What’s the point of having a keyless entry system on your car if you have to be standing right by your car to use the remote? Luckily, there’s a simple way to extend your remote’s range.
If you hold your remote to your chin and open your mouth as you use it, the fluids in your head will act as an antenna and amplify the signal. Don’t worry yourself with the science, just appreciate the fact that your head is a freakin’ antenna! You’re practically a Transformer .
CAR DOOR BUMPER
Cars are expensive, especially when it comes to repairs. So, to save your hard-earned cash for more important things, why not reduce the likelihood of car damage?
Cut a pool noodle in half, and stick it to the wall of your garage; that way, if you are a bit overzealous when opening the door once you’ve parked, you will prevent it from looking like it’s been chewed by Jaws from James Bond.
IN-CAR HOSTESS TROLLEY
This hack is for pizza-loving dads who can afford luxury extras in their car . If, like me, you live out in the sticks, takeout delivery isn’t an option. How are you going to transport your pizza/burger/curry without it getting cold by the time you get home?
Here’s how. Turn on the passenger-side seat warmer during the drive up to the takeout place (move all passengers to the backseat, obviously), and place your food on the seat for the drive home. When you finally get home, your delicious meal will be piping hot. Let’s just hope they haven’t forgotten the extra jalapeños!
CAR CRASH SAFETY SPLASH
OK, so this scenario is a touch unlikely, but it’s better to be safe than sorry! A madman is driving straight at you with the intention of mowing you down. What do you do?
To avoid going under the car , where you will sustain life-threatening injuries, jump up before the car hits you. You will hopefully roll over the top of the car and your injuries will be less severe. If you’re a little more athletic, you could try jumping over the car . I’ve seen it done but, admittedly, it was in a kung fu movie.
HEADLIGHT BRIGHTENER
Fogged-up headlights on a car you’re trying to sell are a nightmare—they look bad and show the car’s age. (With my beat-up piece of crap, this is the least of my worries, but I like to make improvements where I can.)
To have those headlights looking like new, grab yourself some toothpaste. Yes, that’s right, toothpaste. Scrub the headlights with a small amount, rinse, and watch them sparkle. Just make sure you don’t use your kid’s toothbrush.
CAR FENG SHUI
This hack is so simple, you’ll wonder why you never thought of it before. During the winter months, when snow and ice are a problem, park your car at night so that it faces east. As the sun rises in the morning, the car will receive a burst of healing energy and . . . well, no, not really. It will help to defrost your windshield though, and save you having to mess around for hours in subzero temperatures with a scraper .
GAS CAP PREDICTOR
So you’ve picked up your brand-new car/jeep/truck, and you’re determined to take it for a spin before you head home. You’re high on new-car smell, and suddenly you’ve killed a whole afternoon—and now you need to fill up the tank. But in all the excitement, you forgot to check which side the gas cap is on.
Don’t sweat it. Look at the fuel icon on the car’s dashboard. If there’s an arrow pointing to the left or right, this indicates where the fuel cap is. Sadly, older cars don’t use this secret code, so if you’re driving a car with no arrowhead on the gas pump graphic, you’ll have to resort to an age-old method—get out of the car and take a look
It’s easy to get overexcited in the world of cycling accessories. There’s a product for just about everything, and you’d better believe they’re expensive. But you don’t have to fall for it—especially when it comes to bike storage. This hack is simple, presuming you have enough space to store your bike vertically and adjacent to the wall rather than flat against it.
A certain Swedish houseware store is known for selling cheap brackets that make a remarkably good holder for your bike. The brackets in question are supposed to steady a track rail, but if you turn them the other way up you get a simple pair of handlebar hooks. As long as you place them correctly, you’ve got yourself a budget bike rack.
