Home Hacks You Might Wish You Knew About Earlier
Owning or renting a home may come with its own set of problems but it doesn't always need to be so difficult. There are plenty of quick and easy fixes that offer a new approach to tidying up and maintaining your home. Did you know essential oils can give your bathroom 24-hour freshness? Or that a certain household tool is perfect for picking up pet hair? From simple chores around the house to storage shortcuts that open up more space you didn't know you had, these home hacks will hopefully make your life that much easier!
Put This In Your Toilet To Conserve Water
Conserving water is one of the top concerns for eco-friendly households. In addition to taking shorter showers, you could also reduce the amount of water you flush every time you hit the toilet.
One way to do this (without having to not flush at all, which is gross) is to put a brick or a jar full of water in the back of your toilet. After a flush, less water will go back in the tank due to the volume the brick takes up.
Use Tongs To Clean The Blinds
Your window shades and blinds can be some of the dustiest places in your home. Cleaning them can be tedious, but it doesn't need to be. You can clean the dust off your blinds easily with some kitchen tongs.
Simply fasten some microfiber cloths of an old t-shirt to the ends of the tongs with rubber bands. That way, you'll have an easy too that'll catch dust off both sides of the blinds in no time!
Use Command Hooks To Keep Liners In Place
If you do reuse plastic bags as waste bin liners, you might be annoyed if every time you throw something away, the bag goes in with it. One way to keep the bag in place is to you Command hooks.
Stick the hooks on either side of the trash can and place the loops of the bag around them. This will keep your liner in place without you having to touch a bag full of trash.
Use A Dishwasher Tablet To Clean The Shower
A cleaning hack initially recommended by an Australian mom went viral on Facebook after those who tried it couldn't believe how well it works. Dishwasher tablets are abrasive and packed with cleaning power, making them a great tool to clean more than your dishes.
After putting gloves on, dip a dishwasher tablet in cold water, then scrub it on the shower door, or any soap or grime stained area. Or if you want your shower sparkling clean, scrub it all! The tablet will begin to disintegrate (again, make sure you're wearing gloves). Then, rinse the area clean and wipe it down.
Try This Space-Saving Hanger Hack
Another problem we often run into when it comes to getting new clothes is running out of space in the closet. When you don't want to purge whatever clothes you don't need anymore, you can try saving space by doubling up on hangers!
Take a tab from a soda can and place the neck of one hanger through one of the holes. Then, simply hang another hanger from the bottom hole and voila, two articles of clothing for the space of one!
A Better Way To Utilize Ceiling Outlets
While it's always nice to have more outlets around a room, the electric outlets located on the ceiling aren't the easiest to access. You'll often see a ceiling outlet in a garage or in a space that used to have a ceiling lamp or fan.
Even if you're not installing a lamp or ceiling fan, you can use that plug with this wire basket hack! Install four small hooks to the ceiling, measured to the spacing of the wire basket. Plug in a power bar, set it in the basket, then use an extension cord from there.
Hide The Eyesore That Is Your Router
WiFi has become an everyday necessity in our homes but sometimes the router doesn't always add to the motif of whatever room it's installed in. If your router is looking particularly unsightly in your home, try hiding it with some innovative decorations!
Store the router in a decorative box with a hole cut out for the cords. Or you can make a case of fake books to store it standing up!
Clean Your Vents In The Dishwasher
You may think that you have a spotless home but one item that's often forgotten are your air-conditioning vents. These little guys don't always get the TLC treatment and end up collecting tons of dust that gets recirculated into your home.
For a quick, efficient clean-up, put your vents in the dishwasher and be sure to close the vents for a thorough clean. Blow dry the excess water off on the cool setting before reinstalling them.
Use A Magnet To Keep Your Hammer And Nails Together
Many of us don't use a hammer and nails too often. You likely have both in your house, but when you finally need to use them, you can't find one or the other. This is not only annoying but it is also dangerous to have unused nails lying around.
To avoid this mess and keep everything in one place, you can attach a small magnet to the bottom of your hammer. This will keep your nails attached to it when you need it most!
Check To See If Your Ceiling Fan Has This
If you know anything about science, then you know that hot air rises because it is less dense than cool air. This isn't exactly helpful during those chilly winter months, but there is likely a switch on your ceiling fan that will help that!
Most ceiling fans are equipped with a small switch that changes the direction of the fan blades. In the winter, use this switch to get the blades moving in a clockwise direction so that the warm air will be pushed from the ceiling to the floor.
