulder. This lets your back and legs take the weight of the groceries instead of your arms and hands. I’ve done it many times and I’m over 60.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This has nothing to what you shared , but our tax preparer gave us an awesome idea. Keep all your tax records , receipts , insurance paperwork and important information and records in a plastic zip lock inside a plastic container. If your home is damaged during a storm or water damaged then at least you will hopefully still have that information.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Like you tips. Some i have..Used . Some not seen before and will try. I know you have seen many uses of fabric softener sheets. I love using them for scrubbing in the kitchen washing dishes whatever you need to scrub. You can even stitch them to your dish cloth.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I really enjoy reading these tips! Thank you
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have a tiny dot of colored nail polish on top of kindle to mark where the charger port is. I put a dot of polish on top of laptop where the USB port is and a dot on the upside of the cord. Match the dots without fumbling to plug in cord. I do the same thing with the recharge cord for the Roomba and a matching dot on the Roomba itself. Small pieces of sticker also work well.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love that idea!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you’re going to the beach you can hide your wallet in a clean dipper folded as a dirty dipper. No thief will ever expect it to find it in there.
(found this tip also online)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you need a mirror to check your hair or makeup and don’t have one, use your cellphone camera in selfie mode. Works great.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I wanted to remember some of the items on your “Why didn’t I think of that” page, so I took my IPhone and took a picture of the sections I wanted, right of the computer screen. That way I didn’t have to print off the whole article.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Perfect!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.thank you so much for all the pertinent information and help that you provide so freely. Generally when I get your emails, i found it best to wait until I had at least an hour, due to the fact that I end up cross referencing so many things, then printing or saving to file. LOL. My home is cleaner, healthier, prettier and happier now. Should I nominate you for an order of magnitude? God Bless. See you again soon.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Wow! Thanks so much Diane, you made my day! :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have the old range hood. Its metal. I keep a magnetic refrigerator clip (you know, like a binder clip)on the side to hold by recipes. Right beside the baking supply cabinet.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I spray painted my magnetic binder clip (same as hood color) and attached to hood in front. Easy access to recipe……………..
Please log in or create a free account to comment.If you don’t have a garbage disposal you can keep an empty plastic gallon ice cream container lined with a grocery bag, place your food trash there till garbage day. Stops unwanted smells
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I keep an empty tissue box in the bathroom and fill it up with squashed empty TP rolls and other small cardboard items, then just toss the whole thing in the recycling. Love the garbage in the car idea too!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just heard a great tip for keeping things safe at the beach. Wrap your wallet/keys/phone etc. in a clean disposable diaper. Roll it up and tape shut like you do when its dirty. No one will steal a diaper that looks used. I may just have to buy diapers… ;)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great idea! Only draw back might be if some ‘helpful’ person decides to throw it into the garbage for you! lol
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Now for my own idea: The other day I was annoyed how much room the dang placemats took up. Didn’t really like them in a drawer or a cabinet (nothing really worked). I thought I would try hanging them up on a wood skirt hanger. I was surprised they didn’t look too bad hanging, plus the hanger holds quite a few placements.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When I put a clean pillowcase on my bed pillow, I pin a safety pin to one hem, inside the pillowcase. When I wash my hair, I flip the case to the side with no pin in the hem. This keeps my hair cleaner, longer.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A fantastic use for an empty tissue box: trash container for the annoying “small trash” items in the car, like used gum, tissues, snack wrappers, receipts…it will hold a TON of stuff, and the plastic on top keeps it from falling out. Put one in the back seat for the kids, too. When it’s full, toss the whole thing. I store my empty tissue boxes in the garage so a new one is always handy.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yes tissue boxes work great! I’ve cut them down to smaller boxes and have one taped by my sewing machines and on the ironing board. Cut down, they don’t take up much room in a night stand.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Be careful with the hanger for your devices when they’re charging. If the plastic touches the metal prongs, or the charging adapter itself gets too hot, the plastic could melt and start a fire.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have found so many great ideas on the One Good Thing site. Thank you so much. One thing I have started doing is using a grease pencil (china marker) to mark the storage containers I put my pasta and rice in. I used to cut out the directions and put it in the container or tape on the outside. All I really needed was the time for cooking. My containers are glass so this works well. The reason I don’t use my label maker is that I may not put the same thing back in that container. I buy different thicknesses of spaghetti (depending on my mood and what is available in the store I’m in) and sometimes try different shapes of pasta I don’t normally use. I really loved the information you did on rice. Now I don’t have any hard pieces because there wasn’t enough water. My husband always complained about that, and I didn’t think to use more water because all the directions given are basically the same. Even in the old cookbooks.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you Marlene!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Love Love Love these ideas, why didn’t I think I think of them?!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I recently organized my spice and baking items cabinet. I put them in alphabetical order so I can find them faster. I also made an alphabetical list of all my items so I know what I have “at a glance” since some of the lesser-used items tend to get moved to the back. I post this on the inside of the cabinet. And of course I put the date I opened the spice in Sharpee marker on the spice!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just found you! I can’t believe how many great one good things you share in your emails! I’m already a fan!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks