LIFE HACKS

Future home of tips, tricks and tried-and-trues to make the human experience a little more manageable. I love lists almost as much as gas stations love long weekends, so this post will be updated regularly. Bookmark it and return for the occasional gem.

The 'Next Person Who Talks Loses' game

Next time you need some peace and quiet (ie. in the car, before bedtime, while making dinner or reading a book) loudly proclaim "the next person who talks loses" and watch the silence unfold.

Tidy the house using a 30 minute timer

Get the whole family involved in chores but putting a time limit on them. The rules:

• Set a watch for 30 minutes

• Turn on some tunes

• Challenge everyone to tidy as much they possibly can in half an hour

• Stop when you hear the timer go off

Christmas morning memories

A lot of work goes into making the holidays special. One way to extend the magic is by skipping names on gifts and using numbers instead. Create a simple list that matches each number to the gift’s giver and recipient. On Christmas morning, have everyone take turns pulling a number from a hat and finding the matching gift under the tree. In your best Santa voice, announce who it’s to and from - and then have that person draw the next number. It keeps things moving and adds a little suspense.

To make it even more fun, mix in a few “surprise” numbers with mini challenges:

• Sing a Christmas carol

• Find your favourite ornament

• Name all the reindeer

• Gather up the wrapping paper

You get the idea!