Hot MacGyverisms Posts
How To: Make Long-Lasting, Wax-Free Candles for Your Home
Scented candles tend to magically turn a house into a home. The light flicker of the flame gives a relaxed or romantic tone to the atmosphere, and keeps the space smelling fragrant for hours. The only problem? Wax melts, and the candle becomes worthless after the wax is all gone. So how do you keep the flame going for more than a few hours? Simple, just remove the problematic ingredient—don't use wax!
How To: Make an Elegant No-Gas, No-Electricity Heater for the Winter
The weather outside might be frightful, but heating bills are downright scary this time of year. Heat is absolutely essential during the winter season, but it's also really expensive. If you aren't blessed with a fireplace or unlimited disposable income, fear not, because you can still heat your home on the cheap using flower pots and tea lights—even if the power goes out.
How To: Make Grilled Cheese in the Toaster!
Today we show you how to make a grilled cheese in the toaster! Making a grilled cheese in the toaster is So Easy a Guy Could Do It!
How To: 5 Cheap Life Hacks for Organizing Your Bathroom
There comes a time in relationships when two people decide to move in together, and when this happens, you learn two things:
How To: DIY Pedal-Powered Phone Charger for Your Bike
Being healthy and active will help you live longer, but finding the strength to work out? That's hard. What does it do for me right now? I mean, here I sit, writing this article, thinking about going for a run, and I feel good just for thinking about running. But will I do it? Nah, I'm too lazy.
How To: Make a Smartphone Projector for Less Than $5
There's nothing better than gathering up all the cushions, pillows, and blankets in your home and having a good ol' fashion movie night. But if you're still rocking the old 19-inch TV your parents gave you in college, you may want to upgrade to something bigger.
How To: Keep Cool Outside with This Overhead DIY Water Misting Rack
Summer is here, and with the season comes more freedom and searing heat. It's the ultimate between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place situation. You want to be outside and enjoy the sun, but you don't want to be over-powered by it. Thankfully, you can create makeshift misters on the cheap to enjoy the summer heat right on your deck.
How To: Organize Your Cable Clutter with Sugru & Mini LEGO People
No matter how organized your workspace is, chances are you still wind up with tangled cords dangling off your desk. Sure, there are a lot of ways to keep your cables separate, from strategically placed binder clips to stretchy socks, but none are as fun as using a LEGO minifigure.
How To: Rock Your Next Summer Party (10 Insane Tricks for the Perfect Backyard Bash)
Parties are a great way to celebrate and have fun with your good friends, so to make sure your next party rocks, I've assembled some of the biggest life-hackers on YouTube to bring you 10 outrageous party tricks your guests will not forget.
How To: Make a Non-Extinguishable WD-40 Stove
Stove that you cant extinguish very easy. To make this survival stove, you will need WD-40, a paper towel, and a lighter.
How To: Make the Bitty-Q (A Mini Outdoor BBQ from Drink Cans)
In this project, I'll show you how to make an itty-bitty outdoor BBQ from leftover beer or soda cans. It's the perfect summertime hack if you don't have a grill and are cooking for a small group of people—one bratwurst at a time. You can grab the wire grill template here.
How To: 10 Life Hacks That'll Make Your Life Easier & Stress-Free
Life hacks are tips and tricks to help make life easier. Shortcuts and clever workarounds for life's daily problems. Sometimes common sense isn't so obvious until you've actually seen it. In this video, I'll be sharing with you 10 life-changing hacks you can use right now, from finding your lost smartphone to sleeping better at night.
How To: Make a Super Cheap Floating Beer & Soda Pool Cooler
Being in a cool pool on a hot day—it doesn't get much better than that, right? Well, unless you also have some ice-cold drinks to go along.
How To: Beat the Heat with an $8 Homemade Air Conditioner
If you're breaking a sweat in the summer heat, but not trying to break the bank, this dead simple trick will show you how to make your own air conditioner for under ten bucks.
How To: Dry Your Soaking Wet "Hand Wash Only" Clothes Faster
Let’s be honest: you’ve thrown a few delicate, "hand wash only" clothes into the wash with your jeans. Maybe you’ve even ruined a sweater or two. There are so many things to look out for when doing laundry, and they’re easily ignored or forgotten, especially when it comes to drying.
