Lifehacker

Do you have a massive TBR (“to be read”) pile? You’re not alone. There are so many great books out there, and so little time to read them. But I’ve managed to tame my TBR pile with a simple shift in mindset—and this trick also works for video games, craft supplies, and anything else that tends to pile up while it…Read more...

The first rule of home ownership is that you are perpetually unprepared for just how expensive it is. Even after years of dealing with the slow-motion collapse of your most valuable asset, you can still be amazed at the sheer scale of a repair bill—so it’s no surprise that many folks head off to YouTube University to…Read more...

At this point, it might not surprise you to know that I love a good casserole. A lineup of my favorite ingredients amassed into a sliceable savory cake of sorts–what’s not to like? Monotony, that’s what. It’s important to keep it interesting, and my latest finding does exactly that. Give your casserole a makeover with…Read more...

It’s true: HBO Max is no more. In its place, rises Max, a new streaming service that combines the libraries of HBO Max and Discovery+. While the name change is baffling (why would you remove a prestigious name like HBO from your brand?) it’s what’s here, and it’s where Home Box Office content will live from now on.…Read more...

The feeling of a warm breeze on a spring day is something many allergy sufferers have had to go without because with the breeze comes the pollen. Flowers blooming also means pollen dropping, kicking up all that sneezy dust into the air. Luckily for your sinuses, there are a few clever ways to keep the air inside fresh…Read more...

According to a recent YouGov poll, about a third of Americans are either very confident or somewhat confident they could safely land a commercial aircraft in an emergency, relying only on the assistance of air traffic control. (About 50% of men said they’d suddenly become ace pilots in an emergency, compared to one…Read more...

When I first started this series, I set out to waffle strange and unusual things that had yet to be waffled. I skipped over the waffled grilled cheese because it seemed too obvious, but it is a top tier waffled delight. If you want to make it more of a meal, you can add a little meat, but you should waffle that meat…Read more...

You may have never heard of “cognitive restructuring,” but it’s a real way to adjust your thoughts, make them more positive, and be more productive. Though it’s usually something you go over in therapy, you can still be mindful of it in your real, day-to-day life and reap its benefits.

If you have a dark corner or a gloomy hall, chances are you’ve considered adding a sconce light fixture. But hiring an electrician to run wire to your fixture can be pricey, especially if it’s just for one light. The advent of battery powered LED fixtures has made the need for wiring a light in the closet or over a…Read more...

JSX is a public charter operator that can be a great alternative to the conventional business or first-class traveler. If you’re the kind of person who likes to splurge on flights every once in a while, you can use them to fly with free drinks, with a maximum of 30 people per flight and a 20-minute turnover from…Read more...

I’m not wild about our current pop culture obsession with nostalgia, in part because we seem be reaching a point where a dearth of original cinematic fare is going to leave the nostalgia miners of the future with nothing to work with.

There are some good options for people who want to avoid the long lines of TSA at the airport, including TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, and Clear. But there’s another lesser-known way to ensure you get a smoother transition through TSA, and it’s free: Reserve by Clear. Not everyone can afford the time and money it takes…Read more...

Debt is a scary word, but it’s a necessary part of moving through the world today. If you want to rent an apartment, buy a car, take out a loan, or make pretty much any major financial move—you need to get used to debt. The good news: There is a such thing as good debt.

Fresh-cut flowers can be a lovely addition to your home decor, but they can also be hard to justify buying when they don’t last more than a few days before wilting.

Bees want to be left alone, and in return, they typically leave us alone. Even when you see a swarm of bees out in the wild, they’re usually moving from one hive to another—not chasing after an enemy.

Want to learn a new language but you’re not down with Rosetta Stone? You can learn up to 14 new languages with a lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning for $199.97 (a 20% savings from the regular price of $249.99) now through May 23 at 11:59 p.m. PT, no coupon necessary.

Seven years ago, I used my immersion circulator to make some edibles (for work), then tried them all at once and got too high to order a burrito. Sous vide was, and continues to be, an efficient THC extraction method. But I live in Portland, a city where delicious professionally made edibles are ubiquitous and cheap,…Read more...

