Lifehacker

Witch hazel is a flowering shrub found in North American and Japan. Its leaf, bark, and twigs contain tannins that have medicinal qualities. When distilled into a liquid, witch hazel is a common over-the-counter analgesic found in many medicine cabinets. You may have used witch hazel to combat minor cuts, but the…Read more...

Nintendo Switch Online’s N64 emulator makes revisiting your favorite 3D games of the past a breeze. You can experience gems like Ocarina of Time, Banjo-Kazooie, and Star Fox 64 in high resolution and on-the-go. However, it’s not all peachy: If you replay Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards using the service, you might…Read more...

uBlock Origin is among the best browser extensions for protecting your privacy on the internet. Its default settings are great for most people, but with some adjustments, it can be even more effective. Before you make these changes, though, remember that the more blocking options you enable, the higher the risk of…Read more...

The Google app for iPhone doesn’t get enough credit. No, it’s going to suddenly turn your iPhone into an Android flagship, but it will give you instant access to some of the Google features that make Android flagships so great, and you can adjust your settings to make your Apple phone work more like one running…Read more...

If you’ve ever considered taking a Pilates class, you might be intimidated by the machine contraption—called a reformer—that is used in many studios. A reformer is a bed-like machine with a sliding platform and detachable resistance bands. But as common as reformers are in specialty studios, mat classes—which require…Read more...

Back in 1939, scientists at Harvard began a longitudinal study in order to “identify the psychosocial predictors of healthy aging.” The study, which is still running to this day, indicated that the single factor that correlated most strongly with happiness as you age is the quality of your personal relationships.…Read more...

Read more...

Whether you have a century-old, freestanding clawfoot model, a colorful midcentury drop-in, or something more modern, your bathtub probably takes up a good portion of your bathroom. Even if you don’t take baths regularly (and if that’s the case, why not?), you still are spending a lot of time in its vicinity.Read more...

Read more...

A garbage disposal’s job is to remain out of sight, and make food waste disappear. So when it’s working properly, it’s easy to forget about it. This, in turn, makes it difficult to remember that your garbage disposal is an appliance that requires at least minimal maintenance.Read more...

The whole idea that certain people with “green thumbs” are naturally better at growing plants than others makes it sound like gardening is more about luck than skill. But, as anyone who has tried their hand at starting a garden armed only with the information they retained from elementary school science class can…Read more...

When it came to bathing in America, bars of soap reigned supreme for part of the 19th and much of the 20th century. But by the late 1980s, traditional solid bars of soap started getting some stiff competition from liquid alternatives known as “shower gels” and “body washes.”Read more...

When it comes to caring for plants, much of the focus is on making sure they get the right amount of sunlight and water. But even if they are, your plants won’t really thrive unless they’re getting what they need from the soil.Read more...

As much as we love our pets, sometimes they can make a mess. This includes everything from taking all of their toys out of the container and flinging them around the room for no reason, tracking mud from outside throughout your home, or leaving everything they touch coated in a layer of fur.Read more...

When working in your garden or yard, you go in with the expectation that you’re going to get a bit dirty—given that you’re probably working with actual dirt. You may even have dedicated shoes or items of clothing to wear while gardening that you’re not concerned about getting covered in soil and stains. But your hands…Read more...

Now that summer’s almost here, it’s time to enjoy the great outdoors. Instead of relaxing inside on the couch, you can relax outside, slowly rocking in a hammock. But if you’ve never put up a hammock before, you may find the process a bit intimidating—which is totally understandable, given that it’s basically a net or…Read more...

As the long Memorial Day weekend begins, you may find yourself checking the weather forecast for the next few days—especially if your plans involve doing anything outdoors.Read more...

Wherever you’re planning to go this summer, whether it’s one of the most overrated tourist destinations or one of the music festivals actually worth traveling to, you’d be lying to yourself if you said your plans were truly set in stone. That’s because things come up, schedules change, and life delays us. This…Read more...

There are plenty of ways our culture tells us we are “too old” for certain jobs, activities, or pursuits. Game shows ask participants at what age women should stop wearing revealing clothing. Rising industry stars are praised on lists of successful people “under 30” or “under 40.” Magazine covers sport young models—or…Read more...

Smartphones and cases go hand-in-hand. After all, these pocket computers we carry with us everywhere are expensive and fragile; it only makes sense to protect them. Smartphone manufacturers like Google know this, and make their own cases to sell to you alongside one of their devices. However, when Google asks if you…Read more...

I don’t know about you, but I’ve barely recovered from May’s spectacular lunar eclipse, only to learn that June’s sky will feature a full supermoon. We are not worthy of your largesse, Luna, Goddess of the Full Moon.

If you’ve been thinking about getting your car off of your hands, now might be the best time to do so. According to the Consumer Price Index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of used cars and trucks has gone up 22.7% compared to this time last year. While this trend affects the entire country, it’s been…Read more...

Read more...

The Pixel 6 Pro has many selling points, but, like the Pixel phones before it, the big draws are the cameras. The device’s three cameras take great photos and videos out of the box, with one major caveat: You can’t seem to use the impressive 4x telephoto zoom camera when recording videos. Luckily, this camera isn’t…Read more...

Having aged approximately 20 years in the three-and-a-half decades since the original’s release, Tom Cruise is back in one of the roles that cemented his place as an icon of 1980s pop cinema, with an ability to pack theaters that’s only rarely waned since.Read more...

Friends, I just finished a 140 hour platinum trophy playthrough of Elden Ring—the latest masterpiece from creator Hidetaka Miyazaki, of Dark Souls and Bloodborne fame—and I am tired. Wrung out. Depleted.Read more...

