You think you’ve seen them all by now—basic life hacks, intermediate hacks, upper-intermediate hacks. You might think you’ve been living your life so far as a master life hacker, a hack guru. Prepare to have your mind bent, warped, and flipped upside down. These life hacks were discovered by those some consider to be mad, crazy, or even stupid.
However, there is incredible potency behind these tips. Some are so powerful that they may only work once per lifetime—while others may feel like a curse, as they might make every challenge you face so trivial that success and failure no longer carry any meaning!...
Well, that last one might be an exaggeration, but we think you’ll find this list of advanced life hacks useful nonetheless!
Forgotten Your Date’s Name?
If you’ve woken up in the morning after an impromptu date with someone you met at the bar and seem to have innocently misplaced their name at some point in the night, there’s one place that will reliably return it to you—Starbucks.
Besides getting her name delivered to you on the cup (just as long as you let your date order first) you’ll also appear to be more respectable and considerate than you probably are. Plus caffeine can be a real booster to the decision-making part of your brain—which can be both helpful and painful in equal measure.
Erasing Pesky Deodorant Stains
While we live in a world of fast fashion and cheap T-shirts courtesy of third-world sweatshops, we all have our favorite Tees. Some may have sentimental value while others are rare memorabilia from legendary gigs or concerts—but either way, they’re going to be a little worn for wear.
One of the most common wears and tears is the white pit stain, brought about through excessive deodorant use. It seems that whatever they put in makeup is similar to whatever goes into a smell-stick, and can thus be removed through makeup remover all the same.
The Ad Breaker
Ever wanted to show your friends a YouTube video with a great punchline, only to be thwarted by a particularly inconvenient ad placement? There’s a way to ensure that no commercial breaks ruin your enjoyment—unfortunately, this hack is for smartphone users only.
Simply skip to the end of the video and hit the “watch again” icon. You’ll be interruption-free for the duration of Epic TikTok Memes For Tit-For-Tat Teens Part 14—at least until YouTube catches on and patches this neat little hack out.
The Styrofoam Organizer
Even when those small parts for DIY furniture are neatly packed in their own plastic packets, they somehow manage to get loose and lost when they are most needed. Luckily, if you check the box, there’s something that will help you locate all those darned screws and pegs.
The white styrofoam that helps protect your shelves, chairs, tables, or whatever else can also be used as a handy corkboard for small parts. Simply stab each one into the styrofoam for easy management and retrieval.
The Underground Sun
Granted, this one might take some work, but the payoff is totally worth it. Take a look at this: you’re looking at a time-locked basement. Those windows are actually LED lights designed to replicate the bright outdoors gauzed with blue light filters.
This would be perfect for those who like to work through the night, experience SAD in the low-light seasons, or just like the idea of a timeless place. And the best part is that you have all the benefits of sunlight but with total privacy.
Hard Luck, Bird Thieves!
A home-grown garden might sound wonderful, and while there are hacks out there to deal with slugs and other crawling pests, there’s another danger to your berries and bushes—birds. They can swoop in and leave nothing but stems from your raspberry and strawberry patch. But there’s an easy fix.
This clever life hacker discovered that birds will be deterred by what they think are unripe fruits. They won’t be able to tell the difference between a fruit and a stone, and with sore beaks and their tail feathers between their legs, they’ll be deterred from raiding your garden again.
Easy Cancelation
Ever had to deal with a reluctant service provider and feel like you’ll be asked to jump through loop after loop just to cancel a plan? These guys are trained to retain you, no matter what kind of reason you give them—but there’s one surefire way to halt their marketing tactics.
Tell them you’re taking a vacation to prison and there isn’t a negotiating tactic in the world they can try to use to convince you to stay. Check out the response this agent gave in response to the old “going to prison” trick.
Capturing The Splash
Dogs will slobber when they eat or drink. It’s a fact of life. If you’re tired of cleaning up the sloppy puddles around your dog’s bowl and you think your kitchen could use a little fresh green, here’s the perfect life hack idea for you.
You’ll have a semi-natural garden and less mess to contend with every time your dog runs in from a particularly charged game of catch. You can layer the garden with houseplants. Now you won’t have to clean the area or water the plants—genius!
A Good Book
If you’re a fan of reading and you only attend church to keep grandma happy, this might be for you. Taping a book with black duct tape gives it a somber and respectful facade—the perfect cover (literally) for a book you want to smuggle into the Lord’s house.
While you might not be reading “the” good book, you’ll at least be able to read “a” good book while you sit through the service. This grandpa certainly seems full of good ideas—maybe it came from one of the many books he must have read throughout his life!
