First-Time Homeowners Share The Most Important Things They Didn't Even Know They Needed
The first time we strike out on our own, we're 100% guaranteed to be shocked by all the little things we need but didn't ever think to buy. We're looking at you, garbage cans! That shock is only multiplied when we purchase our own home. Congrats! Everything is now completely your problem. Hope you remembered to get everything you needed! Pro Tip: You didn't. Brace yourself. Because we love you, we're going to share the answers one Reddit user (who is a total unnamed hero for any first time home buyers) got when they asked:
The Unsung Hero Of Home Repairs
[rebelmouse-image 18349358 is_animated_gif=An item I never see listed but I use a lot. A big container of zip ties.
Money!
[rebelmouse-image 18348989 is_animated_gif=Honestly about 10 thousand dollars
Because that first few months is going to be very expensive as there isn't "one" thing you need but about 200
If you lived in an apartment you might not have things like ladders, lawn mowers and such
Shockingly Useful
[rebelmouse-image 18349359 is_animated_gif=A voltage pen! Old houses can have weird wiring and sometimes you just want to know if that old plug in works. Save yourself the zap. These things are cheap and handy.
Yes, we did have a home inspection! But once the papers are signed and the warranty expires, you are on your own. And Murphy's Law dictates that is the exact time for stuff to get weird.
Projectile Puke Cleaner
[rebelmouse-image 18349360 is_animated_gif=You have 8 grand worth of carpet? Buy the $300 carpet cleaner so you dont live on a dirty rag
Everyone really needs a shop vac at some point and will be happy you own when you need it. Shop vacs should come with every baby
First time your baby projectile pukes across the whole house you will understand.
Please Have A Plunger.
[rebelmouse-image 18349361 is_animated_gif=A toilet plunger. Until you know your new homes plumbing... look out.
You Don't Think About It Until You Need It
[rebelmouse-image 18349362 is_animated_gif=A fire extinguisher.
Stud Finder
[rebelmouse-image 18349365 is_animated_gif=I was hanging something at my boyfriend's place and asked if he had a stud finder. "Well, of course, but I don't see how my mirror is gonna help right now."
Keeper.
But Do We Need A Tarp?
[rebelmouse-image 18349366 is_animated_gif=A tarp.
Extremely underrated.
Got a big pile of leaves in the front that you wanna move to the back? Slide it around on a tarp.
Did your grill cover blow away in the storm last night? Cover it with a tarp.
Have a broken screen panel on your screened in porch from the same storm? Hang that tarp.
Need a drop cloth while you paint your kitchen? You get yourself a tarp.
Need to catch branches on the ground while your prune your trees? Get a bucket.
JUST KIDDING GET A TARP.
One Key To Rule Them All
[rebelmouse-image 18349367 is_animated_gif=One key. Have all your door locks set to the same key.
When my wife and I first bought our house, I told her the same thing. The first couple of days after we closed, we planned to paint and replace all the door knobs and deadbolts. The house had 3 different keys: one for the knobs, one for the deadbolts, and one for the detached garage. On the day of closing, I changed them all with matching knobs and deadbolts so they all used one key.
Come a few days after closing and we get a knock on the door. It's the previous homeowner with a box full of a few things that they didn't realize they had packed: the owner's manuals for all the appliances, a little hook tool to open and close the flue, and about a half dozen keys to the doors. As soon as they left, I turned to my wife and said "and this is why we changed the locks."
An Air What?
[rebelmouse-image 18349368 is_animated_gif=This took me 7 years to discover: An Air Comb
This thing is simply a stick with some holes drilled in it, and you attach it to an air compressor.
What would you need this for? Well, my old house was built in 1969. It had a 17 year old HVAC system, which did not perform very well. I hired 5-6 different HVAC contractors to come out and diagnose the issues, and each one told me something different. The problem was that the system could not keep up with the weather - hot days were hot inside, cold days were cold inside. We bought a window AC to help in summer, and oil filled electric radiators to help in winter.
The system ran 24x7 most days, and during the summer we were lucky to see temps in the high 70's indoors, it was more like 84 - 88 degrees. In the winter, well, we were freezing. It was like it wasn't even on.
And of course, my electric bills were expensive - $300 to $700 a month. It was killing me. None of my neighbors had bills as high as we did. All their homes were comfy, too.
Finally, by accident, I discovered the issue when I was changing my HVAC filter. There was a big piece of ... crap on the filter. It was black and made of dust and dirt. I stuck my camera into my air handler and took a picture of the A-coil (evaporator coils) and discovered they were coated almost completely with dust.