DE-STINK YOUR WATER BOTTLE
Even if you buy the special kind of water bottle that has no synthetics whatever added, eventually it’s going to get funky—and we’re not talking James Brown here. Even if you put nothing in it but water , bacteria can still multiply, especially round the mouthpiece. Here’s how to de-stink your water bottle without resorting to nasty chemicals:
Add 2–3 teaspoons of baking soda to your bottle, and fill it with warm water . Leave it to soak for a few hours, then wash and rinse thoroughly. Perform the sniff test. If there’s a still a funk, try using denture tablets instead (downside: they’re less natural, and it’s hard not to think about their intended use).
DIY SNOW TIRES
This one is for you hardcore, all-weather , I-don’t-care-if-it-looks-like-a-winter-wonderland-outthere cyclists. Aside from seeking advice from a local mental health professional in order to regain your sense of reason, here’s how you can tackle the snow more effectively on your bike.
If you simply have to ride in the snow, make sure you have some zip ties ready. Fasten ties one by one at intervals around your wheel, so they wrap around your tire and rim, with the fastener part tire-side out. Trim off the excess on each tie, and you have yourself a set of makeshift snow tires, which will work in a similar way to chains on your car tires.
SUGAR HAND-DEGREASER
Working on your bike (or your car , for that matter) can be dirty—even if you use those weird airport security cavity inspection gloves. If you can afford fancy degreaser hand soap, all power to you—but if that’s a luxury you can’t afford, then here’s how to clean up the Life Hacks way.
Take a teaspoon of granulated sugar in your hand and add a splash of water . Scrub your hands with the sweet paste and wash your hands as normal, with a little dish soap for extra cleaning power . And there you have it—hands you could eat your dinner off of. Well, maybe not.
We’ve already covered how best to peel a banana (see p.)—and just when you thought things couldn’t get any cooler . . . .
That weirdly shaped yellow fruit actually has the power to convey secret messages. So, presuming your kid doesn’t hate bananas, here’s a hack to brighten her day. Grab a toothpick or something sharp, and scratch a message onto the skin of the banana. It won’t look like much at first, but give it an hour or two, and the peel will turn brown, revealing your message as if by magic! Perfect for kids’ lunch boxes. (Also good for pranking coworkers.)
MESS-FREE PAINTING
This next hack is great for when you want to do some painting with your kid but can’t face cleaning up afterward. Let’s face it: kids + paint = domestic Armageddon.
Squirt some paint into a sealable bag (the large kind you use for freezing food), and tape the bag to a window, making sure it’s well-sealed. Your child can then create a masterpiece with his hands, and you can put your feet up and admire his handiwork. This hack is fun, educational, creative, and mess-free! What’s not to love?
BEDTIME BUMPER
This hack will prevent many a bump in the night for anxious parents whose kids seem to involuntarily fall out of bed, having been transferred from their sturdy, four-sided cot.
Get hold of a pool noodle and place it under a fitted sheet on the side of the mattress open to the room, creating a soft barrier . The noodle will prevent your beloved child from rolling over and out of the bed in the middle of the night, saving injury and adding bonus hours of sleep to your already-starved routine.
BUG-PROOF DRINK COVER
Nobody likes bugs in their beverage, and kids are no exception. Luckily, there’s a simple solution.
During a birthday party or picnic, you can protect your child’s juice from thirsty bugs by cutting a small X into the center of a cupcake case and poking a straw through. Voila! A bug-proof drink cover! Your kids will get a super-cute drink, and you can relax, safe in the knowledge that the bees and bugs will realize they’re not invited to the festivities and will buzz off elsewhere.
INSTANT TABLE HAMMOCK
The next time you want your little one to take a nap, but he or she isn’t playing along, try this clever hack.
Tie a large bedsheet around the top of a table to create a fun mini-hammock she’ll be itching to climb into. Just a few health and safety notes: Test your construction for safety, and don’t tie the hammock too high off the ground. A bedsheet can hold only so much weight, so this is best for small kids only. (And do not, I repeat, DO NOT climb in there yourself!)
ICE CUBE TRAY SNACK CADDY
Do your kids look at a lovingly prepared plate of fruit and vegetables as if you’ve just placed a pile of hairy cat poop in front of them? If so, this hack could be the answer to your prayers.
