“Felt Like An Idiot”: 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way

Nobody is born wise, so we shouldn't beat ourselves up too much whenever we're reminded of our shortcomings. However, sometimes your ignorance takes center stage and it becomes quite hard to ignore it.

Recently, Reddit user Slart_n made a post on the platform, asking others what everyday things they did wrong for years until they finally realized, and people immediately started sending in their answers.

Eventually, the thread turned into somewhat of a life hack archive and we at Bored Panda thought there's at least one useful lesson for everyone, so continue scrolling and happy learning!

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Not making a joke when someone gives you a compliment. I have learned to say “thank you. That’s nice to hear”. Game changer for me.

IGotRoks , RossHelen Report

Final score:

315points

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Tammilee Truitt 1 year ago

I will definitely put this into play. Thanks.

52points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way If you're trying to hang a picture by catching the crosswire on a nail in the wall, slide a fork down over the nail so the prongs are behind the nail head and the fork is angled away from the wall. Slide the wire down behind the fork, and it will be guided right onto the nail. Then just pull up the fork. Saves a dozen attempts to "catch" the nail on the wire.

GSnow , valeriygoncharukphoto Report

Final score:

280points

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Stephanie Did It 1 year ago

Thank you, thank you, A million times thank you from this short frustrated person!

74points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Opening a beverage can.

I keep my fingernails very short and sometimes it would be a bit finicky to open the tab on a can.

I was damn near 40 years old when my buddy showed me you’re supposed to push down on the hinge portion of the tab with your thumb to raise the other edge of the tab so you can get your finger under it. I felt like an idiot.

funklab , recstockfootage Report

Final score:

265points

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waddles 1 year ago

WHAT NOW

285points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way If you're a man, you don't need to pee standing up. This will save you a lot of cleaning.

ClaymorePlanted , AtlasComposer Report

Final score:

252points

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Rizzo 1 year ago

I started sitting down long before mobiles and tablets. In my first flat the toilet was right beneath a sloping roof and it was absolutely impossible to stand in front of it. ;)

52points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Not an everyday activity, but someone showed me I'd been wasting celery for years. When it goes limp and loses its crunch, you can just soak it in water overnight, and it makes it crisp again.

joec_95123 , Masson-Simon Report

Final score:

215points

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Eb 1 year ago

Many people stand it in a jug of water for this reason. It may also keep growing that way.

70points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Using a gift card to sign up for free trials.

dadddieslittlefox , Prostock-studio Report

Final score:

210points

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censorshipsucks 1 year ago

clever

58points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way My aunt is a physical therapist, she said that if people did simply one teeny tiny change in the way they walk, older people would be in better health.

That oh so simple thing is just walking up steps by placing your whole foot on the step, and keeping your heel on the ground with each step. As opposed to having your heel hang off the step.

That’s it. Requires zero additional effort, just changes the way you walk up stairs. What it does is increase hamstring strength. You already have enough thigh strength from general walking. The amount of older people she sees every day with weak hamstrings is wild.

iStillPlayPS3 , Lightitup_now Report

Final score:

193points

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Eric G 1 year ago

Easy for people with smaller feet. Can't do that with my size 14s

124points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way If you’re mounting something to the wall that has pre-designed holes on the back, rather than measure between the holes and try to space the nails/screws accordingly, stretch a single piece of painters tape (blue tape) across the back of the piece from just before the beginning of the first hole to just after the last one. Mark each hole with a pencil/pen on the painters tape, then place the tape on the wall and voila, you have a perfect mounting template. I suggest you do a quick check with a laser level on the wall just to make sure your marks are level before drilling.

darthva , megostudio Report

Final score:

164points

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Ches Yamada 1 year ago

Or put a bit of toothpaste on the sections that need screws/nails, then press against the wall. Hammer/screw where the toothpaste shows up.

59points

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"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Putting the bedding away. Fold the covers and the sheets and put them inside the matching pillowcase. Then they all neatly fit in the cupboard and you can easily find a complete set.

Theywillfindyou3645 , fxquadro Report

Final score:

146points

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Robert T 1 year ago

I only have two sets of bedding and one is always on the bed!

71points

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#10

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way I would always add oil or butter to my pan right away and wait for it to heat up. You're actually supposed to wait until the pan gets really hot and then add the oil. Doing that makes any pan non-stick.

WasItG00d4U , Pressmaster Report

Final score:

145points

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Nadine Debard 1 year ago

Be careful with enamelled cast iron pans, it can damage them to be heaten without anything inside (Le Creuset instructions for use)

85points

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#11

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way I used to open a banana by pulling the top, then I saw some documentary with a monkey opening them from the bottom and it's 10 times easier.

I also learn that I'm more stupid than a monkey that day.

PreZEviL , trimarchi_photo Report

Final score:

143points

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ColorEd 1 year ago

I don't find that easier and many times smush the top of a banana.

156points

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#12

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Taking the safety cap off of deodorant.

