It’s funny how we go about our daily routines, thinking we’re doing everything right — when, in reality, we’re actually making life harder for ourselves. Who knew that all this time, we could have avoided back pain by simply taking the dishwasher basket out to load and unload dishes?
From learning how to properly open a can of tomato paste to making vegetables last longer, it’s amazing how small changes can make our routines that much easier. Here are eight hacks that Redditors say you should embrace to start doing things the right way — or at least, the less painful way.
Related: Food Hacks From TikTok That Live Up to Hype
Remove Baskets From the Dishwasher
Did you know that you can save your back by simply removing the basket from the dishwashing machine while loading and unloading it? From there, you can easily access your freshly cleaned plates, cups, and utensils. “You can also set it on the counter next to the sink when you’re loading to keep from having to bend over to put things in the basket over and over,” writes one Redditor. Mind. Blown.
Related: This TikTok Grandma Just Taught Us a Brilliant Dishwasher Hack
Give Celery a Second Lease at Life
“Not an everyday activity, but someone showed me I’d been wasting celery for years. When it goes limp and loses its crunch, you can just soak it in [cold] water overnight, and it makes it crisp again,” writes one Redditor. By soaking the celery (preferably overnight, or for at least one to two hours), the water helps restore the moisture the celery has lost, making it a crispy and refreshing veggie once again.
Related: Stale It Ain’t So: Get the Most Out of Old Bread and Other Stale Food With These Smart Hacks
Rinse Hair With Cold Water
Rinsing your hair in cold water can help seal hair cuticles, which reduces frizz by preventing moisture from entering the hair shaft. It can also help your hair feel softer. “I used to rinse with hot water and assume I just had frizzy and dry hair. Rinsed with cold water once and realized I’d lived far too long with frizzy hair for no reason,” writes one Redditor, collectively blowing all our minds.
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Pop the Deodorant Cap Off the Right Way
Twisting a new stick of deodorant will cause the mechanism to push the safety cap off, saving you from having to dig it out and getting it all under your fingernails. “I used to try to get my fingernails under it and pop it off, writes one user, adding, “In my late 20s, my roommate was talking to me while unpacking her groceries and she opened her deodorant and just twisted up the stick so that the cap came off. I was shocked.”
Open Cans of Tomato Paste From Both Ends
To minimize waste, you can open both ends of the can and use a spoon to push the tomato paste out from one end, allowing it to slide out fully and easily. “You can take both ends off with the can opener, and use a wooden spoon to push on the top. It comes out clean like a push pop!” says one user.
“You just changed my life. I use tomato paste for so many things, and scraping out that stupid tiny can is so annoying. Thank you,” writes another.
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Tuck a Towel Around Your Waist Correctly
When folding a towel around your waist, tucking it outwards and down instead of inwards results in a more secure and durable tuck that is less likely to come undone or slip. “Instead of tucking the hem inwards, you fold it outwards and down,” writes one Redditor, adding that the method is “much more secure; you can run around and not worry about it falling off.” Can’t believe no one ever told me this!
Peel a Banana From the Bottom
To peel a banana properly, you should hold the banana with the stem pointing downwards and pinch the bottom end to split the skin, says one Redditor. “I used to open a banana by pulling the top, then I saw some documentary [that showed] a monkey opening them from the bottom and it’s 10 times easier,” writes the user, adding, “I also learned [that day] that I’m more stupid than a monkey.” I mean, same here; don’t mind me while I go crawl under a rock now.
Keep the Shower Curtain Inside the Tub
It appears that an alarming number of people don’t know that the shower curtain should go inside the tub to minimize splashing and keep water inside. “Cloth one is decorative and goes outside; plastic one goes inside,” writes one Redditor, while another one says, “My kids are slow to learn this one. And thus I end up hanging a very wet rug after every shower they take.”
