Amateur Inventors Who Came Up With Some Hilarious Ideas

If you have a positive outlook on life, a creative brain, and the most mundane of materials, you can probably be an inventor. These people were certainly up for the task, and very few of them were actually engineering students or professional inventors. It just goes to show that a good idea can go a long way.

Keep reading to see a makeshift finger splint, a hamster wheel made out of a fidget spinner, and an indestructible mailbox.

Michelangelo's David

david
Photo Credit: Vestibulekittle / Reddit
Photo Credit: Vestibulekittle / Reddit

Okay, so we know this doesn't look like Michelangelo's David, but we promise he's in there.

During World War II, the Italians were afraid that the statue would get stolen or damaged, so they built this solid stone house for him.

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A Boarded Up Store

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wood tape
Photo Credit: therealatticus / Reddit
Photo Credit: therealatticus / Reddit
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It might look like this closed store is all boarded up with plywood, but upon closer inspection, that wood is just paper with a wood pattern printed on it.

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It's being held up with a few pieces of scotch tape.

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A Watched Smoker Never Smokes

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smoker
Photo Credit: of_james / Reddit
Photo Credit: of_james / Reddit
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This guy was cooking a big piece of meat for a long time in his backyard smoker.

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He didn't want to constantly have to check up on it, so he put a baby monitor near the temperature gauge.

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Inside-Out Socks

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cat socks
Photo Credit: The_Rock_obama / Reddit
Photo Credit: The_Rock_obama / Reddit
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When these socks are right side out, they have little tigers on them, but when they're inside out, those tigers turn into house cats.

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It does make it difficult to figure out how you're supposed to put your socks on...

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The Whole World In His Hands

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photo globe
Photo Credit: tanya-gilbert / Reddit
Photo Credit: tanya-gilbert / Reddit
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This photo goes all the way around this sphere. And there isn't just another copy of the same photo on the back of the sphere.

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It's a panoramic view of this person's neighborhood.

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A Makeshift Finger Splint

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splint
Photo Credit: scoobyprue / Reddit
Photo Credit: scoobyprue / Reddit
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This person injured their pinky finger, and they didn't have a splint on hand (no pun intended), so they made one out of common office materials.

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Yes, those are paperclips.

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A New Kind Of Mirror

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mirror
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
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This person's side mirror fell off of their car, so they decided to attach a new one using this creepy looking metal hand.

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It may not be pretty, but it's certainly a conversation-starter.

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This Is Art

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statue
Photo Credit: Olikorstje / Reddit
Photo Credit: Olikorstje / Reddit
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We're not sure what's going on here, but we kind of love it. Yes, this is a statue of a man's head shooting water out of his eyeballs into a sheep's eyeballs.

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What, you've never seen art before?

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A Penny For Your Thoughts

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penny car
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
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Forget a new paint job, this car is covered roof to wheel in a whole lot of shiny copper pennies.

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It must have taken someone a really long time to complete this project.

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Fork Chopsticks

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fork chopsticks
Photo Credit: packingsomeheat / Reddit
Photo Credit: packingsomeheat / Reddit
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This Chinese restaurant stocks their takeout boxes with these fork/chopstick hybrids.

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The chopsticks are easy to use, but if you still can't figure them out, there's a fork on the other end.

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DIY Beer Pong

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beer pong
Photo Credit: fritzoe98 / Reddit
Photo Credit: fritzoe98 / Reddit
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These college students wanted to play beer pong, but they didn't have a table, so they used a drying rack instead.

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It looks like necessity really is the mother of invention.

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Clever Use Of Mirrors

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mirrors
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
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Somebody got pretty clever with the decor in this public washroom. The mirrors above the sink are made to look like The Dude from The Big Lebowski's sunglasses.

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That's pretty nifty, Dude.

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At The Beach

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beach floor
Photo Credit: Newenergy253 / Reddit
Photo Credit: Newenergy253 / Reddit
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This restaurant installed a floor that makes customers feel like they're at the beach. This design choice is particularly appropriate for a Hawaiian smoothies spot.

