13 Weirdly Brilliant Life Hacks

13 Weirdly Brilliant Life Hacks

Are these hacks weird? Yep. Are they kind of brilliant, too? Heck yeah! 

I wish I'd known trick #3 back in college. It would have saved me a lot of grief after an incident involving my father's car, being overtired, and a narrow parking garage. It is now filed away in my memory for the next time... I need to help out a friend of a friend. Yeah, that. 

1. Glue a magnet to the end of your hammer. 

 This hack is super useful for any handyman. A strong magnet is required if you want spare nails to stay put while you swing, but you can also use the magnet to collect dropped nails from tight spaces and to find hidden nails or staples during final cleanup. 

2. Quickly chill a beverage with compressed air.

 We've all been there: it's crazy hot out and someone took the last cold can of pop from the fridge. Don't sweat. Fetch a can of compressed air and spray it upside-down onto the drink. Putting the bottle in a container with a sponge will make the process even faster.

3. Fix a dent in your car.

 That can of compressed air can also be paired with a hair dryer to hide the evidence after minor fender-benders. Expand the plastic by blowing the hair dryer over it, then follow with the compressed air. The sudden change from hot to cold will cause the dent to pop right out. 

4. Lock a door with an old fork.

 If you've got a broken lock, or are staying in a sketchy neighborhood and just want to be extra careful, you can use an old fork to prevent the door from unlatching. All it takes is some basic tools to cut the handle off and bend the tips of the tines. 

5. Use lipstick to test a door that won't latch. 

 Before fixing a wonky latch, you need to know what might be causing it. Some lipstick on the latch and masking tape over the strike plate will allow you to see where the alignment of the door is wrong so you can plan your fix accordingly. 

7. Contain the dust from your drill.

 Don't get dust everywhere when you are drilling into a surface. Instead, use a paper or plastic cup. Use the drill to poke a hole in the bottom, then hold the cup flush against the surface while you work. It will catch the dust before it can get all over. 

6. A hiding place no one will ever check.

 When stashing emergency cash on a trip or pub crawl, fold up the bills and slide them into the wrapper of a menstrual pad. Nobody will pick a pocket for a pad. 

8. Use Vaseline to remove superglue.

 Most of the time, you don't need to go to the ER to get superglue removed from your skin. Petroleum jellies, like Vaseline, will break down the adhesives and allow you to carefully unstick yourself. If the glue is on or near your eye — or other sensitive places — seek help from a professional. 

9. Open evil packaging with a can opener.

 It always boggles my mind when products covered in safety warnings are then packaged in plastic death traps. Don't risk losing a finger. Instead of scissors or a knife, use a can opener to get in safely. 

10. Strong chemicals are a last resort for paint removal.

 Don't immediately reach for the heavy-duty strippers when you need to get old paint off metal hardware. By soaking them in a crockpot with water and a bit of detergent, the paint will soften overnight and come off cleanly. 

11. A smooth shave in a pinch.

 If you find yourself suddenly out of shaving cream (for whatever reason), don't suffer through razor burn. Hair conditioner contains many of the same components required for a smooth shave. Shampoo can also work if you don't have access to conditioner. 

12. Boost the volume.

 Depending on your phone, you may be saddled with a pathetic speaker. If you want to share some audio or boost an alarm, place your phone in a glass to amplify it. Just make sure the glass is empty, first!

13. Or just use what nature gave you. 

 The human skull is also a great amplifier of sound. In an emergency, you can pump up the volume by putting your earbuds in your nose and opening your mouth. Even if it's not an emergency, it can be a fun party trick. Just don't forget to clean your earbuds afterwards.