Try These 1957 Life Hacks Out Around the House

Life hacks existed long before websites like Lifehacker or Buzzfeed (or Mental Floss). In the mid-20th century, the magazine Science and Mechanics published an annual book called 1001 How-to Ideas, a book full of domestic life hacks. As Core77 reports, the YouTuber behind HouseHold Hacker discovered a vintage 1957 edition in his basement, and decided to see if the advice stood the test of time.

And most of the tips did. Here are a few of the best:

• Have trouble peeling bacon out of the package without tearing it? Roll the package back and forth in your hands before you open it. That will break the adhesion holding the strips together, allowing you to peel them apart easily.
• You can mount a flashlight on the floor by attaching it to an upside-down funnel with a rubber band.
• You can move heavy furniture across your floors easily and safely by placing flattened egg cartons under each of the corners.
• Attach a cheap metal coil to the top of a door hinge to keep a door open. No doorstop needed.
• Doing a job around the house? Stick your loose nails or screws in a potato or a piece of hard fruit to keep them handy.
• If your suction cup won’t stick to the wall, rub it with hand soap. The glycerin in the soap will help it hold.
• Prevent hair from clogging your shower drain by sticking a piece of steel wool inside. When things get gross in there, just remove the steel wool and throw it away, replacing it with a new one.

Check out more of the tips in the video below.