Advice to deal with life’s inconveniences

Happy New Year everyone. This year I resolved to make my life easier and simpler. Life can get way too complicated sometimes and we need tricks for the small things. Here is a list of 30 small life hacks that may make those everyday inconveniences just a little easier.

1) Finding a tire leak with dish soap and water. Save some money and patch your tire, inflatable mattress, or toy. Just fill the tire, mattress, or toy with air, rub dish soap and water all over the object then wait to see the bubbles appear where there is a leak. Then you can just use a patch kit.

2) Stick a paperclip at the end of a roll of tape to avoid losing the cut end of the tape. Bread tags are also useful for smaller roles.

3) Unscrew a stripped screw by placing a rubber band on top then using the screwdriver to add grip.

4) Put a magnet in your pocket so you can attach screws or nails for easy access. This is especially useful in avoiding spending time going up and down the ladders.

5) Stop the toilet overflow. Most people will panic when they realize their toilet with small bumps on the skin.

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6) If you have floppy winter boots, get a few pool noodles, cut them to size and fit them in the boots to keep them upright. Easy organizing and it keeps everything nice and dry.

7) Most of us who ride elevators will tell you that it is so annoying to get in an elevator that someone has pressed all the buttons. Most elevators will allow you to deselect the floors by pressing twice on the button. No more waste of time stopping at every floor.

8) At the gas pump, when there is no trigger latch, use the gas cap placed under the gas trigger to keep the gas flow while you warm up your hands. Just be careful to stick around and remove the gas cap before it overflows.

9) Punch a hole in a disposable coffee lid to allow your drink to flow easily.

10) Frozen grapes can be added to wine for instant chill without dilution.

11) Add a touch of lemon juice to sliced apples, avocadoes, and potatoes to prevent browning. This is an old trick that my mother gave me and has been forgotten somewhat by younger generations.

12) Adding a few drops of olive oil to a boiling pot will prevent water from foaming and boiling over. This trick is from my dad! Thanks Dad!

13) Use a grate on your cold butter to allow you to enjoy your buttered toast without too much hassle.

14) Place a teabag in the Keurig cup compartment for perfect tea. This doesn’t work for Nespresso or Tassimo machines though, sorry!

15) Make stale cookies soft again by putting them in a plastic bag with a piece of bread.

16) Fill a small pan with water, add vanilla extract and cinnamon, and put it on your stove on low or over a candle. Instant air freshener. Alternatively, you can use mint or any other fragrant ingredient.

17) Add a hook to the side of a garbage bin to help keep plastic grocery bags as bin liners from slipping.

18) Unclog drain with a cup of baking soda mixed with a cup of vinegar.

19) Place your laptop on cut egg cartons to prevent overheating when using them. No need for fancy laptop cooling pads or racks.

20) Use a plastic pants clip hanger to clip to your laptop or computer screen to hold paper near your screen. Again, no need for fancy computer clips.

21) Use a long hair clip as a charging cable organizer.

22) Slip garbage bags directly onto a bunch of clothes on hangers to make moving easy and neat. No need to unhang, fold and re-hang.

23) Slide an empty toilet paper roll over wrapping paper rolls to keep everything neat and tidy and avoid unrolling.

24) Don’t throw out your last sliver of soap. Instead, just add the last bit to your new soap. No waste!

25) Use a blow dryer to defog your mirror.

26) Add a slinky from the top of your bird feeder to prevent squirrels from climbing up the support rod and stealing the bird feed.

27) Add a dumbbell to the top of your vacuum to improve performance and get a deeper clean. Just make sure the dumbbell is secured properly and not too heavy.

28) Bad shoe odors? Put your shoes in the freezer overnight, this will kill the bacteria and get rid of the stink.

29) Dry clothes faster by placing a dry towel in with your wet clothes. They will dry much faster.

30) Take pictures of your friends holding the items you lent them to remember who borrowed what. Especially great for DVDS, CDS, and games.

— Tayna Bardati is an Interior Designer, Home Staging Expert and most recently, a residential real estate broker in Brome-missisquoi (www.creationstayna.com). Follow her on Facebook @ Tayna Bardati courtier immobilier résidentiel, or on twitter #deco21girl.