A Pouch For The Pooch
When puppies are especially young, they won’t be able to get around much on their own little legs. They need support. Here’s a hack for anyone with a newborn dog who needs a place to feel safe while their owner is out buying them treats.
Take any kind of hoodie and wear it backward. It’s as simple as that—no need to buy an expensive strap or dog stroller! Now you have yourself a handy dog pocket to keep your little friend in, who is sure to feel comforted by the little hug you’ll be giving.
Free Education From Top Academics, Scientists, And Authors
Here’s a hack that doesn’t just raise scientific understanding, but it’s totally ethical, too! You might imagine that scientists and researchers get paid very well for their vital work—but in fact, even the most prestigious journals pay them nothing for their efforts.
If you want to increase your understanding of the world and even make an academic’s day, try asking them nicely for copies of their papers. Despite what you might have thought, it’s 100% legal. Sending an email is probably much simpler than signing up for a subscription, too.
Alternate Your Earbuds
We don’t know why this kind of thing isn’t industry standard. You can lose a lot of quality by wearing earbuds the wrong way around—or at least you won’t receive the artist or mixer’s intended effect. If you’re watching a movie with your earbuds on the wrong way around it can sometimes become confusing.
Spare rubber cushions are easy to come by. This life hacker replaced the left bud’s cushion with a black one to make it more convenient to find the right side. No more struggling in poor light—all it takes now is a glance.
Snack Summoning
This life hack is powerful—beware its potency. This one will only work if you have a spouse, partner, or roommate. Are you too lazy to get up and grab a snack from the kitchen or too warm under your sofa blanket? Is your partner overly conditioned by message notifications?
Why not weaponize that conditioning by asking them to get snacks without asking? Leave them a text so that when they run to their phone they can help feed you. The best part is that they did it all of their own volition. The call is coming from inside the house!
Wedding Bonus
If billionaires must exist in this world, we may as well make use of them. No, this isn’t a tax hack, just a simple way that you can potentially benefit from people who couldn’t spend a tenth of their entire fortune in their lifetimes even if they tried.
You might be able to get yourself some free housewarming gifts with as much effort as a quick Google search and then penning an invitation card. Worst case scenario? You waste 15 minutes of your time. Best case—you get a perfunctory air fry cooker gift in the mail.
Ear-Aid
The pandemic may be over in the States, but in many places in the world, it’s still going on. Plus, there’s always a chance it could make a return! Be prepared and protect your ears from another round of rubber-banding with this mask hack.
Two buttons, a headband, and a little thread are all that’s needed. No more behind-the-ear aches or sticking-out ears. You can be safe, comfortable, and chic with a little tailoring wizardry. And if we never see the virus again, maybe this one will come in useful for a 2020 throwback party when we all look back on this time with fond nostalgia.
Zip-Double-Locked
If you’re looking for a way to protect your large electronic goods but only have zip-lock bags that are half the size needed, there’s good news. You can actually lock two of these bags together to create a waterproof double!
Just flip one of the bags inside out and connect it to the other bag. Since smaller ziplock bags are more common, this should save you from having to go all the way to the store in a pinch. This trick also works with larger bags, just in case you need to carry something huge!
Grandma’s Phone Water Extraction Machine
Water damage can break sophisticated electronics and clockwork items (like a non-waterproof watch), which can be devastating if they were expensive or essential. Luckily, your phone or watch doesn’t need to go to the repair store.
While it won’t repair a crack or a truly busted CPU, the rice box is still a great way to absorb water from your devices non-intrusively (as in opening the shell). Drop your device in and wait for the rich to soak up the liquid.
Money-Request Block
Family is already complicated enough without money getting involved. Asking someone to repay a loan when you need it can be uncomfortable, but more so when it’s a family member. And having a policy of never loaning money to kin can sound pretty cold.
This person seems to have found the best way to deter family members from requesting cash—by pre-emptively holding his hands out. By doing this, everyone else will assume that he isn’t good for it and will leave him be. It might be evil, but it’s also very clever.
Suit Up On The Fly
Picture this—you’re at the office. It’s a cold day outside and you decided to wear a large coat instead of your suit jacket. Or maybe you just can’t afford a suit jacket yet. But oh no—today they’re asking for headshots! You don’t want to look unprofessional.
Depending on how brave or bold you are, you can use your suit pants instead. They make a very convincing jacket—at least if you’re working with a slim profile. This probably won’t work if you’re taking a group photo—for obvious reasons. This hack works best if you work from home.
E-Z-Peel
This advanced hack has been scientifically tested. Remember all the hassle you have to put up with just to remove a particularly well-glued label on a container? You might have tried submerging it in water, scraping it off with a knife, or just picking it off for hours. Well, there’s a much easier way.