Good news, everybody—it’s Mailbox Improvement Week! While this is sometimes spun as an opportunity to “beautify” your mailbox (paint it, plant some flowers around it), there’s a more pressing issue: a human being has to stick their hand inside that thing, so please try not to make it a threat to life and limb.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom features a lot of items. It carries over staples from Breath of the Wild like food and monster parts, and adds plenty of new options from bomb flowers to Zonai devices. You really can’t have enough items in this game, which makes this item duplication glitch so useful.

A few years ago, during a long drive from San Diego to Davis, I decided to go vegan cold turkey. I was driving toward my alma mater, where I was planning to study environmental science; the closer I got, the harder I found it to escape the feeling that I would be hypocrite if I did anything else, given the staggering…Read more...

Getting a new computer can be pricey, but depending on your needs, you might not need a top shelf model to realize solid performance. Heck, if all you need to do is surf the internet, stream video, and use Google docs, a new machine is almost certainly overkill. A better choice: This refurbished MacBook Air, which…Read more...

When pursuing the perfect bean dip, you either end up with a claggy, dense, muddy brick, or a light, smooth, silky spread. Let’s avoid the brick. The best way to achieve a fluffy, lump-less bean dip is to use flour—bean flour, that is.

We adults use money-sharing apps like Venmo all the time. Go out to dinner? Settle up with Venmo. Roommate pays the rent? Venmo over your half. Teens, on the other hand, aren’t allowed on Venmo, and while they mostly don’t deal with rent or complicated dinner bills, they spend money, too. Now, Venmo wants your teen to…Read more...

Nice weather means more time spent outside, whether in your yard, on your porch, or out on your apartment or condo balcony. But balconies don’t always offer a lot of privacy, and it can be awkward when your neighbors can easily see into your personal space. Thankfully, there are a handful of ways to easily block…Read more...

If you hate using cords or clunky portable chargers, wireless and magnetic charging may be the way to go. The Speedy Mag Wireless Charger is on sale right now in blue, white, or black for $39.99 (reg. $119.95), and is great for commuters, travelers, or anyone not sitting next to a wall. The charger attaches directly…Read more...

Sometimes, the best way to use your Mac is to not use it at all. Your Mac is capable of powerful automations that can run mundane or repetitive tasks for you, and these nine apps can help free you of that micromanaging so you can get back to whatever you really want to do.

I’m always trying to get people to listen to more podcasts. If you listen to five, I want you listening to eight. If you listen eight, I want that number to be 13. This is my literal job, people.

Standing water that remains on your lawn well after a rainstorm not only limits how you use your yard; it also creates a breeding ground for insects, mold, and algae, attracts rodents, and may kill your grass.

If you have lots of space to cover, weeding can be tedious, time-consuming work, not to mention how hard it can be on your back and knees. There’s a fun tool you can try to banish weeds, though, and it’s actually fun and fast to use: a weed burner.Read more...

Anxiety is hard enough to cope with when you have the life experience to distinguish real threats from imaginary ones. We adults may know that the odds of an alien invasion are super slim, but in your child’s mind, it may feel perfectly plausible.Read more...

It’s 7 a.m., and you’re feeling smug about waking up in time to make breakfast. Your dish of choice? Avocado toast. But then, disaster. You slice into an alligator pear, only to find that it is decidedly unripe and rubbery. What to do? What to do? Besides reaching for another avocado, you have to figure out what to do…Read more...

When we think of fences, materials like lumber, chain-link, stone, brick, and chickenwire tend to come to mind. But what about shrubs and small trees? They can be used to create what’s known as a “living fence,” which is exactly what it sounds like.Read more...

Walk into any hardware, big-box, or craft store, and you’ll find an aisle (or at least part of an aisle) full of different types of adhesives. Having so many options can be overwhelming, and it may be tempting to use super glue for everything, and hope it works. And maybe, so far, it has. But there’s no reason to…Read more...

