40 Things You've Been Doing Wrong All Your Life
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You were probably happily chugging along in your daily routine until you came across this article. You'll soon realize after reading through these tips that there are many things you've been doing wrong without knowing. From rescuing a wet cell phone to sealing a bag of chips, get ready to have your world turned upside down with these genius life hacks.
— Additional reporting by Emily Co
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Closing a Bag of Chips
Skip the chip clip. Keep your chips fresh with a few folds.
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Organizing Spray Bottles
Use a clothing rod to hang your spray bottles to save space.
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Untying a Knot
The trick to untying a knot is to twist the loose end as much as you can and to push it through the knot.
Filling a Container With Water
If you have a container that can't fit in your sink, carefully position a dustpan in a way that will funnel the water into the container below.
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Keeping Cords Untangled
Make sure your headphone and charger cords don't get tangled up by using bread ties to keep them in place.
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Tacking on Keys
Use a staple remover to keep your key ring open when you're adding keys.
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Keeping Manuals
Whenever you buy a product, go to the manufacturer's site and upload the digital version of the manual onto Google Drive or Dropbox, and you'll never have to keep paper copies again.
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Crossing Out Words
Instead of crossing words out with lines, cross them out with letters so they won't be legible.
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Removing Trash Bags
Drill holes in a trash can to prevent suction issues when pulling out and inserting a trash bag.
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Making Sandwiches
Cut round sandwich fillings in half to make sure they cover the whole surface of the bread.
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Packing Clothes
Roll up your clothes when packing, because it'll take up less space.
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Heating Up Food
Place one bowl on top of a cup to make sure both bowls can fit in the microwave at the same time.
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Eating a Cupcake
Instead of just digging in, cut the bottom off and turn it into a sandwich. You'll get frosting in every bite.
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Eating Popcorn From a Bag
Rip the bag strategically on its side instead of the top so you no longer have to dip your hand into the bag to grab popcorn.
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Microwaving Leftovers
Dig a hole in your leftovers when heating them up in the microwave so the heat will spread evenly.
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Keeping Pastries Fresh
Place a slice of bread on your cake or with your cookies in a bag to keep them soft and moist.
Using Sauce Cups
Spread the rims of the sauce cups so you can dip your burger in ketchup or add even more ketchup to the cup.
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Serving Drinks
Top drinks with a cupcake liner when entertaining outdoors so you don't have to worry about pesky flies.
Peeling a Banana
Learn from monkeys, and peel a banana from the bottom instead of the top.
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Eating Cheesy Snacks
Eat snacks with a lot of residue with chopsticks so you won't get any of the powder staining your fingers!
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Listening to Music on Your Phone
Put your phone in a cup when playing music to enhance the sound.
Eating Chicken Wings
Eating finger-lickin' good wings has never been easier with this trick.
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Drinking Sodas
Keep your straw in place by turning the tab and placing the straw through the tab.
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Using Butter in Recipes
Did you know that you can use avocado instead of butter in your recipes? Mind = blown.
Separating Egg Yolks
Use a bottle to suck up the egg yolk with ease, separating it from the egg white.
Eating Tic Tacs
Trying to get out Tic Tacs can be frustrating, but this technique will fix that.
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Breathing
We're breathing all wrong. The proper way of breathing is to breathe from your abdomen, not from your chest. Breathing from your chest area will result in shallow breaths and less oxygen intake.
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Praising Children
Did you know that the right way to praise your children is to praise their efforts? A Stanford study found that kids who have their efforts praised are more motivated and persistent than those who are praised for their abilities. For example, saying "You did a great job with those math problems," is better for the child than saying, "You are so good at math!"
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Making Iced Coffee
Freeze coffee into ice cubes to make iced coffee that won't get diluted by regular ice.
Peeling Potatoes
Ditch the peelers! Peel potato with ease with this technique.
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Stashing Grocery Bags
Fold your plastic bags into these origami triangles so they'll take up less space.
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Slicing Bread
To slice bread without squishing the top, turn it upside down and slice it from the bottom up.
Peeling Garlic
Peel garlic in 10 seconds by following this video.
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Separating Pomegranate Seeds
Use this water method and it won't be a chore to eat pomegranates. Simply fill a large bowl with warm water. Submerge the pomegranate in the water bath (this will contain juice splatter should any seeds rupture), and gently crack it open along the score lines, pulling each section of flesh outward. If this step proves troublesome, extend the score lines further into the flesh and try again.
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Rescuing a Wet Cell Phone
We've heard so many ways on how to rescue a phone you dropped in water, but the best strategy is to seal your phone in an airtight pouch with synthetic desiccant. You can start saving the packets you get in food packages or clothing, or you can buy your own from Amazon.
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Tying Plastic Bags
Instead of tying plastic bags with a rubber band, use the top of a water bottle to screw it shut.
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Freezing Ice Cream
You've been freezing your ice cream all wrong. Keep it in a ziplock bag when you stuff the tub in the freezer, and your ice cream will stay soft and not harden to the point where you'll have difficulty scooping it.
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Breaking In Shoes
You probably loathe breaking in shoes. Just take a thick pair of socks, wear shoes, and then use a hair dryer to blow on the tightest corners. Keep repeating until the shoes fit comfortably!
Cutting Cake
Make a clean cut with cakes by using dental floss.
Removing Cornhusks
Remove cornhusks with ease by microwaving the corn.
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