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The detail here is kind of amazing.

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A Homemade Hamster Wheel

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hamster wheel
Photo Credit: Murray21234 / Reddit
Photo Credit: Murray21234 / Reddit
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This person made a hamster wheel for his little furry friend out of a round baking dish, a fidget spinner, and a strip of cork to make the surface of the wheel more grippy.

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It even looks better than those at the store!

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Tape Fixes Everything

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tape
Photo Credit: ModMini / Reddit
Photo Credit: ModMini / Reddit
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We've seen people fix things with tape before, but never quite like this.

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Whenever this computer monitor needs some extra support, these two rolls of tape are there to help.

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Wine From A Distance

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long decanter
Photo Credit: maxadam456 / Reddit
Photo Credit: maxadam456 / Reddit
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This super long decanter lets waiters serve you your wine from six feet away.

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This device is going to be particularly useful when restaurants can finally reopen. It's kind of perfect.

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Not A Window

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window
Photo Credit: Jrh20racing / Reddit
Photo Credit: Jrh20racing / Reddit
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There isn't actually a window on the side of this building.

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Somebody just put a sheet of dark glass up on the brick to make it look like there's a window.

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A New Hubcap

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jar lid
Photo Credit: KadinMcD / Reddit
Photo Credit: KadinMcD / Reddit
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This car tire lost its hubcap, so the owner of the car got to work making a new one.

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Basically he just popped the lid of a mason jar in its place.

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An Indestructible Mailbox

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mail
Photo Credit: Dexter_davis / Reddit
Photo Credit: Dexter_davis / Reddit
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This person's mailbox kept getting destroyed and vandalized, so he came up with a brilliant solution. Let's see those vandals try to destroy this mailbox now.

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This thing is basically bullet-proof.

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It Still Works

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paintbrush
Photo Credit: jckmthr / Reddit
Photo Credit: jckmthr / Reddit
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This person was painting a little too vigorously and ended up snapping the handle off of their paintbrush. That's nothing a zip tie can't fix, apparently.

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The paintbrush lives to paint another day.

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Hands-Free Hand Sanitizer

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guitar
Photo Credit: I_Crush_Your_Head / Reddit
Photo Credit: I_Crush_Your_Head / Reddit
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This guitar show attached a bottle of hand sanitizer to a cymbal pedal so now you can dispense hand sanitizer without having to touch the bottle.

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It's kind of brilliant.

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Poor Puppy

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dog
Photo Credit: GOVENORGRIMES / Reddit
Photo Credit: GOVENORGRIMES / Reddit
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This dog had to have surgery on his leg, so his owner made him a cone out of an old beer box.

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He attached a tennis ball to the bottom of his cast for extra stability.

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A Mirrored House

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mirrored house
Photo Credit: GraveBreath / Reddit
Photo Credit: GraveBreath / Reddit
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This house isn't invisible, it just has a lot of mirrors on the outside of it. This doesn't just look cool.

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The mirrors also help reflect the light and heat of the sun away from the house.

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An Above-Ground Pool

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pool
Photo Credit: HandyMeDIY / Reddit
Photo Credit: HandyMeDIY / Reddit
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This amateur inventor and craftsman was able to make an above-ground pool all by himself using a bunch of wooden palettes.

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Now that's how you reduce, reuse, and recycle.

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A Tool That Does It All

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tool
Photo Credit: Gingermum / Reddit
Photo Credit: Gingermum / Reddit
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This guy kept using whatever tool was in his hand as a hammer, so his wife bought him this multipurpose tool.

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It's a hammer head attached to an adjustable wrench.

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Laptop In A Box

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laptop in a box
Photo Credit: benlouisebu / Reddit
Photo Credit: benlouisebu / Reddit
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This person wanted to use their computer outside, so they placed it in a cardboard box.

