The world is full of problems, but it’s also full of solutions. Here are some useful life hacks that can make living easier. Let’s get creative and practical about everyday living and try these DIY life hacks that can simplify and streamline your life.

• Tie a colorful ribbon to your luggage to help you identify it as yours.
• Don’t have a tripod to prop your phone up with? Lean your phone on your sunglasses.
• Don’t worry about losing your business cards. Keep track of your contacts by simply taking a picture of your biz cards. Then, you can save them in one place, under your Contacts.
• Crumple up a newspaper to line the bottom of your trash can with to catch and absorb any liquids.
• Put a medical information card in your wallet with your emergency contact info, your list of medications, and your blood type. This may save your life someday.
• Stash a scented bar soap in your socks, underwear, or clothes drawers to keep them smelling fresh and clean.
• Want to prop up your magazine for hands-free reading when you’re cooking or baking in the kitchen or getting ready in the bathroom? Use a pants hanger to hang up your cookbook or magazine.
• Wrap a wet paper towel around your drink and place it in the freezer for 15-30 min. Take it out and it’ll be ice cold.
• Refill your empty ketchup bottle with pancake mix for an instant, mess-free experience.
• Serve your condiments, including lettuce, onions, and tomatoes, in a muffin mold. Plus: cuts down on dishwashing.
• Store your cleaning supplies in a mountable shoe rack you can hang on the inside of your pantry door.
• Freeze grapes and toss them in your white wine to keep it chilled, but not water it down.
• When you’re about finished with a jar of Nutella or peanut butter, add a few scoops of ice cream, drizzle with chocolate sauce, and top with a maraschino cherry and a handful of nuts (e.g., pecans or walnuts).
• When you have extra coffee that cools off, add it to an ice cube tray and drop it in your iced coffee drinks to prevent them from getting watered down.
• Use a hair straightener/flat iron to keep collars and sleeves wrinkle-free.
• Try stacking your folded clothes vertically, so they fit more compactly in your drawer(s).
• Label and clip-on bread clips to your cords to keep them straight.
• Use a hair clip to keep your rolled-up cords neat and tidy.
• Scrape a post-it note along the sides of your keyboard to clean out the dust and crumbs.
• Place a bagel in a plastic CD spindle/container to take with you on the go.
• Color code your set of keys by painting the tops with nail polish to identify them.
• Avoid burning yourself by lighting a strand of dry spaghetti and lighting a candle wick with that.
• Stash some cash in your phone case, in case you’re ever in need of some extra money.
• Clean up that dust and cobwebs by rolling a lint roller along your screen door.
• Use a picture frame as a dry erase board, put a picture or paper underneath, and write on top of the glass.
• Make DIY ice packs by letting sponges soak up water, putting them in plastic bags, and freezing them.
• Fix wobbly furniture by propping a coin underneath each leg.
• Write messages to your loved ones with a dry erase marker on your washer and dryer to keep track of your loads of laundry.
• Keep track of your daily water intake and stay hydrated throughout the day by drawing lines with different times on your water bottle with a marker.
• Clear and unclog your drain with 1 cup of baking soda, followed by 1 cup of vinegar, followed by 1 cup of boiling water.
• No deodorant? Use fresh citrus. Cut a lemon or orange in half and rub on your body to keep smelling fresh and odor-free.

Sometimes it just takes a little thinking outside the box and actively experimenting to discover new ways to do things that can save you time, money, and energy. Focus on creating options and solutions for your issues and problems. Then, feel free to share your ideas, tips, and tidbits with your loved ones to improve their lives.