Lifehacker

During a recent bathroom renovation project, my boyfriend had to disconnect his water softener, and it wreaked more havoc on our daily lives than we expected. Showering and washing clothes, in particular, were much more difficult, as hard water leads to the formation of “soap scum” that is difficult to rinse away. We…Read more...

With so many devices (and their various accessories) needing to be charged—not to mention the lights, appliances, and other electronics that need to remain plugged in—your cords and cables situation is probably out of control. Keeping cables neat and well organized is tough, whether it’s for the stuff you use every…Read more...

Whether it’s a secret crush, an illicit affair, or a murder, most people keep secrets, but most people are bad at it. Effective, to-the-grave style secret-keeping is a skill like anything else, one that can be developed. I’m not saying you should keep secrets—life would probably be better if we were more open—but if…Read more...

Between AAA standouts like God of War, Elden Ring, and Horizon Forbidden West, and high-profile indies like Tunic, Citizen Sleeper, and Immortality, tons of great video games were released in 2022.Maybe too many, and chances are at least a few worthwhile games passed you by. (I’m sorry, Signalis. I promise I’ll play…Read more...

It boggles my mind that airlines are allowed to sell more tickets than the plane has seats, putting you, the passenger, at risk of getting bumped from a flight you paid for. When a flight attendant tells you your seat is no longer available, they’ll say that you’re being “reassigned to a later flight” and that,…Read more...

Every parent has been there: You need a few minutes to relax and cook dinner, but your kids are looking to you for something fun to occupy their time. It’s so easy to hand them an iPad or gaming system, but when it’s time to eat, they don’t want to pull their eyes away from the screen, which can lead to meltdowns. You…Read more...

Babies are easy to soothe, right? Give them something to suck or wrap them up in a tight swaddle, and they melt in your arms. For little kids, a parent’s hug is still probably the most soothing response to their Big Feelings, but Mom and Dad are not always around in times of emotional distress. But if you start…Read more...

Finding out your favorite restaurant delivers meals for free can feel like a major win—and a lot of popular spots out there offer that perk. Many places will offer free delivery once you pass a certain price threshold on your order, and some of these will be free by getting free trials from food delivery apps. (Just…Read more...

Saving cheese rinds from Parmigiano Reggiano and the like is a classic, time-honored, no-waste hack. (Lifehacker first covered it more than a decade ago.) It’s delightfully surprising, then, to find a new use for the cheese butts, but that’s just what the clever people at Food52 have done. I’m not saying you should…Read more...

The money struggle is real. If you’re struggling to make rent while also paying down your credit card debt, you’re not alone. Currently the average American has over $90,000 in debt while the total U.S. consumer debt balance has shot up to $800 billion since the pandemic. Given these stats, it’s understandable to feel…Read more...

As a prospective home buyer, the open house stage of shopping is usually the most fun. You get to tour a bunch of places and envision your life in them, there’s no paperwork, and a bad inspection hasn’t yet brought your dreams crashing down to earth.Read more...

Single-use plastic is a plague upon the Earth that the more environmentally conscious among us try in vain to avoid. No matter how careful you are to bring your reuseable tote and buy stuff in recyclable and compostable packaging, eventually you’ll need to go to the grocery store for produce, which means you’ll become…Read more...

Many new year’s resolutions (and old year’s resolutions) involve starting new, life-improving habits. And while that’s a great idea in theory, the reality is that making lifestyle changes is really hard.Read more...

Whether due to a post-holiday spending spree hangover or all the regular hangovers, free food tastes especially good in January. If you’re a Del Taco diehard, great news: Each day in January 2023, the chain is giving away one free item (as long as you spend at least three bucks on something else first, that is).

During last year’s stretch of record-high gas prices, a lot of people were rethinking how and when they used their car, and considering alternative options. Not everyone is able to walk to work and to run errands, and outside of major cities, there’s not much in the way of public transportation in the U.S. So…Read more...

Using houseplants to add a bit of greenery to your bathroom isn’t anything new. But more recently, there’s a trend that takes it one step further: Growing plants directly inside the shower.Read more...