Use An Egg Carton To Store Near-Empty Condiments
Nothing is more annoying than trying to get those last few tablespoons of mustard or ketchup at the bottom of the bottle. You just know there's a significant amount left and would hate to waste your money by tossing the bottle.
You could try storing your condiments lid-side down to get every last drop. Use an empty egg carton to hold the condiments in place without them falling over.
Use Pool Noodles As Bumpers In Your Garage
Not all garages are created equally and some people unfortunately have to fit their cars into such narrow spaces. For those who have a small garage, try slicing a pool noodle in half and attaching the pieces to either side of the garage walls.
Next time you get out of your car, the doors will nudge softly against the noodles instead of hitting the wall. No more scuff marks on the wall and no more dings on your car door!
Old Desk Organizers Can Serve Other Parts Of Your Home
Pantries are often the first spaces in our homes that start getting disorganized. Before you know it, you'll have spices hidden between boxes and bags of food that'll just overwhelm you.
If you have some extra desk organizers lying around your house, you can actually use those to organize the smaller items in your pantry. If you can, try pinning them onto the wall so that you have more shelf space for bulkier items!
Command Hooks Can Be Used For This
If you're reading this article, then you're likely a home-hack enthusiast who is well aware of the wondrous capabilities of Command hooks. These little guys can hang up almost anything and come off of your wall without leaving a trace!
One innovative use for these hooks is to hang wreaths or other decor on your front door. Just place the hook upside down on the inside of the door and using a string, your decor can hang on from the other side.
Use An Empty Bottle For This Decor Hack
Home decor optimists might be privy to have large vases filled with ornamental items such as used wine corks or glass beads. But what if you don't drink enough wine to collect enough corks?
Instead of taking on more wine than you can handle, or having to constantly return to the craft store for more glass beads, try putting an empty wine bottle in the vase first! The bottle will take up more volume in the vase and the corks or beads will fill in the space on the sides, giving the illusion that the vase is fuller.
Did You Know A Squeegee Could Do This?
One of the biggest caveats to having a cat or a dog is the amount of fur that can accumulate on your floors, especially if you have carpet throughout your home. Regular vacuuming usually does the trick but sometimes vacuums aren't strong enough to pick up everything!
Next time, try using a squeegee to loosen all the hair off of the carpet. The hardest clumps will come out before you run over your carpet with the vacuum again.
Use A Rubber Band For Stripped Screws
Hardware chores are a breeze until you come across that one stripped screw that makes it impossible to finish your task. Screwdrivers are barely helpful in these cases, yet some people still try to use them for a few minutes before finding another solution.
Next time you're in this predicament try placing a rubber band between the screw head and the screwdriver! The grip from the rubber should help the screw ease out. Then you can say you at least loosened it.
Shower Curtain Hooks Can Hang Clothes Too
We've all had those moments where we come home from the mall some new items to add to our wardrobe, only to realize we don't have enough hangers! This can be annoying, especially since at that point you'd be too tired to go back out and buy some.
One easy fix for this would be to use shower curtain hooks! They take up less space and are especially ideal for hanging clothes with a loop, like jeans or jackets.
Shoe Organizers Aren't Limited To Footwear
We've all seen those shoe organizers that hang on the back of closet doors and have a pocket for every pair of flat shoes that you own. But did you ever think of storing anything else in these bad boys?
Shoe organizers can work well in your pantry to store smaller items and make them easier to see at once. They also work great for organizing all the stray cords and power outlets lying around your house!
DIY A Non-Slip Hanger With Hot Glue
Maybe your closet issue lies not in the availability of space or hangers, but rather in the fact that all your nice blouses keep slipping off their hangers! Turns out there's an easy fix for this that doesn't require buying special hangers.
Instead, if you have a hot glue gun, try squeezing out a thin layer on the shoulders of the hanger. When it dries, it should prove the perfect grip for your cute tanks and silk blouses.
Keep Your Door Open With A Rubber Band
Bringing the groceries into the house is a chore in itself and it's pretty annoying having to try to open the door with your hands full. If leaving the door wide open is simply not an option where you live, you can try to make it easier by tying a rubber band around the doorknob like so.
This will prevent the door from latching so you can just push it open when you pass through. Just don't forget to remove it when you're done!
Use An Old Bottle As Decorative Storage
When it comes to jewelry, we don't always have the best storage solutions on hand. When we don't have the perfect place to store our bracelet collection, it ends up being a cluttered mess or worse, we even lose some of them.
You can avoid this by storing them on the neck of a bottle. Not only will you have a place for bracelets and scrunchies, but you will also have upcycled that cute wine, beer, or soda bottle you enjoyed so much.
