20 Genius Life Hacks From 20 Of My Genius Friends

Stick your folded sheets inside the matching pillow case before you stack them in the closet.

Keep baby wipes in the bathroom (and everywhere else, really) for quick cleaning.

If your child uses a Sharpie on something they shouldn’t, color over it with a dry-erase marker, and then erase normally.

From Heather Cocks, Go Fug Yourself (Ed. note: I have been obsessed with this site for YEARS and am fangirling like crazy that she contributed a hack.)

When you buy flowers at the grocery store, put the bouquet in the space between two paper bags to keep them from flopping over and getting ruined.

From Jen Simon, author

When you juice lemons or limes for cooking/drinking, put the rinds in your garbage disposal. When you run it, it will smell less disgusting.

Take paper towel and toilet paper tubes, cut them longways, and use them to cuff your wrapping paper tubes so they stay rolled up.

Charge your family members a quarter each time they need you to find something. They will quickly will discover that they are capable of moving milk cartons to find ketchup bottles.

When you buy gloves or socks, buy several pair of identical ones at once, so that if/when you lose one of the pair, you can still use the other.

If you have toddlers, keep a box around to toss in any and all papers they’ve “colored on,” and use them for quick thank you’s or notes to grandparents. (Just fold in half, write a quick “X says happy birthday!”) People go ape for that shit.

When you visit a crowded place (Disneyland, the mall, whatever) with your toddler, write your cell number on their hand.

Layer your baby’s mattress with alternating layers of waterproof and regular sheets. Then when they barf or whatever in the middle of the night you can just pull a layer off and don’t have to worry about washing until morning (not to mention putting on a crib sheet at 3 AM with a newborn = death.

Also, you can use puppy pee pads between the waterproof mattress cover and bottom sheet to prevent having to wash the mattress cover when there’s an accident.

Instead of trying to fold fitted sheets nicely, just scrunch them up and stuff them in the closet. Same effect.

If you lose an earring back, break off a pencil eraser and use that as a temporary fix.

Use a pool noodle to keep toddlers from rolling out of their new “big kid beds.”

If you have boys, Clorox makes urine removal spray. Buy it all.

(Ed. note: Cosign.)

Mix together water, white vinegar and a touch of fabric softener in a spray bottle. Spritz it on wrinkled clothes, shake, tug, and ta-da! Instant iron replacement.

To keep your guacamole from turning brown, put saran wrap not just over the top of the bowl but flush with the guacamole itself to keep any oxygen from getting in.

If you accidentally shrink a knit sweater (or knit anything) by washing and drying it, soak it for half an hour in cold water and a capful of fabric softener, then hang it (still soaking wet) and gently pull it back into shape, then hang it and let the weight of the water finish the job. – Francesca

Just before you start the dishwasher, throw in your sponges; it’ll clean and sanitize them.

You can turn a Chinese takeout container into a plate.

GENIUS.