Life Hacks - 2020

1. Reset your mac computer fan if it's getting rowdy. This was a godsend for me. I've been glued to my laptop for several months, which means a silent computer is important. 

2. This is a no brainer, but I have been doing it for years. Set your clothes out the night before - this gives you more time to think through what you'll wear, save time in the morning, and since you're not in a rush you'll likely pick up some pieces you enjoy that tend to be forgotten/unused during a morning rush to grab the trusty and true comfy work clothes. 

3. Keep your own financial tracking/spending budget excel sheet - relying on other apps won't always give you the lay of the land based on how much you spend a month. This has been very eye opening this year, since I previously relied on MINT and didn't realize how much my online shopping accumulated, and how many fees I was paying. Ha!

4. Grow your own veggies/herbs at home - it elevates your cooking game and for me it prevents me from wasting food. 

5. Ramen hacking - since I visited Japan in 2019, I have been wanting to become a master of ramen. Unfortunately, I haven't. However, what I did discover with the help of the internet is how to hack instant ramen for a quick meal at the end of a crazy day. My go to's in the fridge/pantry always include eggs, tofu, spring onions and seaweed sheets. I then add whatever veggies I have lying around, and any protein that needs to be finished. 

6. Put your hair in a braid at night with a hair mask, and wash it off in the morning. It works wonderfully! I always do this with my Olaplex. 

7. Roomba/any other self-vacuuming machine: this has been wonderful and a big time save. It's not a deep and dirty clean that you can get done by yourself, but it does a fairly good job and makes home upkeep a bit easier. I just let her buzz around my apartment after while I sip some tea on the balcony or take a bath. It's awesome!

8. I started making master lists and then every week pushing them to a new sheet. I think I may have seen something similar for bullet journals, but I don't do it daily. I write every single thing I think of onto that sheet of paper, and start checking off as much as I can throughout the following 7 days. It's amazing, and has helped me stay on track a lot better than in the past. I may actually no longer buy a planner this year, and just have a nice moleskine with my lists and then journal in it throughout the week. 

9. Freeze your compost - it keeps the smells away. Don't forget your compost needs to be in a compost-friendly bag or no bag at all. 

10. Save and increase the longevity of your sweaters with a clothes shaver. I have had it for a few years and just love it! 

11. If you wear make-up, do yourself a favour and buy black wash clothes for your face. The amount of towels I ruined with mascara is horrifying. 

What are some of your tried and true life hacks?

Cheers,

Chantelle