Use Essential Oils In The Bathroom
The bathroom comes with its fair share of odors and we often use aerosol sprays to take care of it. These are hardly a long-lasting solution, so if you want something a little stronger, why not try essential oils.
Just a few drops of your favorite essential oil soaked into the cardboard of your toilet paper roll will do the trick! Every time someone grabs for more TP, the essential oil scent will be released into the air.
A Tension Rod Can Add More To Your Storage Space
We often store our household cleaning supplies safely under the kitchen or bathroom sink. But all those bulky boxes and oddly-shaped spray bottles can cause us to run out of space and clutter up the cabinet.
In order to avoid this, try a tension rod! They're inexpensive and can be found at any hardware store. This way, you can hang the spray bottles form the rod and open up more space underneath!
Save A Little After Your Next Paint Job
There's no other feeling quite like stepping into a freshly painted room. Changing the wall color can transform a space entirely but it is never fun to see all that hard work go to waste when furniture nicks the wall.
To avoid this, save some of the paint you used in a baby food jar before you properly dispose of your extra paint. This way, you'll have just enough paint on hand for touch-ups without having to store a big can of paint.
Turn Your Beverage Dispenser Into A Detergent Dispenser
Do you have a beverage dispenser in your home? If so, we're willing to bet that it's just adding to the clutter somewhere in your home. Unless you're an avid party host, your beverage dispenser probably gets used once a year, if at all.
If this is the case, you can get your money's worth out of it by re-purposing it into a laundry soap dispenser. Fill it up with liquid detergent and you can pour the perfect amount every time!
A Hiding Spot For Your Spare Key
Having a spare key always comes in handy when you accidentally lock yourself out of the house. Most people hide a key somewhere near their front door but you wouldn't want to hide it anywhere obvious so that a burglar can find it!
Try putting the key into an empty pill bottle. Then glue a pine cone or other piece of foliage natural to your front lawn to the end of the bottle. This way, you can bury it by a bush or some rocks near your door!
Use A Wine Cork As A Chip Clip
Just when you need a clip to secure an open bag of chips or nuts, it seems there is never one to be found in any of your kitchen drawers. Instead of turning your house upside down looking for one, you can fashion a makeshift clip out of a wine cork.
Just slice the cork halfway up one end and slide the open slit over your folded bag of snacks.
Store Water Bottles In Magazine Holders
If you have an endless supply of water bottles in your home, you're not alone. Somehow you've collected so many water bottles over the years, but even though you don't use all of them, you're not to keen on getting rid of them.
If they're taking up too much space in your kitchen, try storing them on their sides using magazine holders. This will save space and keep everything organized.
Label Your Cords Before Plugging In
If you use a power strip or an extension cord for multiple items in your home, it can get a bit confusing as all those cords get tangled up together. When you need to unplug something, you'll spend too much time making sure it goes to the device you're trying to unplug.
One way to avoid this mess is to label the cords that are plugged in using bread bag tags or washi tape and notating which device it leads to.
Make A Plastic Bag Tissue Box
Most of us have a cabinet in our kitchen stuffed with old plastic bags we never seem to run out of. These make excellent waste bin liners, but look like a mess themselves when they're not in use.
Up-cycle an empty tissue box by putting your plastic bags inside. Stuff the bags into the box with the loops sticking up. Fold the end of each new bag into the loops, so that every time you grab a bag, a new one will be ready for you!
Attach A Car Freshener To A Fan
One way to get your home smelling fresh when you're pinched for time is to attach a car air freshener to a house fan. Find the kind that clip onto a vent and attach it to your fan, making sure that it won't interfere with the blades.
Once you get that fan going, your home will be fresh in no time! You won't even have to clean anything or risk spraying aerosols into the air.
Keep Boots Upright With Pool Noodles
Ladies can't wait to use their tried and trusted boots during the fall and winter seasons. But when it's a little warmer out, those boots are stored away and not always in the best conditions. Letting the tall part of your boots flop over can invite unwelcome creases into your footwear.
Keep your boots upright all year using pool noodles. Just cut the noodles to size and stuff them into your boots.
Use Old Tubes For Your Cables
If you have a drawer full of unused cables and cords that you don't like to think about, there's an easy way to clean up that tangled mess. The key is to store your cords so that they are organized and easily accessible, but how do you keep track of what the cords are used for?
Wrap up the cords neatly and insert them into a toilet paper tube or a paper towel tube cut to size. Just label the tube so you know which cord is which.
Store Wrapping Paper In Garment Bags
When the holiday season comes and goes, you're left with all those tubes of wrapping paper taking up space in your storage closet. Worse yet, they keep falling over and won't all stay in the same spot.