I used to try to get my finger nails under it and pop it off. They were quite a pain in the a*s to get off. In my late 20s my roommate was talking to me while unpacking her groceries and she opened her deodorant and just twisted up the stick so that the cap came off. I was shocked

dinosarahsaurus , cottonbro studio Report

Final score:

142points

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Ches Yamada 1 year ago (edited)

I have seen this before and am still baffled people did not know this.

77points

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#13

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Emotional processing.

If I was sad, I'd let myself be sad for a tiny bit, and then brush it off... Saying "I don't have time for this", or " I'm stronger than this", or "crying does no good"

Then anger and frustration would build up until arguments over nothing would happen.

I was shown how to "make space" for those "negative" emotions, and just *feel* them until they quieted on their own.

Been doing that every time they show up, and the anger and frustration is gone. Most of the anxiety is gone too.

Did it with fears too, which is making a *huge* difference in relationships.

It's a good thing too; old me wouldn't be able to handle half the s**t that current me is shouldering.

Icy-Article-8635 , Rawpixel Report

Final score:

137points

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censorshipsucks 1 year ago

Yoda is the best here. "fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering".

55points

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#14

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way you cut tomatoes with a serrated edged knife. It's just... so much easier. there is no squishing of the tomato.

pianoispercussion , sashamurashka Report

Final score:

137points

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TK 421 1 year ago

Or use a properly sharpened knife like you’re supposed to.

125points

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#15

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Putting onions in the refrigerator for a half hour/ hour before cutting makes it so you don’t cry from the fumes. Learned this working in a restaurant kitchen having to prep 100 lbs of onions every shift. Refrigerating them first was a necessity.

Eyfordsucks , jirkaejc Report

Final score:

127points

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Ches Yamada 1 year ago

I always keep my onions in the fridge..?

62points

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#16

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Those tiny, obnoxious cans of tomato paste. You can take both ends off with the can opener, and use a wooden spoon to push on the top. It comes out clean like a push pop!

knittybitty123 , Sarah Report

Final score:

125points

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Kel_how 1 year ago

Ooh, that's fancy

34points

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#17

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Sliding your thumb on the spacebar of your phone will move the cursor.

UnfairMicrowave , NataliaRuedisueli Report

Final score:

124points

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fs 1 year ago

Actually very manufacturer or OS dependent. On Samsung devices swiping the space bar is often used for switching between input languages and their corresponding keyboard layouts.

66points

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#18

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Cleaning the stupid microwave. I used to scrub it and hurt my back before I stumbled on a video about microwaving vinegar beforehand and it really works. I am disabled so all that time I could have cleaned it without hurting myself all those years.

Dull-Geologist-8204 , gpointstudio Report

Final score:

124points

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Ches Yamada 1 year ago

Or you can also wipe it down after any use if you notice it's dirty. I hardly ever have to "scrub" mine, it's kept clean because I keep an eye on it.

63points

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#19

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way I just remember that one dude being told you could wait for the shower to warm up instead of having to stand in it cold as it warms up lmao.

Mythril_Bullets , RossHelen Report

Final score:

123points

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waddles 1 year ago

i remember my mom telling me not to do this because it wastes water

63points

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#20

Boots first, then corset.

EllesAway Report

Final score:

120points

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Genericist 1 year ago

Rejoinder: pee first, then corset. Else it's a pain in the a*s trying to get your skirt/underwear back in place underneath!

50points

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#21

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way If you know you are supposed to do something simple (take out the trash, clean your room, etc) but you just can't find the motivation, stop.

Decide what you want to get done (it has to be something you can do as a single action.)

Decide how you would feel if you had completed it (relieved, content, happy, etc)

Ask yourself how long you are willing to go without that feeling (a day, an hour, five minutes, etc)

Now you aren't dreading doing the thing, you are asking yourself why you are denying yourself the feeling you want to feel.

Bubble_James_Bubble , https://elements.envato.com/young-asian-man-taking-out-the-garbage-at-home-TDFHRUY Report

Final score:

119points

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On a whim 1 year ago (edited)

Procrastinating Brain… yes, you will feel good about taking that trash out… but do you know what would make you feel really great?! Chocolate… cloud watching… sliding up and down the passage in your socks…

73points

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#22

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Using electrical tape. Typically, I use this tape to wrap electrical connections like my security cameras or TV cable to weatherproof them. If I need to change out the connection in a couple of years, it results in a gooey mess after struggling to remove the tape. A pro showed me that you spiral wrap the tape over the connection sticky side out, reverse at the end and wrap sticky side down back over the first wrap. When you need to replace it you only have to cut away the ends and the remaining tape is a non-sticky tube that is easy and less sticky to remove.

Stan_Archton , LightFieldStudios Report

Final score:

117points

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Legoinsinööri 1 year ago

Or use proper connectors and vulcanic tape or even a small junction box to weatherproof it properly and won't have to change the tapes anymore.

54points

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#23

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Add vinegar to the wash, and your clothes last longer before getting stinky. I suspect fungi / general microflora are involved.

Additional-Fee1780 , Clean With Confidence Report

Final score:

114points

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LizzieBoredom 1 year ago

Replace clothes with lettuce and tomatoes, and once you retrieve your fork from behind the picture, you can have lunch.