Try placing a variety of different bite-sized morsels in an ice cube tray and make choosing which piece to eat a game. This magically makes healthy snacks more appealing, and it’s perfect for the persnickety child who likes to keep his snacks separate.
THE FRISBEE THROW
We’ve all seen college kids parading about on the beach or at the park with a Frisbee, looking cool. But they can never throw the Frisbee quite right, can they? Here’s your chance to beat them at their own game and be a role model for your kid at the same time.
Get your perfectly untoned backside up off the sand, and intercept that Frisbee. Or you could simply ask to join in—that would work too. To throw a Frisbee correctly, remember to use the same action you would when you whip a towel (Come on, we’ve all done it!). The Frisbee will now fly as straight as an arrow. Congratulations, you are now part of their elite club.
DIY STAIRWAY SLIDE
A houseful of bored kids cooped up at home is every dad’s worst nightmare. This hack will keep them entertained for hours and turn you into the coolest parent alive.
Remember that cardboard box your rowing machine came in (yes, the one that’s gathering dust in the spare bedroom)? You can use it to build an awesome stair slide. Here’s how: Flatten the box and tape the cardboard to the stair wall using masking tape. Pile pillows and blankets at the bottom to make a soft landing pad, then let the superhappy fun sliding times begin! Just remember to give the kids a turn.
It’s amazing how much better an apple tastes to a kid when it’s sliced! Here’s how to utilize this fact to ensure that your kids eat their five a day.
Slice an apple into segments and secure the slices together with a rubber band. This will stop the slices from turning brown. (No one likes brown apples.) Toss this into your kids’ lunchbox or take it with you when you’re out and about. Whip off the rubber band and you’ll have fresh apple slices at hand. Works well for big kids too.
GLOW-IN-THE-DARK BOWLING
It might be inconceivable to some, but the game of ten-pin bowling can be made better (in fact, this pretty much goes for anything): make it GLOW IN THE DARK!
Here’s what you’ll need: six glow sticks, six plastic water bottles (labels removed), a ball heavy enough to knock down your bottles (a basketball or soccer ball usually does the trick), and a pen and paper to keep score. Pour a little water out of each bottle, and pop a glow stick inside each one. Set up your “bowling pins” in a triangle formation, and take turns trying to knock them down with your ball. Unlike going to a commercial bowling alley, this activity won’t require you to take out a second mortgage on your house, and you get to wear your own shoes!
GARDEN AND OUTDOOR HACKS
If you’re lucky enough to have a backyard with grass and trees for your kids to enjoy, you’re going to have to put some effort into keeping it clean and tidy—no matter how many burners your BBQ has, if your garden is full of weeds, your friends will notice. And if you want your kid to be the next Bear Grylls, you need to brave the wild outdoors (drinking your own pee is optional).
SAND STORAGE FOR TOOLS
There are three good reasons to keep a bucket of sand in your garden: 1) you can sit in your deck chair sipping a Margarita, pretending you’re on vacation in the Bahamas, 2) your kid can use it to play in, and 3) you can store your garden tools in the sand to stop them from rusting.
Simply fill a container with builder’s sand (note: avoid a trip to the beach, as salt and metal don’t mix), and “plant” your garden tools in the sand, with the handles sticking up. The sand will protect against rust and corrosion, and, as sand is abrasive, it will help keep your tools clean and sharp—you dig?
BAKING SODA WEED KILLER
For those of us who covet a pristine patio or driveway, weeds are the stuff of nightmares. And if you have them bad, you’ll stop at nothing short of detonating a nuclear warhead to make sure they don’t come back.
But there is a less apocalyptic way to free your driveway: pour a thick layer of baking soda into the cracks where the weeds rear their ugly heads. Sodium has the effect of drying out plant foliage, which means those dastardly dandelions will be a thing of the past.
