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There's something satisfying about outsmarting life by accident. You didn't Google, you didn't ask... You just figured out something totally by chance. It's almost like being rewarded for curiosity, or maybe even clumsiness.
It turns out some of the most brilliant and useful life hacks don't come from skilled inventors or in-depth "how to" tutorials, but rather from ordinary people who somehow stumbled upon something unexpectedly, and made it part of their adulting arsenal. Call it accidental genius.
Someone recently asked, "What’s the best “life hack” you’ve learned completely by accident?" and some really surprising answers came pouring in. Like the person who swears by standing on their heels while brushing their teeth. Or another who learned how to cheat the system, and save money, by requesting to cancel subscriptions.
Bored Panda has put together a list of the best tips and tricks that could change the way you do everyday things. Some are so simple that you might wonder why you never thought of them before...
We also reveal some surprising inventions that came about purely by accident. You'll find that info between the images.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I feel much better about my life when I avoid social media.
Accidental genius is nothing new. Just like people stumbled upon super useful life hacks unexpectedly, so too have others invented things that changed the world... purely by chance.
Take Viagra, for example. It was never meant to be a magic pill for men. It was actually originally developed to help treat angina, a heart condition that constricts the vessels that supply the heart with blood.
During trials, the pill failed to prevent anginas, however, it did yield another unexpected and surprising result: an increased number of "bulges" in the pants of male participants.
"While at the time this may have been a disappointment to those who developed it, their accidental invention resulted in a gold mine for Pfizer," notes the How Stuff Works site.
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#2
Treat your house like a desire path. If you find yourself always dumping your shoes in a certain place, put the shoe rack there, not where you think it makes sense. Let your environment mirror what you do naturally and it'll be way easier to keep it cleen.
#3
Walk around any neighborhood at night gently saying "here kitty, kitty, kitty"...they appear out of the shadows.
Super glue is another example of an accidental but useful invention. It was first encountered way before its true purpose was determined. A researcher named Harry Coover, who worked for Eastman Kodak, was messing around during World War II trying to make a type of clear plastic that soldiers could use. Frustrated by the ultra stickiness of the substance he was working with, Coover binned the idea and moved on...
Six years later, in 1951, Coover was researching heat-resistant polymers for jet airplane canopies. He thought back to the sticky substance and had a lightbulb moment.
"Coover realized these sticky adhesives had unique properties in that they required no heat or pressure to bond. He and his team tried the substance on various items in the lab, and each time, the items became permanently bonded together," explains the Lemelson MIT site.
Through the experiments, Coover and his team realized that the glue didn’t require any heat or pressure to bond two items together permanently, and thus, super glue - as we know it today - was born.
#4
If you need to get something away from a toddler, just hold your hand out and say thank you. I think it tricks them into thinking they’re being helpful?
Mark Serbian, PK&RG,W 1 month ago
Wonder if that works for 45 year old accounting people? "Thank you for the 2025 utilization spreadsheet"
#5
Using an opened pistachio shell as a key for the tough to open pistachios.
#6
Repeating the same gibberish word over and over in your head will help you fall asleep.
This is transcendental meditation. You're not meant to fall asleep, but I found that I certainly do. I now use it not to meditate, but to quickly get to sleep.
You might be surprised to know that Play-Doh was initially invented as a cleaning product. Yes, we are talking about the children's toy putty stuff.
According to How Stuff Works, most homes were heated using coal before World War II. It left layers of soot deposits all over the house, including on wallpaper, which was a very in-thing back then. Enter Play-Doh: an effective way to remove the black marks.
However, after the war, more and more people started using natural gas as a heat source, rendering Play-Doh pretty useless, and almost bankrupting the Kutol’s Products company.
