BookmarkSitting on my dining room table, I currently have half a dozen projects in various states of doneness. Some involve vivisected computer parts, others will eventually be wearable and a few are just cool things I’ve ran across on the internet. I like doing things myself — I think the DIY bug is one of the best communicable diseases in the lifehack community.

These eighty sites are the places I turn to when I’m trying to figure out how to accomplish any particular goal. Any time I’m facing a new project, I start searching for how-tos that will help me figure out how other people did similar things and how likely I am to finish the project with all ten fingers still intact. I’ve broken them up into a few different categories, just to help you narrow down what you might be looking for. Some are simply archives full of tutorials. Some are blogs that publish how-tos fairly regularly. Some are just great resource sites. But they all have provided me with the information necessary to carry through on a project.

Every How-To They Can Get Their Hands On

These ten sites are more than happy to host any how-to around. I’ve seen everything from computer hardware hacks to instructions for brewing beer on these sites. This is the place to start — you can narrow down your search as you get a better idea of your project.

  1. Make Magazine’s Blog
  2. Instructables
  3. How Stuff Works
  4. Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories
  5. wikiHow
  6. flickr
  7. Lifehacker
  8. Popular Mechanics
  9. DIY Happy
  10. Expert Village

Become a Technophile in Ten Easy Steps

Each of these sites focuses primarily on providing the hacks you need to make sure that you have the best hardware and software around. One word of warning: you might run across some obsolete answers to your questions in the archives. Software how-tos don’t age as well as tips on building new furniture

  1. Hack A Day
  2. Hack This Site
  3. I Hacked
  4. Gadget Hacks
  5. Hacked Gadgets
  6. Make Use Of
  7. HacksZine
  8. LifeClever
  9. Web Worker Daily
  10. Tipstrs

Habitat Hacks You Can Live With

If you’re ready to make your home a little more customized, these sites will walk you through projects ranging from building furniture to home theaters for beginners. Remember, when it comes to your landlord, begging forgiveness is probably easier than asking for permission.

  1. Ikea Hacker
  2. DIY Ideas
  3. Home Doctor
  4. Acme How To
  5. Hints N Tips
  6. Ready Made
  7. FlyLady
  8. Real Simple
  9. This Old House
  10. Home Tips

Dining on a DIY Diet

Frugality gurus and health nuts alike advocate making your own food. Very few of us have access to either Grandma or a professional chef willing to walk us through the steps of homemade food, though. It’s time to turn to a few how-tos and recipes that can help us out.

  1. Cooking for Engineers
  2. Bakers Banter
  3. The Pioneer Woman Cooks
  4. Epicurious
  5. The Amateur Gourmet
  6. Culinary Media Network
  7. 101 Cookbooks
  8. Gourmet Magazine
  9. Simply Recipes
  10. Open Source Food

Sewing and Other ‘Feminine Arts’

It seems like most crafters are have two X chromosomes, but there’s no reason to count out knitting just because you have a Y chromosome. Heck, even Rosey Grier, defensive linebacker for the LA Rams, knitted some nice scarves.

  1. TipNut
  2. Craft Magazine’s Blog
  3. Craft Stylish
  4. Craftster
  5. Craftform
  6. WiseNeedle
  7. GetCrafty
  8. Crafttown
  9. Design Your Life
  10. Geek Crafts

Doing Business Your Way

Looking for some instructions on getting your business going a little faster? These sites have all sorts of tips, how-tos and ideas for getting your business up to speed. Keep in mind, though, that not every business is the same. Different businesses have different needs when if comes to growing.

  1. Productivity101
  2. 43Folders
  3. Business Hackers
  4. LifeDev
  5. Biz Plan Hacks
  6. Freelance Switch
  7. Anywired
  8. Young Entrepreneur
  9. Bootstrapping
  10. Copyblogger

Hack Your Wallet and What’s In It

No matter how you earn your money, keeping those dollars in your hands can be a struggle. Plenty of sites offer tips, tricks and tutorials to help you do just that — beyond improving your earning power, these sites can help you keep what you already have.

  1. Frugal Hacks
  2. WiseBread
  3. Get Rich Slowly
  4. The Simple Dollar
  5. The Motley Fool
  6. Five Cent Nickel
  7. Mighty Bargain Hunter
  8. Money Hacks
  9. Dividend Money
  10. Tax Tips Blog

Get Your Brain to the Optimal Level

Not all projects have a clear end result. There are plenty of opportunities to improve how you approach new tasks, study for tests and generally use your brain. Personally, these projects are often my favorites: I don’t need lots of tools to carry them out and I can often use them to help my approach to other projects entirely.

  1. Dumb Little Man
  2. Zen Habits
  3. Mind Hacks
  4. Hack College
  5. Study Hacks
  6. The Growing Life
  7. Life Optimizer
  8. Cultivate Greatness
  9. Lesson in Life
  10. GTD Times

There are millions of sites out on the web with tutorials, instructions and tips for just about every project you dream up — not necessarily a site that can tell you how to do what you have planned, but definitely one that can give you a starting point. These eighty sites are just that — a starting point. These are places worth looking when you have a specific project in mind, sites that can get you started on your plans. Oh, and there’s one more that’s worth checking: LifeHack. I’d be horribly remiss if I didn’t mention this site: it’s an amazing resource when you’re trying to decide how to tackle a new project.