I bought the air comb, used my compressor and blew the coils clean, and suddenly it was like I had a brand new HVAC system. The house would cool down in an hour. We could set it to any temp we wanted and be comfy. Our usage dropped by well over 60%, and my electric bills dropped well over 50%.
All because of a $20 tool.
Good Guy Seller
[rebelmouse-image 18349369 is_animated_gif=When I sold my house I gave the buyer measurements of all the windows and all warranty paperwork (roof, furnace, windows etc). I also provided a list of all house quirks.
Example: our garage opener sensor was askew ever so slightly so when you pulled in on the right side spot you had to aim the opener to the left - this may sound stupid but it will save them a sh*t ton of aggravation.
Another example: we had lovebirds nest in our front hedges - they would come every year and lay eggs. When that happens they get VERY defensive of their space which made our front door pretty much unusable. We didn't mind, but they might, so we left information on who to call to relocate them (a local nature center will come and do it for free!)
We also provided our garden and plant information - we had a pretty decent garden and nice little flower arrangements. We also provided the name of our landscaper, handyman, roofer, the kid's number to call to shovel snow in the winter, plumber, furnace people, oil company we used and other oil companies in the area for bids.
i tried to provide everything I was not provided when we bought the house.
The Notebook
[rebelmouse-image 18349370 is_animated_gif=A notebook for house repairs and reno'ing. As the years go by, it can be really hard to track all the things you do, and when you did them. Was there a one year warranty on that window replacement, or two year? When did the furnace get serviced last? We're currently dealing with a huge tunneling under our yard with the City due to drain issues, and also had work done 7 years ago. Trying to remember what and where the City and plumber dug/did back then, is causing some issues now. Take notes new home owners of Reddit, lots of notes!
This Answer Became A Painting Tutorial
[rebelmouse-image 18349371 is_animated_gif=Get a decent brush, like a Corona Excalibur and learn how to cut in really well. Learning how to cut in will save your HOURS trying to tape everything perfectly. If you spill paint let it dry a couple hours before cleaning it, especially on carpets. One little dot of paint on a carpet is easy to cut off with a razor blade, a big smear of paint in the carpet is impossible to get out.
Take the time to prep the walls, skim coating with joint compound if necessary, you will see every imperfection through the paint, don't think it will cover it up. Fill holes, and prime water stains.
Paint ceilings first, then trim, then walls.
Edit: if you do decide tape is the way for you, get the green tape, not the blue tape. Paint and peel the tape right away, don't load up a lot of paint in the corner or it will drip once you peel the tape up. The green tape (Frog Tape) has a chemical reaction when paint hits the edge of it and foams up to keep paint from wicking underneath. Also, buy new tape every time you paint, don't use that roll you've had sitting around for a year..
Also, if you have wallpaper on the walls that's bubbling, do not paint over it. You need to remove it or your walls will continue to look like shit. WP Chomp is magic for that. Once the paper is off you need to clean the crap out of the walls to remove any residual glue. Then you will want to skim coat to even the walls out, then prime, then paint. This will take you a few days if not a couple weeks, do not expect to paint in an afternoon. Prep is at least 75% of the job, the painting part is the easy past...
No Pressure
[rebelmouse-image 18349372 is_animated_gif=Water-key. It's the little key you use to open the tiny manhole cover that connects your house's water to the city line. When you get that open, you can disconnect your house from water pressure. I've been able to fix a lot of things with that off.
"I Haven't Felt This Good About My Butthole..."
[rebelmouse-image 18349374 is_animated_gif=A bidet, I now think using paper is unhygienic and kinda gross. I haven't felt this good about my butthole ever. A bidet is just so good.
Stagehands Will Already Have One... Or Ten.
[rebelmouse-image 18349375 is_animated_gif=I bought a leatherman first week after buying my house. It lived at my hip and saved me many dozen trips to the toolbox for a quick adjustment or tightening of bolts or screws or cutting something. I used to think swiss army knives were the shit, but then I realized you could have one with a set of pliers built in.
We Love Lamp
[rebelmouse-image 18349376 is_animated_gif=A headlamp. Invaluable for hands free spot lighting during repairs, painting, etc. Couldn't believe how much we used it or how glad we would be to have it
Insulate Like You Mean It
[rebelmouse-image 18349378 is_animated_gif=Extra insulation. When we had our home inspected the inspector told us that the insulation we had was adequate, but in a few years new regulation would require more if we wanted to sell the house. I contacted a company that would blow in insulation on top of what we already had. When he asked how much I wanted to put, I said put as much as will fit.
It ended up costing us more than $800 but since we live in the deep south, I thought this was a good investment.
