10 Cool but Little-Known Hacks That Could Save You a Lot of Time and Money

There are times when we cling to particular habits, not thinking about the possibility that there may be other, potentially easier, ways to achieve the same result, or even better. Little-known life hacks are perfect for changing this way of thinking, and best of all, they are so common that we can apply them in our day-to-day lives and save ourselves a lot of time.

At Bright Side, we’ve compiled several original tips to solve some of the most common problems of daily life.

1. Making a circle with dental floss instead of holding it with your fingernails

When people floss, they often tend to hold the floss using the tip of their fingers, and most often, even the fingernails. While this method works, it could end up hurting you. That’s why it’s better to create a loop with the floors and secure it with a knot. That way, you’ll be able to use it in a comfortable way.

2. Flipping the peanut butter jar over

You probably know that peanut butter has lots of benefits for your health, but sometimes, if you don’t eat it quickly, it can develop a layer of oil that is not at all pleasant. The solution to this problem is to keep the jar upside down so that when you turn it over again to uncover it, its components are mixed again and you can eat it easily.

3. Using frozen sponges for muscle aches and pains

Blue gel packs prove to be very beneficial for our bodies, especially when we face muscular pains. In case you don’t have any or don’t want to buy them, you can always substitute them with a bag containing a sponge. The trick is to put the sponge inside a resealable bag of the same size, fill it with water, and put it in the freezer. To use it, it’s always advisable to cover it with a small cloth tissue.

4. Tilting the rearview mirrors to see beyond the side of the car

Rearview mirrors are your best allies when driving; however, sometimes you might not take full advantage of them. Normally, people place them in such a way that they can still see a tiny bit of the car. But ideally, they should be tilted a little more outward so that you can see more parts of the road. By doing this, you’ll actually make blind spots smaller.

5. Preventing a bag of chips from ripping

It’s very common that, when opening a bag of chips, we tear the package and it rips open. At first glance, it seems there’s not much that can be done about this, but a good hack is to open a small hole with a hole punch at the last point the bag is torn. This will prevent the disaster from escalating further.

6. Washing socks in lingerie bags

One of the most common things is to wash clothes and find that socks go missing. Who hasn’t had this issue? A good solution to this problem is to put the socks inside a lingerie bag, then put them in the wash. At the end of the cycle, all the socks will be in one place.

7. Heating your food in a ring

Heating food in the microwave is one of the most common things people do daily; however, sometimes food is not heated evenly, especially when you make a small mountain of it and put it on a plate. In order for the heat to be better distributed, it’s preferable to make a ring with it and then microwave it.

8. Storing jewelry in pill boxes

Other items that tend to get confused and lost in jewelry boxes are earrings and chains. A good way to keep them organized is inside a pill box because the divisions allow you to keep a better distribution of all the objects. You’ll no longer have to spend 10 minutes looking for the pair of earrings you want to wear.

9. Cooling water with ice

When people want to prepare cold water to take to work the next day, they usually fill a bottle with water and put it in the freezer, or alternatively, they put a few ice cubes in it before leaving the house. The first option doesn’t always work, as sometimes you want to drink some water and it’s still frozen, while with the second option, the water can reheat very quickly.

Ideally, you should fill the bottle halfway and put it in the freezer. Then the next day, finish filling it with water so there will be a better distribution of the cold and it will last longer.

10. Using bottle caps to seal plastic bags

Hermetically sealing plastic bags that we keep in the cupboard is often a challenge. A good trick is to reuse soda bottles, cut off the base, and use only the spout. What you can do is put the tip of the bag through the nozzle, then open it sideways, and finally secure it with the lid. In addition to being useful, it’s quite environmentally friendly.

What other tricks have made your life easier lately? Share your best ideas with us!