#7
My wellies got rainwater in them, but I really needed to wear them again. So I used plastic bags to line them. The plastic also made the wellies easier to slip on and off + added bonus, gave an extra layer of insulation. So if your wellies are a bit tough to get on and off, slip a plastic bag over your feet. Also, warm + cosy toesies:) .
dean tirmizi 1 month ago
as the son of a farmer this is standard procedure regardless if they are wet
#8
If you pour your creamer into your mug first, and then pour your coffee, you don’t need to stir it with a spoon.
Anonymouse 1 month ago
Been doing this for years, always wondered why more people don't do it.
#9
My maintenance guy took the front off my washer/dryer. At the bottom were about 20 mismatched socks. Apparently there is a small crack between the top of the washer and the tub area, where if you are just throwing in clothes, etc- socks can go through that crack. They end up in the bottom internally that you don’t see.
Not noticeable unless you knew about it. Solved my missing sock problem. Use a bag now or watch for the crack.
Ace 1 month ago (edited)
That''s just an incorrectly-fitted door seal. There should be no gap. Edit: I discovered that mine had worked the inner seal loose when the machine completely stopped filling or draining. Turned out that one sock had managed to get itself stuck between the drum and the outer seal and eventually blocked the outlet. Had to do it myself, as the guy I'd called took one look at it and said "sorry, we don't do Hoover".
Thankfully, in the early 1950s, one of the Play-Doh inventors found out that his sister (a school teacher) had been giving the stuff to her students to use as modeling dough.
He went on to test the product in other nurseries and schools, and later established Rainbow Crafts as the company under which the product would be sold. It was originally only offered in off-white. But much to the delight of kids (and some adults) around the world, Play-Doh now comes in a wide range of colors.
#10
If you are intending to read a storybook to a child or a group of children and you want them to focus on the book, begin by holding the book upside down and they will correct you, but turn the book 90% degrees clockwise and they’ll find it hilarious. Keep making this mistake a few more times before eventually getting it right. Then say if I make this mistake the children should shout “insert funny phrase”. They’ll pay attention to the story in order to catch you out later.
(Of course some children it won’t work with but it does with a majority).
highwaycrossingfrog 1 month ago (edited)
My friend is great with kids. One of her tricks with the younger ones was to get things wrong on purpose (oh yes, a cow goes "quack", right?) They think her lack of knowledge is hilarious and get a big kick out of knowing something the adult doesn't. She's since become a primary (AKA elementary) school teacher and has hilarious stories about her interactions with her pupils.
#11
If you have something you're putting off (like doing dishes or writing a report), just promise yourself you'll only do it for five minutes. Most of the time, once those five minutes are up, you've already broken the inertia and you end up finishing the whole thing or making serious progress**.**.
meeeeeeeeeeee 1 month ago
but then how you gona trust yourself next time you promise yourself it will be 5 mins
#12
Being LIKED at work is more valuable than being RIGHT at work.
If you've ever enjoyed a popsicle on a hot Summer's day, you might be intrigued to know that they, too, came about completely by chance. Thanks to an 11-year-old boy called Frank Epperson in 1905.
The little boy accidently forgot a powder-flavored soda water mixture on the porch one evening with a stir stick in it. The icy cold weather caused the mixture to freeze onto the stick. No one thought too much about it, until 1922...
#13
Putting a wet paper towel around warm beer and sticking it in the freezer, it will be cold in like 10-15 minutes.
#14
Maxing out 401k early....your future self will thank you!
#15
Check the card reader of the ATM. If someone's installed a skimmer, it would usually come off in your hand when moved.
Epperson decided on a whim to serve the special icy treat to the public. He took a few to the local Fireman’s ball, and they were a massive hit. Realizing he was onto something, Epperson applied for a “frozen confectionary” patent in 1924 under the name “Epsicle Ice Pop.”
In 1925, he sold his patent to the Popsicle Corporation after running into some financial troubles. Today, the Popsicle brand, as we know it, is owned by the Good Humor division of Unilever, and is enjoyed by kids and adults around the world.