Instead, try storing your unused wrapping paper in a garment bag. Not only is it long enough to hold those tubes, you can also hang it up to open more floor space for something else.
Use Pot Lid Racks In Your Closet
Kitchen storage solutions aren't exclusive to the kitchen. You can find ways to use them in your closet as well! A pot lid rack will clean up the clutter in your closet in no time.
These racks are perfect for organizing small purses, wallets, and clutches that used to take up space in your closet. Now you have a way to store all of them so that you can see everything you have at the same time!
Store Fresh Herbs In The Freezer
If fresh herbs are a regular in your home for cooking, you'll likely want to keep them around for as long as you can. You don't need to worry about using all the fresh herbs at once before they go bad. Instead, try freezing some in the freezer!
Right after you bring the herbs home or pick them from your garden, chop them up and freeze them in olive oil for use whenever you need it.
Use Binder Clips In Your Freezer
People who make smoothies at home regularly know that it's all too easy for your frozen fruits to take up space in the freezer. One way to not only keep them fresh, but also keep them out of the way is to use binder clips.
Simply clip the folded open end of your frozen fruits or veggies to the middle rack of your freezer. They will hang out of the way and open up more freezer space.
Pringles Cans Can Store Noodles Too
Spaghetti noodles often come in bags that aren't easy to seal back up after you start using them. This not only allows the dry noodles to lose their freshness but it can also get messy once the noodles start falling out.
If you happen to have an empty Pringles can lying around, clean it out and use it store your unused noodles! These cans are the perfect size, so you don't have to go buy a special container.
Make Your Ground Beef Flat Before Storing
Ground beef is excellent to have on hand for an easy dinner fix but it's not always easy if you have to wait a while for the beef to thaw out. Eliminate this problem from the start by flattening your ground beef in a gallon-sized freezer bag before storing it.
Because it is already flat, the ground beef will thaw out faster when you need it. This will also save space in your freezer!
Use Ceramic To Sharpen Your Knives
Dull knives can cause more problems than necessary in your kitchen. Not only do they make it harder to chop up your food, but handling a dull knife is also a safety hazard. If you don't have a knife sharpener on hand, you can probably sharpen your knives with something you already have in you cupboard.
Use the bottom end of a ceramic bowl or mug to sharpen the blade of your knives. Do so with caution!
Use Ice Cubes For Carpet Dents
When moving furniture around, you're often left with some unsightly dents in your carpet that don't really seem to go away with time. To make them disappear within the day, place some ice cubes over them.
When the ice cubes are melted, the dent will be gone but just be sure to wipe up the excess water and fluff the carpet out. This hack can take up to 12 hours to work successfully.
Clever Remote Control Storage
If you're tired of your video game or TV controllers being left all over the place (and inevitably getting lost), then you'll love this simple hack. All you need to do is place velcro strips on the controllers and cabinets to easily hang them up when you're done using them.
This brilliant storage solution also makes your tabletops easier to clean since they're not in the way.
Better Bathroom Organization
Toothbrushes strewn all over the countertops not only make your bathroom look disorganized and messy, but it's also quite unhygienic. Fortunately, there's an easy solution to this common problem, you just need to think outside the bathroom!
Just pick up a utensil organizer, the kind you'd usually use in a kitchen drawer, from the dollar store. Stick it in a drawer in the bathroom to organize your toothbrushes and floss.
Shoe Organizer For The Win
Using an over-the-door shoe organizer is also a great way to reduce clutter. This picture shows it being used for mittens and hats, but it also works for storing crafts, baby products, toys, and more.
You can also grab one of these for a buck at any dollar store, like many of the storage solutions we're talking about today. It doesn't cost a fortune to stay organized, you just need to think creatively!
Tidy Up Those Purses And Clutches
Do you find your clutches strewn everywhere? Or are your purses cluttering your dresser and closet? It's a common problem, especially if you like to switch out your handbags to go with your outfit every day.
If this is a problem you share, then grab a file organizer and stick a clutch in each slot. Not only will this storage hack keep things tidy, it'll keep your significant other from griping about your purse situation as much.
Now, A Tip For The Men
It's so easy for ties and belts to get strewn all over the place, too, and thanks to this simple hack, it's now simpler than ever to keep them organized. Here's what to do. Grab a pack of shower curtain rings and attach them to your clothes rack just the way you would in the shower.
Then, slip the belts and ties over the rings. It's best if you use one tie per ring but you can double up if needed!
Wrapping Paper Space Saver
To stop wrapping paper from piling up and falling all over the place, try running two pieces of wire at the top of your closet. Not only are you using a space that virtually gets used for nothing, you also keep the wrapping paper out of sight and out of mind.
