1. Highway signs
Did you know that road signs actually offer a clue that will help you use them more effectively? Forget the GPS at home when you use this method.
Just look at where the exit tab is on the sign you’re looking at. Whichever side the exit tab is on is the side the exit is on. That makes things a lot easier when you’re not using your phone to navigate.
2. Rearview mirror tab
Have you ever wondered what that little tab on your rearview mirror is for? It may not seem like it has much of a purpose, but that’s far from the truth. This little trick can actually have a huge impact on how easy night driving comes to you.
You know those people who always have their brights on and get up really close behind you when you’re driving at night? The little tab on your rearview mirror can help you readjust the mirror quickly, so you don’t get that glare in your eyes.
3. Boot loops
If you’re like many people, then you have a pair of boots with a loop on the back of them. Have you ever wondered what this loop was for, exactly? Well, first of all, it may be able to help you get your boots on more easily. However, it also has another purpose that can be even more helpful.
If your boots are muddy or dirty, you may not want to leave them laying on the floor. Instead, you can use the loops on your boots to hang them up instead. That makes cleaning up that much easier.
4. Wooden spoons
When you have something cooking on the stove, it’s important that you keep a close eye on it. That’s especially true if you’re boiling something, as it can be very easy for your meal to boil over and cause a huge mess.
If you want to avoid that entirely, you should put a wooden spoon over the lip of whatever you’re cooking. By placing a wooden spoon there, it will prevent your meal from boiling over. Who ever knew that such an easy hack could make such a huge difference in the kitchen?
5. Tiny pockets
Most people have at least one pair of jeans that has an absolutely tiny pocket on it. You’ll usually find these right above your normal-sized pockets. Let’s be honest — it doesn’t seem to serve much of a purpose. After all, what’s so small that you could actually fit it in there?
Well, they may not be of much use now, but those tiny pockets were actually used to hold pocket watches in the past. The tiny time-telling device would slide into that pocket with ease. Now, though, you may have a hard time putting anything there.
6. Staple remover
Obviously, you’ll want to use this tool to remove staples in papers. However, your staple remover might be more useful than you could ever imagine. You know how hard it is to open your key ring? It can be a real hassle, especially if you’re trying to separate your keys in a hurry.
By using a staple remover, you can get to your keys so much more easily. It’s just a short process, and then your keys will be all ready to go.
7. Dishwasher
There’s a good chance that you’re not really using your dishwasher correctly. It’s not a good idea to put just anything in there without rhyme or reason. Instead, you’ll want to organize it with intention.
For example, make sure your dishes that are the dirtiest are at the center bottom rack. They should be facing the spray arm for the most thorough clean. Of course, you want to make sure that nothing is blocking the detergent dispenser, either. You’ll want that detergent to be able to make its way around the dishwasher easily.
8. Vacuum attachments
Have you completely given up on vacuum attachments altogether? If you want your house to be as clean as possible, then you might not want to do that. Your attachments can make it easier for you to get to small spaces that you wouldn’t normally be able to reach.
You may even have attachments that can help you clean other parts of your home, such as your couches and other furniture. Try them out sometime soon if you want to see how well they work.
9. Peanut butter jar
You know when you get to the end of a jar of peanut butter and you just can’t seem to get all of the last bits of it out? There may still be plenty of peanut butter in the jar, but you just can’t get to it.
If you want to avoid this problem, store your peanut butter jar upside down. Not only does this make it easier for you to get to, but it also keeps your peanut butter fresher longer, as it helps spread the oils around the jar. This little change can make a big difference in your PB&Js!
10. Extra shoelace hole
Many athletic shoes will actually have an additional shoelace hole on them. If your shoes weren’t laced all the way up when you got them, you may not have thought about it. But putting this extra hole here makes it easier for you to give yourself a custom fit.
If your shoe is feeling a bit loose, you can thread your laces through that extra hole. Or perhaps your shoe is tight on you? Try taking the laces out of that top hole, and you may find that it makes a big difference.
11. Toothpaste
You actually may not need as much toothpaste as you think you do. In many commercials and ads for toothpaste, you will see a significant amount of toothpaste on a toothbrush.
In reality, you really only need a pea-sized amount to brush your teeth properly. It may not look as good in a photo, but it will ensure that you don’t spend too much money on toothpaste. Just a little bit should get the job done without a problem.
12. Garlic press
You may be using your garlic press correctly, but you may be cleaning it wrong. If you tend to put your garlic press in the dishwasher after you’re done using it, you may want to rethink your strategy. That’s because it can be very hard to clean since it has so many tiny crevices.
Therefore, instead of putting in the dishwasher, you’ll probably want to clean it by hand. This will ensure that you’ve gotten all the tiny pieces of garlic off the press, which will make for a cleaner kitchen all around.
13. Bobby pins
Most people have never learned how to properly use a bobby pin. It seems like the grooved side should go up, right? Actually, no.
You’re supposed to put the grooved side down. This makes it easier to slip into your hair, because the grooved side has a space that will reach down closer to your scalp. The grooves can also make it easier for the pin to stick in your hair. Plus, the top of the pin is flat, which looks better in your hair after you fix your ‘do.
14. Laundry detergent
Most people use way more laundry detergent than is actually necessary. You may think that with more soap, your clothes will get cleaner. However, that’s not the case. In fact, using too much soap can make it difficult to properly rinse your clothes, meaning that dirt and debris will stick to them more.
Simply follow the directions on your container of detergent, and you’ll actually find that you have cleaner clothes. Plus, it may even save you some money on your laundry bill every month.
