FORGET the fancy gadgets and devices designed to make your life easier.

The more gadgets we own, the more stuff we need to organise. Thankfully you don't have to spend a fortune to organise your life.

Here are 10 life hacks designed to make your life just that little bit easier.

1) Use binder clips to keep your computer cables separated

Clip them to the edge of your desk and ensure your cables never get tangled again.

But what about the cables you don't need every day?

Here's a tip: it's time to start saving up your toilet rolls.

2) Store your cables in toilet paper tubes

This is a great life hack for the bulkier cables that you may not need all the time like extension cords that only come out in the winter to plug into the heater, or charger cables for your camera.

You know you're going to use these guys at some point so it's important you keep them nearby, labelled and organised.

You're going to need a shoebox or equivalent sized storage unit.

Wrap those babies neatly and whack them inside a toilet paper roll and label it clearly, and pop it inside the box.

3) Toilet rolls and Coke cans for DIY iPhone speaker

Forget spending hundreds of dollars. Cut a hole in the sides of two soft drink cans big enough for a toilet roll to fit into. Cut a hole in the side of the toilet roll, secure it between the two cans. Bam. Instant iPhone speaker.

4) Use nail polish to identify your keys

Don't spend your shrapnel on key covers, save it for a decent coffee. If you have four shades of nail polish at home, use it to paint your keys different colours so you never again spend minutes at your door trying to find the right key for the lock while praying your neighbours don't show up for some awkward small talk.

5) Use your old clapstick as a money pouch

Once you're done moisturising your mouth, keep your old clapstick capsules and use them to store money in when you're on vacation.

Even if you do get robbed, who steals a Chapstick?

6) Never get stuck finding the end of a roll of tape again

A bread tab on the end of your sticky tape will ensure you never have to tangle with "the infinite loop" ever again

7) Use ketchup tube top to vacuum in hard to reach places

Take the nozzle off the top of a used ketchup bottle and attach it to the end of the vacuum cleaner and use it to dust your computer keyboard and other nooks and crannies you haven't been able to get to until now.

(The above picture comes from Lifehacker).

8) A spring from an old pen will save your phone charger from breaking

Take a spring out of an old pen you no longer use, stretch it out a little and wrap it around the top of your mobile phone charger to keep it from cracking, bending or breaking.

9) Keep a visual diary of people you have loaned things to

If you're like me, you're generous with your books and DVDs but you suck at getting them back, thanks to a terrible long term memory.

Fear not. Next time you loan your friend season one of Roseanne or Pirates of Silicon Valley, take a photo of them on your phone so you have a visual record of which unreliable friend has borrowed your stuff. You can even send them the picture as a reminder.

10) An empty six pack makes an excellent picnic hamper

Six empty spaces leaves you enough room to pack some brewskies, some cutlery, salt and pepper shakers and perhaps even a baguette - cut in half.

11) A staple remover will thread keys onto your key ring

Save your nails. Don't ever struggle with your key ring ever again.

12) Use spoons instead of a roasting rack

If they're proper metal they'll withstand the heat of the oven.

SAFETY WARNING: DO NOT TRY THIS WITH WOODEN OR PLASTIC CUTLERY.

13) Hair straighteners make an excellent iron

This goes out to all the boys with crumpled collars. It's really not that hard.

SAFETY WARNING: It's best if you take off the shirt before you go at it with the straightener.

14) A pool noodle will stop kids from falling out of bed

Whack a pool noodle underneath your fitted sheet so that it sits along the side of the bed that is not against the wall. (If neither side is against the wall you'll need two pool noodles). They're still comfy and bouncy but they'll act as a barrier to protect your kids from the ground overnight.

(The image above comes from Image: Reddit user Ryval, via Lifehacker).

15) Can't open a jar? Duct tape

Whack a piece of duct tape on the lid of a jar you don't have the strength to open but make sure the piece is large enough for you to grab a hold of. Pull the duct tape in the direction the jar is meant to open. Wait for that all satisfying pop.

16) Dropped your phone in the loo? Rice

If you've had an unfortunate loo/pool/drain incident, put your phone in a bag of rice immediately and leave it overnight. The rice will soak up most of the moisture from your phone. It should work the next day. (Side note: It's a good idea to save up the little packets of silica gel that come with your new shoes. A bag of those babies should work even better than rice).

17) Use wet newspaper to stretch your shoes out

So you bought a pair of shoes a size too small because they were on sale and they were the last pair and you absolutely had to have them.

Don't pay for the discount in pain. Scrunch up a piece of newspaper and wet it under the tap. Wring it out gently and wrap it with a second layer of newspaper. Shove them in the top and heels of your shoes, and place a shoehorn/ruler/the plastic tubing between them so the fit is tight. (This might take some wrangling). If you find there's still room for the tubing to wriggle, add some more newspaper until it feels like the shoe is stretching lengthways. Leave overnight in a dry warm place. By the next day the shoe should have stretched a size and you should feel free to walk in style AND comfort.

18) A slice of onion makes a perfect egg ring

Forget fancy teflon egg rings. A slice of onion will cook a perfectly round fried egg and add flavour.

19) Butter too hard to spread? Grate it

Grab your grater and your stick of butter. If you use a tub, cut out a small square, wrap the end with Glad wrap so that your hands don't get oily. Grate it over your toast. Watch it melt into wonderful gooey goodness.

20) Use a banana peel to shine your shoes

It's natural, no chemicals and no risk of staining the carpet.