After all, when you need to quickly wrap a gift as you're heading out the door, the last thing you want is a mess of paper to dig through.
How To Store Larger Handbags
We've covered how to store smaller clutches to reduce clutter, and now here is a way to store larger handbags. For this one, you'll need some S-shaped shower rings. Get as many rings as the number of purses you're looking to store.
After hooking the rings over the closet rack, slide the handle over the open end. This also works well for scarves, or anything else you'd like to hang up out of the way.
Reclaim Your Bathroom Counter
If you're one of those glamorous people who has dozens of eyeshadows, lip glosses, mascaras, etc. in your collection of cosmetics, then you'll be relieved to find this great, yet simple, storage rack.
You can pull this off by repurposing an old picture frame and line the middle with fabric. Paint it any way you like, and then stick velcro strips on the back of your containers. Voila! Now your bathroom looks like an upscale makeup boutique!
Put Your Old Mason Jars To Good Use
This storage hack is meant for a workshop, but it can also be used in the kitchen or anywhere you need to store small items. And what's even best is that they're stored from the top of a cabinet so you're not losing any space.
Attach mason jar lids underneath any cabinet and fill each jar with screws, bolts, etc. and screw the jar into place. Try painting the mason jar lids a different color to match your decor!
Look Ma, More Drawer Space!
If never being able to close your clothing drawers all the way leaves you completely frustrated, then this hack is for you. All you've gotta do to achieve that beautiful drawer to the right is to fold your shirts more neatly and place them up instead of laying them flat. This neatens things up plus gives you extra space.
In fact, this is the way that the clutter guru Marie Kondo organizes her clothing, so you know it's good.
Brush It Off
Here's another tip for people who are into cosmetics! Doing makeup is time-consuming enough without having to search everywhere for the right brush. For better storage and organization, grab a wire rack, a few cups or small baskets, and place your brushes in them by size.
Now your countertop is clutter-free and it's super easy to see which brush you need! It's also easier to remember to clean your brushes more often when they're out on display.
No More Whining About Crafting Clutter
Whether you are into crafting or have a home office to keep tidy, this hack is useful! And not only can you declutter with this easy hack, you can also do it in the cutest way possible.
Just place some cups on an extra wine rack and fill it with your pens, markers, and other office or craft supplies. Everything is more organized, plus it's easier to see what you have available.
The Cutest Hat Storage Ever
If you're sick of your kids (or yourself) always misplacing their hats and gloves, then this easy hack should not only nip that in the bud, but it'll reduce clutter as well. You'll only need a few nails, string, and clothespins to pull this off.
The extra nice bonus at the end is that it also doubles as a colorful decoration wherever you decide to put this up. Bring some color into the room!
Tidy Up That Desk
It can be incredibly difficult for some people to work when their desks are cluttered. And it's pretty tough to keep your work space organized when you're busy because there's just so much else to do.
Here's your solution. Utilizing a spice rack as a place to store office items such as paperclips and thumbtacks can reduce that clutter. Set aside one jar to keep small snacks in for a total win.
Everything In One Place
This easy hack for storing your manuals will declutter your drawers and countertops and help keep your sanity next time you need instructions for one of your gadgets or appliances.
Just use a three-ring binder with tabs to organize manuals for everything from electronics to kids' toys. Now you'll have everything on-hand and won't have to go on a mad scramble searing for instructions the next time you need them.
The Hat Trick
Not only does this simple hack store hats in a way that keeps things free of clutter, it also makes it easier to see what you have so you can easily pick out the right hat for any occasion.
Simply use a lightweight towel bar or suspension rod, add some shower curtain rings, and you can pull off this storage hack. Look how easy it is to see your whole hat collection at once!
Tidy Up Your Laundry Time
Nothing screams "cluttered" quite like laundry baskets full of clothes waiting to be folded lying around everywhere. This simple hack of utilizing shelves and a slab of countertop works two-fold: first, it provides ample storage for your laundry baskets and secondly it works as a space for folding clothes.
Now, it's especially easy to keep your clothes and household linens sorted before laundry day. It's one less thing to worry about as you take care of your household chores!
Plus One For Muffin Tins
The next hack in our slideshow that will declutter your life is this neat way to store your kids' craft supplies. You'll only need a muffin tin and some clear plastic cups for this one. Place the cups in the tin and fill them with everything your kids use during craft-time.
It's yet another example of putting items to work in places you normally wouldn't think of. Why keep the muffin tins in the kitchen if they're useful somewhere else?