159points

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#24

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Rinsing my hair - I used to rinse with hot water and assume I just had frizzy and dry hair. Rinsed with cold water once and realized I'd lived far too long with frizzy hair for no reason.

Clawffee , RossHelen Report

Final score:

101points

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Well-Dressed Wolf 1 year ago

But… but… brrr! XD

90points

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#25

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way How to properly secure a towel around the waist after a shower. Instead of tucking the hem inwards, you fold it outwards and down, much more secure, you can like, run around and not worry about it falling off.

archetype1 , fxquadro Report

Final score:

100points

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Sinclair13 1 year ago

Can someone please explain this to me I don't understand. Is the picture showing the wrong way to do it?

103points

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#26

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Brushing my hair. No one taught me how to do it right because I always had short hair as a kid, and my mom somehow got the impression I knew to brush the ends first, and work up to the roots. Nope. I started at the top and would rip down. No wonder my hair was so bad. But then I saw Tangled AS AN ADULT and realized I had been brushing my hair wrong my entire life.

randomthoughtsofnaps , Prostock-studio Report

Final score:

98points

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A Bi-Cycle 1 year ago (edited)

Wait, I'm confused. What's the proper way? Very curly frizzy shoulder length hair here. Edit: thank you everyone for your kind comments! Greatly appreciated :D

31points

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#27

When the soap bar gets to the last sliver, you can just stick it on to the new bar to use it up completely.

finlyboo Report

Final score:

97points

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Dark Side of the Loom 1 year ago

I put that last sliver in one of those small mesh bags that you receive when you buy jewelry (Closed by little cords). When wet, it foams quite nicely when you rub it against your skin :)

54points

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#28

Long-pressing on a letter on your phone will show you various accents to choose from. Voilà!

BSB8728 Report

Final score:

91points

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Well-Dressed Wolf 1 year ago

Useful for getting around Bored Panda’s language filters so one can say shít, áss, and bütthole!

157points

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#29

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way You can take the silverware basket out of the dishwasher when unloading it. 💀

877-Cash-Meow , LenorIv Report

Final score:

89points

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The Bearded Llama 1 year ago

The dishwasher we had when I was young had the silverware basket zip-tied in. 🤔

18points

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#30

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Put on pillow covers. I used to shove the pillow in there and struggle with it until my wife showed me how to flip the pillow case inside out and cover the pillow while flipping right side out.

Immediate_Papayas , reginafoster Report

Final score:

79points

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Eb 1 year ago

Never understand people doing this. Just put the corners in the corners and shake.

139points

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#31

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way The inside shower curtain goes inside tub.

Glittering_Animal395 , Charlotte May Report

Final score:

76points

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Linouchka 1 year ago

It goes in the tub WHILE SHOWERING ! If you want it to dry properly without mold, you have to get it out after you're finished, even if that means you will have to clean up the droplets a little later. It's just water, no harm done, but the curtain remains clean.

47points

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#32

My Nana was a very clever woman. She taught me more than any of those viral life hacks ever did. When she wanted to save the end of a roll of tape, she took one of those tabs from a bread bag and stuck it on the end. Just one of many small, but genius ideas.

rslashdepressedteen Report

Final score:

76points

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censorshipsucks 1 year ago

or you just fold a small part of the tape over at the end after each usage.

122points

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#33

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Felt like an idiot for years I’d bite the shells of pistachios open.

A friend showed me I can just use a half shell to lever the others open 😅

spiderbro8 , AZ-BLT Report

Final score:

73points

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Tammilee Truitt 1 year ago

*Warning* Shelling is no problem, however, recently I was eating the damn things while watching TV. I couldn't stop. I ate a lot of nuts. About 3 hrs later I woke up to the worst tummy and back ache. Felt exacting like I was in labor. Lasted a couple of hours. Beware the little demon nuts.

84points

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#34

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Cut bell peppers. For years I did it in a messy way where it got seeds everywhere.

Then one day I decided that there was probably a better way so I watched YouTube.

What you do is you cut the top and bottom off first, pull the seeds out in one piece, then cut down the sides and unroll it like paper. Then you cut the unrolled piece into strips.

thedrakeequator , Prostock-studio Report

Final score:

70points

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Telepathetic 1 year ago

Terrible knife handling in picture

52points

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#35

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Washing my hair. Had bad dandruff from high school into my 20s.

Turns out you don’t need to shampoo daily and less is more with conditioner.

Shaved my head for 10 years just so my scalp could heal.

Finally started going to a stylist and she explained it in a way I understood and now I have long luscious curls.

bwtaha , Sonyachny Report

Final score:

67points

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censorshipsucks 1 year ago

I suffered with this a lot. Dandruff has 3 causes, as I understand it. 1. surface fungal infection. Anti-dandruff shampoo can help with this. A further symptom is crusty buildup on the scalp, like dried plasma. That's a fungal dandruff. 2. psoriasis. Reducing shampoo usage and just rinsing with water helps. Also identifying allergens. 3. Dry scalp. This is normal. You can resolve again by reducing strong soap usage.

