Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein... There's no denying that we love to celebrate the great minds of the men and women who make the world progress. But for every world-changing genius out there, there are hundreds of regular people whose genius is often forgotten or ignored. In our collection of clever hacks, there's no shortage of anonymous geniuses who have put their minds to work and have developed some amazingly creative solutions for all kinds of everyday problems. Almost everyone has probably encountered some of these problems. If that's the case, we have the solution! If not, please enjoy the extraordinary lengths some remarkable individuals have gone to so that they could fix a minor issue. Either way, these are the men and women showing that we don't have to change the world to be considered a genius. Sometimes, all it takes is thinking outside of the box and making the most out of things.
He Always Gets Around
Teenagers: stranded in a magical place between childhood and adulthood, they have the ingenious mind of a grown-up and the disposable free time of a child. A powerful combination that can result in some mind-blowing scenes just like this one.
After having the front wheel of his bike go missing due to some teenage-related accident (that's our guess), this brilliant kid decided to make the most of an old scooter and create this one-of-a-kind mechanical device. He's probably just doing it for the laughs, but we genuinely think there's a future to this quirky machine in today's market. This is how great businesses are born!
East Meets West
Tired of not knowing how to eat Chinese food? Do friends always laugh when they see the struggles at a Chinese restaurant? Forget about it now! By combining the power of the Eastern chopsticks and the Western fork, Chinese food can be eaten with all the comfort ever desired.
We know people will still make fun, anyway. And sometimes, the whole experience may feel a little bit worthless, like wearing a pair of shorts on top of a pair of pants. But hey, if it works, who are we to judge?
Thinking Outside The Box
IKEA's style of affordable, easy-to-assemble furniture has taken the world by storm. But not all people are convinced by it. Buy a bedside table, and put it together too? That sounds like a lot of work. There's got to be an alternative solution.
Thinking literally outside the box, this man decided he could have his bedside table ready without even taking it out of the package. The result is a hilarious piece of furniture that looks nothing like the table printed on the box, but that works just as nicely as any other bedside table!
Colander? More Like Coolander!
Being a handy person always comes in useful! This man was trying to cook some spaghetti for his girlfriend when he realized he didn't have a colander. A less determined person would give up or simply use a different kitchen implement, like a sieve, but compromise is unnecessary when building stuff comes naturally!
With nothing but a drill and a plastic bowl, he made a brand-new colander in a matter of minutes. We don't know how delicious his spaghetti was, but we love his customized and unique new colander. It's great when in a pinch!
How To Never Move Again
Procrastination is a big part of being a college student, and, like most things, it can be achieved with different degrees of success. Sitting on the couch with a cold one is pretty basic, but sitting on the couch without even having to move to have a sip? Now that's what we call a professional procrastinator!
Boasting the proud face of a happy lazy man, he's getting all of the hydration without any of the body moves. As a young man, muscle preservation is required for the more challenging days ahead. And this college student may have a lazy body, but he's surely put his mind to work.
Just Heat It
When the need to eat arises, heat is often needed. But keeping pizza warm can be a challenge when staying in a hotel room without a microwave. Well, we guess pizza tastes delicious anyway, so why not just eat it cold? That's what many people would do, but not this guy.
A fan of the animated sci-fi series Rick & Morty, he always knows how to pull off a nice fixup. And instead of having cold pizza, he's going for the best leftover pizza he can achieve. No microwave? Just use the hairdryer, and that pizza can taste like something that was just bought at the restaurant.
The Key To Hanging Clothes
Engineers, right? Some love fashion as much as a dog loves going to the veterinarian, and they can always compromise when it comes to household implements. So, it's no wonder this engineer has decided to put one of his old keyboards to fair use. And, surprise, surprise, it works as a perfect coat hanger!
Considering a keyboard is way more valuable than a regular coat hanger, this hack may strike as kind of wasteful. But this man probably has more old keyboards around the house than he needs, so it works wonders for him.
Coffee Or Die
We can't do anything right until we have our precious morning coffee. Fortunately, our stove works just fine, and our coffee pot never misses a beat. But when stranded at home without any way of making much-needed morning coffee, some creativity might be required.