GARDEN HOSE REPAIR
Rubber hose has got to be up at the top of the list of least exciting things to spend your hard-earned cash on. What makes matters worse is that stuff costs the earth! So when your hose springs a leak—because the dog mistook it for its tail or your kid decided to use it as a swing—don’t panic.
Simply locate those toothpicks you bought a few years ago (they’re usually at the back of the kitchen cupboard, along with the cocktail recipe book from 1985). Then find the hole, jam a toothpick into it, and snap it off. This will plug the leak, at least long enough for you to get used to the idea that you need to buy a new one.
Supermarket herbs are not designed to last—that’s why they keel over the second you walk through your front door . Instead of giving the supermarkets more of your hard-earned money, try this: split your potted herb into two, and plant in good potting compost in individual containers. Most herbs die early because there are too many plants crammed into one pot. Give them space to breathe, and you should prolong their life span and get double the herbs for your money. Even better , grow your own herbs from seed (I’ll have to stick to supermarket herbs; our family’s “green thumb” skipped a generation with me).
POTATO RUST-REMOVER
If you’ve noticed that your tools or your garden furniture has started to rust, ignoring it won’t make it go away (trust me, I’ve tried). In fact, the longer you leave it, the worse it will get.
So it’s time to man up with potato power! Yeah, that’s right. Potatoes contain oxalic acid, which dissolves rust, so cut a raw potato in half and use it to scrub the offending area clean. For extra oomph, dip the surface of the potato in baking soda or salt. This will make your veggie rustremover more abrasive. Just don’t expect to make French fries with the leftovers.
COFFEE CRITTER REPELLENT
Slugs and snails are all well and good when your kids are putting them in their mouths, but they don’t play well with plants. If you’re trying to win the prize for most irregularly shaped turnip at this year’s county fair , you might want to give this a try.
Take the leftover grounds from your morning cup of joe and sprinkle them around your plants. Not only will this enrich your soil with nitrogen, it will repel unwanted guests such as slugs, snails, and ants (apparently, they hate the smell and texture of coffee grounds). You hate coffee too? No problem. Stop by your local coffee shop and ask for some spent coffee grounds—they have mountains of the stuff to get rid of, and should be more than happy to unload some of their garbage.
DAYLIGHT MEASURE
Here’s a hack for when you’re having fun in the great outdoors. Imagine you and your family are out walking—it’s getting late and you’re worried you might not make it back to camp before dark. Put your mind at ease (or not) by estimating the amount of daylight left, using nothing other than your bare hand.
Hold your arm parallel to the horizon, with your fingers straight and your thumb tucked in. Line up your index finger with the bottom of the sun, and count how many finger-widths there are between the sun and the horizon. Each finger equals roughly fifteen minutes of daylight. If there are five minutes of daylight left, pick up the kids and your wife and start running!
BUG-BITE RELIEVER
Everybody loves the summer sun—fewer people enjoy bug bites, from the bugs that come with the warmer months. Yes, you can invest in a laser-guided, space-age fly swatter , but mosquitos and other all but invisible biters will get you in the end. Here’s what to do.
When a mosquito bites, it injects proteins under our skin to prevent our blood from clotting—our skin reacts to the proteins, and this is what causes the intense itching. But listen up: heat destroys these proteins. So one way to relieve the itchiness is to apply a heated spoon to the bite for a couple of minutes (warm the spoon under hot tap water for a minute—but be careful not to scald yourself). It’s either that, spend a fortune on something from the pharmacy, or cover yourself in plastic wrap.
SEEING IN THE DARK
Here’s a shot in the dark (get it?!). Seriously, this hack might not get used too often (there’s a thing called a flashlight, you know), but when you’re caught short, it could be very handy.
The next time you go camping (or you’re staying at a friend’s house and can’t find the light switch), try using this trick to improve your night vision. Focus your gaze just off-center of the direction you are moving in. By using your peripheral vision you’ll engage more photo receptors (or “rods”) at the back wall of the eye, which help you identify shapes and movement in low light. Forget the lies about eating carrots, and try this on for size.