30points

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#36

Not sure who needs to hear it, but if you drape a piece of TP over the auto flush sensor on a toilet, you can do your business in peace, without the toilet flushing every 5 seconds, every time you change position, or just because it seems to be connected to a random number generator somewhere. When you're done, remove the TP, and the toilet flushes.

thelurkerx Report

Final score:

24points

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Georgie Montague 1 year ago

Heathrow airport.... I nearly jumped out of my skin the first time it happened....

14points

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#37

Turning my iPhone calculator sideways, didn’t know after years of owning it that it expanded the digits and abilities of the calculator.

Bruce-Wayne702 Report

Final score:

22points

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Julie Zugz 1 year ago

Same with Android, if anyone was wondering

10points

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#38

I used to have the worst time putting eye drops in as I would hover and try to drop right on the eyeball. A doctor told me to just drop it on the side of my nose and it would find it's way to my eye because of, like, gravity.

Proper_Owl4362 Report

Final score:

22points

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alwaysMispelled 1 year ago

But then you're introducing bacteria into your eye, I can't believe a Dr would recommend that

10points

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#39

Don’t use anything but a dry lens cloth to gently clean a TV screen. Fluids like Windex or even distilled water will ruin your screen.

NBA-014 Report

Final score:

22points

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Georgie Montague 1 year ago

Wish I'd known this before I ruined our tv screen...

8points

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#40

My parents boiled corn in the cob I’ve only eaten boiled corn at home for years… when I was 25 someone said try roasting in over with seasoning… I will never boil corn again.

jameswptv Report

Final score:

21points

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censorshipsucks 1 year ago

In Africa we barbecue corn. Also we mostly eat white corn, not that weird yellow sweet corn that yall eat in the northern hemisphere. grilled-wh...736313.jpg

14points

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#41

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way I folded all my washclothes and they barely fit in the drawer. My kid said "why don't you just stack them unfolded in there?" It's brilliant. They fit perfectly and it saves time. It sounds stupid, but it was a game changer.

thoughtfractals85 , seventyfourimages Report

Final score:

18points

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Mavis 1 year ago

What do they mean by "washclothes"? Do they mean washcloths? Tea towels?

15points

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#42

You can put soap bars/scraps in those little drawstring fabric bags. It doesn't slip out of your hands, get too small to use, and it also exfoliates as a bonus! Also you can hang it from a hook (I have a shelf thing with hooks in my shower) so it dries out and doesn't get gross and mushy.

shower-spider Report

Final score:

18points

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Dark Side of the Loom 1 year ago

Yes, that’s what I do, as I explained under another article ( I use a small jewelry mesh bag, I know some people use the foot of old nylon tights) Plus, it foams nicely .

6points

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#43

Peeling garlic. HATED doing it until I learned to just give it a big whack first.

be_steve_it_or_not Report

Final score:

18points

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shawn mckinney 1 year ago

I love the big whack

13points

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#44

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way You're not supposed to rinse after brushing your teeth. You're supposed to allow toothpaste residue to sit on your teeth for like 30 mins. You just spit and move on. Don't rinse your mouth with water.

thedankbank1021 , drazenphoto Report

Final score:

17points

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MC Mary 1 year ago

I really wish a dentist would confirm this, I don`t sit well with this idea

23points

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#45

Cleaning a frying pan with burnt grease. If you put it back on the stove while it’s still hot with a little bit of water it will boil the grease loose. It makes it much easier to clean that way. Scrub it right after you pour the boiling water out and before you use soap.Don’t put soap in the pan while it’s on the stove or it will cause a chemical reaction and you will get particles in the pan which can make it potentially unsafe to cook in after, especially depending on the soap. I still even after doing this put the dishes through an antibacterial cycle is the dishwasher though. To many years in kitchens I guess lol. Hope it helps ❤️

AlternativeStatus261 Report

Final score:

17points

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Brenda 1 year ago

Put boiling water in pan and cover. Scrub after a few minutes

4points

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#46

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way If a metal lid is not coming off of a jar, instead of struggling, run hot water on the lid for a minute, it'll come off easily.

NotSoGreta , Christine Report

Final score:

16points

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Firstname Lastname 1 year ago

Personally I poke a knife under the lid to break the suction point and it comes off in seconds.

30points

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#47

CTRL+SHIFT+ESC.

THAT is the one you want, not ctrl+alt+delete

Kuli24 Report

Final score:

15points

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Telepathetic 1 year ago

Why ? Explain please

11points

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#48

Getting a hole ready by using an awl *before* drilling the wood.

Back2Bach Report

Final score:

14points

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censorshipsucks 1 year ago

or just put the screw in the spot, hammer it once to make a dent, then drill.

11points

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#49

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Tying my shoes. Watched a TED talk about it and learned I had been doing it wrong for decades. Haven't had a shoe come untied since, and no more need for double knots.

