The Best TikTok Life Hacks Of 2021

TikTok has taken the world by storm over the last few years, and its momentum isn't slowing down any time soon. This is ultimately because the platform contains multitudes. Some people sing on the short-form video platform, while others show quick but delicious recipes. Some perform poetry while others post videos of them talking to bring social awareness to certain pressing topics. There are videos showing us garbage bag mistakes we've been making and eyeshadow tips. It's a vast chasm of content, but one strain stands out more than the rest: Life hacks.

TikTok's life hack videos go viral regularly, and sometimes for good reason. These videos are ways for people to turn others on to inventive ways of doing things (or even bringing awareness to the proper ways of doing things that people never knew). Each year, countless life hacks are posted on the site, but only some stand out enough to be the best of the year. The following TikTok life hacks made 2021 a little easier.

The first TikTok life hack that saved us time this year comes from Jessica Nies (via Indy100). This user shared a video in which she blitzed water with some dish soap in her blender as a way to clean it (via TikTok). This ingenious trick meant she didn't have to stick her hand in the blender and risk getting cut on its blades. Plus, blenders have nooks and crannies that are hard to reach that swift movements of warm, soapy water would be much better suited to handle.

The best part of this life hack is that it can be applied to food processors, too. Both food processors and blenders have blades, and while food processors' blades are typically removable, this hack ensures the machine will be clean on the inside. This is especially useful if you don't have a dishwasher to do it for you. It's probably even quicker than hand cleaning these machines, so why not give this one a try?

Kitchen life hacks are some of the best because they can be used the most often, and they're consequently ones that go viral the most. One of the best in recent memory is TikTok's Tupperware stain removal hack, for instance. Another kitchen life hack involves how we strain pasta. According to Dexerto, one of the most popular kitchen hacks this year comes from TikTok user Shannon Doherty. She posted a video in which she drained cooked pasta from its boiling water by inserting the colander on top of the pot and then flipping the colander-pot over the sink, which lets the hot pasta water drain out through all of its holes.

Traditionally, people dump all of the water and pasta into the colander, which is propped in the sink, before dumping the pasta back into the pot. Doherty's method saves time and effort, and it could potentially save people from burns. After all, the constant moving of pasta from one vessel to another in the traditional method could lead to injuries. You simply need to ensure your colander fits perfectly into your pot before attempting this hack.

The next life hack that changed people's lives in big ways throughout 2021 isn't related to the kitchen or even the beauty world — though TikTok's eyebrow hack videos are captivating. Instead, it speaks on our colloquial (over)use of the phrase "I'm sorry" (via Buro247). This video comes from Erik Bergman, and in his TikTok, he explains that people should actually start saying "thank you" instead of apologizing. If we apologize too much, we begin to undermine our own thoughts and actions, whereas thanking people shows gratitude but also alleviates some pressure from yourself.

For example, if you're late somewhere, you could thank whoever you're late meeting with for waiting rather than apologizing for being late. "Thank you for understanding" in particular will come quite in handy when making this lifestyle change. This applies to any area of life. Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all showed ourselves more grace and showed others we appreciate them more at the same time?

Let's move to the bathroom. Here, many life hacks await, but perhaps the best one comes from TikTok user Vanesa Amaro (via Indy100). In her bathroom hack video, she explains how you can maintain the cleanliness of your bathtub and/or shower while using them. This saves time and water, which consequently saves money. It's a win-win.

To do this, Amaro recommends purchasing and filling a soap dispensing dish brush 2/3 of the way full with soap and 1/3 of the way with vinegar. Then, while you're in the shower waiting for a mask to sink in or simply singing along to your favorite music, you can use the brush to lightly scrub around the bathtub, removing grime and bringing back its shine. Water will naturally wash away the vinegar and soap since you're already showering, and you'll be left with a clean tub every time. Amaro recommends doing this once a week, but because it's so fast, you can do it however often you'd like.

Finally, no 2021 TikTok life hack roundup would be complete without one that went viral practically overnight. One of the best life hacks of the year is about iPhones' volume settings, and this video comes from TikTok user TradeApples (via Buro247). This user shows in this video how to make an iPhone exceed its volume limits, meaning you can blast your favorite songs and albums louder than before. (Do be careful, though.)

To accomplish this, the video tells you to enter the Music section of your iPhone's Settings app. Here, you turn off Sound Check if it's enabled before heading into the EQ menu. In this menu, click the "Late Night" option, which will make your music louder. This hack is great for your bedroom, the car, parties, and everything in-between. Still, be wary of your ears.

So, which viral life hack from 2021 is your favorite?