6 Everyday Life Hacks We All Need to Know

Simple Fixes & Tricks to Bookmark Now
September 27, 2016
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Life Skills

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If you’re like me, you panic every time a glass of red wine spills.  You google (or text your mother) how to keep your brass clean.  You curse up a storm when you try to self-clean the oven and the smoke detector goes off instead. 

The answers are always pretty simple enough, but they’re the kind of things that are easy to forget.  That’s why we rounded up six great everyday life hacks that solve some of our most common headaches.  Spills, stains and annoying chores are now made easy!  Tell me, do you have any tricks or life hacks to add to the list?  Cheers, Kat

P.S. If this life hacks post puts you in the organizing spirit, check out how to organize your linen closet, how to organize your master bathroom and how to organize your laundry room.  xo

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Get clothing wrinkles out in a pinch

Get clothing wrinkles out in a pinch

I’ve heard people say putting your clothes in the shower while it’s steaming can help get wrinkles out (I’ve tried it; doesn’t work every time). BUT a trick that does work: put a damp washcloth or paper towel in the dryer with your wrinkled item. In 5-10 minutes, you’ll be wrinkle-free! If you’re too lazy to iron or pressed for time, you’ll enjoy these other lazy ways to remove wrinkles.

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Learn how to fold a fitted sheet

Learn how to fold a fitted sheet

Master the art of folding a fitted sheet once and for all. This simple video shows us that it’s all about the half-fold and tucked corners!

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Clean your stove the right way

Clean your stove the right way

Contrary to logic, you should NEVER use the self-clean function to clean out your stove. Instead, a little baking soda, vinegar and elbow grease will help get your stove looking spick and span. You’ll want to make a baking soda and water paste, which then will be left in the oven overnight to coat the grease spots. After it’s sat overnight, you’ll wipe out the oven with a damp cloth and spray a little vinegar for any remaining baking soda residue. A final wipedown will have your oven looking beautiful once more! For more info, check out The Kitchn’s step-by-step tutorial.

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Make a red wine stain disappear

Make a red wine stain disappear

I’m the person that completely panics when a red wine spill happens. I’ve recently learned that the key is to blot, NEVER RUB, and a generous amount of salt and boiling water will help make it disappear. The longer you wait to clean it up, the more likely it is to set. For more info, check out this list of home remedy options to try. And as a side note, my friend recently spilled red wine on a white dress and our DIY Thieves household cleaner got it right out too.

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Remove germs from your sponges

Remove germs from your sponges

Microwaving a smelly sponge is one of the easiest ways to clean and deodorize it. Thanks to Reader’s Digest, we now know about this little life hack. First, pour a small amount of lemon juice into a bowl of water. Then, soak the sponge before putting it in the microwave on high for one minute.

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Make your metals shine again

Make your metals shine again

Vintage brass objects are such fun finds to pick up while you’re antiquing, but they can be absolutely filthy and covered in tarnish. Luckily, it’s pretty simple to get the tarnish off with a mixture of lemon, baking soda and water. One of our favorites Emily Henderson shares a great tutorial here.

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Featured image, Kathryn McCrary for Waiting on Martha

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  • Dana / 09.29.2016

    I can’t view the slide show. It’s just coming up blank, and I really want to see it! Is it me? Thanks!

  • Kat Neunaber / 09.29.2016

    Hi Dana! I just tested it and it should be working. Perhaps it may need time to load, or it may need you to clear your cache? Thank you for flagging for us and please let me know if it still is an issue. Thanks so much! xo

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