In the spirit of giving, here are some tips/tricks I’ve learned in my 44 years. You’re welcome.

– if you have a seasonal cough due to allergies when you lie down at night that causes you to cough your head off like I do, get saline nose spray for like $1.00 at the supermarket or drug store. I know this is not sexy advice but like I said, I’m in the giving spirit.

– put an oven mitt over the handle of your cast iron skillet so you don’t grab it and burn yourself every single time like I do when I don’t use this “hand-y” tip. Ba dum bah 🥁

– if you need to buy the industrial size laundry detergent like I do because laundry takes up 99.9% of your waking hours, when using the spout to pour the detergent into the little plastic cup, you most likely have nowhere to put the drippy, yucky cup afterwards so you just leave it on the shelf to drip everywhere like I did. Throw that drippy cup in with the laundry! Someone gave me this tip and it is a life-changer!!! (Oh Lord what have I become 😩) Sure it gets a little misshapen but who cares? You get a new one every time you buy a bottle. Just don’t forget to take it out before you put the wet clothes in the dryer because then in bangs around the dryer and that’s annoying and you have to go fish it out. Then you’re like, “ugh my hack is causing me more trouble than it’s worth.”

– don’t buy cheap chargers. They break in a month or less and you end up buying more than it would’ve cost you for the Apple charger you should’ve sprung for in the first place.

– instead of using plastic wrap to cover your food in the microwave, especially soup because it usually melts down into it 😝, stab a paper plate a few times with a sharp knife and place it on top of the bowl. 1% of the time it blows off and makes a mess in the microwave, but 99% of the time, it just splatters on top of the plate. Then you can still use that plate for the crackers that are oh so good in your soup.

– change your pillow case often. It prevents breakouts.

– to clean your microwave, put half a lemon in a mug of water and microwave it for a few minutes. All the soup that you left for 4 days splattered on the walls will come off easily and you won’t have to use chemicals that will be laser beamed back into your food. If you’re having a tough time with stubborn cheddar-based soup 😋, rub the hot lemon on the splatters and then wipe it.

– make your bed everyday. This tip which is courtesy of every other story on how to make your life better isn’t BS. This tip really does make your entire day better.

– keep a glass of water next to your bed at night. You may never need it, but when thirst strikes in the middle of the night, there is nothing better than being able to grab that glass and chug it. Think about it. You know I’m right.

– even if you told your kids to clean up after themselves 7.5 billion times like I do and they don’t listen, just straighten up your house yourself. Yeah yeah yeah, I know that’s not teaching them anything but having to see the mess all day just chips away at your psyche and well-being (at least it does to mine). Just take the few seconds it takes to clean up the wrappers they left behind or whatever and then you don’t have to see it and get angry and scream at them to come clean it up. I mean, I feel like as adults they’ll finally clean up their own damn wrappers themselves and if they don’t, well that’s either their spouse’s problem or their own problem – you’ll be free of it regardless 🤷🏻‍♀️

– let your kids be their own, authentic selves. I learned at my youngest son’s Christening as I was begging my 3-year-old to put on his little suit, that some things are just not worth fighting for. As we were both crying in the church parking lot, I think Jesus spoke to me and said, “You know what Tiffany, who cares? Let him be.” So now I have pictures of that day with my family dressed their best, except for my middle son in his yellow Curious George t-shirt, jeans, and brown suede boots. I was furious that day, but 7 years later, I look back at those pictures and laugh. You may be reading this thinking I give in to everything and my kids must be brats. They’re really not – ask someone. And really, I’m glad that my kids are stubborn when it comes to things they care about; one of those things is being true to themselves. This tip makes everyone’s lives easier and I believe you will have a happier household if you ease up a little.

– if you don’t have headphones, ask Santa or the Holiday Armadillo for them and listen to your favorite music with them on daily, even if it’s for a short time each day. It brings you to a whole other level where you can just shut everyone else out and be one with the music. That sounds so corny but it’s true and life-changing.

– hang up pictures of people who inspire you. I’m not talking about a swimsuit model on the refrigerator so you don’t eat. I mean people who make you think, “Yeah that’s who I want to be like.” My photos of Nolan Ryan with Robin Ventura in a headlock, Lenny Bruce getting arrested for telling it how it is, and RBG looking like she’s staring down the barrel of a gun, remind me daily that no one should ever underestimate me, there is power in truth, and I’m never too old to be a badass bitch.

– it’s ok for your kids to eat cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner when you need a break.

– think of different ways to tell your kids you love them. My favorite is to tell them that they make my life so happy. We say ‘I love you’ so much that I’m afraid the overuse makes it lose its meaning for them. But when you hit them with something like that, it drives the point home that they are special and they are loved.

– if you haven’t tried Green Giant veggie tots yet, put them on your list. They’re all good but the broccoli cheddar ones are like crack. Then I feel a little less guilty that they ate cereal for every meal the day before 👍

Please share your tips/life hacks if you have any.