# Life hacks you figured out on your own **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 11, 2023, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041 "2023-03-11T20:36:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/270 "2023-03-30T14:55:29Z")
Here’s one I discovered on my own, but I am guessing millions of others have also figured it out. Extraneous noises in the house keep me from falling asleep at night, e.g. people talking, clanking dishes, footsteps, partner snoring. About five years ago I tried wearing ear plugs to bed, and they worked _great_. I now wear them every night, religiously. I also wear them in a hotel room, even if I’m alone, due to the noisy fan in the heater/AC unit. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/271 "2023-03-30T15:12:08Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Even if you don’t have a fear of dogs, it’s still a lot of big dogs that are super excited to see you. That’s the method we use as well. Your aunt sounds like a nice lady! ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/272 "2023-03-30T15:47:47Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I thoroughly clean my glasses using regular ol’ soap and water; I find cleaning my glasses with Dawn dish soap and then using a microfiber towel to work extremely well. I do have lens wipes that I often carry with me, but Dawn works better than anything else I have tried. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/273 "2023-03-30T17:36:58Z")
When I get new glasses, the optician always says that ordinary soap and water is fine for cleaning eyeglasses, so that’s what I use, along with a microfiber cloth to wipe them. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/274 "2023-03-30T21:48:20Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I did not figure this out on my own, but someone here on the board suggested this a while ago in some other thread and I got around to trying it last night - reheat cold/refrigerated pizza on the stove top in a pan. I put a couple slices of home-made pizza form the night before in a non-stick pan on medium heat, covered, for about 5-7 minutes until the top was warm and the cheese started to melt. The crust was cracker-crisp but not burned and everything was heated thru - awesome! Way better than waiting for the oven to heat-up. Thanks, SDMB! Or you could just eat your leftover pizza cold, as God intended. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2023, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/275 "2023-03-30T21:49:37Z")
I judge pizza in part based on how it tastes cold. In my experience good pizzas are good even when cold but bad pizzas are not. ---
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/276 "2023-03-31T00:08:33Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I judge pizza in part based on how it tastes cold For me it’s not a taste thing, it’s a texture thing. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/277 "2023-03-31T00:12:21Z")
Trying to do low carb (Covid19#). Cauliflower pizza crust is…acceptable. Reheats? Not so much. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/278 "2023-03-31T01:26:39Z")
> [@Tride](#): > > Trying to do low carb (Covid19#). Cauliflower pizza crust is…acceptable. Reheats? Not so much Curious if you’ve tried reheating it in a pan on the stovetop? ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/279 "2023-03-31T13:42:45Z")
Thought about it, but used the air fryer. Next time, if there is one. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/280 "2023-03-31T14:24:02Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > ETA, when I hear people say “we live in [low crime/rich] city, we don’t even lock our doors” my reply is “and if I was a burglar, that’s exactly the neighborhood I’d hit”. It may be the area _you’d_ hit, but if it is a low-crime (at least low-theft or low-break-in) area, then, statistically speaking, it is _not_ the area burglars are hitting. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/281 "2023-03-31T14:42:26Z")
Just remembered another one (though I’m not sure if I can take credit for figuring it out on my own). When you have to leave a voicemail for someone, the first thing out of your mouth should be your name/number. If you start with “Hi, this is Joey P, my number is xxx-xxx-xxxx…” and then on with the message, it makes the other person’s life a whole lot easier when they need to listen to your number again and it’s at the beginning of the message instead of the end, or worse, buried in the middle somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/282 "2023-03-31T14:48:17Z")
I definitely do that. I remember many rambling voicemail messages that went on for seemingly minutes with the caller’s phone number quickly blurted out at the end, far too quickly. So I had to listen to the whole damned thing all over again just to try to get the number. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/283 "2023-03-31T15:03:13Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > it makes the other person’s life a whole lot easier when they need to listen to your number again and it’s at the beginning of the message instead of the end, or worse, buried in the middle somewhere. I also repeat it at the end, so maybe they don’t have to even repeat it. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/284 "2023-03-31T15:31:26Z")
That’s a good one! Another one I’ve learned after years of homeownership is that if you get the big painter’s tape (2-3" wide), you can tape up a strip of that, and draw on it when you’re finding centers and offsets for mounting things on the wall (i.e. you want two drywall anchors 5" off the center of the wall). You can also use your level in conjunction with it to draw level lines, so that everything’s just-so before you drill holes, etc… If you screw up, just rip off the tape and put a new piece down. If you don’t, you can drill right through it and then peel it off later. Better than trying to draw it straight on the wall, where you basically have one chance. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/285 "2023-03-31T19:24:19Z")
Even with callers who repeat the call-back number, I often have to listen to the message several times because the caller speaks the number in a very rapid, bored, sing-song voice. Yes, I understand that you get tired of saying your phone number out loud, just like I get tired of having to spell my last name. But can you do a little better than, “This is Jim Smith…Jim…Smith…S…m…i…t…h. Please call me back at nineohninefivefivefiveonetooneto,” please? ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/286 "2023-03-31T19:32:25Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > reheat cold/refrigerated pizza on the stove top in a pan. I can beat that. Heat until crust is desired crispness, then flip over for about 15-20 seconds. Flip right-side onto plate. You get a nice cheese melting/browning that way. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/287 "2023-03-31T20:41:30Z")
> [@ZonexandScout](#): > > “This is Jim Smith…Jim…Smith…S…m…i…t…h. Please call me back at nineohninefivefivefiveonetooneto,” please? Two that get on my nerves (and this is over the phone, not a voicemail) are when their phone number is three five five six teen forty eight. You can’t give me single digits and then start with double digits. Throws off my whole game (and IIRC, Seinfeld had a bit about that). I also get people that will start spelling out their last name too early. I’ll ask their name and they’ll say “It’s Marcy Jackson j a c k s o n” and I have to tell them I’m still writing their first name. When you have a last name that you have to spell out for people, such as my own, how do you go your entire life without realizing you have to let the person get through the first name before spelling out the last name. Similarly, people that will spell it (or customers that will rattle off a list over the phone) far faster than anyone is going to be able to write it. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2023, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/288 "2023-03-31T23:05:00Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > > [@Joey\_P](#): > > > > it makes the other person’s life a whole lot easier when they need to listen to your number again and it’s at the beginning of the message instead of the end, or worse, buried in the middle somewhere. > > I also repeat it at the end, so maybe they don’t have to even repeat it. I do this, but mostly because I’ve had voice mail messages where, no matter how many times I listen, I can’t make out the entire number. So I figure if I repeat it at the end, it’s in there twice in case one of them gets garbled. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2023, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/289 "2023-04-01T14:45:42Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Two that get on my nerves (and this is over the phone, not a voicemail) are when their phone number is three five five six teen forty eight. You can’t give me single digits and then start with double digits. Throws off my whole game (and IIRC, Seinfeld had a bit about that). Side-tracking my own thread, sorry, but this drives me insane, and even more so at work when it’s 5-digit account numbers. Most people pronounce, say, 60150 “Sixty one-fifty.” No. “Sixty one-fifty,” when heard, naturally maps to 6150. Aargh. Wth is wrong with people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041.md?page=15)