Don’t have a rain jacket? Your dog keeps escaping from the yard? You’re in desperate need of toilet paper? These are all annoying problems that we’ve faced at one time or another — but they’re not unsolvable.
When life’s problems hit you like a ton of bricks, it’s how you solve them that separates the geniuses from the amateurs. These 20 geniuses applied a little creative ingenuity to those everyday frustrations and brought themselves up to the highly coveted MacGyver level of problem solving. And frankly, we could all take a few notes from them…
1. Ever have a stranger on the subway fall asleep on your shoulder? It’s not the most comfortable feeling, and it sure is awkward. In an effort to not be “that guy,” this subway rider invented the perfect contraption to ensure maximum sleep with minimal discomfort for all parties.
2. This guy figured out that a toilet bowl seat and cover can double as a portable food tray. He never needs to eat another meal at the dining room table again thanks to this hack.
3. Ever wake up in the middle of the night and can’t find your slippers to go to the bathroom? Just grab some empty water bottles and make new ones! They may not be comfy, but at least they’re recyclable.
4. You’re running late and need to eat something, but you don’t have any clean bowls left. This problem-solver has just come up with the best life hack yet: cut open that box of cereal and pour the milk right on in!
5. If it’s raining outside and you don’t have a raincoat, then all you need to do is grab an XL garbage bag like this guy. They’re inexpensive, you can ditch them once the rain stops, and they’ll keep you dry all day long. Plus they match most business attire.
6. Got a cold toilet seat and a pair of socks ready to trash? Kill two birds with one stone and slip those socks onto your toilet seat! Presto, an instant seat-warmer. Just… make sure the socks are clean.
7. Every day his owner caught this little rascal squeezing through the iron fence. Something needed to be done, but replacing the fence would be too expensive. So lo and behold, the spoon! How did he even think of that?
8. Heating up cold pizza is a hassle! This Einstein hacked the whole process. The iron toasts the crust perfectly, while the hair dryer melts the cheese just enough. The result? A perfect slice.
9. With a little brain power, this genius figured out the space between the forklift and cab was the perfect size to parallel park. Who says it’s impossible to find a spot these days?
10. This student thought of the perfect solution to falling asleep during class. Just find a pair of magazine eyes that perfectly match your eye and skin color, cut them out, then place them behind your glasses lenses.
11. You’re sitting on the toilet and go to reach for a bit of toilet paper, but it’s all gone. You’re stuck and all you have are an abundance of paper towels. The perfect solution to this problem is clearly to cut the paper towels in half.
12. Sometimes you just really get a hankering for some old-fashioned hot dogs at work. There is no office barbecue, no stove, no microwave, but there is one lone coffee pot. Clearly, this employee needs a raise because their problem-solving skills are next level.
13. Everyone at one point or another has run into a multitude of problems while using a pop-up toaster. They’re great and all, but it has its limitations… until now! This hacker has figured out a way to make the perfect grilled cheese.
14. Everyone loves corn, but we hate burning our fingers trying to pick up that cob. There’s a hack for that: a power drill! Not only does this protect your fingers from getting burned, but it also optimizes your corn eating abilities. Just… make sure you don’t lose a tooth, mkay?
15. This trendsetter figured out a way to maximize your microwave space and save yourself from having to wait a few minutes for two separate bowls to heat up. They deserve a Nobel prize.
16. Cooking fried food can be painful when piping hot oil is splashing everywhere… but the outcome is oh so delicious. This clever cook thought of a cheap-and-easy way to avoid that problem. You’ll never get burned again!
17. This genius really knows how to work smarter not harder. Filling up each jug individually would have taken him three times longer, but thanks to his pure genius abilities, he just maximized his efficiency by 300%.
18. This person has found the most cost effective way to keep your shower warm all winter long. You’ll never need to call a plumber again unless, of course, you know, the candle goes out.
19. This student came up with the ultimate way to sneak in some phone time during class. This hack is nice and sneaky, but sorry kids! It won’t get you out of detention…
20. Sure, you could stand outside in the cold and snow and freeze while clearing off your windshield. Or you could get your MacGyver on like this hacker did and tie a broom to your windshield wiper.