You probably take your iPhone’s calculator app for granted. Sure, you might use it multiple times a week, but you don’t really give it much thought beyond that, do you? Well, that little workhorse can do a whole lot more than you realize, from scientific calculations to more hidden features.

I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to think that every human on earth being constantly connected to a source of infinite, unverified information might actually not be the best avenue to a healthy, productive society. My evidence this week: Music industry plants, stupid new slang, a ruined Disney life hack, and a…Read more...

Tech “emergencies” are often much simpler than they look. And sometimes, the simplest solution of them all (or the one that feels most instinctual) is to go “dad mode” on it, by which I mean you simply and elegantly smack the shit out your remote until it works again.

“Fresh” has such a nice ring to it, right? Fresh fruits and vegetables. Fresh baked goods. And if you want to have some delights from the sea: fresh fish. But a lot of the fish at a counter is likely to have been frozen before it got to the store. And even if it wasn’t, it’s not automatically better than the stuff you…Read more...

When someone starts a rumor about you at school or work, it can be a harrowing experience. The false allegations might make their way around the institution, or even travel to other schools or companies, embarrassing you at every step of the way. But when someone starts a rumor about you online, it can balloon into…Read more...

The bright colors, stuffed animals, fried Oreos, and roaring rides of a carnival or amusement park midway call out to the dreamer in us all. But before you heed the barker’s timeless invitation to “step right up and win a stuffed bear for your lady/gentleman,” you should know what you’re getting into.

If you’re one of the 39 million or so Americans who plan to drive somewhere for Memorial Day weekend, I’m sure you already know that it will cost ya. The nationwide average price for a gallon of gas is $4.60 a gallon, and it’s about $6 a gallon in some states.

If you rely on your iPhone’s “Automatic Updates” feature to download and install new versions of iOS for you, you’re going to be waiting a while for the next update. You might not notice until someone sends you an emoji you can’t see, or you’re taunted by that red pop-up in Settings, letting you know a new version is…Read more...

First, there was reality TV show Hoarders about so-called “hoarders” whose homes were so cluttered they required professional intervention. Then, years after that program introduced hoarding to the popular consciousness, there came the TikToks from cleaners who specialized in cleaning those kinds of messes. Both of…Read more...

Read more...

As long as there have been cables, there has been tangling. There’s nothing worse than reaching into your pocket or bag to grab your charging cable for your soon-t0-be-dead smartphone, only to waste time, energy, and sanity untangling the many knots like a chump. Well, chump no more: Cable-makers are starting to wisen…Read more...

Executive function can be thought of as the brain’s manager: It is how we identify priorities, make plans for how to get things done, and adjust for unexpected complications. Doing this requires working memory, emotional self-regulation, and the ability to control our focus. Some kids—especially those with disorders…Read more...

Strava’s community makes it the de facto fitness app for many athletes. Sadly, its social features are often at odds with your privacy. If you tend to start and end your workouts near your home, you could accidentally be revealing your home address to strangers.Read more...

The unofficial start to summer is here. And you know what that means. Barbecues! Hot dogs! Pools! (And rage-inducing traffic, oh boy!) While long, carefree holiday weekends are indeed fun, getting to where you want to be usually is not. And unfortunately, we can’t even rely on the ludicrous price of gas to deter…Read more...

It’s an unmistakable, comforting scent with familiar notes that harken back to your earliest memories. Baby powder (also called talcum powder) is a parenting medicine cabinet staple. But did you know its usefulness goes far beyond a baby’s bottom?

Our homes are the center of our lives. They’re meant to be places of calm, places of safety—and the one place in our lives where our privacy reigns supreme. We rest there, we play there, and increasingly we work there. It’s essential that our homes feel safe.

In a perfect world, fitness should come down to nothing more than building a habit and challenging your body. Unfortunately, a group fitness class is rarely a perfect world. Whether you signed up for pilates, Crossfit, or any other group workout experience, it’s easy to let your ego get in the way.

Ah, vacation. A time for adventure, relaxation, poolside cocktails, and...constipation? For a lot of people, yes. Due to changes in diet, routine, sleep, and dehydration from air travel and all that celebratory booze, many people get backed up, rendering their tummy bloated, their bowels immobile and their mood not so…Read more...

Wildflowers bring a beautiful array of color to your garden, and they come in more varieties than you might realize. And in addition to being beautiful, wildflowers attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, so they’re great for the rest of your garden as well as the local wildlife.

Marriage counseling can be difficult, but it is often wise to invest time in your relationship to see if it can be improved. About 44% of couples go to marriage counseling prior to tying the knot. Research also suggests that couples therapy positively impacts 70% of couples receiving treatment. A couples counselor is…Read more...

Your home wifi is your lifeline to the internet, which, by extension, is your connection to the world. With internet companies charging what they do these days, you expect your speeds to be fast and constant, in order to watch 4K streaming or play games online with friends. However, there are plenty of obstructions…Read more...

In the wake of a mass shooting, a few things are inevitable. The national conversation about potential gun control measures will heat up and gun and ammo stocks will rise as, investors say, people seek to either protect themselves or get their hands on weapons before a possible ban. The bans seem unlikely at best, of…Read more...

Read more...

With temperatures rising in many places, lawn care season has officially begun and the struggle to keep the grass from turning brown through the heat of summer looms ahead. With many areas in some form of drought restriction for water use, our yards usually suffer, saving water for more important things. But there’s a…Read more...