# 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:** 19
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/370 "2023-04-21T12:02:22Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Before taking something apart, take a couple of pictures of it. I recently tore apart my gf’s ATV to replace the starter. If I hadn’t taken pictures along the way I would have been totally screwed. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/371 "2023-04-21T12:09:09Z")
Sometimes the shallow screw-top lids on wide canister containers are hard to screw back on. It’s easy to get the threads in the wrong track and screw the top back on crooked. Instead, turn the lid in the opposite direction, and you will feel the click as the beginning point of the thread passes the correct opening. At that point you can confidently twist it in the right direction and screw it on properly. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/372 "2023-04-21T12:29:13Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Before taking something apart, take a couple of pictures of it. I hike a lot during summer. Most of the trailheads I visit have maps posted of the area, and I just snap a few photos of them before heading off. The posted maps are free, often more current than the one in my backpack, and no folding. This also works with museum and airport maps. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/373 "2023-04-21T14:22:57Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I hike a lot during summer. Most of the trailheads I visit have maps posted of the area, and I just snap a few photos of them before heading off. The posted maps are free, often more current than the one in my backpack, and no folding. This also works with museum and airport maps. Ah. And after you take the ‘Y’ in the trail turn around and take a picture of the way you CAME ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/374 "2023-04-21T14:30:28Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Hey, I have cathedral ceiling in my living room. That is totally awesome! 😃 ---
**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:** [April 21, 2023, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/375 "2023-04-21T15:23:05Z")
When I park my car in a parking garage, I’ll take a pic of the space number and the level number. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/376 "2023-04-21T15:24:49Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > When I park my car in a parking garage, I’ll take a pic of the space number and the level number I do the same, and I also enter the info in my memo pad app on my phone. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/377 "2023-04-21T15:26:55Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > When I park my car in a parking garage, I’ll take a pic of the space number and the level number. Imagine a world where taking a photo of something meant having to bring the film in and have it developed before you could see the result! Digital instant photography is a miracle! ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/378 "2023-04-21T15:35:10Z")
It really has. I very rarely take a traditional photograph. It’s usually stuff like where my car is parked or a label on a jar of sauce so I get the exact same kind at the market. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/379 "2023-04-21T18:16:43Z")
I use my phone to enlarge areas of my stitching to check for missed stitches. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/380 "2023-04-21T18:44:42Z")
Oh yeah. Definitely also to enlarge small print. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/381 "2023-04-21T19:05:57Z")
Speaking of phones, if you are ever in need of a mirror, you can always use your phone’s camera function to look at your face. Just reverse the direction of the camera lens. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/382 "2023-04-21T19:39:33Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Digital instant photography is a miracle! When cell phone cameras first started becoming common in the mid '00s, I didn’t quite see the point. I was still in the film photography mindset, where photos were a keepsake to put in an album so you can look back and remember that vacation, or birthday party, or whatever. But it turns out there are so many more uses for a camera when you don’t have to actually take film to be developed. I can take a picture to remember where I parked at the airport. Or of the default password on the bottom of my WiFi router. Or of the most interesting car I saw today so I can share it with you guys. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/383 "2023-04-21T19:44:40Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > …many more uses for a camera… Just yesterday, I took front and side shots of my head to show the barber when I get my hair cut. It’s now at just the right length after getting it cut about 10 days ago. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/384 "2023-04-21T19:48:18Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > But it turns out there are so many more uses for a camera when you don’t have to actually take film to be developed. I can take a picture to remember where I parked at the airport. Or of the default password on the bottom of my WiFi router. Or of the most interesting car I saw today so I can share it with you guys. Agree completely. And I’m still blown away that a kid or a friend in Europe or Asia can snap a photo and I get it seconds later. I remember doing presentations by making actual slides and using a slide projector. You would never know if you got the right shot until the film was developed. Now we have powerpoint. For all its misuse, it’s still incredible. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/385 "2023-04-21T20:03:05Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > But it turns out there are so many more uses for a camera … It’s far more useful than just taking the place of traditional cameras. The camera can be used for scanning barcodes [1D &2D], instant foreign language text translation, dimensioning (takes the place of a tape measure), thermal imaging. Video chats, of course. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/386 "2023-04-21T21:06:53Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > If you’re taking apart something with lots of screws, do it on a towel, or even the carpet. That’ll keep the screws from rolling away. I learned that trick back in high school when I used to play with gas RC Cars, but I still use it anytime I’m taking anything apart that has parts that can roll away. Sage advice. It usually works great for me, as long as I can do it all in one shot. If can’t/don’t, when I come back later and absent mindlessly grab the rag/towel to wipe off my hands, only when I hear the _tinkety tick tick tink_ of all the hardware being dropped/flung all over will I realize what a dumb ass I can be some times. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/387 "2023-04-21T21:07:54Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > It really has. I very rarely take a traditional photograph. It’s usually stuff like where my car is parked or a label on a jar of sauce so I get the exact same kind at the market. Not only that but we now have reverse image lookup, which I have used to order more plates for a 20-year-old dining set I had NO idea where it came from, and to figure out how to take care of plants I don’t know the name of. Just took a snapshot of my own plate and seconds later I had a website I could order replacements from. Marvelous. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/388 "2023-04-21T21:27:38Z")
I got a translator app, and can hold my camera over the cooking instructions on the labels of foreign foodstuffs and watch them magically transform into (broken) English. I buy a lot of stuff at Japanese or Korean markets, and sometimes the package comes with English translations and sometimes not. Yep, smartphones are miraculous. And they’ve only been around for a little more than a decade. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2023, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041/389 "2023-04-21T21:35:53Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > And I’m still blown away that a kid or a friend in Europe or Asia can snap a photo and I get it seconds later. About ten years ago my wife went on a solo business trip to Kyrgyzstan. She was almost as far away from home as she could get without leaving the planet, but we were able to see each other and talk each night over our tablets. I think it was at that point that I realized we live in the future. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-hacks-you-figured-out-on-your-own/981041.md?page=20)