Top 50 Things Life Hacks You Didn't Know

Top-50-Things-You-Didnt-Know-You-Were-Doing-Wrong

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re righting the things you've been doing wrong.

#50:
You don’t need a knife and spoon to eat an orange, but it turns out they come in very handy for peeling one. Sure, you can try to rip off a starting piece of peel with your nail or, even worse, bite it off like it’s Evander Holyfield’s ear and you’re Mike Tyson. Instead just lightly cut around the equator of the orange with a knife, then use the handle-end of the spoon to jimmy off the top half in one dome-shaped piece. Repeat for the bottom half.

#49:
You know when you go to pull the bag of garbage out of your can and the suction makes it sticky and awkward to remove? Well, just drill a few small holes into the side of the can and this will remove the air pressure and alleviate the suction issue.

#48:
Ahhhhh, there’s nothing quite like a slice of yummy, fluffy, homemade bread. Except that, the act of slicing the fresh bread usually leaves one with a yummy, squished up piece of homemade bread. Well, not anymore. Just flip the bread over and cut through the thicker and crustier bottom layer first. And in some cases, cutting at an angle may also help.

#47:
We all love a good juice box. But we don’t love how sometimes just holding the box can put enough pressure on it to cause a juice eruption out of the straw and all over our hands and clothes. But that’s what those little handles are for. Ya, you know those little triangle flaps on the side that no one knows why they’re there? Well, that’s why - to hold onto so as not to squeeze the box and spill the juice.

#46:
How many different ways are there to eat a slice of pizza you ask? Well, at least one more than how most of us have been doing it all our lives. And it goes like this: cut the crust off your pizza slice, place it lengthwise in the center of the remaining triangle and fold said triangle over the slice like a crusty pig in a saucy blanket. Now you have pizza and crust in every bite. Someone should tell Macaulay Culkin about this technique.

#45:
How to wash your hands: Get some soap, lather up, rub hands together, rinse and dry. WRONG! According to the World Health Organization the proper way to wash one’s hands is an 11 step process involving a multitude of rubbing hand positions and rotational techniques, and requires 40-60 seconds.

#44:
Instead of sitting there and blowing on your nails to dry them after applying polish, just put your fingertips into some ice water for a minute or two. Now you’re good to go.

#43:
So, you meet someone at a party and you ask them for their phone number. But the question is, did they give you their real number or a fake one? Well, rather than looking suspicious and calling it immediately, just calmly read it back to them and change one number. If they correct the mistake, it’s probably their real number.

#42:
Everyone knows that the graham crackers are the worst part of a s'mores. So forget about them and grab an Oreo instead. Now twist it open, put a marshmallow and a piece of chocolate between the two cookies and after a few seconds in the microwave or oven you’ll have the s'mores you never knew you always wanted.

#41:
Want to listen to music on your phone but don’t have a bluetooth speaker on hand? Well, how about an empty Pringles can? Just put your phone in the can and enjoy the sound amplification it provides. You can even take it a step further and cut a phone-sized slit into the middle of the can to hold your device.

#40:
Is there any problem that wine can’t solve? We can’t think of any. In fact, wine is even good for wine stains. You see, should you happen to spill some of that delicious red wine on your carpet, just go and grab a bottle of white. White wine neutralizes red wine pigmentation and can therefore help remove the stain.

#39:
Watermelon slices are fine, but have you ever tried cutting your watermelon into spears? Just cut the watermelon in half, place one half face down and slice it across in one direction and then the other. It takes a few extra cuts, but you gotta admit it’s super cool and a fun way to present it and eat it. Especially at parties.

#38:
Can’t remember someone’s name? Take them to Starbucks and see what name they give for their order. But make sure you listen when they say their name - because you can’t always rely on what the baristas write on the cup!

#37:
Using a measuring tape alone isn’t always easy. I mean, you try to secure one end or pull it along the ground and it comes recoiling back towards you at warp speed. Well, turns out the measuring tape people thought of that. And that’s what the hole in the metal end is for. It’s so that you can secure it to a surface with a nail and measure it with ease.

#36:
Have you ever wondered why baby onesies have those flaps on the shoulders? No, it isn't an ode to 80s fashion and the decade’s love for shoulder pads. The flaps are there in order to allow for the onesie to be removed downwards towards the feet rather than up and over the child’s head. Which comes in very handy when things get, shall we say, messy down there.

#35:
We’re all for reusable straws. They’re a great way to help reduce the waste of plastic straws, which is good for our planet. But how do you clean them? It seems obvious, and we’re wondering why we didn’t think of it before now, but pipe cleaners are the perfect tool for the job.

