You know those things your grandma always told you that sounded so hokey? Like, stir soups in one direction but sauces in another. Or plant flowers at nighttime to ensure the best growth.

A lot of old wives’ tales aren’t true, but the Internet has taught me many things I can do to make my life easier. Even though these won’t fix my major dilemmas, like how to commit every Arrested Development joke to memory before the new season and movie come out, these tricks have made the day-to-day much more manageable.

Here are my favorite eight tips, found on various websites such as Buzzfeed and Life Hackery.

Spaghetti: a giant match! Photo courtesy of Randomblog.com.

1) Use a raw spaghetti noodle to light a deep-set candle wick. Note: I have not tried this one. Be safe with flames, duh.

2) If your soup or sauce is over salted, drop a half of a potato in it. The potato will absorb the salt from the sauce. Don’t eat the potato after. Gross.

3) Use a lint roller to clean out purses and tote bags. You know, the ones that are all crumby and filled with change and balls of lint.

4) You know when you try to microwave bread or muffins and they dry out? Put a cup of water in the microwave to keep the moisture.

The caption says it all. Photo courtesy of ApartmentTherapy.com.

5) Put your drinking to good use: Soda tabs can hang picture frames or even two hangers together.

Open from the bottom and eat! Photo courtesy of PlebianGourmet.com

6) Open your bananas from the bottom end. You don’t have to use a knife or bruise the top bit by twisting. Simply pinch the bottom blackened it and pull the peel apart.

7) Speaking of bananas, take them apart from the bunch when you get home from the store to make them last longer.

8 ) Use Alka-Seltzer to clean vases with crannies and toilet bowls.