EDIT: Link for those interested:

[https://www.ted.com/talks/terry_moore_how_to_tie_your_shoes](https://www.ted.com/talks/terry_moore_how_to_tie_your_shoes)

jDubbaYo , OlhaRomaniuk Report

Final score:

14points

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ColorEd 1 year ago (edited)

TED talk about tying your shoelaces? They are really scraping the bottom of the barrel, aren't they?

23points

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#50

I recently got Plantar Fasciitis and found out I was ignorant about several things:

1. Plantar Fasciitis is not some kind of foot warts(not sure why I thought this).
2. I thought shoes were supposed to be tight, but a specialist told me there should be about a finger width between your toe and the tip of the shoe, I was wearing a full size too small.
3. I thought you were supposed to get shoes that match the shape of your feet. So having long, skinny feet that had a relatively low arch, I always wore Converse All-Stars. I now know that your shoes NEED supportive insoles so that it doesn't hurt the tendons and muscles in your feet.

I didn't know that shoes could be comfortably worn as long as they do now because I have shoes that actually fit with supportive insoles. I wish I knew about all this sooner!

Chaotic_Lilithe Report

Final score:

14points

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Verena 1 year ago

Where did this person buy shoes? At least here the shops make sure the shoe fits

6points

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#51

Shovel snow from the bottom of the driveway up, rather than top down, to save your back. Especially if you have a steep driveway

I don’t know if there’s an even better way but in my area, everyone starts at the top, pushing snow from the middle out to the sides on the driveway to throw the snow on the grass or rocks. Our driveway is steep and this was really uncomfortable for me. One day I decided to start from the bottom and Holy Schmoly it was so much more comfortable. You can stand a little below the part you’re scooping so you don’t have to bend over as far. Life-changing for back pain!

Real-Literature7792 Report

Final score:

14points

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John L 1 year ago

Also, don't wait until it stops snowing to do this. All you are doing is making your job harder. Several easy jobs while it's snowing is better than one hard job after it stops and has had time to compress.

11points

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#52

Pinching the edge of a record to get it out of the sleeve. That's how you get noise on the beginning of every record.

Proper way is to hold sleeve horizontal and slide the record out onto your hand so that the ends of your fingers are on the label and the edge of the record is in the crook of your thumb and palm.

If you don't feel confident sliding the record out, you can bow the sleeve slightly and reach in until the tips of your fingers are on the label.

markzip Report

Final score:

13points

POST

censorshipsucks 1 year ago

yep that is the official method. However I wonder how many peeps these days use LPs instead of spotify...

7points

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#53

Cooking rice. I f****d it up every time, didn't have the space for a rice cooker, ended up using packet
rice or boil in the bag.

A chinese friend showed me the finger method and I been eating perfect rice almost every day ever since.

Full_Time_Mad_Bastrd Report

Final score:

13points

POST

censorshipsucks 1 year ago (edited)

2 cups water 1 cup rice (for basmati etc), or 1.5:1 for white. Use the same cup, get to boil then leave to simmer till water is almost gone in closed pot. Obviously scoop the rice first.

11points

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#54

Put your overripe bananas in the freezer to use for smoothies or banana bread.

sharonary1963 Report

Final score:

13points

POST

Another Amy 1 year ago

Peel em first; future you will be glad you did

23points

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#55

Cooking. Adding the right blend of spices and cooking the onions first, was seriously a game changer for so many recipes.

crankyoldhag45 Report

Final score:

12points

POST

Verena 1 year ago

usually a recipe, involving cooked onions, starts with "heat oil in a pan/pot, cut the onions and cook/fry them" and only after the other players are allowed on the field ... in the pan or pit

4points

#56

Pour my beer right. I was pouring it slowly for years without letting it froth. I recently saw a video where a guy explained why you need to let your beer froth while pouring it so that the gases are released and doesn't bloat us up.

subuubalaa Report

Final score:

12points

POST

John L 1 year ago

No thanks...I prefer to burp.

12points

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#57

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way I never thought I needed a workout routine as long as I worked different parts of my body on days until I watched an Arnold Schwarzenegger video on how he makes sure ever single muscle gets hit in a 3 day period. Since then I noticed more gains than I had made all year.

NevermindWait , Pressmaster Report

Final score:

11points

POST

TK 421 1 year ago

Also, go slowly. Rather than jerking the weight or changing to a bad posture to get that weight moving, select a lighter weight to warm up and increase through your set. A friend of mine was shown this and it changed his life. No more strain pain, but better results.

13points

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#58

You can throw the plastic laundry cup in with the wash…

willieb3 Report

Final score:

11points

POST

Stephanie Did It 1 year ago

This keeps it from getting gummed up with layers of old detergent liquid. Toss the lid in with the clothes and it's sparkling clean when the load is done.

8points

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#59

I used to drag/sway the ice cube tray back and forth under the sink.... until someone showed me you can just tilt it and the water overflows downward.

pasnow Report

Final score:

11points

POST

censorshipsucks 1 year ago

you mean to refill it, I assume.

