By now, most of us have seen our fair share of “life hacks” – you know, those creative tricks that (theoretically) make your life better.

To be fair, many life hacks are pretty useful… but some are ridiculously over-the-top. For example, this one to create your own “universal remote control”:

While there are certainly some great in-depth life hacks out there, we prefer the simple ones. You know, the kind that you can use right away and see an instant improvement.

But it can be hard to know which are actually useful, and which are a total waste of time. That’s why we’ve compiled 9 of our favorite “little life hacks” – simple, effective, and perhaps only a wee bit ridiculous. Check ‘em out!

1. Having trouble lighting a candle? Use spaghetti – it holds the flame perfectly.

2. Got dust (and who knows what else) in your keyboard? Lightly drag the sticky side of a sticky note along the keys. It takes some practice, but it works wonders.

3. Tired of searching for the start of your tape roll? Just stick a paperclip to the end when you’re done!

4. Want to keep your wine cold, but don’t want to water it down? Frozen grapes to the rescue!

5. Use a lemonade pitcher as a pet food dispenser – keeps it fresh and handy.

6. Cutting soft foods (like cake) can be a mess – plus, it creates uneven slices. Try dental floss instead! (Just make sure it’s unscented – or at least a complementary flavor )

7. Do you like warm beer? Didn’t think so. Cool it down quickly by wetting a paper towel and throwing it in the freezer for ten minutes!

8. Don’t risk your fingers just to put up that new photo – use a clothespin to hold the nail safely!

9. Does your cat like to interrupt your computer time? Try putting an empty cardboard box (such as the lid for a board game) next to your computer. It’s a win-win!

Got a simple, yet super-useful hack to share with us? Let us know in the comments below!