Summers in Canada are notoriously short and it’s important to try and make the most of the warm days while they last. In the spirit of summer fun, we’ve compiled a handful of useful life hacks to help you reduce some of those day-to-day annoyances, and make the most of your summer plans. These hacks cover everything from organizing household clutter, to acing your backyard BBQ with friends and family – because life should be a beach (or a picnic) and we want you to get out there and enjoy it!

Let’s kick off the summer edition of life hacks (see our spring edition here) with a few ideas for your car. Summer is a great season for road trips, and a clean car can make any drive more enjoyable. These hacks will help ensure that any frustration on the road isn’t caused by the mess in your car.

And, now that you know how useful cupcake liners can be to help keep your car clean, did you know they can also improve any BBQ or picnic? Oh ya! These things are great for more than just the perfect batch of banana chocolate cupcakes.

Now, let’s keep rolling on this “multiuse” theme. Have you considered using rubber bands as a painting tool? Well, it turns out that elastic bands are great for removing excess paint from any brush and keeping your paint can (and floors) clean – just make sure you use a thick, tight band because thinner ones tend to be more flimsy and less stable. The band should also be large enough to fit around the can securely.

Speaking of being clean, it seems to us that cleanliness goes hand-in-hand with organization, which is where this hack comes in. By using a shoebox or small basket and some toilet or paper towel rolls, you can make a great little organizer for all your knick-knacks.

But the organization doesn’t stop at TP rolls and knick-knacks, we’ve got a must-know tip to help organize the food lines at your next picnic or BBQ. Why not grab a muffin tray from your kitchen and use it as the perfect condiment and dip tray? Please, no double dipping, though.

We hope you find these life hacks useful, and feel free to tell us what you think of them or share your own – we always enjoy hearing from our customers, readers and followers. For more helpful automotive, home and lifestyle advice, sign up for our newsletter.