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Now the light doesn't make it hard for them to see the screen, and the computer doesn't get overheated.

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A Box Computer

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computer
Photo Credit: AristonD / Reddit
Photo Credit: AristonD / Reddit
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We saw a laptop in a box, but this is taking things to a whole new level. This person built an entire desktop computer in a cardboard box.

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We can't say we recommend doing this, but it does look pretty cool.

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A Basketball Net

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basketball
Photo Credit: 42HUMP87 / Reddit
Photo Credit: 42HUMP87 / Reddit
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This uncle made a basketball net for his nephews using a piece of wood and the rim of a bucket.

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It seems kind of basic, but remember that basketball was invented when a guy hung peach baskets on a wall.

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A Lid With A Purpose

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rim
Photo Credit: Barndar7 / Reddit
Photo Credit: Barndar7 / Reddit
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The lid of this tequila bottle comes in a fun sombrero shape.

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You might think that this is just for show, but really, you can use the lid to help you give your shot glasses a salted rim.

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A Superior Jar

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jar
Photo Credit: egr08 / Reddit
Photo Credit: egr08 / Reddit
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This company bottles their pasta sauces in glass jars with embossed measurements down the side of them.

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That way, people will be more inclined to save and reuse the jars.

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Create The Soothing Shower Experience Of Your Dreams

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eucalyptus hanging in shower
Photo Credit: Reddit / Mari1aAW
Photo Credit: Reddit / Mari1aAW
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You don't need to commit to a fancy bathroom renovation to get the soothing rain shower of your dreams. All you need is eucalyptus and a string.

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The steam and scent will do the work for you.

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Don't Be Shy, Take A Seat

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chair stuck in couch cushions
Photo Credit: Imgur / Ravenclawlady
Photo Credit: Imgur / Ravenclawlady
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Just because your roommate says that he's going to fix the couch cushion one of his friends broke does not mean that he's going to fix it in the same way that you would.

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One seat is not as comfortable as the rest.

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A Distraction Laptop

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cat standing on fake laptop
Photo Credit: Pinterest
Photo Credit: Pinterest
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Anyone who has a cat knows that they like to sit in the most inopportune places.

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If your coworker is making working from home difficult, make a decoy laptop as this person did!

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What If You Forget Both?

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keys and phone charger hack solution
Photo Credit: Reddit / crujones43
Photo Credit: Reddit / crujones43
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You know that you're going to leave your phone charger sitting in the outlet in the hotel room.

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So hook other important things like your car keys through the cord, that way you have everything you need when you leave.

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He'll Never Be Lost

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man on bike using multiple phones for gps
Photo Credit: Imgur / razorscooter
Photo Credit: Imgur / razorscooter
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Everyone knows someone who is terrible with directions and could use a little bit of help while trying to get where they're going.

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This man, however, is not that person.

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Dry Your Boots In A Flash

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hair dryer used for drying boots
Photo Credit: Imgur
Photo Credit: Imgur
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Nobody likes to put on wet shoes.

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This person was tired of getting trench foot day after day, so they took the initiative to come up with a speedy solution.

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No More Wasting Space

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small spoons and big spoons in one drawer
Photo Credit: Reddit / Flrg808
Photo Credit: Reddit / Flrg808
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Why do we always feel the need to separate spoons into separate sections in the drawer?

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All of this time we could've been doing it this way and saving the space.

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Prime Pregnancy Comfort

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pregnancy chair solution
Photo Credit: Imgur / jolocke90
Photo Credit: Imgur / jolocke90
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Getting comfortable while you're 9 months pregnant is not an easy task.

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Whatever you have to do to find a comfortable position for lying down is up to you.

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The Superior Solution

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car with metal flaps on it
Photo Credit: Reddit / jimithing05
Photo Credit: Reddit / jimithing05
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Why spend your money on a newer, faster vehicle?

