15+ Home Hacks You'll Actually Use

Getting ready to move has been a pain in the butt for me, but I'm excited to use some of the home hacks I've found online in our new place!

Honestly, anything that helps with saving money, organization, or just all around helpfulness is a good thing in my books.

So, I'm definitely excited to put some of these smart home hacks to the test soon!

Don't worry about spilling water all over the place when moving your ice cube tray from your sink to your freezer.

Reddit | williamd83

Instead, just grab a water bottle and pour the water directly from the bottle to the tray while it's still in the freezer. You won't have to worry about getting water everywhere!

I've actually used this hack a few times now because I'm always spilling water all over myself. This is especially handy with those flimsy silicone trays that you can never get to stay still.

Those soy sauce bottles have the perfect pouring mechanism!

Reddit | solodolo

Instead of throwing out your soy sauce bottles, reuse them for other liquids in your home. They're great for getting the perfect pour, so you might as well fill it up with oil or vinegar!

This would definitely save you a couple of $$$ on buying those fancy bottles with those fancy spouts. You're basically getting two for one when you buy a soy sauce bottle like this one. Hello, sign me up!

Not sure if your eggs are still okay to eat?

Reddit | mrcastiron

Put them in a cup of water. If the egg has gone bad, it'll float! Ones that are okay to eat should sink to the bottom of the cup. No one wants to crack open a rotten egg, so this is pretty key.

I've given this hack a try before, and it honestly does work. Plus, it's kind of a fun experiment to try out, especially with the kiddos! Let us know how it goes for you.

A car wash can clean the outside of your car, but what about the inside?

Reddit | williamd83

Keep a small bottle of Windex and a microfiber cloth in your car so that you can clean the inside of your windows when they get dirty.

My car definitely needs this because my dog loves to rub her face all over the window when we're driving along. It's definitely cute, but man does my car need a bit of a wipe-down. My pup is lucky I love her so much.

I find that lettuce and spinach never last very long in the fridge.

Reddit | williamd83

My friend was actually complaining about how her salads never seem to last throughout the day and that she was looking for a salad spinner to do the job.

But apparently, she doesn't need one! If you put some paper towel in the container with your spinach, it'll help double the shelf life. If this actually works, I'll be pretty impressed.

It makes sense, though, because the paper towel absorbs the moisture, keeping your lettuce crisp.

Guys, trust me when I say you don't want to leave your toothbrush on your bathroom counter.

Reddit | k17060

I was actually on an airplane recently where a man spent half the flight talking about why this was so wrong.

Let's just say that certain airborne particles totally float around your bathroom. And you're definitely not going to want to put those in your mouth.

Instead, why not use some adhesive hooks to hold it on your cabinets? This works perfectly to keep your toothbrush hidden and safe.

This isn't just great for students. Everyone should give it a try!

Reddit | Racaermo

As soon as you buy your food, separate your food into individual freezer bags before freezing them. Then you can just use the exact amount you need when you want to cook.

This is super smart for anyone who often cooks for one person — or for someone who wants to save a little bit of time and money when it comes to groceries and cooking. I mean, I'm down to try it out!

Got paint on your new duvet cover?

Reddit | Jb924799

The good people of Reddit recommend soaking it in hot water and dish soap, then scraping it off.

As a crafty person who is also a super messy and clumsy person, I've gotten paint on a few places that it shouldn't go, including my blankets and chairs. Oops?!

When this happens, I'm willing to give anything a try to save my stuff. Fingers crossed this suggestion from Reddit actually works.

Don't you hate it when you open a bag of chips and there's not really much inside?

Reddit | qwanzaden

If the bag has a clear spot, try turning the bag on its side to see how much is really there.

We all know some manufacturers and grocery stores try to rip us off, so I think it totally makes sense to find ways to stop ourselves from wasting money when we don't have to!

Seriously, what a brilliant idea to compare different sizes of bags and products.

While this photo might be photoshopped, it's not a bad idea.

Reddit | StealMyMemes

Basically, when you're cooking food you know might set off your alarm, put a shower cap over it. But dangle a ribbon from it so you remember to take it off when you're done.

Honestly, my new smoke detector is super, super sensitive. I've considered giving this a try for that very reason! And I have to give some major props to whoever thought of this for their creativity when coming up with their hack.

Hate using an Allen key on your furniture? I know I do.

Reddit | trenton00

If you straighten your key, you can put it in your drill! On the flip side, you can also buy hexagon-shaped drill bits.

I've used hexagon drill bits before, and let me tell you, they're a lifesaver. I'm moving this weekend and I'll definitely be using my drill wherever I can. I love Ikea, but their stuff is a pain in the butt to build.

Hallelujah for the Allen keys of this world!

Save some money and use half the amount of soap!

Reddit | JojoBaki

By putting an elastic around the neck of a pump soap dispenser, you'll use less soap and therefore need to replace the bottle less frequently. This is really smart if you have kids who tend to pump a TON of soap into their hands when they use the dispenser.

