For at least 30 years, people have been saying we’re living in the future. It’s hard not to feel that way when technology is progressing faster than ever before. As we reach the end of the 2010s, we have artificial intelligence in every home. We have self-driving cars, GPS trackers, and virtual assistants. No wonder we feel like we’re living in the future.
But even with all the technology we have, there are still problems. And some of these are big ones, of course. But then there are little everyday issues that arise. Those are the ones that make you say, “It’s 2019. Don’t we have something for this yet?”
Those are life’s little inconveniences. The unfortunate truth is that we’ll always have them no matter how far technology progresses. Maybe 100 years from now, we’ll have flying cars but still, wonder how to eat Doritos without our fingers turning orange.
It’s this idea that’s produced the internet saying about “living in 3019.” If you see someone with a great idea or life hack, you’ll probably say they’re living 1,000 years in the future. While these ideas don’t necessarily have anything to do with technology, they’re so brilliant, they’ll still be in use in the 31st century.
1. This person made unnatural natural light
Looking at this room, you’d never guess it was a basement underground. Those windows were put in by the homeowner and lit from behind by LED lights.
2. This person figured out how to trim a dog’s nails
Most dogs hate having their nails trimmed. They often flail around in a panic, inadvertently scratching their owner. Introducing the doggy bag, which suspends them in the air so they can’t scratch.
When your car gets scratched, there are a couple of ways to handle the situation. Getting it repaired can be expensive. Instead, this person came up with the best solution ever.
4. This person knew exactly how to keep their yarn from tangling
If you’re into knitting or crocheting, you know how difficult it can be to keep the yarn untangled. This person was working with a large array of colors, which could’ve been a tangled mess. But they just popped them into some disposable coffee cups.
5. This person knew how to keep an eye on their chickens
When one family needed to monitor their baby chickens from afar, they used an old iPhone to set up a fake Facebook account. Then, they ran a 24-hour live stream. They could check in from their phone whenever they needed to.
Dorm life is often cramped and uncomfortable. The student sleeping in the bottom bunk had enough of hitting his or her head every time they sat up. So, they invented this handy pool noodle cushion.
In some big cities, pickpocketing is a big problem. This hack keeps your cash in a clean sanitary napkin instead of a wallet. No one who pickpockets would ever try to steal that.
8. These people built a DIY air conditioner on a train
This train didn’t have air conditioning, making travel unbearable. Luckily, there was someone there who knew how to build one from some boxes, tape, and water bottles.
There’s nothing more annoying than having your flip-flop break when you’re out in public. Thankfully, one guy knew how to MacGyver his wife’s sandal back into place with a regular rubber band.
Have you ever needed a Band-Aid and opened one after another only to find they were all the wrong size? One dad came up with a simple way to help sort the Band-Aids to make sure none of them got wasted.
11. This person knows how to keep their hands safe
Bacon is delicious, but it can be a bit dangerous to cook. When that oil jumps out of the pan, it can really hurt. But not for this guy…the inventor of the Coke bottle glove.
You might’ve been cool when you were a kid, but you weren’t as cool as the kid riding a longboard using a leaf blower for power. Honestly, I don’t think I’m that cool even now.
14. This guy’s really good at filling up watering cans
The next time you have to fill four watering cans, remember this guy. He wasn’t about to waste his time filling them one by one. Instead, he created this watering can pyramid — genius.
Do you want to take a nap or relax in the pool? This dad figured out how to do both at the same time just by using a snorkel. Sure, it might be a little dangerous, but think of the possibilities.
This kid didn’t have his own pool, but what he did have was a tarp, an enclosed balcony, and a hose. Now to find out how much water that balcony can handle before falling.
Mowing the lawn can be a tiring and sweaty task. This guy didn’t have a riding lawnmower. But he did have a push mower, a Segway, and a lot of creativity.
These event attendees weren’t about to have their hands full, carrying around a plate AND a wine glass. They brought their own lanyards to do the job. Talk about being hands-free.
When you have hay fever, picnics aren’t much of an option for you — especially if you react most strongly to getting pollen in your eyes. This guy wasn’t going to let some silly plants keep him from enjoying a picnic.
You call this lazy, but that looks like a pretty long driveway. If I was looking for another option to take the trash down, I’d do this, too. I call it a win.
21. This person figured out how to eat an entire box of cereal without pause
Some people love cereal so much, they can eat an entire box. Just take the inventor of the “box-as-a-bowl,” who felt it wasn’t worth continually pouring cereal.
22. This guy cracked the “napping on the plane” problem
No matter how you slice it, napping on a plane is uncomfortable. This genius figured out a way to keep his head from flopping forward. Sure, he looks a little silly, but he doesn’t care — he’s asleep.
When one daughter asked her mom to bring her the phone charger, she told her to call the dog. That was the birth of “delivery by dog.” It works great when you don’t want to walk across the house.
Have you ever been annoyed when you wanted to dunk your cookie in milk but the cup was too small? Now there’s an easy solution because the future is now.
25. This guy put a sports drink lid on chocolate milk
Some teenagers eat and drink more than their parents can imagine. One teen boy enjoyed chocolate milk so much that he came up with this unique way of getting it directly from the jug to his mouth.
26. This person learned how to keep cats off gift wrap
Cats have a way of getting into things they shouldn’t, often with disastrous results. But as one cat owner discovered, there’s a way to stop them with strategic use of cake stands.
27. This person knows how to make their house smell nice, no matter what
There’s nothing better than a home that smells fresh and clean…regardless of what’s going on. If you don’t have a candle, you can do what this person did. They hollowed out an orange, filled it with oil, and lit it. Putting it inside of a pouppori burner and let the smell permeate the house.
28. This police officer from Columbia can probably run like a gazelle
Honestly, the thought of seeing this police officer sprint after you is simultaneously hilarious and terrifying. Maybe the goal is to make criminals immediately soil themselves in terror.
Multiplayer gaming is fun, but it can be somewhat visually confusing. These friends discovered a perfect way to keep things separate while still enjoying the game together.
When you have to wash your hair, you have to wash your hair, even if your makeup is already done. Fact…makeup takes a long time to apply. But thankfully, this girl figured out a way to protect it.
