how to use up almost dried-up highlighters

We've all been there – that moment when your favorite highlighter, especially a beloved yellow Muji highlighter, starts to give up the ghost. It's almost out of ink, leaving faint, streaky lines that are more frustrating than helpful. But before you banish it to the stationery graveyard, I've got some personal tips and tricks, beyond just drawing checkboxes, to squeeze every last bit of life out of your almost-dried-up highlighters! Keeping Your Highlighters Hydrated: Prevention is Key! One of the best solutions to highlighter colour pens drying out quickly is prevention. I've learned a few things over the years that really help. First, always make sure you cap your highlighters tightly after every use. It sounds obvious, but it makes a huge difference! I also try to store mine horizontally. I've found that keeping them flat stops the ink from settling at one end, which can make the tip dry out faster. If you're wondering how can I keep my highlighters from drying out quickly, these two simple habits are game-changers. How to Rehydrate Highlighters: A Few Last-Ditch Efforts If your highlighter is truly almost out of ink, don't despair just yet! There are ways to rehydrate highlighters, though they might not bring them back to their original glory, they can definitely give you a few more uses. My go-to trick for my yellow highlighter when it's just barely clinging to life is to dip the tip in a tiny bit of water for a few seconds. Just enough to moisten the felt, not soak it! For really stubborn cases, I've heard some people use a drop of rubbing alcohol, but I’d caution you to be super careful with that as it can dilute the color or damage the felt tip over time. I usually only do this as a last resort to squeeze out those final few highlighting moments for my study notes or planner markings. It's a great way to save a Muji highlighter that you're not ready to part with. More Creative Things to Do With Highlighters (Even When They're Faint!) Beyond drawing checkboxes, which is my absolute favorite way to use up a dying yellow highlighter, I've discovered other fun ways to get more life out of them (or just be more creative with fresh ones!). If you're looking for what to do with highlighters, especially faint ones, here are some ideas: Color-Coding in Planners: Even a pale, almost-dead highlighter can provide a subtle tint perfect for color-coding. I use a faint yellow highlighter for appointments, a light blue for errands, and a soft pink for personal tasks. It makes my planner visually organized and easy to scan. Bullet Journal Accents: For my bullet journal, I sometimes use a faint highlighter to create light borders or subtle background washes for headers. It adds a touch of color without being too bold, perfect for when you're almost out of ink but want to add some aesthetic appeal. Underlining Key Terms: Instead of bold highlighting full sentences, try using your faint highlighters to simply underline important keywords in your notes. This is especially good for yellow highlighter study notes, as it draws attention without making the page feel too saturated. Creating 'Ghost' Outlines: If your highlighter is truly on its last legs, you can use it to create 'ghost' outlines for drawings or hand-lettering before going over them with a pen. It gives you a guide that's barely visible once your main work is done. These are also great creative ways to use pastel highlighters that might not be bold enough for traditional highlighting. So, next time your Muji highlighter or any other favorite starts to look a bit sad and almost out of ink, remember these tips! You might be surprised at how much more use you can get out of it before it's time to truly say goodbye.