Not only is Monday, May 29 Memorial Day—widely considered the unofficial start of summer—but Sunday, May 28 is National Hamburger Day. And whether you’re traveling over the long weekend or staying local, you’re going to have to eat at some point. Fortunately, there are plenty of food deals and freebies to choose from…Read more...

A dripping shower head isn’t just annoying: It’s also a waste of water with environmental and financial consequences. There are a number of different issues that could result in a leaking shower head, including some best left to plumbing professionals.Read more...

Inflation be damned: Americans are serious about their summer travel this year, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). In fact, in a recent news release, the organization estimates that 42.3 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home this Memorial Day weekend (Thursday, May 25 through…Read more...

It’s never great finding an insect or some other type of pest hanging out in your home, but discovering one residing in your food is especially disgusting. Coming across some ants marching in a line across your kitchen floor is one thing; opening up a container of flour and finding moths, tiny caterpillars, and a…Read more...

For anyone who wants to learn a new language or practice a new skill, Rosetta Stone’s “Unlimited Lifetime Learning Subscription Bundle” may have you covered. Right now you can get permanent access to Rosetta Stone and StackSkills for $170.90 (discounted from $749) with code ROSETTA10.

When you can’t sleep, the clock taunts you. “At least I’m getting seven hours,” you might think as you lie down, but if you’re still awake an hour later, then you’re only getting six hours, and six isn’t a lot. And if you’re still not tired, then it’s going to be less than six, and eventually you’re just lying in bed…Read more...

Homeowner’s insurance is a recommended (and if you have a mortgage, required) investment in the security of your home. While these policies help mitigate significant financial loss in the event of damage or destruction, they don’t cover every single issue in need of replacement or repair. There are situations when it…Read more...

The pressure to get into a good college is strong, but the process doesn’t have to be more expensive than it already it is. You’re already paying application fees, fees to request old transcripts, fees for a standardized test tutor, or fees for who-knows-what else. Before you shell out for a college counselor or…Read more...

If AI is coming for your job, you might as well get something out of the bargain—perhaps musical skills that will aid you in your new life as a subway busker? If you’ve always wanted to learn to play piano but don’t have room in your budget or schedule for a dedicated tutor, you can put one on your screen instead. …Read more...

I’m not a big fan of The Rich, but I have a soft spot for Martha Stewart. Maybe it’s the prison time, her terrible food pics, or her refusal to portray herself as anything other than insanely wealthy (it’s just more honest), but this is one rich lady I will always be charmed by. (That’s mother, as they say.) In…Read more...

Summer break is a glorious, three-month respite, no matter what year of school you’re in or how old you are. However, there’s still work to be done for the upcoming fall semester, and some of it is pretty key to doing well next school year. And they’re timely, too, which means you have to start acting right away if…Read more...

There is something you can do right now that will better your workplace. It takes very little effort, costs nothing, and will not only improve the work of your colleagues but also make them feel good. It will likely make you feel good too. All you have to do is genuinely thank, appreciate, recognize, or acknowledge…Read more...

This week’s 40,000-foot-view of youth features some new slang (which is probably already outdated because I know about it), bad behavior in Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and a pop icon coming to the defense of a fan.

From time to time, cannabis enthusiasts may need to travel with their stash for one reason or another, but doing so discreetly and safely can be a challenge.

The next time you find yourself stressed out, whether from work, parenting, or the stresses of everyday life, one technique to try is the butterfly hug. The butterfly hug works by tapping both sides of your chest in an alternating rhythm, which is thought to help your nervous system during moments of stress or…Read more...

Whether you think it’s great for young people who want a bit more independence, or you think this is a terrible idea that will expose them to danger, it’s happening: Teenagers will soon be able to take Uber rides without their parents. Uber unveiled the new policy this week during their annual product showcase, Go-Get…Read more...

People who hate American cheese either do not understand it, or have allowed classism to ruin it for them. I would not serve it on an assiette de fromage, but it is my go-to for burgers, bologna sandwiches, and simple grilled cheeses (especially when paired with tomato soup). It is designed by food scientists to melt…Read more...