This Painter's Tape Hack Just Made Cleaning Up A Total Breeze

While it seems like everyone uses vacuums nowadays, sweeping still has its advantages. It not only is easier to grab and go — negating any need for charging or plugging in cables — but it also gets the job done. Whether your cat knocked over a planter and there is dirt all over the ground, or you did a small remodeling job in the living room and needed to sweep up dust and debris, a broom will clear the mess. However, it does have a couple of drawbacks. First, you need a dustpan in order to capture that debris, and second, it's sometimes too small to capture all of the dirt. But painter's tape can help with both of those issues. 

All you will need for this sweeping hack is a trash bag and a roll of painter's tape. This is handy since most people usually have these two items in stock at home, negating the need to run to the store and buy yet another cleaning product. Whether you misplaced your dustpan or can't scoop up dirt fast enough, try this painter's tape trick.

You only need a garbage bag and painter's tape to pull off this hack. Depending on your mess size, you can use a large, black trash bag or a small plastic shopping bag. Once you have your bag secured, place it on the ground in front of the swept mess. Take your painter's tape, rip a piece that's 2 inches longer than the bag's opening, and only tape down one side of its opening. It's important not to tape down both sides because you will then hold the bag open to sweep up the debris directly into it. 

This hack accomplishes several things. First, it negates the need to carry a dustpan to the trash since you've essentially removed the middleman and are sweeping directly into the trash. It also lets you clean up bigger messes faster since a small dustpan does not bog you down. Instead, you can sweep it all into a large trash bag and be done with the task. It's a great trick to have in your back pocket, especially if you want to work smarter and not harder!