Lifehacker

You love your dog, and your dog loves you, but your dog also loves filth, possibly as much as they love you. Your canine friend probably has a penchant for burying their snout in fresh turds, or maybe they find heaps of garbage an inviting place to roll around.

We don’t want to believe that our adolescent children will abuse any addictive substances, but we also know that it’s increasingly likely they will as they get older. By 12th grade, about two-thirds of students will have tried alcohol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; nearly half of all…Read more...

You know that putting money aside is a good idea, but counterintuitive though it might seem, putting it all in the same place can make your budgeting more complicated than it needs to be. To keep things straight, why not sign up for multiple savings accounts and divide your savings for specific purposes?

Not only are sunflowers beautiful summer plants, they’re also resilient ones that love direct sun and hot days. Plus, their large heads produce seeds that are healthy and snackable, making sunflowers a decorative and edible plant for your seasonal garden. Here’s how to grow happy and healthy sunflowers, and how to…Read more...

A couple of evenings ago, I went berry picking on Sauvie Island with a few friends. After tasting several of the many varieties available, I settled on Hoods, because the season is short and I am only human. (Once you have experienced the candy-sweet flesh of a Hood strawberry, it’s hard to go back to huge, watery…Read more...

When I wrote about what it means to be immunocompromised in early March of this year, I was itching to get vaccinated. People are immunocompromised for a variety of reasons—genetics, age, metabolic diseases like diabetes, and immune-suppressing medications taken for conditions including autoimmune diseases, organ…Read more...

While it’s easy to say “don’t spend too much” after the pandemic, the truth is that just under half of all Americans are going to treat themselves with travel or shopping, even if that means going into debt to do it, according to a recent creditcards.com report. With that in mind, here are some tips on how to contain…Read more...

Whether it’s from too many items of sentimental value or you just haven’t thrown things out in a while, decluttering can be hard. When a kitchen gets cluttered, though, it can be even worse than a crowded closet or garage because it starts to affect the functionality of a space you use multiple times a day.Read more...

Old-school bagged vacuum cleaners are pretty rare these days. This makes some amount of sense: If you can order a brand-new, lightweight canister vacuum off Amazon for less than $200, why bother with a heavier, noisier relic of a machine that requires replacement bags?Read more...

Knowing how to defend yourself is a nice feeling. If, god forbid, someone with bad intentions were to cross your path, you could, theoretically, handle the situation better than if you hadn’t taken those classes. But the concept of “self-defense” is a broad church that encompasses many schools of thought—some of which…Read more...

Deadlifts are one of the biggest lifts you’re likely to ever do in the gym, because your butt and back and legs contain some of the strongest muscles in the human body. With their powers combined, you can move a lot of iron. But there’s a weak link, for many of us: Our grip.Read more...

Cheese is perishable, but most people are far too precious with it. Yes, it contains dairy—or rather, it is dairy—and is prone to bacterial growth and spoilage if left out of the refrigerator for too long. But, depending on the cheese, that window is wide big enough to allow a little cheese-fueled jaunt, trek, or hike…Read more...

The internet can be a toxic pit of despair, featuring people behaving at their worst just because they can. But every now and then, you manage to stumble into a little corner that warms your heart with its genuine kindness—and that’s what the “Need a Dad for a minute?” subreddit feels like.Read more...

A roly-poly pup can be an adorable little chonker, but if your pet is big enough that the vet says it’s time to lose weight, it can be hard to figure out exactly how to put them on a diet. Here are some tips to follow through on your plan, without ruining their diet every night when they start making puppy-dog eyes at…Read more...

In a perfect world, it’d be easy to untangle our mistakes from our personal identities, but in reality, it’s rarely a simple task. Everyone’s life is riddled with errors of judgement, but it’s crucial that you don’t let mistakes define your life or erode your self-confidence. Every misstep can become a teachable…Read more...

While expecting a baby can be an exciting time, if you’ve already got a toddler at home you’re probably wondering how to handle the addition of a new family member without making your older kid feel displaced. There are ways to prepare, though, throughout the pregnancy and in those early days, weeks, and months to…Read more...

