9 Tricks You Can Learn in 1 Minute and Use for the Rest of Your Life

Wrap your jeans around your neck, throw used tea bags in plants, and brush your teeth with apples. These might sound like things out of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, but we really mean it. These 9 things can be total game changers, and luckily, you can learn them all in a flash.

Bright Side invites you to set aside a quick 2 minutes to read this article and learn things that will serve you for a lifetime.

1. Size jeans without trying them on.

No more sweating in fitting rooms — now you can find your perfect jeans size in seconds. Just take the waistline and wrap it around your neck like a scarf. If it fits around your neck, congratulations, you’ve found your size! If the ends don’t meet, the jeans are too tight for you, and if they overlap, they’re too big.

2. Waterproof your shoes with a candle.

If you don’t have special creams or sprays for waterproofing your shoes, no worries, your candles have got your back. Make sure you use a transparent one; otherwise, you might accidentally dye them. The process is simple. Rub the candle on the shoe and then blow-dry it until the wax disappears from the fabric.

3. Find hidden cameras by making a phone call.

Hidden cameras and mics emit an electromagnetic field while transmitting the data. That’s why it’s easy to check whether you’re under surveillance. Call someone and walk around the room. If you notice that something interferes with the signal (like if you hear crackling or buzzing noises), you might be near a hidden device.

4. Throw used tea bags in your plants.

Used tea leaves serve as great fertilizers. Make sure the bags are biodegradable. If not, rip them open and put used loose-leaf tea into the plant roots. This way, you’ll give your plants a nutritious boost, add organic matter, and fight fungus, all thanks to an ordinary cup of tea.

5. Switch sides while sleeping with a blocked nostril.

If your right nostril is blocked, lie on the left side and vice versa. Your nostril will clear up shortly afterward, and you’ll breathe through it again. Lying on your side increases blood flow and causes congestion, so switching sides provides temporary relief.

6. Use rice to keep your salt neat and tidy.

Salt tends to absorb moisture and gets stuck in the shaker. To prevent that, put a few raw grains of rice in the salt. They will absorb moisture, and your shaker won’t get clogged. Besides, rice grains also prevent salt from clumping.

7. Brush your teeth with apples.

If you don’t have much time, even for brushing your teeth, at least grab an apple on your way out the door. Apples contain malic acid that whitens your teeth. In addition, the fibrous content of apples scrubs away plaque and other food debris.

8. Don’t throw away eggs that will expire soon.

The first thing to do is make sure they don’t lie around raw, so hard-boil them. This way, you’ll prolong their life for one more week.

9. Fix window screens with nail polish.

A small hole in your window screen can be easily repaired with nail polish. Clean the area, apply a bit of nail polish on both sides and let it dry for 10 minutes. This will prevent the hole from getting bigger, and the trick itself is as cheap as chips.

How do you simplify routine tasks? What tricks never work for you?