It’s not just easier, it’s far cooler. Freezing, in fact. Leave a containing in the freezer overnight and you’ll find that the labels just come right off. It might have something to do with the way the glue reacts to sub-zero temperatures. Either way, that container is going to look clean and smudge-free.
Grocery Bag Assist
This one might require a little DIY, but the payoff will be incredible. If you have to mount a daunting staircase every time you come back from the store with the week’s groceries—or even if you get your groceries delivered—you might benefit from installing a hook and pulley system onto your house.
Attach your bags to the hook and have them sent right up to the kitchen. You can use the porch roof like the one pictured if you’ve got one, or you can extend an arm out from your window if you’re confident with a nail and hammer. Your knees will thank you.
Talking TP
Talking about toiletries is seen as taboo in many households. If you’re using a public restroom or a restroom in a restaurant or store, this hack will really help out the person responsible for maintaining it. You can avoid the discomfort of broaching the subject and help out with a little visual indicator.
It also serves as a warning to anyone who might innocently wander in without realizing there is a nasty surprise in store for them once they’re done with their business. This hack is for those of you who think of other people.
Shred Your Veg, Not Your Fingers
This is one of the most painful accidents you can have in the kitchen—and you will be reminded of it every time you find the last piece of cheese or vegetables for shredding. Cutting yourself just to make some evening sliced gratings isn’t necessary.
You don’t need any fancy equipment to avoid the pain. Grab a fork and rub it down to the last piece! That way, the fork catches any cuts, and you won’t find any more bits of finger in your salads or lasagnas.
Stay Cool While Chopping Onions
Just looking away while trying to avoid getting onion spit in your eye just isn’t conducive to keeping your fingers on your hand. When preparing a large dish that requires many sliced onions, it might be a good idea to use some safety equipment. This involves protecting your eyes the same way you would protect your eyes when flying down a snowy mountain—with ski goggles!
There’s no reason to shed a tear. While they won’t offer the same level of protection, glasses or sunglasses also work. Here’s a bonus hack if you don’t have protective headgear: cut your onions with a wet knife. It should prevent too much spray.
In-Flight Entertainment In The Bag
It can be a bummer to realize that you don’t have access to in-flight entertainment. Luckily, we live in an age of high technology. The only problem is that phones aren’t meant to be held in the hands for that long when watching something.
If you have a clear plastic bag handy, you can deck your seat out with your own in-flight entertainment center! Just use the table holder to hang your phone from and you’re set! Maybe bring along some headphones, too.
Show Animals Your True Colors
This one might require a little research to pay off. Check what kind of uniforms the employees at your local zoo use. Because the animals there have been conditioned to relate those colors to feeding time, they will be more likely to approach you.
While many animals are color-blind, they can still differentiate between primary colors. You’ll be able to amaze your friends with how quickly they approach you since they’ll feel well-acquainted with you already. It goes without saying that this hack won’t work for dangerous animals, however!
Dry Wipe Woes Away
Ever made this mistake? You pick up a pen, write some kind of genius idea on a whiteboard, notice a spelling mistake, and go to correct it—only to realize that you’ve used a permanent pen. Drats! While your idea was brilliant, now everyone will know that you don’t know how to spell your own name.
Not to worry—if you trace your mistake with an actual dry wipe pen, the oil should ease the permanent marking off the board, making it a little easier to clean off. Here’s an extra hack—you can use dried-up pens for the same thing. They may not be able to write anymore, but they still contain the same oil that can help with board cleaning.
Candles From Crayons
This isn’t something you should try with your kids around—but if you experience a power outage and you’re fresh out of candles, one crayon should give you an hour of light. This hack works because crayons are very flammable.
If you have to resort to using candles to light your way, just remember that, unlike candles, they get messy fast. You’ll need to keep a bowl or plate ready to catch the drip, which itself can be quite hot and therefore dangerous to the touch. Advanced life hack users only!
Windex Ring Win
It’s always embarrassing when your fingers get stuck somewhere—and rings aren’t an exception to this. This advanced life hack was brought to you by a jewelry store veteran. The best way to slip off an unruly ring is to first dip your finger in a little Windex.
Spray some onto your finger and that baby should pop right off. Maybe it has something to do with the window cleaning formula, but it just works like magic. Try it the next time you need your fingers to be metal-free.
Swipe And Sweep
This next hack is for absolute legends only—and those who live with lonely housemates. If your roommate is too lazy to clean (or you are too lazy to clean) why not set him or her up for heartbreak by pretending to be an attractive person on Tinder?
Once you set up a date in “their” house, just watch as they fritter away clearing up their week-long pile of dishes. Sure, they’ll feel let down when the date of their dreams fails to manifest at the door—but they’ll be one step closer to being a better person—and a better catch for a real partner. Or at least, that’s what you can tell yourself, you monster.
