The Secret to Easier Snow Shoveling Is Hiding in Your Pantry

More than 30 years ago, my dad moved from Utah to Louisiana. Yes, it was partially because he had been accepted to the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center. But (as he tells it) his primary reason was that he couldn’t take one more winter of shoveling snow.

“It was one miserable February day where I had to shovel the same sidewalk three times,” he told me. “I needed to get away.”

For people who aren’t my dad, moving 1,500 miles to escape the cold might be a little extreme. Instead, they might just want to follow this brilliant trick from professional Life Hacker Keith Bradford’s newest book, Holiday Hacks: When snow starts falling, head to your pantry for the nonstick spray.

"Spray your shovel with nonstick cooking spray before you go out," he writes. "The snow will slide off easily, making shoveling a breeze."

Now, you want to make sure you spray that shovel liberally—no skimping! And if you’re out of cooking spray, go ahead and use another lubricant, like olive oil, WD-40, car wax, or furniture polish. You’ll feel pretty darn slick as you fly through those snow drifts.

What's your best trick for shoveling snow? Share them in the comments section below!