Social media is full of ways to make home organization and cleaning easier, and we came across some super-useful tips in 2022. From tackling the challenges of spreading cold, hard butter without destroying our toast to creative uses for dryer sheets (even used ones), we’ve rounded up some of the most useful home hacks we discovered this year.
1. Spreading Butter Like A Dream
A viral TikTok video posted by a Norwegian food blogger and viewed well over a million times proved there is an easy way to get cold butter to spread on toast like a dream. How exactly? By simply using a grater.
In just a matter of seconds, you can get the best spreadability by using a grater directly over your warm toast. It will soften your butter flakes instantly and they will become smooth and spreadable. As the TikToker pointed out, grating butter also works well for baking. It’s “a technique used by home cooks and professionals to make food preparation tasks easier, faster, or more efficient.”
2. Never Buy Refills Again With The Swiffer Wet Jet Hack
You’ll never have to buy Swiffer solution refills again thanks to this Wet Jet hack. The one annoying design feature of the WetJet is the fact that you can’t open the cleaning solution bottle to refill it. But it can be done using a mug of hot water.
Simply put the bottle lid-side down into the mug, let it sit for about a minute, remove it from the water, and the lid will easily unscrew.
3. A Revolutionary Dishwasher Hack
We all have our own opinions about how to properly load a dishwasher. But did you know that putting aluminum foil in your machine can make your dishes cleaner?
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As Chef Erin Morley explained on TikTok, “The foil has a reaction with the detergent to literally get all the grime, grease [off]. It gets your silverware and glassware shinier than you’ve ever seen it.” And she said it eliminates the need for a rinsing solution.
4. Tight On Counter Space? Try This Amazon Kitchen Hack
If you never have enough space for all the chopping and prepping in your kitchen—and don’t have the time or money to add a kitchen cart or buffet—you can get much needed workspace from this Amazon kitchen hack.
Influencer Julianna Claire shared a quick video on Instagram showing off a bamboo work surface designed with a lip. It can easily give you more kitchen counter space by simply placing it over your sink or stove.
5. A Snow Shoveling Hack A La Clark Griswold
Clearing fresh snow off of sidewalks, steps, and driveways can be time-consuming and back-breaking work. But just like Clark Griswold and his sled in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, you can grease up your shovel with WD-40 or Pam cooking spray to save time and your lower back. This hack will keep the snow chunks from sticking to your shovel and weighing it down.
RELATED: 6 Common Laundry Mistakes You’re Probably Making & How To Fix Them
6. Using Dryer Sheets Outside Of The Dryer
Dryer sheets can be used for so much more than getting rid of static cling. We came up with seven ways to make the most out of those sheets around your home, and some you can use even after the dryer sheet has been used in a load of laundry. Dryer sheets are useful for repelling bugs, sharpening scissors, and cleaning your baseboards, among many other tasks.
7. Clever Uses For Expired Spices
If you’ve ever bought a spice that you only needed for one dish and never used again, this hack is for you. You can use expired spices to do things like tie-dye shirts, give a mineral boost to your plants, freshen up your carpet, and so much more.
8. Unexpected Uses For Honey
We all know honey can add sweetness to dozens of recipes, but there are other ways to use this liquid gold. Combine a teaspoon of honey with two teaspoons of brown sugar to make a lip scrub. Or, make your own hair mask with raw honey, coconut oil, and an egg. Check the link for lots more uses—this condiment is a jack-of-all-trades!