We all need good life hacks from time to time, so we've rounded up ten stories from RNZ that have proved popular this year.
From cheese storage, to sleeps, to charging the cell phone, here's to making your 2024 that little bit better.
1 Keep cheeses in the vege drawer
Pieces of cheese are best stored in baking paper and in your fridge's vegetable compartment, say brother and sister cheesemongers Sam and Ellie Studd.
Photo: Supplied
2 Yes, you still have to separate whites and brights
Don't take the risk of putting coloured clothes and light-coloured clothes together in the washing machine, says AUT chemistry lecturer Jack Chen.
Photo: BJARTE RETTEDAL
3 When you're calling someone for work, don't ask if it's "a good time"
Most people feel overwhelmed a lot of the time so they're likely to answer 'no' to this question, says Mary Jane Copps (aka The Phone Lady).
Photo: Victoria Romulo / Unsplash
4 Don't charge your phone overnight
When you leave battery-powered devices plugged in and unattended for long periods, "things can go wrong", says battery expert Peter Simpson.
Photo: 123rf
5 Hot showers aren't good for your skin
While it can feel good to stand under hot water, it does strip your skin's oils and natural barriers, says dermatologist Dr Mark Abdelmalek.
Photo: Hannah Xu for Unsplash
6 Have a hug and debrief with someone at the end of your day
There's great healing power in simple human connection, says trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk.
Photo: Public domain
Soy protein is nutritionally so good and much cheaper than meat, says nutritionist Claire Turnbull.
Photo: Sherman Kwan for Unsplash
8 Get outside for 30 minutes in the morning - no matter what weather
One of the best things we can do for our sleep cycle - and therefore mental health - is head outside for 30 minutes of daily daylight, says neurobiology researcher Anna Wirz-Justice.
Anna Wirz-Justice. Photo:
9 Can't sleep? Do something boring
If you've been lying in bed for 20 minutes, get up and do something boring like folding laundry until you feel sleep pressure return. says sleep expert Dr Roxanne Prichard.
Photo: Public domain
The night before you go camping, pre-cool your chilly bin with ice or a frozen milk bottle full of water, says camping expert Jono Collins.
Photo: Public domain