8points

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#60

No one really showed me, but up until I was 16 I would just sit on the bowl of the toilet and did not use the seat. I have no clue why i did that and did not think to use the seat. One day I was in a rush with stomach issues and had no time to put the seat up. I sat my a*s on the seat and thought to myself “this is definitely the way pooping is supposed to be done”….life changing

MllNT Report

Final score:

11points

POST

Kel_how 1 year ago

Were you raised by wolves, perhaps? /j

27points

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#61

Opening Champagne/Fizz that has a cork.

Don’t try and twist the cork off. Hold the cork and twist the bottle.

Ill-Appointment6494 Report

Final score:

11points

POST

Let’s Be Kind 1 year ago

This is all wrong! Grab your sword and slice off the top of the bottle in one grand sweeping gesture!

11points

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#62

Reheating food in the oven is so much better than the microwave lol

altbsaccount Report

Final score:

11points

POST

censorshipsucks 1 year ago

but also much slower and uses much more energy.

11points

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#63

Sprinkle some salt on your cocktail napkin to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of your glass every time you raise the glass.

Chum_Gum6838 Report

Final score:

10points

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XenoMurph 1 year ago

what a mess

10points

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#64

Nobody showed me but I realised that I wasn't shampooing my hair right. I was putting shampoo in and then rinsing it out immediately. My hair would still always be greasy and I had scalp problems. Then I thought hmm maybe I need to leave it in longer so the chemical reactions actually have time to work? Now I really massage it around and leave it in for a few minutes. Now my hair is so much cleaner and nicer, and no scalp issues. It's probably obvious but took me a long time to think of.

epic_window Report

Final score:

10points

POST

Miss Frankfurter 1 year ago

I had to do this for months as my hair was falling out due to unavoidable poor diet due to a medical issue. It was easier on my scalp and my hair didn’t come out as muc. Also, no brushes that pulled on my hair.

6points

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#65

Someone told me I used chopsticks wrong. I put the second one on the side of my ring finger, with my index and middle fingers on top of it. The person told me to just hold it like I would hold a pen, and I was like, wtf, this *is* how I hold a pen.

Then I realized I hold a pen differently from most people.

I've since retrained myself to hold chopsticks correctly, but I'm not even going to try to change how I write because it's just ingrained so deeply (and also, it doesn't really matter anyway).

Wegzuwerfendes_Konto Report

Final score:

9points

POST

Marianne 1 year ago

I also hold a pen wrong (using 4 fingers instead of three). My hand cramps easily when I write a lot and I'm slower. In adult life, it doesn't matter, but it did suck as a student when I had to write a lot. Also I could write way less in any literature test, which did result in lower grades.

6points

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#66

Holding a knife properly.

Grouchy-Cod-5908 replied:

Thumb and index finger over the base of the knife blade.

TroublesomeTurnip Report

Final score:

8points

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John L 1 year ago

Heh, depends on what you are DOING with the knife. ☺

1point

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#67

I struggled taking the membrane off of baby-back ribs for YEARS. One day, someone told me to just use a paper towel and you'll get a perfect grip on it. S**t changed my life.

Aurochbull Report

Final score:

8points

POST

XenoMurph 1 year ago

How much of your life was concerned with the membrane on ribs??

11points

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#68

Taking the pit out of avocados. Literally just push your thumbs against the bottom of the half that the pit is in and pop it out. Or use the corner near the hilt (not the blade or point) of the knife to take it out.

electrical-strip Report

Final score:

8points

POST

Icecream Sarang 1 year ago

Whack it with the knife and twist. Comes right out and doesn’t damage the avocado. Also, slice in the skin then spoon out.

6points

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#69

The way to clean the jar - I put a sponge, washing liquid, water in the jar. I mix it and the jar is clean :)

Inevitable_Key69 Report

Final score:

8points

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Nadine Debard 1 year ago

For pitchers/jugs/carafes, white vinegar and (coarse) salt, shake well, wait 5 min, shake again, rinse.

4points

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#70

At 18, a new dentist I started seeing asked how I brush my teeth, side to side or up to down. I replied side to side. He said to brush from crown down to avoid gum damage.

KLMorris1008 Report

Final score:

8points

POST

Fantastic Mr Fox 1 year ago

Even better, use an electric tooth brush. Never going back to manual.

4points

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#71

I used to shave my legs with a bent knee and would always get cuts on my knees until my friend said I should have a straight leg while shaving my knee to prevent cuts and it works like a charm.

alstap- Report

Final score:

7points

POST

Marianne 1 year ago

Wait...but you do have to bend your knee to shave it. Otherwise the knee will be in wrinkles.

14points

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#72

Not exactly daily, but if you hate running because it hurts quickly you are probably not running correctly.

I don't know if it is also because of malformations or just me being dumb.

Try to focus on running your feet touching the ground flat. If you have no clue, try to rotate your feet up or down (slightly) just before you touch group. You will see either it end up hurting you more (over a small time) or... Less....

Fu all those gym teachers at school to never even care.

who_you_are Report

Final score:

7points

POST

Strings 1 year ago

Walking is another issue. I tend to place my front foot, then transfer weight. Lower impact, and very quiet. Most people transfer their weight before their foot hits the ground

2points

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#73

Wash your face with soap before lathering up to shave.

