Life hacks = easy ways to simplify life that are timeless and free. In college, there isn’t time to play around with different detergents to get a stain out of your favorite shirt or extra money lying around to buy an iron for that one wrinkly pair of pants. Every ounce of energy is important, and every quarter could save you from receiving that monthly DOTS ticket. So, here are 20 tips that will make every college girl’s life a little bit easier.
1) Is your black shirt stained with white deodorant from when you tried it on earlier that morning? You can get rid of the stain in seconds by rubbing it with a felt clothing hanger, a pair of panty hose, or a dryer sheet.
2) The website 10minutemail.com will soon be your new best friend. The site generates a temporary email address that you can use for up to 10 minutes before it disappears. Yes, this revolutionizes the world of Tobi and VS discounts.
3) If you have an assortment of keys on your keychain, try coloring them with nailpolish so you can easily tell your mailbox key apart from your room key
4) While you’re getting those keys off your key ring, rather than bending and breaking your nails, use a staple remover to pry the key ring open easily.
5) Clear nail polish can come to your rescue in a number of ways. When you buy cheap rings from places like Forever21, coat the band in clear nail polish to prevent it from turning your finger green and to make the ring last longer before it begins to tarnish.
6) Use that same clear nail polish to seal your painted artwork on a flask so you don’t have to waste your money buying a sticky sealant. AND while you’re crafting, you may also find it helpful to coat your creation (cooler/flask/mug) in hairspray before sealing it to keep any sharpie or marker from running.
7) When you’re onto your next project, don’t waste your money on new brushes just because the old are stiff with bristles stuck together. Instead, try this solution. Boil white vinegar and let the brushes soak until the vinegar returns to room temperature. Then rinse the brushes in water and peel the paint back with your fingers to restore them.
8) The app Foursquare is about to become your go-to. By opening the app and flipping through the comments, you can find the Wi-Fi password to just about any location.
9) Stream and easily watch videos on your phone simply by using yor sunglasses as a stand to prop up your phone. Now you’re hands free.
10) Don’t have an iron at school? Use a straightener as a substitute to get your clothes wrinkle-free.
11) Dirty converse? Throw them right into the washer (with a little detergent) and then move them to the dryer and they’ll look close to new. Just make sure you don’t mix in any clothes in with your load.
12) Nail polish remover is another useful remedy for any shoes that have been through a lot. Blotting scuffs and stains with a cotton ball that has been soaked in remover can help restore your shoes.
13) All these years you’ve been opening your bananas the wrong way. The right way to peel a banana is the same way the monkeys do: starting from the bottom and peeling toward the stem. So much easier.
14) Don’t throw away your dried out sharpies just yet. Fill a small dish with rubbing alcohol and soak the tip of the sharpies for a few minutes. Close the sharpies back up and give them a day to sit. Voila.
15) You’ll never need to waste another minute detangling a necklace after this hack. Run your necklace through a straw to keep it from getting tangled and knotted while it’s not in use.
16) As the winter months set in, you probably realized that one of the biggest challenges in a dorm room was how to store your boots without them wilting over and losing their shape. Hanging your boots on a pants hanger is the answer to your organization problems.
17) Along with the lack of space in the dorm room comes the college smell. Sticking a few dryer sheets over your fan is a quick fix to freshening up the room..
18) If you’re not home and in need of a quick way to play music, all you need is a toilet paper roll and a pair of scissors. Cut a slit in the toilet paper roll to amplify the sound. It has a similar effect as when you place your phone in a solo cup to make the music louder.
19) Say goodbye to blotting makeup from under your eyes. Hold a spoon underneath your bottom lashes while applying mascara. The best part is your make up won’t get messed up if you sneeze.
20) No more Band-Aids on your heels! To lessen the pain of your shoes, put clear deodorant on the most sensitive parts of your feet. This creates a barrier between your foot and the shoe so you’re less likely to get blisters.
You’re welcome.