life hacks | pad patter 4.9.19

They are handy little things, indeed. I didn't read the whole list, but I stick them in my drawers, so my drawers smell nice. They work well in travel bags, too.

 

I'm not really a hack person. I tend to do things the same way every time even if it is no longer efficient or a good idea. #routines4lyfe

My best (only?) life hack has been getting my kids to play with one another without asking them to play with one another. The little is forever wanting the big to play with him, and she is not always interested (and I don't force her to). However, when she has had enough screen time for the day and we don't have much else going on, I will ask them both to clean their rooms (usually once a month, I guess).

They don't spend much time in their rooms & most of their toys are in the basement so this is not really something super-important to me aside from emphasizing we are a team/everyone has chores to do & they need to pitch in and my aforementioned hack.

Anyways, they ALWAYS want to do this together as in they start in the big's room & pick up and then move into the little's room. Guess what happens every single time?! They stop picking up & starting playing with one another without fighting and without screens. I will occasionally call over to them to "Keep picking up, please!" to make it seem more legit.

They take at least an hour to do this (if not longer). WIN-WIN, baby!

 

Not too many hacks. The dryer sheet list is interesting, EXCEPT for soaking a paint brush- do that and yes, the paint may come out, but so will the glue up in the ferulle along with the bristles! lol!

 

I use a used dryer sheet on baseboards and on picture frames. I figure if they work on baseboards then why not my frames? I haaaate dusting lol!

 

Thanks Kayla! This is really interesting!!! I will be doing that on my shower door!

 

Interesting list, I will have to try these.

 

I love life hack and I will definitely be giving a few of these a try!! Especially the shower door!

 

Thanks for sharing this! I make this bathtub cleaner using vinegar and dawn dish soap. You just spray and let it sit and no scrubbing. I have more things but can’t remember.

Oh for packing we grab shower caps from our hotels and use them to cover the bottom of our shoes so our clothes don’t get dirty.

 

Of course when you ask me, I can't think of anything, except I guess the trick about baking bacon in the oven instead of on the stovetop. That's pretty awesome in my world.

 

I had to google it cause I don't know if they sell these things here in Brazil...I found a few places online selling an american brand, it's not that expensive, considering it's imported from US. I'll bookmark this and maybe I'll try! thanks for the hack @keepscrappin !

 

We are redoing my daughter's bedroom right now. Poor girl has had the same walls since she was a baby (she's 15 so yeah). Anyway, I looked for an easy way to remove the wall border paper. HGTV recommended a one-to-one ratio of hot water and fabric softener. Scored the wall paper just a tad. Let the mixture soak for a few minutes. That stuff came right off. Seriously, no scrubbing involved.

 

This may not be a hack but if anyone still uses bars of soap...If you take the soap out of the wrapper and let it age before using it lasts a lot lot longer because it dries out. When I used to use bar soap I did that (my mother taught me) and keep the bars in dresser drawers. Nice scenting and I still buy a bar of lavender soap at the $ store once in a while to do that...that or sandalwood.

Now I do have a hack I am going to try ...a pool noodle over a plain hanger to keep slacks from getting a hanger crease. I have waited all winter to buy one and went wild and bought two...well, a $ is not an investment....and kept the lime green one in my car just cause it makes me smile when I see that cheery color! if the other one works when cut up I'll give the green one away to a friend.

 

I gotta try some of these! That's an awesome list of uses.

 

I do a number of these Dryer sheet tricks! My favorite is the glass doors too! It does work well! I also use them on our baseboards & electronics. I have never thought to put one on my hairbrush tho- I always have staticky hair!

A couple others:
-Vinegar & dish soap in a spray bottle- spray after every shower & it stays nice & clean! (about once a year I also put a ziploc bag of vinegar over the shower head & secure with clips to soak overnight- we have super hard water & get a lot of mineral deposits)
-Store sour cream/cottage cheese/butter tubs upside down in the fridge & they will last longer- something about a vacuum so air isn't exposed to as much or something...
-Make ice cubes out of leftover coffee (Ha! if that ever happens in this house...) for Iced Coffee that doesn't get all watery!
-Use a wooden spoon on top of pot to keep your pot from boiling over

 

Dryer sheets work to take scuff marks off of pumps too!

 

I literally just added dryer sheets to my grocery list after reading this. I'm definitely going to try some of those hacks.

I can't think of any right now...other than teach your kids how to do chores so you don't have to.

 

I love this! I do it with my kid by himself. If he's bugging me, go clean your room! He always ends up playing.

This is one of my favorite things.

Ice cube trays are so awesome! We use it for greens for smoothies and herbs for cooking.

 

I'll have to try the glass door thing. I've never had such difficulty cleaning the glass doors as here with the hard water!

My problem with hacks is I don't know it is one until someone points it out! Then I'm all