I live in an apartment which means two things. One: if I mess something up, there goes my money. Two: I live in a small space which means I need to get creative. And knowing these two things, I need all the help I can get. Which is why I pretty much love finding awesome home hack and tip posts.
Now if you live in an apartment too or a small home, youโll understand the pain. Which is also why I compiled lists of cleaning and organizational hacks to help make your life that much easier. Because making life easy is a great way to give you more time and energy to pursuing more important things.. like trying to duplicate some of these.
16 Pantry Organization Ideas Youโll Wish Youโd Thought Of
Pantry organization ideas? What pantry? Well I know that the majority of you have one, so I thought Iโd share this since some of these tips are pretty useful.
Want extra space in your drawers? Try using some magazine holders to hold your aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and wax paper. Now youโll have more purpose for that new space.. like turning it into a junk drawer.
Take those small clip hangers from kids clothes or large binder clips to hold bags of chips and declutter your shelf space.
Store your cupcake holders in a mason jar. This will keep them organized and dust free.. also it just looks pretty darn cool.
Read more awesome pantry organization ideas from One Crazy House here!
13 Life-Changing Fridge and Freezer Hacks
I cook.. ย a TON. Which means that a lot of my fridge space gets used up. So finding the best ways to declutter and clean it up is great.
Use an egg carton to stand condiment bottles upside down. This keeps them organized and easy to use so youโre not trying to get the last bit of ketchup out.
Glue magnets to the bottoms of your containers so they stick to the side of the fridge. I had never thought of this, but itโs a handy way to prep an easy snack for the next day, grab it, and go.
Use dollar-store baskets to organize food group items. So if you have dairy products, you can put it all into one basket and the same goes for produce.
Now if you want more fridge organizational hacks from The Krazy Coupon Lady, check it out here!
Plastic Wrap Tips That Will Change Your Life
I donโt know if these really changed my life, but they sure are handy. And a couple of them are things I would never have thought of before. Such as wrapping the ends of bananas in plastic wrap to slow down their ripening process (apparently their stems release ethylene gas, the stuff that ripens them fast). Or cover your fridge shelves with plastic wrap so if you have a spill, itโs an easy cleanup.
Check out more plastic wrap tips from One Crazy House here.
41 Best Homemade Cleaner Recipes
This post has awesome recipes for cleaners like wood floor cleaner, stove and window cleaners, and even drain cleaners. Iโd probably choose making my own cleaners than going to the store if I could save moneyโฆ oh yeah, and actually know whatโs going into my cleaners (because toxic ingredients suck).
Find the recipes for the home cleaners here!
7 Bedroom Cleaning Ideas Youโll Actually Want to Try
Buzzfeed is honestly great for finding awesome hacks, and their bedroom cleaning hacks are great.
Pillowcase to clean off fan blades? I seriously wish I had known about that sooner. Then there would have been fewer memories of waking up from a nap just to stare at the ugly mess of dust collecting on my fan.
Living in an apartment is a bit scary in the fact that if you mess anything up.. like the carpet.. then youโre paying for it. But cleaning your carpet with vinegar, water, and an iron seems like a simple way to take care of that fear.
Read more of Buzzfeedโs awesome room-cleaning ideas here.
29 Clever Kitchen Cleaning Tips Every Clean Freak Needs to Know
Oh, and Buzzfeed made a post on cleaning your kitchen too. Which is great because I need all the help I can get.
Nasty filter? No problem, just soak it in hot water and Borax and youโre good to go!
Speaking of gross parts in your kitchen that need a little love, how about your stove grates? Soak them overnight with a little ammonia and itโs taken care of.
Oh, and as a renter, the stove is my worst nightmare.. especially since I cook a ton. So in order not to get charged for a dirty stove, using a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda is a great way to get them up. Whoohoo!
Read more of their awesome kitchen hacks here.
28 Ways to Make Your Bathroom Cleaner Than itโs Ever Been
And lastly Buzzfeed created a post on cleaning your bathroom which honestly, everyoneโs needs. Unless company is coming over, itโs probably one of the least cleaned rooms. So here are just a couple of their tips.
Apparently thereโs something called a drain snake that will get hair out of my sink.. and having long blonde hair that literally gets everywhere (no joke), this could come in handyโฆ
Also, bathtubs arenโt fun to stand or soak in if they look nasty, but with Bar Keepers Friend, you can make it clean and white again (wasnโt trying to rhyme there, I promise..).
And have any soap scum? Well glass cooktop cleaner takes care of that.
Check out the rest of Buzzfeedโs bathroom tips here.
12 Cheap and Lazy Ways to Cut Down on Waste
Nobody likes to waste, especially when it costs them money. But this post offers great ways to cut down on it and help you keep things fresh.
Usingย reusable produce bags is a great way to keep fruit flies away and have your leafy vegetables stay fresh and aerated (had no idea that these were a thing..).
