20 People Shared Their Fave "This Actually Works” Trick And Its Eye-Opening

TikTok has taught us that there are millions of things we don’t know that make life easier. All sorts of simple hacks to solve everyday problems that most of us just tend to put up with because, well - what else can you do? Turns out, there’s a lot you can do. One Reddit thread aimed to collect the little hacks ordinary folks like you and I use to bypass otherwise annoying life situations. Run through the list below to check out the most upvoted on the thread, and we bet, you’re bound to find one or two that you didn’t even know you needed to know. 

#1 Laying on your left side can stop gastric reflux pain

Image source: Super-horse-person, John-Mark Smith

#2 Was told to put my hand on the bottom of the steering when backing a trailer because then whichever direction you move your hand, that's the way the trailer goes instead of the opposite if your hand is on the top.

Image source: Rugarroo, Kampus Production

#3

I work with children, and there's a lot of things they don't like to do but needs to get done. Often the phrasing of what needs to happen can do the trick. Such as "I know you don't like Brussels spouts, so would you like carrots or green beans?" or "would you want to eat 6 pieces of broccoli or 3 to go with your chicken?". Wherein the answer is in the question and there is no opting of the vegetables, but it seems like they get to pick the least horrible option. Image source: cutiepuffjr

#4

Ring toss at the fair. Don’t just sling them, or toss them towards the bottles in hopes that you’ll snag one. Gently toss them flat up into the air above the bottles & try to get it to fall flat. Hopefully I’m describing this correctly, because the first year I tried this at the fair I won an electric guitar and mini amp. The following year, I won a $300 bike. Haven’t been to the fair since, but you can bet your a*s I’ll play it again the next chance I get. Image source: heymookie

#5

Image source: __MCMXCV, Katerina Holmes When I was a little kid, I was playing in my dad's office while he was in a meeting and was drawing dinosaurs on his dry-erase bord. Unfortunately, I was using permanent marker and I got so scared I would get in trouble, I cried. His secretary heard the commotion and was nice enough to show me that if you draw over the lines with a dry erase marker it'll all come off when you erase it. She was also nice enough to take me to the bakery across the street and get me a cookie.

#6

Small human contact with people we pass by in life. Keeps me centred and stops the shyness of meeting new people. Making eye contact, smiling and saying nice or funny things to strangers. Occasionally someone blanks you, but the vast majority of times it starts a little convo - a little bit of human contact. You never know - perhaps you are the first person that day who has acknowledged their existence. Simple examples - saying good morning to the people at the bus stop. I said 'choices choices...." to someone standing looking at a display in the supermarket a short while Iago. They laughed and I laughed little too. Small human contact. Image source: extra_specticles

#7

Im always way too hot when I try to fall asleep, but I can't sleep with open windows in the winter. So I keep a couple of oranges frozen outside the window and I just toss one into bed. Night snack and keeps me cool without having to get up out of bed. Win-win unless you fall asleep and crush the orange, but atleast you got some sleep so thats still kind of a win... I never expected this post to gain such traction, or I'd made it clearer. So I guess Ill edit in some common questions. -I rarely eat them before sleep. It's either breakfast or a snack if I wake up at 3am. -My teeth are fine. -Ice packs would work as well, but you can't eat them and it doesn't feel as natural. -Fans work, but I have a bad habit of ruining them. It's not as good as under blanket cooling anyways. -I like to keep them in my armpits, but not always. Sometimes they just roll around in bed, sometimes I put one on my belly button and pretend I'm a giant teeing up my ball for a galactic game of golf. -I am almost certainly a human. I think. -I'm single and ready to mingle. Thank you for the gold kind stranger! Image source: AutisticYogurt

#8 If you spill candle wax on a carpet, you can get it out by running an iron over it with a damp towel in between. I was so baffled I almost felt like spilling more wax.

Image source: phyx8, Larry-Man Edit: low heat, make sure the towel is damp enough, keep the iron constantly moving, and most importantly, don't blame me if you light your carpet on fire. (Please Google it first. Step 1 is actually use a butter knife to get the big clumps out, and there's a few other disclaimers)

#9 Turning electronics off and then on again magically fixes many problems

Image source: thegibsongirl03, Mikhail Nilov

#10

When I figured out that control + shift + t actually reopened my tab I just closed by accident Image source: mrnerdles

#11

When your car overheats, turn up your heater to full blast while driving (roll windows down if it’s summertime so you don’t bake). It helps to keep your engine cooler than it would otherwise be until you get to a safe spot to stop (or to a nearby repair shop). After I broke up with my ex (about 2 weeks afterwards) my radiator busted, and I didn’t know who to call for help. I ate crow and called him bc he knew a few things about cars, yet at the same time was skeptical because he had a reason to give me horrible advice and screw me over. Lucky for me he was a good guy and his advice saved my car. Image source: cocopeach01

#12

Create a “in case of anxiety/panic attack” playlist. Your brain memorizes how we feel when associated with things. When you work out and have a clear head, listen to this playlist. Religiously. When you start to have an attack, play this music. Your brain will assume it’s relax or workout time and calm down. Image source: anon

#13

Cursing loudly makes some automated answering machines immediately go to customer service. I personally recommend f**k but b***h s**t also works as well. Image source: flamethekid

#14

Image source: corvoidae, Ivan Oboleninov Read in a tween magazine (might have been American Girl or something similar?) years and years ago a tip to help you fall asleep where you slowly tense all your muscles as much as you can, then release the tension all at once. I was amazed at how much more relaxed I felt when I tried it! Years later I realized this was basically mimicking what happens when you orgasm, without the sex part. So, take that as you will; but hey, it works either way.

#15 If your nose is stuffy and you can’t get it cleared just do 10 push-ups and it will clear right up. You can blow your nose over and over but for some reason this actually does a better job of clearing it up. I had no idea how it could work at first so I was skeptical but somehow it genuinely does work.

Image source: anon, Polina Tankilevitch

#16 Writing down goals does actually help me get them done more often

Image source: samtheslouch, Marcos Paulo Prado

#17 Listening to a song while reading along to the lyrics after it's been in my head all day to get it out. I don't even know how many times this has saved my sanity.

Image source: Pyrefirelight, Vlada Karpovich

#18 Pouring hot water on the remaining wax on finished candles! The wax melts and floats to the top so you can just reach in and take it out AND your candle jar is clean to be repurposed or recycled. Sounds simple but as an avid candle burner it changed my life.

Image source: s0phs, Instructables

#19

I had really bad vertigo when i rolled over for like a month out of nowhere. Id roll over and it felt like i was still rolling for a good 20 seconds. I eventually looked up some YouTube video on it, i didnt expect much, but one video told me to lie on my back on the bed and lean my head off the bed as far as it could go back. Then hold for 10 seconds. Then move my head up to even level for ten seconds and finally bring my head up so that my chin is pushed into my neck all while laying on my back still, and hold for 10. I felt really sick after for like 30 minutes but after it was completely cured. Image source: rayvin4000

#20

Apparently squatting ***does*** make it easier for you to s**t. But if actual squat toilets are too weird/gross/inconvenient for you, you get the same effect by putting a footstool in front of a normal toilet, and leaning forward while taking a dump. You don't have to [buy a squatty potty](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbYWhdLO43Q), a regular *stool* (pun intended) works just fine. Image source: AdvocateSaint

#21 Contact solution works wonders on blood stains !!

Image source: chelsrrrr, Marco Verch Professional Photographer

#22

If you put your ear up to someone’s leg, you can hear them say “What the f**k are you doing?” Image source: Dycrno