10 Ingenious Lifehacks That Will Change Your Life

Ever feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done? Between work, family, chores, and trying to squeeze in a social life, time always seems to be in short supply. But what if I told you there are some simple tricks—lifehacks, if you will—that can help you reclaim some of that precious time and make your life a little bit easier? Here are 10 ingenious lifehacks that will change your life by streamlining your routine, cutting out wasted effort, and just generally helping you hack your way to more free time and less stress. These life-changing tips may be simple, but they’re extremely effective. With a few easy adjustments, you’ll gain back hours every week and wonder how you ever lived without these shortcuts. So read on to discover some new lifehacks and start reclaiming your time right now.

Save Time With These Morning Hacks

Want to gain a few extra minutes in your morning routine? Try these time-saving hacks:

• Prepare your coffee maker the night before. Add water and coffee grounds, so all you have to do is press start. Those precious seconds add up!
• Lay out your outfit in advance. Choose what you want to wear the next day and iron or steam anything that needs it. You’ll avoid the early morning scramble trying to find matching socks.
• Make a morning playlist. Pick upbeat songs that energize you to help you power through your routine. Music can motivate you to move faster.
• Have a grab-and-go breakfast ready. Stock your fridge with Greek yogurt, granola, fresh fruit and nuts. Throw it all in a container or bowl and you’ve got a balanced, satisfying meal to eat on the go.
• Do a quick tidy-up before bed. Make your bed, wipe down counters and do a light sweep. You’ll start your day with a clean space and a clear mind.
• Set multiple alarms. Place one alarm across the room so you have to get out of bed to turn it off. Set another as a backup in case you hit the snooze button on the first one. The more alarms, the merrier!

With a few adjustments to your nighttime and wake-up routines, you’ll gain valuable minutes and decrease your morning stress. Now you can enjoy a more leisurely breakfast or get an early start to your day. The possibilities are endless when you have extra time! What will you do with your newfound minutes?

Simple Tricks to Stay Organized

Staying organized can seem impossible, but with a few simple tricks your life will feel so much more manageable.

• Designate spaces for important items. Give keys, wallets, phones and other essentials a spot right inside your front door so you always know where they are.
• File papers as they come in. Set up a simple filing system and file mail, bills, school papers and other documents as soon as they arrive. File folders, accordion files or decorative boxes all work great for this.
• Make schedules and to-do lists. Write down your daily tasks, priorities, chores, errands and commitments to keep them from slipping through the cracks. Review your schedule and lists each morning and evening. Crossing completed items off a physical list gives you a sense of progress and achievement.
• Do a quick tidy each day. Spend just 10 or 15 minutes picking up clutter, doing dishes, making your bed and wiping down surfaces. A few minutes a day adds up to a clean, organized home.
• Meal plan and grocery shop efficiently. Plan your meals for the week, make a list and buy everything you need in one trip. This saves time, money and reduces food waste. Cook extra and freeze leftovers for easy meals on busy nights.
• Take regular breaks to recharge. Trying to organize and schedule every single minute of your day is not sustainable. Pencil in time for relaxation, hobbies, socializing and exercise. Your productivity and motivation will benefit from downtime.

With some simple changes, you’ll establish habits that make organization second nature. Your life will feel streamlined, less stressful and more balanced. Give these tricks a try – your future organized self will thank you!

Clever Cooking Hacks to Make Meal Prep a Breeze

When cooking at home, small hacks can make the process so much easier. Save time and sanity with these clever tricks:

Prep ingredients ahead

Do as much prep as possible before you start cooking. Wash and chop veggies, measure out spices, etc. This “mise en place” approach means you have everything ready to go, minimizing the chance of forgetting an ingredient.

Use a garlic press

Mincing garlic can be tedious and time-consuming. A garlic press crushes the cloves instantly, saving you from peeling and chopping. For roasted whole garlic, just cut off the top of the head, drizzle with oil, wrap in foil and roast—the softened cloves will squeeze right out of their skins.

Freeze herb cubes

Fresh herbs liven up any dish, but they wilt quickly. Make herb cubes by blending herbs with a bit of water or oil and freezing in an ice cube tray. Pop out a cube whenever you need a burst of fresh herb flavor in sauces, stews or salad dressings. Mint, basil, cilantro and chives work great for this.