With airline prices predicted to remain high for the rest of 2023, even the most basic economy tickets will feel like a (financial) splurge. But many airlines now have programs in place that allow passengers to bid on upgraded tickets in premium economy, business, or first class. Here’s what to know.Read more...

Air travel was a total mess this holiday season (looking at you, Southwest). Then this week, more than 10,000 flights were delayed—with another 1,300 cancelled—thanks to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) system outage.Read more...

Unless something goes wrong, or you’re in the middle of a renovation project, it’s pretty easy to ignore your walls. Sure, they’re integral to the structure and layout of your home, but play more of a supporting role.Read more...

Halo Top is kicking off the new year by offering up an accountability goal tracker that gives you rewards as you accomplish your goal—and the first prize is a free tub of Halo Top ice cream. Once you claim that reward, you’ll be entered to win additional sweepstakes as you continue making progress.

Once again, we regret to inform you that a cleaning hack you may have seen online is maybe not a great idea. This one involves sprinkling bicarb—or baking soda—on your carpet to remove stains or odors, which certainly sounds promising considering all the wonderful cleaning uses baking soda typically has. But cleaning…Read more...

Most roofs constructed after modern regulations were passed in the U.S. in 1988 are built to withstand a certain amount of extra weight in the form of snow. Even older roofs usually have some extra capacity to allow for snow. But sometimes, larger amounts of snow, or wet or compacted snow can exceed the capacity of…Read more...

If you’re tired of music streaming apps deciding what you should listen to, you can take back the power. PlaylistAI is an app that uses AI to help you create playlists easily, and it is compatible with Spotify and Apple Music. It lets you specify the kind of music you’re looking for and creates custom playlists for…Read more...

You met someone great. However, they are newly single. So how soon is too soon to date someone who just got out of a relationship? After all, isn’t it wise to let someone grieve and process their breakup? And if they haven’t fully done that, wouldn’t it spell trouble for your budding romance?Read more...

With a debacle at Southwest Airlines leading to more than 3,000 flights canceled on Christmas day, and the Federal Aviation Administration’s computer outage leading to more than 1,300 flights canceled (and 10,000 delayed in the U.S. on Wednesday), it feels like an on-time flight is an increasing rarity. Clearly, you…Read more...

If you’ve been sick with a cough and a sniffly nose for a few days, you might show up at the clinic desperate for something that will make you feel better. But if all signs point to your cold being an ordinary virus (or even a nasty virus like COVID or flu), antibiotics won’t help. Here’s why.Read more...

On Monday, Bloomberg reported the Consumer Product Safety Commission would consider a ban on gas stoves, causing everyone from Republican politicians to cooks on Twitter to promptly lose their minds and begin insulting electric stoves. If you were among them, don’t panic: A gas stove ban is unlikely, especially in…Read more...

Television rewatch shows are taking over the podcast zeitgeist. It’s kind of an easy sell—creating content around something that has already won the hearts of a dedicated audience, hitting us with nostalgia feels and offering a chance to reflect on the evolution of pop culture and TV—bonus points if anyone who made…Read more...

This week’s out-of-touch guide features three prominent young influencers: One may have abandoned a pig, one is accused of being a pig, and the third is MrBeast. Plus, TikTok’s death row meals trend is dissected, as is the anger of our nations’s nerds.

Open up whatever drawer you keep your trivets and hot pads in and count them up. Count your trivets. Count your hot pads. How many do you have? I have four. Usually that is enough.Read more...

If you’ve ever walked by a pretzel stand and witnessed the absolute magic of a pro slinging a strand of dough into the perfect twist, you may have been slightly intimidated by the process. To the untrained eye, that string weaves a confusing path. You don’t need that level of dexterity to make pretzels at home; even…Read more...

It’s often not too big a deal when your boss occasionally asks you to take on a little more work than in your original job description. This request is typically wrapped up in notions of “a great opportunity for growth” and “being a team player.” However, there comes a tipping point where taking on additional…Read more...

A divorce is typically an emotionally draining and difficult process that’s rife with negativity. But some people are using the dissolution of their marriage as an opportunity to celebrate—by throwing a divorce party.Read more...