I don't know the science but I believe it strips the oils and allows the facial hair to absorb water. This in turn makes the hair softer and less painful to shave.

Just try it.

Gscrod Report

Final score:

7points

POST

Kenny Earthling 1 year ago

...or just have a lovely beard, and trim it every few days. Much easier, no ingrown hairs or cuts, or rashes. Plus a bearded face has less bacteria than a shaved one. ...and it looks lovely.

2points

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#74

I was using my dishwasher wrong and you probably are too.

- Don't pre-rinse your dishes in the sink (it's not necessary if you use your dishwasher correctly and it wastes water). Scrape off big chunks of food, but you don't need to remove residue.
- Do run the hot water in the sink until it's hot before starting the dishwasher
- Don't use pods - liquid detergent is better, powdered is best
- Do use both the pre-rinse and the main cycle cups (the critical part that most people are doing wrong)
- Do use rinse aid

cbsrgbpnofyjdztecj Report

Final score:

6points

POST

WonderWoman 1 year ago

You can save a ton of money if you don't allow the dishwasher to dry your dishes. Just open the door and let them air dry - adds nice moisture to your home too

10points

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#75

I never knew you were supose to tost poptarts, only learned that a year ago.

Alien_1273yt Report

Final score:

6points

POST

Ches Yamada 1 year ago

Poptarts, the tart that pops up out of your toaster

7points

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#76

Breathing, through the nose people!

Watcher145 Report

Final score:

6points

POST

censorshipsucks 1 year ago

*unless your nose is almost always blocked due to pollen count etc. like me, and then you can't breathe at all

19points

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#77

I don’t know if this counts but using mayo instead of butter/oil to grill a grilled cheese. Much crispier AND doesn’t burn as easily.

Switchbladekitten Report

Final score:

6points

POST

Mimi M 1 year ago

Pry the butter out of my cold dead hands.

17points

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#78

Toilet paper rolls. I've had the roll on backwards for years

Jininmypants Report

Final score:

6points

POST

Rocco MZ 1 year ago

Why people care so much about the position of the toilet paper roll is beyond me. Regardless of how it hangs on your holder, you still use it the same way.

8points

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#79

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way How to sit up properly. I was low key dipping towards my right butt cheek allll the time and it caused a lot of physical pain.

EDIT: sit up either in a chair with feet on floor or criss cross legs on the floor (maybe put a blanket under your butt for a little cushion). Pull your right cheek out of the way, get the left one so you can find your sits bones underneath you. Rock side to side right to left right to left noticing the spot in the middle. From there rock forward into your public bone and then back into your tailbone, back and forth again noticing that spot in the middle. Start moving your hips in clockwise circles - pubic, right, tail, left a few times....take it counterclockwise. Notice any spots that you feel a little stuck....this is also a nice lower back release.

Find those four points of contact underneath you like prongs in a socket and really plug yourself in, root it down into the ground underneath you and then from that spot in the middle stack one vertebrae on top of the next really getting into the verticality of your spine. When you get to your head lengthen the tip of your nose just a little bit towards the crown of your head. Roll your shoulders up towards your ears a few times and then drop them down so you get out of any scrunching in your shoulders.

Hope that helps!!!! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Warm-Bed2956 , Satura_ Report

Final score:

5points

POST

BG 1 year ago

And if you're a guy, put your wallet in your front pocket especially while driving long distances. Life changing! Additionally, your belt buckle doesn't have to be front-and-center. If it causes you discomfort, move it. Follow me for more old guy tips.

3points

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#80

I used to read in bed. Suffered bouts of insomnia and I couldn’t figure out why. Read somewhere to only use a bed for…sleeping. Also to keep the bed nicely folded and ready so you want to lay on it when you see it. Now I sleep too much.

f0k4ppl3 Report

Final score:

5points

POST

Joroches 1 year ago

People have been reading in bed for hundreds of years. This one's bullsh*t.

15points

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#81

Opening serrated roll dispensers, left handed.

Like many things I used to never really care which hand I'd use to hold the box and which hand I'd pull the sheet of plastic wrap or foil with, and a good percentage of the time the wrap would fail to cut properly and tear at off angles and shred. Sometimes it would tear fine.

I eventually figured out that some (not all) of these boxes were only sharp in one direction. And if I held the box in my right and pulled the sheet with my left it would tear right every time.

(Also, most of these boxes have tabs on the ends which you can push in, to keep the roll from pulling out.)

Ixothial Report

Final score:

5points

POST

Rosie Red 1 year ago

I shredded a knuckle on the metal teeth.

4points

#82

Those styrofoam cup lids. I was always trying to tear off the little flap. Someone showed me how you flip it back and snap it into that little raised tab.

karrun10 Report

Final score:

5points

POST

Let’s Be Kind 1 year ago

Works with plastic to go lids too if they have that flap.

1point

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#83

Using a tin opener, was putting it side on for years which works just not very well

manic_panda Report

Final score:

5points

POST

VonBlade 1 year ago

You mean you cut the whole lid off rather than using the lip of the tin as a guide to cut the inside off? What? I mean... that's just asking for massive bleeding.