Apparently, if you maximize the space in your fridge and freezer, the temperature will stay consistent (which means less energy which means a smaller energy bill).
Check out more of Buzzfeedโs tips on cutting down on waste here.
7 Simple Ways to Get Organized
Now not all of these tips are for your home, but a few of them are great to keep in mind when trying to declutter and keep organized.
If your room is a bit of a mess, do the 1 out and 2 in method. Basically, if youโre taking one item out of your closet to wear that day, put two back in (so just find two pieces of clothing to hang back up and youโll be that much closer to a cleaner room).
Another great way to declutter and get organized is to use the 80/20 rule. So the idea is that you use 20% of the things own 80% of the time. So keep that 20% out and the rest organized and put away.
Read more of Bustleโs Organizational tips here.
27 Tips and Hacks to Get the Most Out of Your Tiny Home
Living in an apartment, not all of these tips are options for me (not sure how much Iโd get charged for changing the inside of the apartment), but a few of them are great for my small spaces. And someday Iโll have my own house, so I know theyโll come in handy.
Sliding Walls: I had never thought of this, but removing your doors with sliding walls is an AWESOME way to have a bigger space. Oh, you live in a small place in New York? Well, thatโs cool, just slide back that dang wall, and BAM, more space.
Pan Organizer: Have a ton of pans because you like to cook? Awesome! Then you can use this pan organizer to keep things tidy in your cupboards. More room for more cooking appliances!
Check out more of the space hacks here!
Bonus Home Hack!
I know I said ten, but I thought you guys would like a bonus hack. Many of us have stainless steel refrigerators (and appliances in general, so this one will come in handy).
Just mix one part white vinegar and water together in a spray bottle and spray it on the fridge (a lot of it mind you). Then take a soft cloth and wipe along the grain of the stainless steel. If you look closely, youโll see that itโs either going horizontally or vertically and going along the grain of it is important. You donโt want to create scratches of any sort.
Once itโs dry, rub in a small amount of olive oil with a dry cloth (going with the grain again), and youโre done. Now you have a clean and shiny fridge.
Recipe is found here.
Well I hope all of these tip and hack posts were helpful, and if you have any cleaning or organizational hacks yourself, let me know in the comments below. Iโd love to hear what you have to say!
Grace Moser is the author and founder of Chasing Foxes, where she writes articles to help women create a life they love in big and small ways. She's been a full-time traveler since 2016 and loves sharing her experiences and exploring the world with her husband, Silas. Her lifestyle and travel advice can also be seen on sites such as Business Insider, Glamour, Newsweek, Huffpost, & Apartment Therapy.
OK, this Is Jaw dropping. Keep up the good work. Appreciate all the efforts you put in here. Stay safe!
Silos and Grace your work is amazing but your extra information like โHow to make cheap non toxic chemicals to clean your houseโ just didnโt work for me when I tried to open it. Loved what I could read and have a great day. Thanks Amanda from Australia dated 16/7/24
Thanks for letting me know, I’ll check that out!
REALLY great tips thank you!
I loved all the cleaning tips. Also when we had an old refrigerator to clean there is something to be done that is a time saver. I would clean the freezer out completely. Then fill a six qt. Pan with very hot water. Let is be in the freezer for as long as you need to begin the melt of ice then clean with soap and water. Rinse with water and you are ready to go. There may be other ways but this the one I used..
I’m always trying to save a dollar , love trying new things, and always rearranging so you’ve helped me. I’ve tried so much and it’s worked for me, thanks
Gladys
I am almost overwhelmed by all your amazing tips, but love them all. Being in the real estate business, I have to often help clients organize and de-clutter. Some of these ideas will come in handy. Thank you!
I’m glad I could help you out Anne! ๐
Thanks for the roundup, you have some fabulous ideas! ๐
You are most welcome Collette! ๐
Love the idea’s but my problem is have old frig dad don’t want to get rid of. So how do I deal with freezer ice build up? Plus my dad loves to have his glass cups in the freezer too. Oh I guess the freezer has the option too change it to regular ice maker as well. but it’s being used as a regular freezer not as as ice maker is hard to describe.
Perhaps turn up the temperature of the freezer? I hope I’m understanding your question right!
Every couple of months I take a huge knife to my chest freezer due to ice build up. Keeping it not as full has helped, keeping items away from the main cooling unit. Good luck!
Wonderful.tips.
Thank you so much Linda!
Thanks for the wonderful tips. I was inspired to create a new DIY Cleaning board.
That’s so awesome Lola! Feel free to email me the pictures once you’re done. ๐
Thanks for all the good ideas
You’re most welcome Janice! ๐
Great ideas , very useful
Thank you so much Joan! I’m glad I was able to help you out. ๐
Awesome ideas I really like it thanks for sharing.
You’re most welcome!