For some people—like my wife, who is fancy in her heart—a chandelier is the height of elegance. When we moved into our current home, she launched a scorched-earth campaign to have a chandelier installed somewhere, despite the fact that this quirky house has exactly zero appropriate places for one. I once joked that…Read more...

We spend a lot of time on our iPhones doing simple, repetitive tasks we shouldn’t have to do. In fact, those simple, repetitive tasks can and should be handed over to your iPhone, so you can get back to tasks you really want to do, like scroll Instagram and TikTok. If you’re willing to spend a couple of minutes on…Read more...

Like everything else in the modern age, car headlights have enjoyed a steady advance in terms of technology and function. Back in the earliest days of cars, headlights used to be called headlamps because that’s what they were—gas-fueled flames inside a glass enclosure. Eventually, car makers migrated to electric…Read more...

While it’s true that inflation seems to be coming down since its peak in June, some things are looking to continue to increase in price this year. To start, it’s helpful to know what it actually means when the experts say “inflation is easing.” The 6.5% inflation number you see in headlines is the average price of…Read more...

Everyone wants to be healthier and live longer, which can often translate into indulging in trends that promise to make us thinner, healthier, and happier, whether it’s a fad diet or a fad piece of workout equipment. Sometimes this stuff even works—but most of the time these health trends and products wind up having…Read more...

Potato chips are thin, crispy reminders that sometimes too much salt is just enough. Although they are flawless as-is, and serve their purpose when expedited directly to your mouth, the humble potato chip can enhance a meal, and even provide some mechanical help with your pizza making. Here are some of the best ways…Read more...

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For a while now, our tech has run on rechargeable batteries, and that’s great‚ until we plug in a device and discover it won’t charge. Alternatives like wireless charging can help, but a dead charging port on any device is no fun. But if the charging port on your iPhone, Android, computer, Switch, or what have you…Read more...

There is a certain genre of food that is adored by people who are complected in the way that I am complected (very lightly): Food that is often loaded with a lot of dairy, be it sour cream, heavy cream, or cheese. Food that is beige, orange, or brown. Food that is at home on a TV tray. It’s comforting, if not super…Read more...

Like many veteran internet users, I have had my Google Account for a long time. More than a decade in, I’m running out of my free 15GB of storage, and most of that space is taken up by Gmail. While the majority of those messages are junk and spam, some are important to me, so I don’t want to delete things…Read more...

Getting your door locks to work like they should isn’t just a matter of convenience, but of safety as well—taking the hassle out of dealing with your door locks will make you more likely to practice good locking habits. But sometimes your locks can become uncooperative, requiring you to set down your bag of groceries…Read more...

Home remodeling projects can be (sort of) great. You work hard and make a massive mess but hopefully create something beautiful and get to bask in the fruits of your labor (after spending a ton of money and exhausting yourself). You know what’s also great and—dare we say—better? Watching someone else do all of that…Read more...

AirPlay allows you to stream music from an Apple device to your HomePod, or mirror video content from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to a bigger screen. As long as all devices are connected to the same wifi network, AirPlay works really well within the Apple ecosystem. But even if your primary computer is a Windows PC, you…Read more...

It’s a universal law that a lovely loaf or bundt cake must be topped with a simple icing drizzle. Although simplicity doesn’t have to mean flavorless, most powdered sugar icings are, sadly, completely flat. Don’t let this be your cake’s fate. Treat your icing as a flavor opportunity, and don’t squander it with water…Read more...

If you’ve ever looked up at the lights in the nighttime sky and wondered if there’s life up there, rest assured that there is. The third brightest object in the heavens is the International Space Station where seven people currently reside: three NASA astronauts, one person from the European Space Agency, and three…Read more...

Big-budget movie spectacles tend to open in the summer, when there’s less chance bad weather will ruin critical opening weekend grosses. Movies with awards on their minds tend to come out in the fall, so that they’ll be fresh in the minds of critics and viewers as voting deadline approach. So where does that leave…Read more...

I don’t know how or where you were raised, but I was raised by Southern people, both in Mississippi and Los Angeles. My people are iced tea drinkers, which makes having a steady supply of frozen water very important, especially when it’s hot out, which was almost always.Read more...