#16
Put your single socks in the dirty laundry, no matter what. The other will turn up eventually. I haven’t lost a sock in years.
#17
When you're drilling holes in your walls to mount things but don't want to make a mess, grab a roll of the widest blue painter's tape you can find and rip off a decently long piece. Stick it to the wall, vertically, right under where you're drilling, but leave the top unstuck and hanging underneath like a little tongue/shelf.
Dust and shavings get stuck to the adhesive, and then you can just pull a little more off the wall and seal it by folding it. Then move onto the next hole until you run out of tape.
#18
You want to take a photo of a group of children all looking at the same time with nice, genuine smiles? Say “don’t look at my camera! Uh oh I think you’re going to look! Don’t do it!” etc. Kids all look at the camera while laughing, great photos achieved.
Another cool and welcome accidental invention came in the form of anesthesia. In the 1800s, Crawford Long, William Morton, Charles Jackson and Horace Wells were taking part in “laughing parties.” As the name suggests, groups of people got together to laugh, with the help of nitrous oxide.
The men realized that when ether or nitrous oxide were inhaled for recreation and entertainment, they had an effect on people’s perceptions of pain. "Morton and Jackson adopted the use of anesthesia for dental purposes, while Long administered it for minor surgeries," reveals the How Things Work site.
#19
Am very light sensitive so I'm often squinting and shielding my eyes from regular light sources. But in darkness if you close your eyes and reopen them you'll force your eyes to refocus and will usually immediately have better night vision. Found this out when I used to read during sunset. I'd just keep closing my eyes and reopening them until my mum found me reading in the dark hours later.
Tbh not sure if this is a normal thing or I made myself this way by doing it as a kid.
Tobias Reaper 1 month ago (edited)
fun fact pirates used to wear an eye patch on one eye so that when going from the bright upper deck to below they switch it to the other eye and they have good night vision on one eye still
#20
Clean as you go. Always. No excuses.
#21
When you want to move in to a new home, stalk the neighborhood, try to make conversation with some people. A bad neighbour can ruin all peace and comfort.
#22
Just hang wrinkly clothes in the bathroom while you shower so the steam will do the work.
#23
Ear plugs for sleeping if you live somewhere noisy or near a main road.
I'd get tired with my noise canceling headphones on but taking them off let the noises wake me back up. Got some ear plugs from work and tried them out.
They even have different noise reduction levels available. I can still hear my alarm with them in.
SouthernGal 1 month ago
They can save a marriage with a snoring spouse! I’ve been wearing them for 30 years.
#24
If you setup an account like Stash, Acorns or Onepay and set them to take a percentage automatically out of your paycheck every 2 weeks or whenever you won’t notice it and can build up savings faster.
#25
If a jar is too hard to open, take the edge of a key and lift the lid a tiny amount to release some of the air from the seal. Should pop right off.
#26
Break down problems into smaller fractions to solve them and thus solve the total problem.
Child of the Stars 1 month ago
My 7yo has a sensory processing disorder, and one of his triggers is cleaning a big mess. This trick helps avoid a meltdown when it's time to clean up.
#27
If you stand on your heels while brushing your teeth/tongue it suppresses your gag reflex.
#28
If u try to go and cancel a subscription a lot of times they’ll offer you a discounted rate for the next few months.
#29
If you ask someone to do something and they say no, just stand there silently. You wouldn’t believe the amount of times they change their mind.
#30
If you are dizzy drink a lot of water.
David Paterson 1 month ago (edited)
Not too much water, because then you'll vomit. Go somewhere cold, fast. Stand in a breeze out of the Sun if you're outdoors. Turn on a fan if you're indoors. Ideally, breathe cold air, the colder the better.
#31
For a quick cold beer i'm adding salt to the ice bucket, it will take the water below freezing point.