These guys were dying for some hot coffee, and they were not going to give up just because their stove was not working. Using the power of a regular household iron, they managed to heat a pot and get all the caffeine they needed. Our only question is: How were they able to get this creative without having some coffee first?
Thinking Diagonally
Only one battery and the computer mouse requires a total of two? But the videogame is calling right now. What to do? Well, simply leave the house and buy a new set of batteries, but that sounds like a bummer. Instead, why not try something unusual?
This man did that exactly. In an inspired move, he decided to make the most out of his one battery by placing it diagonally. And it seems that it worked! This is the sort of epic stunt that can make or break the day. This battery would probably last half the time it's supposed to, but this is still a genius hack.
Hidden In Plain Sight
Grown-ups and children are not that different. But while they both feel tempted by candy, adults usually have a way of keeping their desires under control. A woman knew she would want to eat all the Halloween candy before the big day, so she asked her husband to hide the sugary goods.
A loving husband; he did exactly what his wife asked of him. But for some reason, we don't think he did that good of a job. Who would've guessed that "definitely not candy" is one of the worst names to give to a box of hidden candy?
Beach Genius
First seen in 2018, this image is an Internet oldie. Just like in the day, if it was first uploaded, it still makes us think about the future. This man is so good at problem-solving he's making us feel like we're looking straight into the future.
Tired of having the sun on his face during a lazy summer afternoon, he decided to make his own shade using a beach sarong. But our favorite part is that he actually used his toes as the bottom base for holding his self-made shade. How genius is that?
One For The Pringles Addicts
Many salty snacks are addictive in a way, but Pringles surely take the prize! When starting to eat these delicious crisps, there's no stopping until the can is empty. And in the end, there's nothing but a slight feeling of regret and some greasy hands. But does it have to be like that?
Well, there's nothing to do about feeling guilty for devouring a whole can. But avoid the greasy hands with this simple hack. Just stick a piece of paper in there, and start eating Pringles more comfortably and cleanly than ever before!
Inspired By Jesus
We don't know exactly why, but this young man needed to get to the other side of this lake without getting himself wet. So, what to do? With the help of an ordinary stick and two grid doors, he built himself a walk-on-water device that's meant to impress even the greatest water-walker of them all: Jesus.
One doesn't have to be a religious person to enjoy the magnificence of this incredible moment. For reasons that remain unknown, this brilliant young man operated a small miracle on the way to his next college class, and we think he deserves an A+.
Sunny Days Ahead
The future. We love to wonder about it, and we're pretty sure there will be no shortage of incredible technology in the societies of tomorrow. Still, we don't think solar-powered hats will be the 'big thing' in the year 3019. In 2020 terms, though, this is a crafty piece of technology!
This young man can now use his smartphone for as long as he wants, assuming the sun is still shining. We don't know if this quirky solar panel hat works, but it's worth it just for the laughs! And if it does work, it's undoubtedly a lifesaving hack.
Good Memories Must Be Cherished
Imagine visiting a girlfriend's parents during Thanksgiving and ending up falling down the stairs. Sounds embarrassing. But it's even worse if ending up leaving a big hole in the wall. However, if the parents-in-law are any bit as cool as these two, there may be nothing to worry about.
Instead of fixing the wall or screaming at their daughter's boyfriend, these parents decided to get creative and make a cool household monument out of the situation. It's no Eiffel Tower, but it comes with a hilarious story. In the end, life is all about the good memories, so there's nothing wrong with celebrating them!
A Temporary Lefty
Unless one's a lefty, one never wants to hurt the right arm. That's the arm used to do all essential things, like writing or brushing teeth. But if an accident, like a dislocated shoulder, happens to render the right arm useless, there's nothing like a little bit of humor to get through the day.
This right-handed dad was forced to make a few adjustments after hurting himself, but his daughters had a lovely idea to cheer him up. She used a black marker to turn dad's "Mr. Right" mug into something more appropriate to his left arm. We're pretty sure he loved it!
No More Greasy Fingers
It's a first-world problem but still a big issue. When relaxing and eating salty crisps quite comfortably and then realizing that greasy fingers are leaving marks all over the computer or TV remote. It's gross but can't be avoided. Or can it?