4points

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#84

Shredding cooked chicken with my fingers or with forks. It can be unpleasant if the chicken is still hot.

Instead, use a Kitchen Aid mixer using the white paddle. It will shred the chicken nicely in 10 seconds.

chickenmantesta Report

Final score:

5points

POST

Well-Dressed Wolf 1 year ago

Yes, because all of us have a $280 stand mixer in our kitchens. /s

22points

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#85

I am a CrossFit coach and I was coaching for a year or two before I figured out the correct way to use an AbMat. It’s based on the curve of your spine which is greater towards your butt.

I had been putting the thicker part of the mat closer to my shoulders, thus squishing it and eliminating it’s benefit of contouring to my back so I could engage my abs and not my lower back when doing sit-ups. It was a simple silly mistake, but is an easy and common one I see many athletes make all the time.

Now I tell everyone “the fat end to my fat end” and everyone remembers.

theseamus Report

Final score:

5points

POST

WonderWoman 1 year ago

You were coaching people and didn't know how to use the equipment??? SMDH

8points

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#86

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way How to pick up heavy things. Finally had a PT teach me how to pick s**t up when I was 31 with a chronic back injury.

Pale_Barnacle3938 , gpointstudio Report

Final score:

3points

POST

ColorEd 1 year ago

How?!

3points

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#87

"Felt Like An Idiot": 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way Putting on my seatbelt. I would always put my head between the straps and take it out afterward instead of pulling the strap across my waist.

Kerrminater , gpointstudio Report

Final score:

-1point

POST

Kel_how 1 year ago

Who in the h*ll (besides this person, apparently) puts a seatbelt on like that??

22points

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#88

Squats😂 My daughter said.. that is not the right way mom.

Kaleidoscopesss Report

Final score:

-4points

POST

Kenny Earthling 1 year ago

not enough information

4points

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#89

I always thought I knew how to change a tire. Apparently, you dont have to buy a new rim everytime and can just buy a new rubber and basically explode it into place on the rim with starter fluid and a lighter.

R3dacturd Report

Final score:

-13points

POST

censorshipsucks 1 year ago

or go to an actual tyre shop and let them do it.

29points

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What do you think ?

The Queen Of Upper Butt Crack 1 year ago

When wearing a 1 piece bathing suit and need to pee just move the material to the side instead of taking the whole wet swimsuit down to your knees and worse, trying to get the wet bathing suit back up.

wow apparently I've been doing stuff right most of my life. yay for me :)

Fembot 1 year ago

Since you’re asking me what I’m thinking, BP: - is this how we learn these days? Don’t people learn this stuff from parents or peers? Have we lost generational wisdom and skills? - it would be wonderful to pay as much attention to being nice, taking care of others, being useful in society etc than we do to the best way to peel garlic…

Dilly Millandry 1 year ago (edited)

Probably most of us learn the majority of these things from our parents but there are still a lot of people who don't have families with this kind of knowledge. Or they might have been brought up in care or with parents that don't care. Cultures can have different skills and wisdom too - eg I quite rightly trusted my Chinese friend to know better than my mother on how to cook rice! Most of us have better or easier access to huge amounts of information these days but there's an awful lot that gives conflicting advice.

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Rahul Pawa 1 year ago

I bet a lot of these skills were lost on older generations as well. Managing emotions being a prime example in my mind.

Hphizzle 1 year ago

I remember people freaking out that a preschool was demonstrating how to wipe properly (using two balloons taped to the back of the kid size chair, so they learned to turn and wipe). Complained that the Parents should teach them!!!!! Well if both parents work full time, most of the children’s waking hours (potty using hours) are at preschool. They are going to learn from where they can. Same for us adults. Our parents don’t know everything. This kind of post is always fun and helpful.

Kenny Earthling 1 year ago (edited)

yes, grandparents dead or in a home and parents both at work, not much time for generational learning

Maggie 1 year ago

Wow. Your comment feel judgey as hell. Yeah that’s how people learn these day. That’s how any generation would of learn if they had informations at their finger tips at all time. What is it with this? Are you mad people don’t miraculously know everything at all time? Who cares how people learn stuff? Humans like to enrich others humans life and that makes you mad? What’s wrong with you?

Kevin J. Henning 1 year ago

Well said.

Joyce Blodgett 1 year ago

Not all of us grew up with the Internet, nor did our parents know some of these things. In my childhood/youth, we didn't have pop-top cans, for instance; we had to open cans with a punch-type can opener, and we opened glass bottles of beverages with the other end of the same opener. Most of this is stuff I grew up learning from my parents and other adults, but not every single thing is known to every person everywhere. Your criticism of such learning only serves to show that you're not a very nice person, and I, for one, am glad you're not in my personal world.

0points

Janine Randall 1 year ago

I lost my parents at 15. I had basic life skills, but no hacks or inside info. I love learning how other people do things, especially living behind the Redwood Curtain (rural NorCal). There aren't that many people around to get tips from.

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“Felt Like An Idiot”: 35 Things People Did Wrong For Years Until They Learned The Right Way

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