Marshall - Life hacks: helpful hints to make life easier

Neither the author nor the publisher can be held responsible for any loss or claim arising out of the use, or misuse, of the suggestions made herein.

Welcome to Life Hacks, the book for people who long to be free from those little worries and annoyances that complicate life on a daily basis.

How often have you wondered how you could chill your Chardonnay without watering it down with ice cubes, whether you actually locked your front door when you left, or who it was that borrowed your only copy of The Goonies?

The idea of hacking our lives, that is, finding clever ways to solve annoying problems and make mundane tasks easier, has been around since early humans started making fires and using simple tools. Ever since then, we have surrounded ourselves with time-and-effort-saving inventions and techniques, including my personal favorite: the remote control. Thank the stars that someone recognized the need for a device that does away with the effort of walking three feet to the television to change between channels. However, if, like me, you continually misplace one of these magic boxes, fear notthere is a hack within these pages to ensure that this problem will never plague you again.

So read on to discover this and many more ingenious ways to make your life that little bit easier!*

NBthese hacks are simply ways to make certain things a little easier, not revolutionize your entire life; you will still have to exercise, eat your greens, and wash occasionally.

Everyone has something in the home that could benefit from being hackedfrom moving heavy objects to expanding your wardrobe space, there is something for everyone in this section, including a hack that will have women (and possibly a few men, too) digging out their shoes and blow-dryers. I wont go into detail, but suffice to say you wont be disappointed!

After my careful gift wrapping has been done I want to store my leftover paper (theres always some!) safely away for next time, without it ending up all unraveled and crumpled. Heres how...

Simply cut a spent toilet paper roll lengthways and wrap it around the roll of wrapping paper. This keeps the paper neatly in place and wrinkle free. Just try not to cringe when your friends and family carelessly rip the perfectly preserved paper to shreds to get to their precious gift.

Doors are useful for getting into rooms. Except, that is, when theyre broken. If you have experienced the anger and inconvenience caused by a faulty latch on a door (especially if it sticks and traps you in the bathroom) then youll be pleased with this hack.

Loop a strong rubber band around the base of the handle on one side of the faulty door, twist it over, and then loop it around the base of the handle on the other side. The rubber band will make a latch-catching barrier where it forms a cross, which will hold your faulty latch back, avoiding any door-sticking scenarios. Its also handy if youre a parent and want to be able to burst into your teenagers room without warning.

Never again will you spend hours untangling the tree lightsthis hack will prevent knots and makes it easier to store them away. Two for onea holiday steal!

When packing away the lights, try wrapping them around a coat hanger. Not only will this keep them tangle free but will also give you the option of hanging them up somewhere, so you dont have to hunt for them next year.

Having moved several times, I must confess that this next hack never crossed my mind. Im an idiot. An idiot with a bad back. Heres how it should be done.

If youre packing up to move or simply rearranging your excessive amount of worldly goods, load heavy items into a suitcase with wheels and pull it to wherever it needs to go. The last thing you need is to load up a heavy box only to have the bottom fall out on you. Heavy things hurt when they land on your toes.

This is one for the ladies, and possibly the men, too. Internet shopping has a lot to answer for. Youve just bought some new shoes online, the last pair in your size, and lo and behold, theyre just a little too small. Dont panic, help is here with this clever hack.

To get the shoes to fit, put on several pairs of socks and squeeze your feet into the overly tight shoesthis tip works especially well with leather but is also effective for other material types. Grab your blow-dryer and blast your feet with hot air for about ten minutes (be aware this may get a little hot, so use caution!). The stretching effect, combined with the heat, should help to loosen the shoes and make them fit better.

Sometimes I feel the need to add a tasteless novelty key ring to my keys but encounter difficulties in prying the key ring apart. Anyone else?

To overcome this inconvenience, use a staple remover. Wedge the teeth of the remover in between the clasp of the ring, making it as easy as pie to slip on your new addition. Personally, I recommend a pewter Winnie the Pooh.

I have T-shirts that havent seen the light of day in decades, purely because I put clean clothes on top of the stuff already in the drawer. This organizational hack will prevent you from missing out on wearing that T-shirt that no one likes and help you to rediscover old favorites that have been hidden for years.

Arrange folded clothes within your drawers so that they are upright instead of layered on top of each other, so all items can be seen at a glance.

Where do all those earring backs, watch screws, and contact lenses go when you drop them? Ill tell you where: Theyre still there, its just that youre too blind to see them.

When you drop something small and cant find it, grab your vacuum cleaner and a pair of old tights. Slip the tights over the vacuum nozzle and fix in place with a rubber band. Run the vacuum over the area where you think you dropped your item and, with a bit of luck, the item will be sucked onto the tights where you can pick it off with ease. If you find anything of value that isnt yours then remember this: finders keepers, losers weepers.