When I was a kid, using the word “hemp” was just a sophisticated-sounding way to talk about weed, but while marijuana and hemp are related they have some pretty different uses. Hemp is a fast-growing plant that makes for a sustainable option for everyday items like paper and clothing, and it doesn’t get you high,…Read more...

With Amazon Prime Day coming up June 21-22, the company has a spend $10, get $10 promotion if you make a purchases from a list of small business owners that includes minorities and military veterans. Of course, Amazon benefits from this too, as you will need a Prime membership to claim the $10.Read more...

Cantaloupe is not my favorite melon, but it is the melon I’ve eaten the most of. My grandmother served it at the end of every summertime meal (with salt and pepper) and, once I realized it was socially acceptable to wrap slices of meat around the sweet, orange chunks, I developed quite the prosciutto con melone habit…Read more...

We love a good DIY project around here, but even the most seasoned DIY-ers still need to call a professional from time to time. When that happens, you’ll want to hire someone who’ll get the work done without too much hassle.Read more...

Whatever your goals, there will be some exercises that are perfect for you (as part of a well-designed, appropriately loaded exercise program) and others that might not be a great fit. But there are no exercises that you should “never” do.

Google is rolling out its latest Pixel Drop as part of the June 2021 Android security update. For those who don’t know, Pixel Drops are released throughout the year and add Pixel-specific features alongside the usual security patches all Android phones receive.

The IRS has made it official: Advance payments for the enhanced child tax credit—worth a total of $3,600 per child—will be sent out to families on the 15th of each month until the end of the year. Almost all families qualify for at least some cash, if not the full amount, although you’ll need to file a 2020 or 2019…Read more...

Aloe vera is a succulent plant commonly used in gels, creams, ointments, and hand sanitizer, and while it’s been used for thousands of years, today it’s used to calm the symptoms of sunburn or treat cuts and scratches. You might think it’s difficult to grow or care for, but aloe vera is a common house plant that’s…Read more...

Pride Month is more than a colorful parade or a series of parties (though those are great, too)—it’s the commemoration of the people who came before us that made these celebratory events possible.Read more...

Meeting people on dating apps can be fun, but the last thing most people want to see while swiping is a face from their past. Luckily, avoiding your ex—or anyone else you don’t want to see on Tinder—is easy thanks to the app’s new blocked contacts list.

Sometimes, no matter how one pours their heart out, if you flub your grammar, that’s all someone is going to remember. This was the case when I wrote this post about how to decide when you’re done having children, in which I shared my own experiences as a mother of one child, a former foster parent, and a woman who…Read more...

Remember when 2021 was the year things were supposed to get better? Well, sorry, people who live in a handful of eastern states—the cicadas are here. If you’ve spotted their discarded carapaces littering the ground or seen live bugs hanging out on trees (or if one has landed on your head), then you already know that…Read more...

Warped cutting boards aren’t just annoying—they’re extremely hazardous. Your cutting board should be rock-steady while you’re mincing and slicing; anything less is a recipe for disaster.Read more...

If your work involves staring at a screen all day, the sky is giving you ample reason to savor some much needed respite from the grind this month. On Thursday, an annular eclipse in parts of the far northern hemisphere will produce a “Ring of Fire,” when the moon crosses the sun’s facade, and pretty much right after…Read more...

As the days grow longer and the sun shines a little brighter in the northern hemisphere, it’s worth paying a bit more attention to our indoor plants. Some may need to be switched around the room to avoid the direct light, as it can damage some leaves or dry out roots. On the other hand, some indoor plants love direct…Read more...

Whether through an ongoing deal or due to a special occasion, restaurants nationwide are eager to hand out a bunch of free food and discounts this month. Here’s a look at some of the best deals and offers from the bigger chains:Read more...

Eggs, high-fat dairy, and heat form a winning combination, particularly when gently baked in a water bath. The inside somehow becomes both custardy and fluffy, and the top, gently or—if you blast it under the broiler for a moment—highly burnished. It’s an easy enough maneuver to execute, but usually reserved for a…Read more...