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You could take your old, beat-up Toyota Corolla, add some duck tape and some aerodynamic flaps, and increase your speed yourself?

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No Tears Here

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welding mask for cutting onions
Photo Credit: Imgur / unti1x
Photo Credit: Imgur / unti1x
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There are all sorts of "hacks" about things you can do to not cry while chopping onions.

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But when all of those fail, this woman has your fail-proof solution for next time you're cooking dinner.

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Thrilling Display

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knives stored inside books all held together with a belt
Photo Credit: Reddit / ItsonlyJono
Photo Credit: Reddit / ItsonlyJono
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Sure, you could keep your knives stored in a regular stand.

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But this one, which is made up of old copies of thriller novels, adds a little murderous fun to the kitchen.

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It Might Be Illegal, But It Works

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person has replaced car passenger and driver's seat with dining chairs, car door handle with regular turn-door handle, and dial on dash replaced with hose tap
Photo Credit: Twitter / @brendandagawd
Photo Credit: Twitter / @brendandagawd
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There's no way that a person can legally replace their seats with dining chairs, but I don't see anything wrong with the other two modifications.

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If your dial breaks off, why shouldn't a tap work?

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This Is Terrifying

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flowers planted in children's pants sitting on stairs
Photo Credit: Reddit / hylajuggler
Photo Credit: Reddit / hylajuggler
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It's a problem that every parent eventually faces: their kids have outgrown their clothes and are no longer useful.

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Most people would just donate the items, but this person decided demonic flowers were a better choice.

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Who Has Time To Buy A New Clock?

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clock with part broke up has a hand-drawn segment with numbers taped into missing part
Photo Credit: Reddit / EMF911
Photo Credit: Reddit / EMF911
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Honestly, if you don't have the time (pun intended) or the funds to go out and buy a new clock.

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This solution technically works and can be done in less than five minutes.

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Off-Roading, But Make It Environmentally Friendly

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smart car with exo cage for off-roading
Photo Credit: Reddit / WiseManWiseQuestion
Photo Credit: Reddit / WiseManWiseQuestion
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Have you ever sat back and thought to yourself, "What would happen if I tried to make an off-roading vehicle out of one of the smallest, least sturdy electric cars?"

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Yeah, me neither.

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Everyday Can Be A Quest!

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tire cap made out of Dungeons and Dragons on 20-side die
Photo Credit: Reddit / eherwin
Photo Credit: Reddit / eherwin
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Shoutout to all my Dungeons and Dragons lovers!

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This person, who has a strong passion for the game, decided to use a die from the game to repair a broken air cap on his tire.

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This Cannot Be Stable

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loft bed made entirely of plastic pipes attached together
Photo Credit: Reddit / Deliverme88
Photo Credit: Reddit / Deliverme88
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Some person posted this "bedroom hack" as a way to save space in a bedroom.

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Unfortunately, I don't think this structure could really hold up all that well if someone was going to use it as a bed.

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Literally From Farm To Table

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chairs at outdoor patio made of a shovel, rake, and wooden handle
Photo Credit: Reddit / Chrissless
Photo Credit: Reddit / Chrissless
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This organic, farm-to-table restaurant really leaned into the theme by making custom chairs out of rakes, shovels, and wooden handles for their guests.

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Their tables are even ingeniously held up by rakes.

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This Seems Oddly Cozy

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toilet encased in stylistic egg chair with toilet paper roll attached on inside
Photo Credit: Reddit / rosseepoo
Photo Credit: Reddit / rosseepoo
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Honestly, I can't decide if I hate this design or if I think that it's kind of brilliant.

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I mean, I think I would actually enjoy sitting in this egg-chair and pooping.

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He's Always Watching

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panel in tub side is filled with picture of Nicholas Cage
Photo Credit: Reddit / elenajm
Photo Credit: Reddit / elenajm
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When one of the panels on the side of her tub fell out of place, this woman only saw one clear solution on how to replace it.

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It's terrifying, but also hilarious.