Life Hacks From Grandma
Occasionally, the internet delivers some sound advice.
Life hasn’t been the same since social media came into our lives. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), Snapchat and TikTok make it infinitely easier to connect to news, entertainment and information in a flash.
I’ll be the first to admit that Facebook and Instagram get a lot more of my attention than they should these days but I can’t seem to quit scrolling. I always find something to engage in whether it’s a breaking news alert or a ridiculous cat video I share with my kids.
And it’s not all mindless or bad. Sometimes the internet—and more specifically social media—delivers a gem that I save and come back to multiple times. Case in point, this TikTok where a young Indiana mom shared a hack from her grandmother guaranteed to make towels soft and fluffy.
In the clip, Amanda Ahlenius shared her grandmother’s life hack and then asked for others to do the same posting, “How much could we learn from each other if we all shared the random things that the women in our lives taught us?”
Folks began sharing the advice passed down from their grandparents (and parents) in the comments.
“Mint plants keep spiders away.”
“Vodka added to a wash cycle will remove chemicals from new bed sheets.”
“Clean glass doors up and down on the inside, side to side on the outside. Then you always know which side has the streak.”
Soon, there were so many bits of wisdom that Amanda created a Facebook group (Grandma Knows Everything) to house them all. People suggested she write a book or create a series. She continues to share life hacks with her 330,000 on TikTok.
Now it’s your turn. What invaluable piece of advice was passed down to you? What life hacks did your parents or grandparents share that you can’t live without? Let me know in the comments.
What Inspires Me?
I was among the millions of folks who flooded the theaters last weekend to see the “Barbie” movie. I was never a “Barbie girl” growing up but the movie isn’t about toys, necessarily, and it’s definitely not exclusively for kids. Still, there’s so much joy and humor in it. There are also lessons to be learned, too, like how many women view themselves and their place in today’s patriarchal world. It’s humbling and relatable. Bottom line: Greta Gerwig knocked it out of the park and I was so here for it.
The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative
The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative is a growing group of professional writers producing columns on the Substack platform of interest to an Iowa audience. To receive a weekly roundup of our columnist links each Sunday morning, subscribe here: Iowa Writers’ Collaborative.
We came together to address a growing lack of local commentary around the state. Many towns have lost their local newspaper, and others are producing less opinion writing. The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative connects writers to readers in an ad-free format. You can subscribe at no charge, but if you can support their work, we encourage you to become a paid subscriber to as many as possible. Our roster is as follows:
I don’t know if these are true hacks but my grandma taught me how to crack eggs one handed, how to pick raspberries without getting too scratched up and how to recycle everything. I miss her every day!