How To: Ceiling Fan Not Cooling? It Might Be Spinning Backwards
Sometimes, ceiling fans just don't cut it. They spin meekly, barely generating any air flow to cool down your sweltering room. Or, when turned up high, they can wobble wildly, shaking and vibrating as if the ceiling is about to come crashing down. If this sounds like your ceiling fan, chances are the solution is a simple as flipping a switch.
How To: Double the Size of Your Closet Using Soda Tab Hangers
While walk-in closets are nice, not many of us actually have one. Instead, we're stuck with tiny wall closets or those oddly-shaped spears. Add a roommate or girlfriend and you have yourself a classic dilemma—"Where in the French toast do I put all my damn clothes?"
DIY Survival: How to Filter Dirty Water with a Stick
There's no shortage of ways to filter water, but it doesn't get much simpler than this. Researchers at MIT have found that you can turn dirty water into drinking water with nothing more than a stick.
How To: Make Your Own Makeup Remover Wipes Using Oil, Water, & Paper Towels
For me, the worst thing about makeup has always been taking it off. It's always that one last thing you have to do before you go to bed, and if you don't, you instantly regret it when you wake up. When you're tired, makeup removing wipes are a godsend because they're so quick.
How To: Never Get Another Hanger Bump Again with This Sweater Hanging Secret Tip
I'm one of very few Americans that suffer from TMS syndrome, i.e. Too Much Swag. While there are no current cures for the disease, I'm in no rush to rid myself of the problem.
How To: Trade in Your Bulky Set of Keys for This Simple DIY Swiss Army-Style Keychain
Keys always seem to multiply. You start out with your house keys and car keys, and the next thing you know, your keychain is full and you have no idea what half of them even unlock.
How To: 10 Reasons Why Everyone (Even Men) Should Have Nail Polish in Their Homes
When you think of nail polish, it's probably almost always in the context of a manicure. I mean, that's what it's made for, right? But there are plenty of other things you can use clear or colored nail polish for besides painting your nails.
How To: Make a Phone or Tablet Stand
How to make a simple yet effective stand for your phone or tablet / iPad. Great for watching films or reading recipes whilst you cook.
Camping Hack: Turn an Empty Beer Can into an Easy DIY Popcorn Popper
Most of us are used to just grabbing a bag and throwing it in the microwave when we want popcorn. It's easy, convenient, and requires little to no cleanup. But what about those times when you're away from home and don't have access to a microwave?
How To: Make a Lego Key Holder and Note Clip
How to make a Lego key holder with note board. Tired of loosing your keys? Well keep them safe and in one place with this fun Lego key holder.
DIY Hack: Fix Your Stubborn, Hard-to-Close Door with a Couple Toothpicks
Toothpicks can be surprisingly handy when it comes to woodworking and fixing small household problems like stripped screw holes and scratched furniture. They can also be used as a quick fix for a hard-to-close door that has to be forced or slammed shut.
How To: Turn a Pair of Pants into a Lightweight Emergency Backpack
If you're an avid camper or hiker, you've probably been in a situation where you've needed a backpack and not had one. Maybe you brought one and it got broken or lost, or maybe your day trip turned into an overnighter. Whatever the reason, if you're in a pinch and have an extra pair of pants, you can turn them into a super lightweight emergency backpack. This trick was thought up by Instructables user Ludvicka and only requires some thick string or cord (besides the pants, of course).
How To: 10 Holiday Life Hacks You Need to Know for a Merrier Christmas
Holidays can be challenging, especially around Christmastime—but not if you invoke your inner MacGyver spirit. In my latest "life hacks" guide, I show you 10 amazing tips and tricks that'll hopefully make your holiday season a little more merry.
Shave Smarter: 6 Ways to Save Money on Replacement Razor Blades Cartridges
I've never understood the phrase "smooth as a baby's bottom" to describe a really close shave. I mean, have you ever touched a baby's cheek? It's even smoother and a lot more sanitary. It just doesn't spew off the tongue as nice.