If you hold your remote to your chin and open your mouth as you use it, the fluids in your head will act as an antenna and amplify the signal. Don’t worry yourself with the science, just appreciate the fact that your head is a freakin’ antenna! You’re practically a Transformer .
CAR DOOR BUMPER
Cars are expensive, especially when it comes to repairs. So, to save your hard-earned cash for more important things, why not reduce the likelihood of car damage?
Cut a pool noodle in half, and stick it to the wall of your garage; that way, if you are a bit overzealous when opening the door once you’ve parked, you will prevent it from looking like it’s been chewed by Jaws from James Bond.
IN-CAR HOSTESS TROLLEY
This hack is for pizza-loving dads who can afford luxury extras in their car . If, like me, you live out in the sticks, takeout delivery isn’t an option. How are you going to transport your pizza/burger/curry without it getting cold by the time you get home?
Here’s how. Turn on the passenger-side seat warmer during the drive up to the takeout place (move all passengers to the backseat, obviously), and place your food on the seat for the drive home. When you finally get home, your delicious meal will be piping hot. Let’s just hope they haven’t forgotten the extra jalapeños!
CAR CRASH SAFETY SPLASH
OK, so this scenario is a touch unlikely, but it’s better to be safe than sorry! A madman is driving straight at you with the intention of mowing you down. What do you do?
To avoid going under the car , where you will sustain life-threatening injuries, jump up before the car hits you. You will hopefully roll over the top of the car and your injuries will be less severe. If you’re a little more athletic, you could try jumping over the car . I’ve seen it done but, admittedly, it was in a kung fu movie.
HEADLIGHT BRIGHTENER
Fogged-up headlights on a car you’re trying to sell are a nightmare—they look bad and show the car’s age. (With my beat-up piece of crap, this is the least of my worries, but I like to make improvements where I can.)
To have those headlights looking like new, grab yourself some toothpaste. Yes, that’s right, toothpaste. Scrub the headlights with a small amount, rinse, and watch them sparkle. Just make sure you don’t use your kid’s toothbrush.
CAR FENG SHUI
This hack is so simple, you’ll wonder why you never thought of it before. During the winter months, when snow and ice are a problem, park your car at night so that it faces east. As the sun rises in the morning, the car will receive a burst of healing energy and . . . well, no, not really. It will help to defrost your windshield though, and save you having to mess around for hours in subzero temperatures with a scraper .
GAS CAP PREDICTOR
So you’ve picked up your brand-new car/jeep/truck, and you’re determined to take it for a spin before you head home. You’re high on new-car smell, and suddenly you’ve killed a whole afternoon—and now you need to fill up the tank. But in all the excitement, you forgot to check which side the gas cap is on.
Don’t sweat it. Look at the fuel icon on the car’s dashboard. If there’s an arrow pointing to the left or right, this indicates where the fuel cap is. Sadly, older cars don’t use this secret code, so if you’re driving a car with no arrowhead on the gas pump graphic, you’ll have to resort to an age-old method—get out of the car and take a look
It’s easy to get overexcited in the world of cycling accessories. There’s a product for just about everything, and you’d better believe they’re expensive. But you don’t have to fall for it—especially when it comes to bike storage. This hack is simple, presuming you have enough space to store your bike vertically and adjacent to the wall rather than flat against it.
A certain Swedish houseware store is known for selling cheap brackets that make a remarkably good holder for your bike. The brackets in question are supposed to steady a track rail, but if you turn them the other way up you get a simple pair of handlebar hooks. As long as you place them correctly, you’ve got yourself a budget bike rack.