#34:
You know that drawer under your oven? The one we all use to store random sheet pans, pots and the like? Well, turns out that drawer might have a purpose that has nothing to do with providing extra kitchen storage. Check your oven’s manual, because for many, that drawer is called the warming drawer and you can use it to keep food warm while you finish cooking the rest of the meal. For some ovens it’s actually a broiler drawer. And for others, well, it really is just for storage.

#33:
Do you have someone in your life who’s OCD about constantly straightening out picture frames hanging on the wall? Maybe it’s even you? Well, whoever it is, you’ll want to get them some poster tack which they can use on the corners of the frames to keep them from moving. Pretty smart right?

#32:
It’s always a good idea to lock your valuables in a locker when you go to the gym. But then the question becomes, what do you do with the key? We don’t all have pockets in our workout clothes, but we do all wear shoes right? So, just tie the key to your shoelace. Or, you could also opt for a combination lock and skip the key thing altogether.

#31:
The sweeper attachment for our vacuum cleaner is very useful, but as many of you probably know, it also gets stuck up with dust bunnies and lint and other such dirt. If only you had a vacuum to clean the vacuum right? Well, you do! Use the tube sans attachment to suck the other attachments clean.

#30:
Those little mini Dixie Cup-like containers fast food joints provide for us to fill with ketchup are so small we often need at least two just to have enough dipping material for our french fries. But did you know that those containers were actually expandable? You’ll notice that they are pleated - well, if you gently pull apart every second or third pleat you can actually make one container big enough to hold two containers worth of ketchup.

#29:
Bobby pins aren’t just good for picking locks. Some people actually use them in their hair. And you know how a bobby pin has a straight side and a wavy side? Well, if you want to get the best hold from a bobby pin you’ll want to put it in your hair with that wavy side down. As for picking locks - we can’t help you there.

#28:
Making spaghetti is one of the easiest things to do in the kitchen. However, making the right amount of spaghetti is a source of much anxiety for many of us home chefs. But not anymore! You see that hole in the middle of your spaghetti spoon? That hole provides the measurement for a single serving of pasta - just repeat for the number of diners and voila!

#27:
Anne Hathaway fans will probably already know this genius move. The rest out there who’ve never broken off the bottom of a cupcake, flipped it onto the icing and eaten the dessert like a sandwich - now you know too.

#26:
“Dangerously cheesy” - the reason we both love and hate Cheetos. We love them for the taste, but hate the orange fingers - and by association orange fingerprints on everything we touch before we wash our hands. But what if we told you there was a way to enjoy all that dangerously cheesy taste without the orange fingers? We have one word for you…. chopsticks!

#25:
It’s a habit of many sushi eaters to lay a thin slice of ginger atop a piece of yummy sushi before devouring it. However, that isn’t why the ginger is there. Rather than eat it with your sushi, the ginger is meant to be eaten between servings as a palate cleanser.

#24:
Ever tried to fill a large bucket in a sink that’s too small to hold said bucket? Doing so usually requires angling the bucket, moving the faucet, spilling water on the floor and not even filling it more than about half way. Did you ever consider using a dustpan as a funnel to create a waterfall effect into the bucket? Well, you should.

#23:
We all scream for ice cream sometimes. But what makes us scream even louder is when that craving hits and we open the container to find the ice cream is rock hard and we end up bending multiple metal spoons in the extraction process. A nifty trick that’s been reported to remedy this is to place the container in a freezer ziplock bag. This is supposed to keep the ice cream at an easily scoopable consistency and turn all your screams of frustration into screams of joy.

#22:
There’s nothing worse than a warm beer. Okay, there are worse things, but it still sucks. Sure, you can put the bottles in the fridge and wait. But what if you’re in a hurry? Just wrap a wet paper towel around the bottle before you stick it in the fridge and in 15 minutes treat yourself to a nice, cold beer.

#21:
Who wants to put their mouth on the rim of a dirty can? Not us. But using a straw can be annoying with it floating and bobbing around all over. Thankfully cans come with their own built-in straw holder… the tab. Just spin it around and slide the straw through the hole for a secure drinking experience.

#20:
We look to science to help us in a lot of ways, but we never thought we needed help holding a hamburger… until now. According to experts in fluid mechanics, engineering, and dentistry who appeared on the Japanese TV show Honma Dekka!? - the key to holding a burger is your pinkies. Rather than grab it with just the thumb underneath, you’ll want to throw the little fingers under there also. Thus creating a more balanced support for the bunned structure.

#19:
These days many juices and milks come in those rectangle containers with the caps. And while our natural inclination is to pour the liquid with the cap side closest to the cup, that isn’t the best way to do it. Next time try pouring with the cap side up and notice how it’s a much smoother and cleaner process.