This creative Internet user is making sure grease isn't getting in the way of his two favorite things; his computer and a delicious bag of Doritos. The solution is simple: add a go-between! By using a clothespin, this clever man is making sure his fingers are no longer directly involved in the process of taking a Dorito from its original bag to his mouth.
There's No Bail At The Family Dinner!
Unlike many kids these days, our grandmothers and grandfathers still consider family dinners to be sacred. At the table, there's no room for distractions. It's all about connecting, talking to one another, sharing experiences, and wholly enjoying a good home-cooked meal.
But has this grandmother taken things too far? In a desperate measure to keep her grandchildren away from their cellphones, she decided to make the most out of an old locker container. The result is this hilarious scene. It may be funny, but it works: no one is getting around that locker anytime soon!
It's Just A Matter Of Control
Call him a control freak, but he doesn't care. When a man spends enough time at the bar, he always finds a way to make himself comfortable. Quite sneakily, this ingenious dad is making sure he's the king of the pub by controlling the bar's television.
It's a great power, but one that comes with zero responsibilities. And it must make for some hilarious moments. Imagine how great this man must feel during sports nights! He can change the channel right before a critical moment in the game just to mess with his friends.
A+ Student Hack
There are a lot of things we miss from our school days. But we don't miss our super-heavy backpacks, nor the fact all our notebooks looked precisely the same from the outside. Remember the feeling: searching for the latest math notes and being forced to open three or four notebooks before finding the right one. But were we just being dumb?
It turns out there's an easy solution to this ever-annoying problem. Just write the subject's name on the top of the notebooks, and always find the right notes! If at least we were a little bit wiser back when we were in high school...
Forget The Pain & Focus On Wally
Going to the dentist. It was a nightmare back as a child, and, quite honestly, it's still far from pleasant today. But some dentists know precisely how horrible it is to get one's teeth fixed and love to treat their patients in the best possible way.
This dentist takes the number one award for the world's best dentist with his "Where's Wally?" ceiling. We know it's supposed to be for kids, but we bet even the grown-ups enjoy it! There's nothing like a Wally game to keep the mind busy during an uncomfortable and possibly painful dentist session.
Never Compromise On Looking Good
Going to a garden party wearing high heels can be challenging: the heels always find a way of getting stuck in the grass, making for some uncomfortable and even embarrassing scenes. To avoid situations like that, this woman makes sure she's stepping on nothing but solid ground.
The way to achieve it? Just use a regular breadboard! Just find another place to put the delicious ham, cheese, and bread. The priority is that the guests at the party feel good and secure. All the other ladies are probably envious of this clever hack right now.
Is It Ugly? Check! It Works? Check Again!
One doesn't need to be pragmatic to be a "true man," but there's no denying it's better to have something ugly and useful than something beautiful and worthless. But, with a broken rearview, this car was both ugly and useless, not to mention hazardous!
The solution? Well, a rearview is nothing but a mirror in the end, so why not make the most out of an old mirror lying around the house? We agree this is not ideal, but it's at least good enough to take the car to the nearest mechanic. Just drive safely and make sure the cops don't see this ugly thing!
Relax, I'm An Engineer!
Regular people will bend their necks down while riding the bus to watch something on their phones to pass the time. But engineers have a way of doing things differently. They love to find proper solutions to even the smallest of problems, and they often do so with a minimal amount of resources.
This boy is clearly an engineer in the making, and he found the perfect solution to watch a movie on the bus comfortably. No phone support? Just use a regular old cap, and it will work wonderfully as an improvised holder.
Baby Safe, Mommy Happy
When becoming a parent, priorities change. Morph from laid-back to uptight, from careless to paranoid, all because of love for a baby and keeping him safe from all possible threats. This mommy, for instance, was about to leave a nice backyard party because flies kept on landing on her baby.
It could be another case of a mother not having fun because she wanted to keep her baby safe. But, luckily, the other party-goers found the perfect solution. Never mind the snacks; that baby is getting zero flies on top of him for the rest of the day!
Now That's Vision!