DE-STINK YOUR WATER BOTTLE
Even if you buy the special kind of water bottle that has no synthetics whatever added, eventually it’s going to get funky—and we’re not talking James Brown here. Even if you put nothing in it but water , bacteria can still multiply, especially round the mouthpiece. Here’s how to de-stink your water bottle without resorting to nasty chemicals:
Add 2–3 teaspoons of baking soda to your bottle, and fill it with warm water . Leave it to soak for a few hours, then wash and rinse thoroughly. Perform the sniff test. If there’s a still a funk, try using denture tablets instead (downside: they’re less natural, and it’s hard not to think about their intended use).
DIY SNOW TIRES
This one is for you hardcore, all-weather , I-don’t-care-if-it-looks-like-a-winter-wonderland-outthere cyclists. Aside from seeking advice from a local mental health professional in order to regain your sense of reason, here’s how you can tackle the snow more effectively on your bike.
If you simply have to ride in the snow, make sure you have some zip ties ready. Fasten ties one by one at intervals around your wheel, so they wrap around your tire and rim, with the fastener part tire-side out. Trim off the excess on each tie, and you have yourself a set of makeshift snow tires, which will work in a similar way to chains on your car tires.
SUGAR HAND-DEGREASER
Working on your bike (or your car , for that matter) can be dirty—even if you use those weird airport security cavity inspection gloves. If you can afford fancy degreaser hand soap, all power to you—but if that’s a luxury you can’t afford, then here’s how to clean up the Life Hacks way.
Take a teaspoon of granulated sugar in your hand and add a splash of water . Scrub your hands with the sweet paste and wash your hands as normal, with a little dish soap for extra cleaning power . And there you have it—hands you could eat your dinner off of. Well, maybe not.
We’ve already covered how best to peel a banana (see p.)—and just when you thought things couldn’t get any cooler . . . .
That weirdly shaped yellow fruit actually has the power to convey secret messages. So, presuming your kid doesn’t hate bananas, here’s a hack to brighten her day. Grab a toothpick or something sharp, and scratch a message onto the skin of the banana. It won’t look like much at first, but give it an hour or two, and the peel will turn brown, revealing your message as if by magic! Perfect for kids’ lunch boxes. (Also good for pranking coworkers.)
MESS-FREE PAINTING
This next hack is great for when you want to do some painting with your kid but can’t face cleaning up afterward. Let’s face it: kids + paint = domestic Armageddon.
Squirt some paint into a sealable bag (the large kind you use for freezing food), and tape the bag to a window, making sure it’s well-sealed. Your child can then create a masterpiece with his hands, and you can put your feet up and admire his handiwork. This hack is fun, educational, creative, and mess-free! What’s not to love?
BEDTIME BUMPER
This hack will prevent many a bump in the night for anxious parents whose kids seem to involuntarily fall out of bed, having been transferred from their sturdy, four-sided cot.
Get hold of a pool noodle and place it under a fitted sheet on the side of the mattress open to the room, creating a soft barrier . The noodle will prevent your beloved child from rolling over and out of the bed in the middle of the night, saving injury and adding bonus hours of sleep to your already-starved routine.
BUG-PROOF DRINK COVER
Nobody likes bugs in their beverage, and kids are no exception. Luckily, there’s a simple solution.
During a birthday party or picnic, you can protect your child’s juice from thirsty bugs by cutting a small X into the center of a cupcake case and poking a straw through. Voila! A bug-proof drink cover! Your kids will get a super-cute drink, and you can relax, safe in the knowledge that the bees and bugs will realize they’re not invited to the festivities and will buzz off elsewhere.
INSTANT TABLE HAMMOCK
The next time you want your little one to take a nap, but he or she isn’t playing along, try this clever hack.
Tie a large bedsheet around the top of a table to create a fun mini-hammock she’ll be itching to climb into. Just a few health and safety notes: Test your construction for safety, and don’t tie the hammock too high off the ground. A bedsheet can hold only so much weight, so this is best for small kids only. (And do not, I repeat, DO NOT climb in there yourself!)
ICE CUBE TRAY SNACK CADDY
Do your kids look at a lovingly prepared plate of fruit and vegetables as if you’ve just placed a pile of hairy cat poop in front of them? If so, this hack could be the answer to your prayers.