I mean, I know we want our kiddos to use soap, but maybe not THAT much soap? I mean, I used to make potions with the soap in my bathroom, so who am I to talk?

Ikea furniture is a pain to put together, and even more of a pain to take apart.

Imgur

But, you can make your life a little easier by putting all the pieces in a plastic bag and labeling it.

THANK YOU, IMGUR. Bless you for this hack, I am 100% going to give this a try this weekend when I'm moving. Never again will I lose all the important pieces that go into building my furniture.

Honestly, Ikea would make a killing if they sold plastic bags and labels at the checkout.

If you keep your media center in a console like this, try adding pool noodles to stop it from overheating.

Reddit | Enormous_Giraffe

This is also great if your little ones like to play with the doors of the console and you're worried about little fingers getting caught.

I know that most parents are totally baby-proofing their furniture, but I would never have thought of this one! It's great for making sure no little fingers are harmed while they're hanging out watching Netflix on the TV.

If your coffee cup is always leaking, it might because of this.

Reddit | MoralsAreRelative

Don't line up the mouthpiece with the seam of the cup — it could be why your cup is leaking so much!

I tried fixing this on my Starbucks cup yesterday, and while it wasn't easy to get the lid off of the cup, it certainly helped a lot. No more leakage! (Lol, sorry. I swear this is not a Tampon ad, it really is just for a coffee cup.)

I am 100% going to be doing this with my clothes when I move later this month.

Reddit | thezeroed

It's so much easier than trying to pack your clothes in boxes, and you can move them from one closet to the next with ease.

I currently have a bunch of clothes hanging in my closet just like this, ready to be moved from one apartment to the next. Seriously, I've been doing this for years and I can't recommend it enough. It's my best moving hack ever!

This is such a great way to make your space look bigger on a budget!

Reddit | TheKittyCow

It looks pretty cool, and these mirrors cost less than $10 each, rather than over $100 for a large one.

I think it helps open up the space a lot, which is totally important in small rooms. If you're going to try any home decor tricks, I definitely recommend adding some mirrors! I'm stoked to give this a try in my new house when I move.

Did you know you can by dry-erase fridges?!

Reddit | scottdottcom

While it might not be in the budget to buy a whole new fridge, you can also get adhesive dry-erase paper that you can stick onto the doors!

I've also seen some really cool fridges that have been painted with chalkboard paint or with other kinds of funky decals. It's definitely something a bit more unique than your standard white or stainless steel fridge. What a way to add some color to your kitchen!

In a pinch and need a bottle opener?

Reddit | AlbertDumblestein

I've seen people try far less intelligent ways of trying to get a cap off the top of a bottle. Mainly, using their teeth (WHY?!). This one seems pretty safe in comparison...

Basically, anything can become a bottle opener if you put your mind to it and get a little bit creative. I'm way, way, way too short to ever even attempt this hack, so I guess I'll have to hand the bottle off to a taller friend, instead.

I think the real hack here is not to buy black luggage.

Reddit | MagicCards_youtube

But, if you have some luggage that looks like everyone else's, take a photo beforehand so you know exactly which is yours.

Another great way to differentiate your black luggage from someone else's black luggage is to tie a brightly colored ribbon around it.

All of my bags (even though they're not black), have neon green string tied to them. It's an easy way to spot your luggage from a crowd and get those things off the carousel as quickly as possible.

I remember my parents' bed had a sharp edge like this one when I was a kid.

Twitter | @_MackM

In fact, just thinking about it makes my ankles throb in pain. It's definitely not something I remember fondly about my old house.

If they had only reinforced it with pieces of a pool noodle or insulation, then my ankles might look a little different today.

Parents, I beg you! Save your kids from years of ankle pain and bad memories by saving their ankles with a pool noodle.

Electrical tape is no joke, my friends.

Reddit | @TubeTimeUS

It's definitely not easy to cut a piece with one hand, or even two hands most of the time. So replacing an empty roll of tape with your electrical tape is a clever way to make that base pull double duty.

The only tape I have an easy time cutting without any help is painter's tape, so really, they should make tape dispensers in every size for every type of tape. Let's not get me started on packing tape, okay?

Try this hack for easy access, and maybe you'll save yourself some heartache and pain.

I love my hair bands like this one, but they do get pulled out of shape pretty easily.

Twitter | @Heselnuts

I honestly feel like one of these babies gets stretched outta shape after just one wear. I definitely need a hack that'll help me bring them back to their proper size and shape! I love these things with all my heart.

Apparently putting them in hot water can help them bounce back to their original shape. I guess that makes sense, given their plastic-y nature.

Next time you're eating popcorn, think again about how you're going to open the bag.

Twitter | @s_esselman21

I don't eat a lot of popcorn, but I would honestly give this a try. I might throw some chocolate chips or something in there, too.

And I don't even care if people make fun of me for it, I think cutting the bag open like this is a seriously smart idea.

I might have to start eating popcorn more frequently just because I love this idea so much! Let me know if you like it, too.

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