One pan/pot meals

Why dirty multiple dishes when you can make an entire meal in a single pan? One pan meals like frittatas, stir fries, sheet pan dinners or Dutch oven stews are convenient, budget-friendly and minimize cleanup. Cook protein, veggies and a starch all together for a complete, well-balanced dinner using just one pot or pan.

Double recipes and meal prep

When you do cook, make extra. Double recipes or prepare bigger batches of staples like rice, grains or roasted veggies. Portion and freeze for quick meals later in the week. Meal prepping on the weekends saves so much time during the busy weekdays.

With a few simple hacks, cooking at home can be easy and stress-free. No more excuses—get prepping, get chopping and get cooking! A homemade meal will be on the table in no time.

Eco-Friendly Lifehacks to Make a Difference

Use Reusable Bags

Using reusable bags when you shop is such an easy way to make a big difference. Plastic bags are terrible for the environment and pollute our oceans, rivers and landscapes. According to the EPA, only about 9% of plastic bags are recycled in the U.S. each year.

• Invest in some reusable bags and keep them in your car so you always have them with you when shopping. Look for bags that are durable and can hold a lot of items.

Conserve Energy

Reducing your energy usage is better for the planet and your wallet.

-Turn off lights and electronics when you leave a room.

-Use Energy Star rated appliances which are more energy efficient.

-Wash clothes and dishes only when full loads. This saves water too.

-Keep your thermostat at 68°F in winter and 72°F in summer. Each degree lower in winter or higher in summer can save up to 10% on heating/cooling costs.

Reduce Food Waste

About 40% of food in the U.S. goes to waste each year, ending up in landfills. This wastes resources and produces greenhouse gasses as it decomposes.

• Only buy what you need for the week based on meal plans.

-Properly store perishable foods to maximize freshness.

-Donate excess food to food banks, soup kitchens and shelters. Many organizations will even pick up donations from homes and businesses.

• Compost food scraps and leftovers that can’t be donated. This returns nutrients to the soil and reduces waste sent to landfills.

Making these small changes in your daily habits can collectively make a huge impact. Together, we have the power to create a healthier planet for future generations. Every step counts, so do your part and encourage others to do the same! Our environment will thank you.

Tech Lifehacks to Simplify Your Digital Life

Tech has made our lives infinitely easier, but it can also complicate things if you’re not careful. Here are some tech lifehacks to streamline your digital life.

Use keyboard shortcuts

Save time with simple keyboard shortcuts. Some useful ones:

• Ctrl/Cmd + C to copy, Ctrl/Cmd + X to cut, Ctrl/Cmd + V to paste
• Ctrl/Cmd + Z to undo, Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + Z to redo
• Alt + Tab to switch between open windows
• Win + D (Windows) or Mission Control (Mac) to show the desktop

Unsubscribe from email lists

Tired of a cluttered inbox? Do some spring cleaning. Go through and unsubscribe from any email newsletters or marketing emails you no longer read. This will cut down on distractions and help you focus on what really matters.

Use a password manager

Stop reusing the same weak passwords across sites. A password manager like LastPass, Dashlane or 1Password can generate strong, unique passwords for all your accounts and remember them for you.

Set up auto-respond

If you receive a high volume of emails, set up an auto-responder to let people know you may have a delayed response. This can reduce stress and prevent you from forgetting to reply to important messages.

Limit social media time

Social media can be a huge time suck. Use website blockers or the Screen Time feature on your iPhone to limit the time you spend on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter each day. Your time is valuable, so make sure to spend it living in the real world too.

By streamlining your tech usage, turning on a few useful features, and avoiding some common productivity pitfalls, you’ll simplify your digital life in no time. Take it one tip at a time and soon you’ll be cruising in tech lifehack heaven.

Conclusion

So there you have it. 10 ridiculously simple lifehacks that can make your everyday life so much easier. What are you waiting for? Try a few out and see how much time and hassle you can save. Before you know it, these tricks will become second nature and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them. Now get out there and hack your life – you’ve got this! Make the most of these ingenious tips and shortcuts and enjoy gaining back some precious time to spend on the things and people that really matter to you.