Try placing a variety of different bite-sized morsels in an ice cube tray and make choosing which piece to eat a game. This magically makes healthy snacks more appealing, and it’s perfect for the persnickety child who likes to keep his snacks separate.
THE FRISBEE THROW
We’ve all seen college kids parading about on the beach or at the park with a Frisbee, looking cool. But they can never throw the Frisbee quite right, can they? Here’s your chance to beat them at their own game and be a role model for your kid at the same time.
Get your perfectly untoned backside up off the sand, and intercept that Frisbee. Or you could simply ask to join in—that would work too. To throw a Frisbee correctly, remember to use the same action you would when you whip a towel (Come on, we’ve all done it!). The Frisbee will now fly as straight as an arrow. Congratulations, you are now part of their elite club.
DIY STAIRWAY SLIDE
A houseful of bored kids cooped up at home is every dad’s worst nightmare. This hack will keep them entertained for hours and turn you into the coolest parent alive.
Remember that cardboard box your rowing machine came in (yes, the one that’s gathering dust in the spare bedroom)? You can use it to build an awesome stair slide. Here’s how: Flatten the box and tape the cardboard to the stair wall using masking tape. Pile pillows and blankets at the bottom to make a soft landing pad, then let the superhappy fun sliding times begin! Just remember to give the kids a turn.
It’s amazing how much better an apple tastes to a kid when it’s sliced! Here’s how to utilize this fact to ensure that your kids eat their five a day.
Slice an apple into segments and secure the slices together with a rubber band. This will stop the slices from turning brown. (No one likes brown apples.) Toss this into your kids’ lunchbox or take it with you when you’re out and about. Whip off the rubber band and you’ll have fresh apple slices at hand. Works well for big kids too.
GLOW-IN-THE-DARK BOWLING
It might be inconceivable to some, but the game of ten-pin bowling can be made better (in fact, this pretty much goes for anything): make it GLOW IN THE DARK!
Here’s what you’ll need: six glow sticks, six plastic water bottles (labels removed), a ball heavy enough to knock down your bottles (a basketball or soccer ball usually does the trick), and a pen and paper to keep score. Pour a little water out of each bottle, and pop a glow stick inside each one. Set up your “bowling pins” in a triangle formation, and take turns trying to knock them down with your ball. Unlike going to a commercial bowling alley, this activity won’t require you to take out a second mortgage on your house, and you get to wear your own shoes!
GARDEN AND OUTDOOR HACKS
If you’re lucky enough to have a backyard with grass and trees for your kids to enjoy, you’re going to have to put some effort into keeping it clean and tidy—no matter how many burners your BBQ has, if your garden is full of weeds, your friends will notice. And if you want your kid to be the next Bear Grylls, you need to brave the wild outdoors (drinking your own pee is optional).
SAND STORAGE FOR TOOLS
There are three good reasons to keep a bucket of sand in your garden: 1) you can sit in your deck chair sipping a Margarita, pretending you’re on vacation in the Bahamas, 2) your kid can use it to play in, and 3) you can store your garden tools in the sand to stop them from rusting.
Simply fill a container with builder’s sand (note: avoid a trip to the beach, as salt and metal don’t mix), and “plant” your garden tools in the sand, with the handles sticking up. The sand will protect against rust and corrosion, and, as sand is abrasive, it will help keep your tools clean and sharp—you dig?
BAKING SODA WEED KILLER
For those of us who covet a pristine patio or driveway, weeds are the stuff of nightmares. And if you have them bad, you’ll stop at nothing short of detonating a nuclear warhead to make sure they don’t come back.
But there is a less apocalyptic way to free your driveway: pour a thick layer of baking soda into the cracks where the weeds rear their ugly heads. Sodium has the effect of drying out plant foliage, which means those dastardly dandelions will be a thing of the past.