When regular people look at a shopping cart, they see a shopping cart. When extraordinary people look at a shopping cart, they see a portable meat grill. It works wonderfully, and it's even better than a regular barbecue grill because it comes with wheels!
Being a meat lover is not even required to enjoy this brilliant hack. And if vegetarian, put the shopping cart on top of some fire and cook some veggies. The best part? Wheel this handy grill to a different location whenever required.
What Old Crutches Are For
Hopefully, there's no use for an old pair of crutches. But that's would almost be a shame. Besides being expensive, crutches are typically high-quality objects with a medically approved ability to support. Keeping them in the garage almost feels like too big of a waste.
That's why these people dusted off an old pair of crutches and put them to fair use. Is the AC about to fall from the window? Well, it sounds like a job for Joe's old crutches! The AC is fully supported by crutches, with no need for expensive renovations.
Never AFK With This Clever Setup
Analog watches, also known as regular watches, were around way before the digital age. But they can be efficient when combined with our modern-day technology. Just take a look at this work-at-home setup: with a laser mouse and a trusty analog watch, this man never appears to be away from the keyboard.
Working from home can be a bummer: if the PC goes into sleeping mode, the boss will probably think there's some couch lazing and TV watching going on. But not if an analog watch is pulling strings and making sure the laptop never goes into hibernation mode.
A Street Bench Make-Over
Street benches are usually not very comfortable. This is not a design flaw, though, but rather a way of preventing people from using the street benches for sleeping. Since many street benches are not only small but also designed like a grid, they happen to be very uninviting for anyone looking to take a nap.
But a creative stranger found out it's possible to take a regular street bench and transform it into something better. Using an old pizza box, he's making sure the grid-like design doesn't hurt his back anymore whenever he needs to sit down to take a break.
A Low-Cost Solution Is Still A Solution
As a parent, one knows that babies shouldn't sleep next to open vents. While house vents are generally safe, something unforeseen could always happen. A careful mom noticed a vent above her baby's crib, so she asked her boyfriend to fix it. And he did the job just fine!
Working with a low budget of about $0, this man could still fix the issue. His secret? Make the most out of the things already lying around the house. In this case, all that was needed was an old paper bag and a couple of sanitary pads that worked as an excellent substitute for some tape.
Baby Steps
Everybody talks about the joy of watching a baby walk for the first time. But nobody seems to mention the fact it can be painful on the walls and ankles. Walkers, in particular, tend to leave a thread of chaos behind when a restless infant is using them.
But here's a clever way around the issue: applying pool noodles to the walker will make a mom and dad's job a whole lot easier. It's cheap, practical, and effective, and even the baby will agree it makes for a better walking experience.
From One-Year Ban To Best Seat In The House
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who don't care about sports and those who don't care about anything else. This stadium hack is the work of a proper sports fan who decided to deal with a one-year ban creatively and effectively.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly why this man received a one-year stadium ban, but he deserves to return based on his perseverance alone. Access to a crane and lots of determination is all that's needed to bend the rules and watch a fine game of soccer.
Mind The Gap
The people who make the laws try their best to avoid this sort of situation, but rule-benders seem to always find a way around it. Loopholes are everywhere, and all it takes is someone smart and attentive enough to notice them.
This driver found the perfect spot to park his motorbike: right between the tow zone and the pay-for-parking area. The worst part is that the police can't do anything even if they're there: judging by the signs, this is all perfectly legal...
Green Means Green!
Expressions and metaphors tend to make for an effective way of organizing speech. But sometimes, they can result in funny mishaps. Especially when a lazy driver decides to take a well-known expression way too literally... Parking reserved for green vehicles? Not a problem!
While this driver is probably aware that the term "green vehicles" doesn't apply to his fast, heavily pollutant, fuel-consuming ride, he's decided to take words literally and grab the spot nonetheless. This is bad news for all the eco-friendly drivers in town.
Change The Headphones? No, Change The Head
Kids these days enjoy their phones and tablets as much as adults do. But some electronic equipment is not properly designed for their tiny hands and heads. A great example is this set of way-too-big headphones. Fortunately, this girl's dad came up with a great solution for the problem.
