Tips on How to Make Things Last Longer

Simple Tricks to Extend the Life of All Your Stuff

Updated November 20, 2019

Tired of replacing razor blades, printer cartridges and other household essentials at every turn? Here's how to make those must-haves last longer:

Shampoo and Conditioner

Store bottles upside down to prevent the shampoo or conditioner from getting stuck at the bottom of the bottle. When you can't get any more out, add a few capfuls of water, and shake.

Toothpaste

Once you've squeezed out as much toothpaste as you can, cut the tube open with a pair of scissors, and you'll have enough for several more brushings. Tip: Store the cut tube in a plastic bag between uses to prevent dry out.

Razors

bearded Caucasian man holding a razor — Mike Kemp/Getty Images

Dry the blades off after each use, and they'll stay sharp longer.

Shower Gel

towels and bath oil — Maria Taglienti-Molinari/Getty Images

Apply your shower gel to a loofah, instead of to your skin, and a small squirt will produce endless lather.

Lipstick

When you get to the bottom of a tube, use a lip brush or a Q-tip to get at the remaining lipstick. Tip: Scoop your lipstick leftovers into an empty lip gloss pot for easy on-the-go use.

Bar Soap

Lavender soap with lavender flowers, close-up — Achim Sass/Getty Images

Unwrap your soap and allow it to dry out for a couple weeks before you use it. Why? Because dry soap doesn't dissolve as fast when it comes into contact with water.

Hand Soap

Close up of man washing his hands — JGI/Jamie Grill/Getty Images

Purchase a foaming hand soap dispenser, and turn your regular hand soap into foaming hand soap. You'll be amazed at how far you can stretch one bottle of soap.

Dish Soap

Mother with baby in carrier, washing dishes — Raphye Alexius/Getty Images

Pick up a second foaming soap dispenser, and use the same recipe to turn your dish soap into foaming dish soap.

Laundry Detergent

basket with laundry and detergent — Jamie Grill/Getty Images

More detergent doesn't mean cleaner clothes, it just means more soap residue on your clothes. Try using half as much detergent as the manufacturer recommends, and you probably won't even notice the difference.

Spray Cleaners

woman cleaning kitchen counter — Paul Bradbury/Getty Images

Set the spray nozzle to the lowest mist setting. Less coming out means less being used.

Clothing

woman admiring dress in mirror — Dan Dalton/Getty Images

A simple way to stretch the life of all your clothes? Skip the dryer. All that heat just isn't good for your clothes.

Shoes

Clean dirt and scuff marks off your shoes as soon as you notice them to avoid any permanent damage.

Food

chopping vegetables — People Images/Getty Images

Food spoilage is often the result of improper storage. Learn how to store the foods that you eat regularly to keep things fresh longer.

Candles

Jars of light — Tom Tomczak/Getty Images

Stick candles in the freezer for a couple of hours before you use them. This will cause the wax to burn slower and more evenly.

Mattresses

African couple shopping for beds — Tonya Constatine/Getty Images

Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for flipping and rotating your mattress to prevent premature sagging.

Refrigerators

woman looking in the fridge — Morsa Images/Getty Images

Vacuum the condenser coil in your refrigerator every three months (once a month if you have pets).

Printer Ink

six inks printer — by_nicholas/Getty Images

The simplest way to extend the life of your printer ink is to only print what you need, but that's not the only thing you can do. Avoid large, bold fonts that require lots of ink, and stick to smaller ones that use less.

Markers

Little girl painting, partial view — Westend61/Getty Images

Revive dried out markers by storing them vertically (tip down) for a day or two. If that doesn't work, try dipping the tips in alcohol for a few minutes.