Here at REAL SIMPLE, we spend a lot of time researching, dreaming up, and testing little tricks that can help make life easier. Because, after all, that’s our whole goal: life made easier. (And because a lot of the so-called hacks on TikTok don’t actually work.) When we find something really amazing, it usually makes it into our Simple Twists column in the magazine. Not only have the following hacks appeared in an issue at some point throughout 2024, but they’ve also lived rent-free in our minds ever since. That’s right, they’re so good, we can’t stop thinking about them!
Use ice to fix dents in carpets
Real Simple
Let’s say you’ve decided to rearrange all the furniture in your living room (the cheapest way to update a space!). There’s just one problem: The sofa, coffee table, and accent chairs have left little footprints in your cushy area rug. Add a small ice cube to each dent and let them melt. Get on the floor and use your fingers to zhuzh up the fibers. Then admire your redesigned room—it looks great!
Use an empty toilet paper roll as a vacuum attachment
Real Simple
Most vacuums come with crevice attachments, but they’re somehow never narrow enough to get into teeny tiny spaces. That’s where an empty toilet paper roll comes in. Slip one end over the hose attachment and crush the other end to fit into window tracks, your car’s console, or even the grooves between hardwood flooring.
Use coffee grounds to deodorize the fridge
Real Simple
Yes, you can certainly use a box of baking soda. But if you’re a coffee drinker and you want to use something you already have on hand, just repurpose the spent grounds! Once you brew a pot of coffee, empty the grounds out onto a baking sheet and let them dry. Then, transfer them to a bowl and stash ‘em in your fridge. The pantry staple works as a natural air freshener thanks to its odor-eliminating nitrogen.
Use baby powder to de-sand yourself at the beach
Real Simple
Fact: Sand is harder to brush off when you’re wet. Before you head home, sprinkle your hands, feet, and, um, other areas with baby powder. It will absorb the moisture so you can slough off each and every grain. Run your powdercoated hands through your hair for less sandy strands too.
Use a Pringles can to store your paint roller
Real Simple
Where to put your roller while you’re waiting to apply that second or third coat? In a clean and empty Pringles can! It’s magically the ideal size and shape. Use a box cutter to slice an asterisk into the center of the plastic lid. Roll any excess paint onto the wall, and slip the roller into the chip can. Slide the lid over the handle, secure it into place, and stash the whole thing in the fridge. Your roller will stay moist and ready for the next round.
Use a rubber band to keep clothes on a hanger
Real Simple
Why are your most precious pieces (that stunning chiffon blouse, that silk dress that makes you feel amazing) always the ones to fall to the closet floor? Because there’s not enough friction between the hangers and the buttery-smooth fabrics. Rubber bands to the rescue! Wrap one around each side of a hanger, looping until the elastic is tightly secured. Then hang those pesky garments as normal. The fabric will catch on the rubber, so no more sliding down.
Use a potato and salt to restore a rusty cast-iron skillet
Real Simple
Potatoes can turn into french fries, power a clock (remember middle school science class?), get carved into custom stamps for art projects, and yep, remove rust from your skillets. First cover the trouble spots with a thin layer of salt. Then cut the potato in half and scrub in a circular motion. Its oxalic acid will help dissolve and lift up the rust so it can be rinsed away. Is there anything potatoes can’t do?!