If the headphones are too big, why rush to the store to buy a new pair? The best way of dealing with the problem is applying a towel to fill up space. All things considered, it's the best way of making a kid's head artificially larger.
Making A Mailman's Day A Little Bit Better
The mailman's job is essential for the functioning of society, but many people don't even give it a second thought. However, this noble family decided to take better care of their mailman by hacking the mailbox for the winter months with a couple of wooden boards.
This way, the poor mailman is not forced to venture into the snow to deliver his letters. Considering the Postal Service delivers over 173 million pieces of mail each day in the United States alone, this sort of hack can end up making a huge difference.
A Sports Fan's Hack
Before online streaming became as easy as setting up an HDMI cable, sports fans were forced to go to great lengths to watch the game on TV. Paying for the sports channel is the easiest solution, but not one that everybody can afford.
This dedicated sports fan is saving some money by using a camera to record the streaming on his device. The camera is then hooked to his TV, so he can relax and enjoy the game with the same at-ease a paying sports channel subscriber would.
These Boots Weren't Made For Smellin'
The resilience of the human foot is admirable: they support the weight of bodies for days on end without ever complaining. Occasionally, though, feet can manifest their unhappiness by releasing an undesirable smell. And that's when this hack comes in handy!
Growing tired of his smelly boots, a man decided to build a homemade boot ventilator using nothing but a couple of pipes and a hairdryer. Apart from dropping the boots in the washer, there's no better solution to getting rid of the "toxic fumes."
Hooked To Kitchen Hacks
In the kitchen, storage space is vital. When homeowners don't have the room to store their food, kitchens can start to look messy and unpractical. That's why this hack makes for such a useful space-saver, especially considering how simple it is.
These space-saving geniuses decided to stick a hook to the bottom of one of their kitchen cabinets, and voilá: now they have the perfect place to hang their bananas. The same hack can be applied to all sorts of food and objects and help homeowners to save lots of space in the kitchen.
One For The People Who Cannot Stand The Cold
There's a huge difference between feeling chill and feeling chilly. This camouflaged woman is having a hard time dealing with the latter, mainly because the passenger's window on her husband's car broke while open. Her way of dealing with the problem?
Instead of taking the bus or stoically accepting the cold, she covered herself head-to-toe with some warm clothes. The grey blanket covers the body, the black beanie protects the head, and the scarf deals with the face. If it weren't for the peeping nose, it would be hard to even notice there's a person in there.
Head First... And Then The Body
Numbers are an indispensable part of modern-day society. Yet, measuring tools aren't always available, not even when people need them the most. Luckily, this creative man has found a way around the issue: using his own body as a measuring tape to find out how long a table is.
It's the whole-bodied version of using actual steps to measure the area of a room. While this is not the most exact measuring technique globally, it's a great hack that will surely come in handy. And by the way, this table for just $40 looks like a pretty sweet deal!
Hacking The Weather
Taking a nice-looking convertible for a ride is a proper way of enjoying a sunny summer day. But convertible cars are not perfect: they hardly leave the garage once the weather starts turning for the worse, and they cannot deal with the rain...
Fortunately, this clever driver has found a way to make sure his convertible can be out every season. Using a sunbathing shade and some sturdy rope, he turned his vintage convertible into a vehicle equipped for all sorts of weather.
When An Engineer Tries To Make Dinner
Not all handy life hacks are totally safe, and this one must be tried out with caution. The idea is simple: attaching the removable end of a food mixer to a hand drill makes for a food mixer so powerful it can grind through the wall.
Is this what happens when an engineer is tasked with making dinner? If so, they should probably stay out of the kitchen. While this hacked food mixer can blend even the toughest ingredients, it's miles away from being the safest available solution.
Job Interview Emergency
The job market can be ruthless, so it's important to make the most out of every opportunity. This young man, for instance, was missing a nice jacket for his CV photo. Without the time or money to buy a new one, he decided to... improvise.
Using a pair of pants in the cleverest of ways, he was able to fabricate a proper, professional-looking CV photo. His future boss will surely never know the difference, and maybe one day he can show these pictures to his co-workers and have a good laugh.