#32
If you need to take a nap during the day but have difficulty falling asleep, try listening to a podcast or an audiobook while lying in bed. Obviously choose something that you don't mind missing out on, due to falling asleep. My favourite is a scary stories podcast that is good enough to keep me actually listening rather than my thoughts running all over the place, but not so captivating that it keeps me awake. :).
#33
Forgot to salt pasta water. Realized adding salt after cooking and tossing works just as well.
#34
I suck at cracking eggs so I crack them against a paper towel (placed on the counter) right next to the trash can. I throw the shells straight into the trash and then can simply grab the paper towel to clean up the rest of the mess.
It's also right next to the sink so I can also wash all the goop off my hands once I'm done wiping the counter with my egg towel.
Auntriarch 1 month ago
Clean your counter top before dealing with a lot of eggs, then if you crack one and it escapes onto the surface you can just swipe it off into the bowl.
#36
You can make perfectly good rice in a microwave. 3dl rice, 6dl water, splash of oil and a pinch of salt. Add sesame oil (optional). 20 minutes and done.
#37
Typing “.new” in your browser (like doc.new) opens a fresh Google Doc instantly.
#38
If you're nauseous to the point where everything disgusts you but you still need to drink, take a sip of water and chew it like a mouthful of solid food.
Child of the Stars 1 month ago
This trick works great for me if the nausea is simply because I'm hungry, but it didn't work for my morning sickness. The only thing that worked for that was ginger tea made with fresh ginger.
#39
Use a screen reader for proofreading. (There's probably one built in to your software or app or browser or operating system, with name along the lines of Read Aloud or Speak)
This catches all the errors that your eyes and brain autocorrect, and also keeps you moving through the document at a steady pace so you don't have to do the labour of keeping yourself on task.
#40
If you get paid every other week you usually get two paychecks a month. So I accidentally budgeted for only two paychecks a month. Well guess what? Some months have three paychecks. That third paycheck a month was a wonderful accounting error.
highwaycrossingfrog 1 month ago
Less a hack, more an inability to know how calendars work (jk, I have been in this situation)
#41
Bananas work very well to help digestion. I was in a motorcycle accident and I was on a bunch of antibiotics. It really screwed up my insides. You can do stool softeners and probiotic yogurt and all kinds of stuff, but bananas do a great job and now I don't need any medication.
#42
When you're changing a pillowcase, flip it inside out and put your hands inside it. Grab the bottom 2 corners, then grab the 2 on the short side of the pillow while still holding onto the pillowcase corners. Keep holding both while you grab the open ends of the pillowcase and pull them over the pillow. Guarantees a quick, easy process that doesn't involve shimmying it around to line up the seams evenly.
#43
Using a chainsaw? Start it up and let it warm up a bit before hauling to the downed tree.
#44
If you turn off the lights, flies will land, and they will not see you or react to you. It should only be so dark that you yourself can navigate and see details - like the fly on the wall.
Stacy Carroll 1 month ago
Nope. I know this because my cats will chase flies at night, in the dark.
#45
How to stop hiccups instantly by mildly hitting your center rib cage 10 times with your closed fist palm inwards, it creates impact waves around the area that interrupt those contractions and stops them from coming back. like tapping a dropped can of soda with a pen to reduce the bubbles inside and stop the can from exploding on you when you open it.
#47
Lose 15 lbs in 30 days by
1. Stop eating daily by 4pm and don’t eat again until 8 am (intermittent fasting) AND
2. Give up sweets (this includes all processed sugar plus honey, maple syrup, etc.) Low fructose fruits are okay.
During this time it’s helpful if you drink lots of water, get some sort of exercise every day, and avoid fast food.
highwaycrossingfrog 1 month ago
So lose weight by eating much more healthily, exercising, and having a calorie deficit? Mind blown
#48
If you shake a sealed soda can and then tap the top before opening, it sprays way less.
#49
If having a hard time sleeping, flipping to the opposite side of the bed is a true cure.
#51
You may get into a nightclub for free if you tell the bouncer you started working in the bar the night before.
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