GARDEN HOSE REPAIR
Rubber hose has got to be up at the top of the list of least exciting things to spend your hard-earned cash on. What makes matters worse is that stuff costs the earth! So when your hose springs a leak—because the dog mistook it for its tail or your kid decided to use it as a swing—don’t panic.
Simply locate those toothpicks you bought a few years ago (they’re usually at the back of the kitchen cupboard, along with the cocktail recipe book from 1985). Then find the hole, jam a toothpick into it, and snap it off. This will plug the leak, at least long enough for you to get used to the idea that you need to buy a new one.
Supermarket herbs are not designed to last—that’s why they keel over the second you walk through your front door . Instead of giving the supermarkets more of your hard-earned money, try this: split your potted herb into two, and plant in good potting compost in individual containers. Most herbs die early because there are too many plants crammed into one pot. Give them space to breathe, and you should prolong their life span and get double the herbs for your money. Even better , grow your own herbs from seed (I’ll have to stick to supermarket herbs; our family’s “green thumb” skipped a generation with me).
POTATO RUST-REMOVER
If you’ve noticed that your tools or your garden furniture has started to rust, ignoring it won’t make it go away (trust me, I’ve tried). In fact, the longer you leave it, the worse it will get.
So it’s time to man up with potato power! Yeah, that’s right. Potatoes contain oxalic acid, which dissolves rust, so cut a raw potato in half and use it to scrub the offending area clean. For extra oomph, dip the surface of the potato in baking soda or salt. This will make your veggie rustremover more abrasive. Just don’t expect to make French fries with the leftovers.
COFFEE CRITTER REPELLENT
Slugs and snails are all well and good when your kids are putting them in their mouths, but they don’t play well with plants. If you’re trying to win the prize for most irregularly shaped turnip at this year’s county fair , you might want to give this a try.
Take the leftover grounds from your morning cup of joe and sprinkle them around your plants. Not only will this enrich your soil with nitrogen, it will repel unwanted guests such as slugs, snails, and ants (apparently, they hate the smell and texture of coffee grounds). You hate coffee too? No problem. Stop by your local coffee shop and ask for some spent coffee grounds—they have mountains of the stuff to get rid of, and should be more than happy to unload some of their garbage.
DAYLIGHT MEASURE
Here’s a hack for when you’re having fun in the great outdoors. Imagine you and your family are out walking—it’s getting late and you’re worried you might not make it back to camp before dark. Put your mind at ease (or not) by estimating the amount of daylight left, using nothing other than your bare hand.
Hold your arm parallel to the horizon, with your fingers straight and your thumb tucked in. Line up your index finger with the bottom of the sun, and count how many finger-widths there are between the sun and the horizon. Each finger equals roughly fifteen minutes of daylight. If there are five minutes of daylight left, pick up the kids and your wife and start running!
BUG-BITE RELIEVER
Everybody loves the summer sun—fewer people enjoy bug bites, from the bugs that come with the warmer months. Yes, you can invest in a laser-guided, space-age fly swatter , but mosquitos and other all but invisible biters will get you in the end. Here’s what to do.
When a mosquito bites, it injects proteins under our skin to prevent our blood from clotting—our skin reacts to the proteins, and this is what causes the intense itching. But listen up: heat destroys these proteins. So one way to relieve the itchiness is to apply a heated spoon to the bite for a couple of minutes (warm the spoon under hot tap water for a minute—but be careful not to scald yourself). It’s either that, spend a fortune on something from the pharmacy, or cover yourself in plastic wrap.
SEEING IN THE DARK
Here’s a shot in the dark (get it?!). Seriously, this hack might not get used too often (there’s a thing called a flashlight, you know), but when you’re caught short, it could be very handy.
The next time you go camping (or you’re staying at a friend’s house and can’t find the light switch), try using this trick to improve your night vision. Focus your gaze just off-center of the direction you are moving in. By using your peripheral vision you’ll engage more photo receptors (or “rods”) at the back wall of the eye, which help you identify shapes and movement in low light. Forget the lies about eating carrots, and try this on for size.
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