10 Life Hacks You Can Learn From "Orange Is the New Black"

From making a lighter like MacGyver to hiding your goods, there's a lot to learn from prison.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

Obviously, Orange Is the New Black doesn't capture exactly how prison is. If it did, there'd be a lot more people trying to get in. It seems like fun! Sneaking around the guards, making buddies, falling in love, yoga classes, and such, what's not to love? Yeah, you might get clobbered with a combination lock or piss off the warden enough that she makes your life hell; and sure, you don't get to spend time with your family, set your own schedule, or have the joys of the outside world. But you do get three meals a day and you have a lot of time to get creative.

Orange Is the New Black is like a wet dream for mini-MacGyvers. Nobody says prison life is easy, but these little life hacks might make your day go a little more smoothly. So, grab your toilet wine and read the list because, if you're ever caught in a jam or a jail cell, some helpful household products can go a long way. 

Hope Schreiber is a freelance writer and recently incarcerated for being too beautiful. She tweets here

RELATED: What to Look for in Season Two of "Orange Is the New Black" 
RELATED: Everything You Need to Know to Watch "Orange Is the New Black" Season Two 

Lighter Out of a Battery and Foil

Not Available Interstitial

Maxi Pad Surgical Mask

Not Available Interstitial

Kool-Aid Hair Dye

Not Available Interstitial

Tampons as Hair Curlers

Not Available Interstitial

Tampons for Your Hidden Stash

Not Available Interstitial

Maxi Pad Cleaning Supplies

Not Available Interstitial

A Friend's Hair as Hair Extensions

Not Available Interstitial

Instant Coffee as a Beauty Product

Not Available Interstitial

Duct Tape Haute Couture Flip-Flops

Not Available Interstitial

Potted Plants as Storage

Not Available Interstitial

Latest in Pop Culture