#18:
One of the best things about having pizza for dinner is eating leftover pizza for breakfast the next morning. And while many of us are very happy eating it cold, we understand there are some of you who like to reheat your ‘za. That’s fine, just don’t do it in the microwave. For best results, including crispy crust and perfectly melted cheese, do it in a frying pan.

#17:
The Monopoly game has been around since the 1930s and most of us have played it at least once. And yet, there are no doubt a couple official game rules that many of us never knew about. Did you know that if you land on an unowned property and you don’t buy it the bank must auction it off to the highest bidder? How about the rule that says if there aren’t any houses or hotels left then you can’t buy anymore? And maybe the most shocking one of all… Free Parking is just a free space. There are never any monetary or property awards associated with landing on it.

#16:
Sure, we’re all impressed with how well Sheldon Cooper and people that work at The Gap can fold shirts. But did you know there’s a really simple technique that will have you folding a shirt in just a few seconds? We could try and explain it to you. But instead, just watch the video.

#15:
A can opener. Now, we bet you’re thinking, how could I possibly be using a can opener wrong? How many different ways are there to use one? Well, more than one it turns out. And the trick here is the placement of the opener. Rather than placing it sideways, use it parallel to the top of the can. It’s easy, it leaves a nice clean edge around the can and a smoother (less dangerous) edge on the removed top as well.

#14:
You might think you’re doing a nice thing when you go down to the pond and throw bread in the water for the ducks. But the truth is you might actually be doing more harm than good. You see, bread isn’t a healthy food for ducks. It has pretty much no nutritional value and all it does is fill them up - which could lead to them not eating the foods that they do need to maintain their health.

#13:
The great debate has finally been resolved once and for all. Based on the 1891 patent, the toilet paper should be hanging with the roll facing OUT!

#12:
Do you ever find yourself having to cut multiple cherry tomatoes? Well, rather than slicing each individual cherry tomato in half one by one, why not save some time and slice through a bunch of them all at once? Just place them between two plastic lids, hold the top lid securely and run a knife right through the lot of them.

#11:
How to easily remove stickers and things like labels on boxes? Grab a hair dryer, put it on high and blow dry the sticker at close range to loosen it up and weaken the glue. Now, you can just peel it off in one clean piece (maybe two).

#10:
One of the most frustrating packaging problems we all face are blister packs. Sure, they keep the items inside them secure, but they make getting said items out a stressful battle between our scissors and the pack itself. But what if we told you to relax, put down the scissors and grab your can opener? Yup, a can opener is the easy, stressless blister pack solution you’ve been waiting for.

#9:
When it comes to peeling a kiwi there are probably many different ways to go about it. However, one way you probably haven’t tried is this: cut off both ends and use a spoon to gently and easily separate the fruit from the rest of the surrounding skin. Now you can pull out the whole deskinned fruit in one clean piece.

#8:
Everyone has their own little trick for opening tight lids. But, let's be honest - most of them don’t work. And how many of us have broken a glass jar banging it against the counter thinking that would loosen it? Well, forget all that taping and go grab a rubber band, place it around the lid and use the extra grip to twist it open.

#7:
Ever been enjoying your Starbucks drink and wished you had a coaster to put it on? Well, to paraphrase Glinda the Good Witch, you had a coaster all along. The lids on their drinks are designed to work as coasters as well.

#6:
First off, everyone should be flossing their teeth! Second, besides mouth maintenance, dental floss can also serve as the perfect tool for cutting soft cheeses.

#5:
To dunk or not dunk your Oreo cookie - that is the question. Now, we aren’t taking sides on that argument one way or the other. But we will tell you that, if you are a dunker, then you have to try this. Take a fork, stick it into the cream filling and now you can dunk it right in the milk as deep as you want without getting your dirty fingers in the milk along with it.

#4:
Aluminum foil and plastic wrap are very useful items many of us use regularly. But pulling pieces of the stuff off of the rolls - well that’s a task they probably have people doing in the third circle of hell. Thankfully it doesn't have to be a hellish experience for you anymore. And that’s all because of those little push flaps on the sides that say, “Press Ends To Lock Roll.” So, press them.

#3:
Now that we know what the hole in the spaghetti spoon is for, let’s take a look at the hole in the pot handle. That one is there to be used as a simple and convenient place to hold the spoon you’re cooking with.

#2:
Not that you ever want just one Tic Tac. But if you did, the plastic container is actually designed to make that possible. Flip it over, lay it on its side and then simply open the lid. There should be one lonely Tic Tac sitting there.

#1:
Stop peeling bananas from the top (the part with the stem). Peel it from the bottom. Doing this eliminates getting those gross strings and you won't smush the top of the fruit as sometimes happens when you peel it the wrong way.

Which of these “wrongs” are you going to start doing “right?” Let us know in the comments