Apple kicked off WWDC 2021 with a keynote presentation brimming with big announcements across all of its software products. We got a peek at new features coming to Safari, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch—but the biggest announcements were for the upcoming iOS 15 for iPhone.

“We laugh to keep from crying” is an aphorism for a reason. Comedy has a unique way of revealing the twisted and complicated lexicon of life through laughter. For this reason, it’s hardly surprising that many of the best standup comedians have endured tremendous pain in their private lives—and there is no better way…Read more...

Knee sleeves are beloved by many weightlifters, powerlifters, and other strong people. But what are they really for? This is a surprisingly hard question to answer, and there was a point in my lifting career when I found myself confused about whether I needed to buy a pair.Read more...

The art of gardening requires simulating in your backyard what happens naturally in the wild. With domesticated soil and plants, this can be a pretty delicate process—both for your plants and the environment.Read more...

The European Union has agreed to reopen its borders for vaccinated travelers later this summer, but confusingly, their guidance is not mandatory for member countries. As a result, some countries have already opened their borders, while others remain closed. To help you keep track, here’s a look at which countries are…Read more...

Alcohol is an omnipresent fixture of being an adult, but letting it bleed into your working life has the ability to undermine your professionalism. If you’re anticipating being at a work function—and even if your company is known for fostering a pretty raucous atmosphere at its parties—there are things to know about…Read more...

If your smoking experience is limited to inhaling stimulants, you might be intimidated by a cooking method that goes by the same name. If this sounds like you, I have a recommendation: Before you smoke a pork shoulder, ribs, or any other kind of meat, smoke a cabbage first.Read more...

Last summer, many of us learned to save our scallion butts, pop them in a glass of water, and watch as bright green shoots appeared before our eyes. This summer, we should definitely do it again—but this time, actually plant the sprouts in soil.

Exercise isn’t always fun, and if you’re doing it to benefit your health or to support a weight-loss goal, it may feel like an awful chore. “People who enjoy exercise, when and how did you start to like it?” u/DaylightChampion asks in one of many reddit threads on the subject. Here are some of the answers.Read more...

Gazing upward at a sky free of light pollution to witness something like an annular eclipse is one thing, but on occasion, you need to orchestrate your stargazing plans with finer details. You may have bought a telescope thinking it’d be easy to use, but perhaps it hasn’t enabled you to ogle the surface of Jupiter in…Read more...

Kids are always excited about the end of the school year, with all those weeks of freedom stretching out ahead of them. But I think it’s safe to say that this year, they’re particularly ready to kick school—and their Chromebooks and masks—to the curb. It’s time to celebrate all they managed to survive this school year…Read more...

Even before I saw the Eater article on the majesty of frozen sweet potatoes, I knew I had to try one. I have been following Chef George Lee on Instagram for months now, and his account is packed with genius tips and delicious, incidentally vegan recipes. (Just look at this stunning display of cabbage.)Read more...

Since most music streaming companies offer free one-month trials, it’s easy to sign up or switch between services to give different ones a try without paying for it. But with all the options out there—and there are many—how do you pick the right one? Here’s a look at the big players, their various tiers and costs, and…Read more...

If you’ve updated to Chrome OS 91, there are a few hidden features you can turn on, including a new trash can folder and a more convenient interface for progressive web apps. There’s also a way to manually enable Chrome OS’s Live Captions for users who don’t have it yet.

It can be easy to get caught up in your own life—especially after a year of limited opportunities to socialize in person. Living through a global pandemic has been strange: Everyone is aware that there is a lot going on around the world, but the prolonged isolation can make us feel as though we’re the only people…Read more...

Although it definitely doesn’t have to be summer to treat yourself to a frozen dairy dessert, the rising temperatures make them especially enjoyable this time of year. And even if you aren’t someone who typically frequents fast food establishments, you probably have a favorite cheap and cheerful frozen menu item—or at…Read more...

If you have kids, you probably have some type of LEGO bricks (or their generic equivalent) in your home right now. You’ve also probably stepped on (at least) one with your bare feet, and, in the process, taught your child some of their first curse words.Read more...