15. Toilet paper roll
People may tell you that it’s a matter of personal preference, but your toilet paper roll should actually hang over the roll. That’s the way the toilet paper roll was originally invented.
Even if you don’t care about tradition, this way of doing it is more sanitary. That’s because the paper hangs too close to the wall when you let it hang under. If you want a cleaner bathroom, hanging it over the roll is the way to go.
16. Slow cooker
Have you ever lifted the lid of your slow cooker while your food is cooking away inside? Well, you won’t want to do this from this time forward. That’s because when you lift the lid, the slow cooker loses some heat.
This slows down the cooking process, leaving you waiting for dinner longer than you want to. If you do it enough and don’t cook your meal long enough, it could also result in your food being undercooked. Therefore, it’s something you’ll want to avoid the next time you’re using your slow cooker.
17. Toaster oven
If you leave your toaster oven plugged in all the time, you’ll want to rethink your kitchen strategy. Sure, it makes things slightly easier the next time you’re ready to toast some bread or want to heat up some leftovers, but toaster ovens can catch on fire if you leave them on all the time.
Therefore, when you’re done using your toaster oven, just unplug it. It can’t hurt, and it may save you a lot of hassle in the future.
18. Fountain drink lid
If you are like most people, you put your fountain drink lid over your drink to cover it. Of course, that’s what you sometimes need. But what about after you’ve brought that drink home and need something to catch the condensation?
If you don’t have a coaster available to you, you can easily use the lid and put it under the drink as a coaster. Life hacks don’t get much easier than this.
19. Food processor
It’s easy to throw all of your foods into your food processor without ever touching a knife. While this may be the easier way to do things, your food processor will actually work better if you chop your food beforehand.
Of course, you don’t have to chop it super small, but even just breaking your food up into big chunks can make it easier for your food processor to do its job.
20. Dish soap
Dish soap works really well on dishes, pots, pans, and silverware. It will help get the greasy mess off these items in no time at all.
However, you’re not going to want to use it for everything. It can leave intense streaks behind, so forget it for washing your car, especially the windows and mirror. It may even make it more difficult for you to see while you’re driving, which is the last thing you want.
21. Potato peeler
It may seem like your potato peeler is only good for one thing, but that’s far from the case. You can actually use this handy kitchen tool for a variety of purposes.
For example, it’s ideal for cutting paper-thin slices of cheese or even onions, which can add a lovely flavor to just about any dish you make. Of course, you can also use it to peel other vegetables, such as carrots and celery. Don’t be afraid to use this kitchen tool for other tasks.
22. Spaghetti spoon
You have a hole in your spaghetti spoon, right? Most people have a spoon like this in your house. But why would it need to have a huge hole right in the middle?
That hole can actually come in handy if you’re trying to figure out how much spaghetti to make. One serving of spaghetti will fit into that hole, which makes it easy to measure. Multiply that by the number of people you’re feeding, and you’ll make the perfect amount of pasta every time.
23. Kitchen sponge
You may think your kitchen sponge is making your dishes cleaner, but is that actually the case? If you haven’t sanitized your sponge lately, it could be spreading germs onto your dishes.
That’s the last thing you want, so make sure you clean your sponge regularly, as it can easily harbor bacteria. In addition, you’ll want to replace your kitchen sponge about once a month if you want to ensure that your dishes are as clean as possible.
24. Coffee maker
Are you the kind of person who uses their coffee maker time and time again without cleaning it? You may not think it’s important, but leaving your coffee maker dirty for too long can turn it into a breeding ground for bacteria.
Make sure you wash all the removable parts of your coffee maker after every use. When you start doing this, you may be surprised at just how much better your coffee tastes.
25. Nonstick pots and pans
If you use nonstick cookware in your home, then you may be using the wrong utensils with it. You don’t want to use metal on these kinds of pots and pans, as that could scrape the nonstick material.
You’ll also want to avoid steel wool, and you shouldn’t stack these kinds of pots and pans on top of each other. If you avoid these nonstick cookware pitfalls, your pots and pans will look amazing for years to come.
26. Mascara
It’s common for people to pump their mascara tubes, as many think that this will help you get more mascara on the brush. However, it won’t actually help you with that at all.
Instead, it simply pushes air inside the tube, which will eventually make the mascara dry out faster. Therefore, just pull out your mascara wand and get to work without all the pumping.
27. Conditioner
While it may seem like you should work your conditioner into your scalp first, you’ll actually want to avoid doing that. For some people with oily hair, it may make your hair oilier than you want it to be.
In addition, the driest part of your hair is at the tips, so that’s where you’ll want to concentrate the majority if your conditioner.
28. Toilet plunger
Most people who use plungers for their toilets aren’t using the correct variety. The normal cup type that you’re probably used to seeing are supposed to be used for unclogging sinks.
What’s known as a flange plumber is actually what you should use if you are trying to unclog your toilet.
29. Extension cord
Want to make sure that your extension cord stays in place?
Before you plug the two ends together, tie the different parts. That way, it won’t be easier for them to be pulled apart. How simple is that?
30. Cupcakes
How on earth could you be eating cupcakes the wrong way?
Well, if you want them to taste even better, you can take the bottom off your cupcake and put it on top, over the icing. That way, you make yourself a little cupcake sandwich and avoid getting frosting on your fingers. You’re welcome.
Never mess up with these everyday products again! This list should give you a better idea of how you can use products more practically in your everyday life.