Paint Around Your Stains
So you’ve just stained a T-shirt and that blob ain’t coming out. Well, time to throw it in the trash—right? Not so fast. Try drawing around the stain with a sharpie and add a little flourish. You can make it look like an obscure band Tee.
Many stains also happen to look like islands or maps. Get creative and pretend you’ve been to an exotic, far-off vacation location that nobody really knows about yet. Confound your friends and save a perfectly good T-shirt with this nifty life hack.
Cow Rugs On A Budget
Pink cow rugs are super cute—but their asking prices can be as much as buying the farm. If you can’t afford a large-sized rug, why not just duct tape two moderately priced, moderately-sized cow rugs together?
You could always pick up two cheap white rugs and give them a little splash of pink food coloring—just make sure to distribute the color evenly with some water. Making something yourself gives you the opportunity for a great story or icebreaker.
Covert Channel-Hacker
Tired of having to put up with seeing Fox News on TV at your local diner, or the wrong kind of sport at your local sports bar? Is the TV yammering away at such a high volume in a coffee shop that you can’t hear yourself think? Carry one of these babies in your pocket and you’ll feel like a media demigod.
Flip the channels over, raise or lower the volume, or switch it on or off at a whim with a universal remote. Some TVs only respond to certain clickers, but a universal remote should be able to handle any kind of TV brand. Happy channel surfing!
A Horrible Hack
Consider this hack a pallet cleanser for your refined taste. Not a life hack per se, but it got a chuckle out of us. If you hate being alone on Valentine’s day, or just prefer a different kind of holiday, check out this “creative” tip.
If you’re spooked by slashers or clown monsters, you won’t feel alone anymore. Unfortunately, this hack probably won’t reduce your desire to hug a special someone—it might actually exacerbate it.
The Tinder Swipe Flip Switcharoo
Sometimes people forget why they ever swiped right in the first place. Others might forget why they didn’t swipe right. This guy seems to have found a way to get women to give him a second looking at—albeit an upside-down look.
When you swipe left while looking at an upside-down profile, you’re actually swiping for a match! Quite ingenious. We have another bonus tip for anyone on the dating scene—be confident and love yourself before considering this upside-down picture hack. You’re lovable and worthy of love.
Bat Away Callers With A Flat Battery
You don’t actually need to keep your phone permanently flat for this hack to work. If you ever find yourself dreading a long phone conversation, just drop the fact that your phone is on four percent or so before the other person launches into their diatribe.
That way, when the conversation becomes too much, hitting that “end call” button won’t offend. This hack goes out to all you introverts out there who hate phone calls—or just to those who are facing a long, boring, scary call.
Another Idioma, Not Another Idiot
Ever stumped as to how to express an idea? Feel like there’s one out there, but it’s on the tip of your tongue? Had your mouth open for about thirty-three seconds now, and everyone’s starting to worry if you haven’t choked on a rogue gulp of air?
Counter the chilling silence and stares of the bewildered crowd by announcing that you “just don’t know the word in English.” That way, they’ll assume that you’re some kind of mega-polyglot and that you actually sound like, uh, a genius in your own native tongue, actually.
The Spam Trap Hack
You have to be careful with your data these days. All too many sites will ask you to sign up for mailing lists, and many of them will be sneaky about it. If you have to provide an email address but couldn’t bear the thought of seeing an email from them appear in your inbox, try this.
This way, emails get slammed into your spam folder. This works for all your other filters, too. Now you won’t have to put up with annoying messages or ads for their other products. Just remember that this won’t work as well if you’re giving your email to another person—they might notice the word “spam” in there and get upset. Either way, the power is yours!
The Mosquito Bite Cover-Up Hack
Assuming you haven’t been bitten in an area notorious for dengue fever, malaria, or some other disease, this hack will help you to deal with the worst that mosquitos will offer—their bites. Get some hot water, pour it into a glass or mug, then drop a spoon in.
You don’t need boiling water—make sure that the spoon doesn’t hurt or burn. Apply the spoon to the bite and don’t take it away until the metal is fully cool. The itching will vanish, and the mark on your skin will clear up after only a few hours.
The “Everybody Panic” Earthquake Kit
While there might be more sensitive instruments out there, this is by far the cheapest option. All it costs is a pair of silly stick-on eyes and the printing of a sheet of paper with the words “EARTHQUAKE DETECTOR.” It’s sure to be a big hit—especially when a quake goes off.
The only problem is that your co-workers’ fear might turn to uncontrollable laughter after seeing the kit’s eyes freak out. To be fair, it’s an earthquake detection kit. No one said anything about it being useful in the event of an earthquake.