Alyssa is a wife, mom, and coffee enthusiast who loves sharing her favorite lifestyle tips with the world.

I'm all about finding simple solutions to life's everyday little problems. Below is my tried and true list of life hacks. These are things I've done and continue to do to solve those inevitable challenges. I've broken the list down into categories for convenience.

Hand Sanitizer Works Like a Charm

With the current state of the world, we all have hand sanitizer on hand. It's an important staple for every household. But did you know that hand sanitizer has a few secrets? It can be used to help out in some sticky situations:

• Removing marker from the wall is a breeze! Use hand sanitizer for dry-erase marker, opt for rubbing alcohol to erase permanent marker. Use the scrubby side of a kitchen sponge and a little elbow grease.
• Use hand sanitizer and a paper towel or soft cloth to clean your phone or tablet. This especially works great for removing smudges, grease, and oil from the camera area. I also use hand sanitizer to wipe off my keyboards and mice. It works like a charm!
• Hand sanitizer works great to clean and polish stainless steel appliances! With a little elbow grease, it removes oil, grease, and fingerprints, making them look like new. Just put some on a paper towel or soft cloth and get to work.

Please note: for the above hacks, be sure you are only using regular hand sanitizer. No glitter or extra additives.

Rubber Bands to the Rescue!

If you don't have a collection of rubber bands in your house, can you call yourself an adult? Growing up, my grandfather kept extra rubber bands around the doorknob that led into the basement. Every morning he'd take the rubber band off the paper and add it to his collection. He'd use these for anything and everything! I would also take a few for fun craft projects. I used to love making homemade banjos out of old tissue boxes or rain sticks using the cardboard paper towel roll. As an adult, I proudly have a Ziplock sandwich bag full of rubber bands in my kitchen drawer. Rubber bands are incredibly useful!

• Keep a rubber band in your car. If your windshield wiper ever breaks, you can use it to secure the blade back on long enough to make it to the auto shop.

• If you are pregnant and don't want to buy maternity jeans, use a rubber band or a hair elastic to secure your jeans. Just wrap the rubber band or elastic through the button hole and wind it around the button. Be sure to make it as tight as possible and zip your pants as far up as you can. Wear a long shirt, tunic, or a large sweatshirt and you're good to go! I did this for the duration of my pregnancy as I flat out refused to buy maternity jeans.
• Instead of buying fancy new hangers, create your own no-slip hanger. Simply wrap a rubber band around either side and then hang up your dress, sweater, or shirt with no worries!

Twist Ties Keep You Organized

Much like rubber bands, I got my propensity to save twist ties from my grandfather. He always had a baggie of them in the kitchen drawer to the left of the sink. As you've probably guessed, I also have a collection of my own. I save them after we finish our loaves of bread and from any packaging we receive. You just never know when they'll come in handy!

• Wrap up your Christmas lights and extension cords by holding the plug in one hand and wrapping the length around your shoulder. Once you've got them all wrapped up, use twist ties to keep the cords neat. No more tangled Christmas lights or extension cords!
• Keep your computer cords tidy by gathering up the excess and securing with a twist tie. This also works great for other electronics, like behind the TV with the mess of sound bars and gaming console cords.
• Use a twist tie instead of a pipe cleaner when making Christmas bows.
• Use a twist tie to keep plant stalks straight against wooden stakes. Be sure not to secure the stalks too tightly.

Baking Soda and Vinegar, Not Just a Fun Science Experiment

Baking soda and vinegar are household staples. I always have them on hand! In addition to cooking and baking, these items are incredibly helpful in completing daily tasks.

• Use baking soda to clean and polish your stainless steel sink.
• Use a little baking soda and water to create a paste. Use that to brush your teeth and help whiten them. Bonus: using hydrogen peroxide a few times a month to brush your teeth can also help keep your gums healthy and your teeth sparkly white!
• If you have a little mold or mildew growing on your unfinished wood, use a mixture of baking soda, hot water, and dawn dish soap in a squirt bottle to kill it and safely remove stains from the wood.
• Clean your coffee pot once a month with vinegar. You can also clean your diffusers with vinegar. I like to do this at the very beginning of the month so I never forget.
• Clean your washer using vinegar. Pour a little into the bleach section of the washer and run through the self-clean cycle or a normal cycle with hot water. Be sure to run an additional cycle with just water afterward to make sure your washer is well rinsed.

Beauty Hacks

The following are my favorite beauty secrets and hacks:

• If your eyebrows are dry, try using a little beard oil to restore moisture to the skin without stinging. It also tames eyebrow hair and makes it look more healthy
• After every shower, put Vaseline on your feet to help with dryness and cracks. This is a must during the dry winter months!
• Static hair? Rub a dryer sheet on your locks to tame your tresses. A little hand lotion can also work in a pinch.
• After you use up all your mascara, keep the spool brush. Wash it and keep it with your make up. Use this to break up clumpy eyelashes or to spread out and remove excess mascara.

Miscellaneous Hacks

Here are a few more genius ideas:

• If a laundry pod melts on your clothes and leaves a stain, you can easily remove it by running the cloth under hot water. Allow the plastic to fully disintegrate. Then throw the item back into the washer.
• If you want to hang a poster or something light onto the wall, use painter's tape to secure a paper clip to the wall. Then use a magnet over your poster to keep it in place.
• Use regular dental floss instead of thread to sew on buttons or fix stuffed animals. It's stronger than thread.
• Use Damp Rid around your home to get rid of excess moisture. There are a variety of products available. It really works!

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Comments

Alyssa (author) from Ohio on December 16, 2020:

Thank you Lora!

Lora Hollings on December 14, 2020:

What useful tips, Alyssa! How clever you are. I had no idea that hand sanitizer could be used for so many purposes. And thanks for the great suggestion about removing dry marker. Thanks for sharing!

Alyssa (author) from Ohio on December 13, 2020:

You always make me smile Bill! Have a wonderful Sunday!

Alyssa (author) from Ohio on December 13, 2020:

I'm happy to hear that Peggy! Have a lovely Sunday!

Alyssa (author) from Ohio on December 13, 2020:

I'm glad you found this helpful Pamela! Have a wonderful Sunday!

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on December 13, 2020:

Love, love, love these suggestions! I will definitely try some of these, thank you very much!!!!! Happy Sunday, Alyssa!

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on December 12, 2020:

You brought back memories of rubber bands around door knobs. I now keep them and the twist ties in a drawer as you do. Thanks for all of the suggestions. I do use some of them.

Pamela Oglesby from Sunny Florida on December 12, 2020:

Alyssa, this is a terrific article with wonderful suggestions. I knew some of them but, I did not know about vinegar in the washer.

I use white vinegar for the coffee pot. It is good to do these things at the same time each month as it is easy to forget.

I appreciate all this information. I have saved this article for future reference.