How To: Keep Your Earphones Tangle-Free & Smelling Good with This Minty Fresh DIY Cord Container
The cord on your headphones is usually more enemy than friend. While they obviously need it to function, a tangled or unnecessarily long cord can wreak havoc on your sanity. Personally, I've broken at least two pairs of headphones by tripping over the cord and yanking the jack right off of the wiring. There is a fix for that, but you can prevent the problem altogether by organizing your cords. There are plenty of ways to wrap a cord so it won't get tangled, but you still have to unwrap it if ...
How To: 10 Life Hacks You Need to Know for a Better Summer
Are you a messy burger eater? Ants and fruit flies invading your home? Hate drinking warm drinks? Find out the quick and easy DIY solutions to these problems with these 10 amazing tips and tricks for the summer.
How To: No Smartphone Stand? Just Use Your Wallet
My wallet is useful for pretty much two things. The first, holding my credit cards, lottery tickets, and money (or lack thereof). Second, making my ass number whenever I'm driving.
How To: Recycle an Empty Wipes Canister into a Neat & Tidy Plastic Bag Dispenser
Plastic bags may be banned from retail stores in some cities, like Santa Monica, Seattle, and San Fransisco, and will be banned in Los Angeles shortly, but we still use billions of them every year. What else are we going to use for throwing away cat litter or picking up dog poop?
How To: Make a Super Simple Toothbrush Holder and Declutter Your Bathroom Sink
If you don't have a lot of counter space in your bathroom, even something as small as a toothbrush can seem like it takes up a lot of room. Hanging a toothbrush holder on the wall helps to declutter your counter, or you can hang it inside the cabinet to hide them from sight. Photographer and Instructables user Andrea Biffi used one mini-pack of Sugru to make a really simple wall-mounted toothbrush holder. All you have to do is roll the Sugru into a cylinder, then press the toothbrushes into i...
How To: Turn Boxed Wine into a Mega Ice Pack That's Perfect for Big Coolers
Next time you finish a box of Franzia, don't throw out the bag. Instead, wash it out, fill it with water, and lay it flat in the freezer. As America's Test Kitchen points out, your newly created flat ice pack is perfect for lining the bottom of a cooler for a barbeque, camping trip, or hot summer day on the beach.
How To: Kill or Keep Away Flies & Other Small Pests with Homemade Sticky Flypaper
Despite being disgusting, houseflies are actually beneficial to humans in a few ways. As scavengers, they help the environment by eating rotting organic matter, and make great food for pet tarantulas. Regardless of the advantages to their existence, having them in your home can be infuriating. There are countless sprays, traps and devices made to kill or deter the little pests, one of the most common being flypaper that hangs from the ceiling. These sticky strips are incredibly easy to make a...
How To: Silence Obnoxiously Noisy Laptops & Smartphones with a Simple Device-Muting Key Fob
Electronic devices seem to have an uncanny ability to make noise at the worst possible times. It's always during an important meeting, a quiet study session at the library, or a biology final that your laptop or smartphone decides to play some obnoxious or embarrassing sound.
How To: Fix Your Cell Phone's Broken or Missing Volume Buttons Using Sugru
Smartphones are almost completely controlled through touchscreens now, but most of them still rely on physical buttons to turn it on or adjust volume. When those buttons stop working, you've got trouble (especially if it's your Home button).
How To: Recycle Red Plastic Cups into a Sweet Set of Stringed Party Lights
Plastic red cups are synonymous with college parties, beer pong, and generally a good time. The reason these cups are so rampant in the party scene is because they're cheap, easily disposable, and, well... who wants to drink out of a blue cup?!? Oh, to be young and in debt.
How To: Dry Your Soaking Wet Shoes Faster — Without Shrinking Them in the Dryer
Wet shoes are uncomfortable, no one can deny that. Just think about walking around with soaking wet footwear ... and each squishy step you take. Makes you cringe, doesn't it? It can happen in heavy rain, at the beach, or from an unforeseen puddle on the street. And while you can't always avoid soggy shoes, you can rest easy knowing that the next time this happens to you, you know the secret trick to drying your shoes faster without damaging them with excessive heat.