I always like learning new ways of making everyday tasks a little easier and a little less tedious. For example, that tip about opening a banana from the opposite side of the stem? No more squished banana and its juices seeping from a butchered peel!

After seeing a few dozen similar life hacks listed on my Facebook wall this week, I decided that we need some Arizona-specific hacks online for both lifelong Zonies and any newcomers. Check out what I was able to come up with!

1. Let’s start with a couple of basic pronunciation tips for Prescott and O’odham.
Larry Hoffman/Flickr
Prescott sounds like "biscuit." O’odham, as once described by a friend, sounds like "awesome" with a lisp.
2. A basic tip for anyone anywhere in Arizona: ALWAYS carry water with you!
Gaye Launder/Flickr
Okay, it’s less of a life hack and more of a general life tip, as in it will keep you alive in our dry environment. But you would be surprised how many people I come across who think they can only survive on a cup of water in the summers. Yikes.
3. If you live in the deserts, keeping a portable hygiene kit on you is a great way to avoid getting too grimy in the summer.
Neil Conway/Flickr
Just keep some baby wipes and a travel size deodorant or antiperspirant in a small bag in your purse or backpack. That way you can clean up and stay fresh between classes, bus rides, and other trips that require you to be outdoors for long periods of time.
4. Another tip for the hot weather folks: if you tend to experience chafing in hot weather, apply a swipe of antiperspirant to areas of your body that tend to experience this (like the inner thighs).
Austin Kirk/Flickr
Alternatively, you can also use baby powder or some Gold Bond powder as well.
5. Umbrellas are for more than keeping the rain off your head: open one up on a sunny day for instant shade.
Geraint Rowland/Flickr
If you want to get fancy, use a parasol!

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6. Hanging clothes outside to dry? To prevent them from fading under the intense sun, turn them inside out before hanging on the line.
Chris Goldberg/Flickr
7. A tip for the cold weather folks: cover your side mirrors overnight with Ziplock or rouge grocery bags to prevent ice from forming on them.
Adam Knight/Flickr
Preventing icy mirrors means less things to do in the morning before you leave for work!
8. If your garden is still producing food when the winter freeze hits and the temperatures drop severely, keep them warm with a little light.
Caleb Roenigk/Flickr
My mom used this trick this winter when a portion of her garden was still producing food in October and November in the Winslow area. Drape tarp above and around the garden area, then install a couple of low-wattage incandescent light bulbs near the plants to produce a small amount of heat. You can also use string lights but make sure they have incandescent bulbs instead of LED.
9. Guacamole time: I always find that the grocery stores put a “ripe” label on avocados that clearly are still rock hard. To ripen it in a day or two so that you can enjoy your guac, place your avocados in a paper bag with an apple or a banana.
Kristina/Flickr
The extra fruit encourages ripening by releasing ethylene gases.
10. For more tender pinto beans: when soaking the dry beans overnight, add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to the soaking water for every pound of dry beans.
Su-Lin/Flickr
The sodium bicarbonate helps to counteract hard water, making your beans more tender. I did this last night and it worked!

Can you see yourself using any of these hacks? What other tips do you have for your fellow Arizonans that can make life just a tiny bit easier?

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