Years later we had to replace our air conditioner. When the employee asked how much we pay for electricity for the hottest part of the year, I said conservatively about $100 a month. He looked at me in shock and said a house this size should run $200 to $300 during those months. He didn't really believe me until he went into the attic. He said he has never seen so much insulation in a house before.
That investment paid for itself in the first couple of years.
"... And Both Of My Stupid F*cking Cats."
[rebelmouse-image 18349379 is_animated_gif=Sticky traps for insects. When I first moved in I found an old sticky trap behind the washer. It was a bit dusty so I threw it out. A month or so later I started seeing spiders everywhere in the house. It was so bad that I would update my weekly spider count on a dry erase board. Finally I bought a shit ton of sticky traps and out them all over the floor in the laundry room. To date I've caught numerous spiders, a couple flies, and both of my stupid f*cking cats.
Think Of The Beers!
[rebelmouse-image 18349380 is_animated_gif=Best thing I've had while being a homeowner is an extra fridge in the garage. Expanded cold storage is extremely useful. Beer, bottled water, frozen meat, extra ice, etc.
H/T: Reddit
Men Who've Gotten A Vasectomy Explain Whether They Regret It And How The Procedure Changed Their Life
With more people exercising their right to live a childfree life, or to at least start their families later than people used to, it's important for people to have access to forms of birth control that work for them.
For some, that means getting a vasectomy, but there are aspects to the procedure that most wish they had known before making the appointment.
Redditor jaqeacc asked:
"To men who have gotten a vasectomy, do you regret it, and how has it changed your life?"
Avoiding the Risk
"I’m 30 with three kids and got a vasectomy earlier this year. My wife almost died in childbirth for the last one. Can’t risk that again. No regrets."
- DesertDelirium
Enough Kids
"No regrets. Had it done after our third child was born. We definitely couldn't cope with a 4th child, and my wife was told sternly that she should not have another."
"It hasn't changed my life. It has helped my wife in that she no longer takes birth control."
"Interesting that some other commenters in this thread have had life-changing situations where they went for reversal. The health worker tried to talk me out of the vasectomy, saying I was very young (I was 35). She kept coming up with these scenarios in which I might want to have more children. I would reply, 'I still have three children.'"
- WitShortage
Pain Management
"I had one at 43 years old and didn’t have any pain at all after the procedure. It was fully covered by insurance as well. I recommend making sure they give you the Xanax 30 minutes prior."
- Specific_Albatross63
Respect the Recovery Time
"You need five to seven days to recover. I just did it. The last thing you want to do is pop the internal sutures and bleed into your sack. Then you have to walk around with grapefruit or cantaloupe-sized balls."
"Don’t rush it. After seven days, you’re good to go. Hit it sooner (especially lifting) at your own risk."
- jbrad194
Preventative Care
"I got mine, no regrets, and my sex life vastly improved. Just make sure you get a sperm count post-OP."
- Cebonite
Prepare the PlayStation
"I just want to add a warning from a friend of mine who had it done."
"He had the operation and went home to recover for a few days, unfortunately, he had not foreseen that he wouldn't be able to set up the new PlayStation he'd bought himself as a 'reward.' He didn't feel up to all the awkward bending and f**king around behind the TV. Instead, he had to sit there on the couch for days wishing he was playing it!"
"So a careful warning to anyone else reading this: plug your self-reward PlayStation in before you have the operation and not after. Learn from his mistake!"
- not_right
Rare Issues
"I had one back in 2014 and have been part of the one percent of people who experience pain every day after. Last year, I got it reversed because I didn’t want to be in pain anymore but that did nothing but cause me more issues."
- Slugs86
Stress Free
"My partner got his vasectomy in January. Neither of us have kids, and both of us turn 30 this year. Of course, no OBGYN would entertain sterilization for me (a female), but he was able to set up the appointment with no problem. I’m just now getting the birth control out of my system and it’s life-changing. We’re ecstatic to be able to enjoy each other and not worry about pregnancy."
- PayMeToRedditMmkay
Moving On
"I've had one some nine years ago when my then-girlfriend and I broke up and I decided that I'm too old now to find somebody to have kids with (which was/is totally okay)."
"My urologist really took the time to explain to me how it all works and to make sure that that's what I want. The procedure only hurt a little bit, even though some dude sticking a long hypodermic needle in your sack is probably a rather acquired taste. The greatest inconvenience was the ban on bathing."
"As for the effect, I would definitely do it again. My long-term (=long enough to get tested and do it without a rubber) partners all appreciated it a lot, and even in connection with other forms of contraception, it gives a certain peace of mind. Besides that, the sex itself hasn't changed at all."
"If you're sure you don't want any more kids, I can totally recommend it."
- Radiant_sir_radiant
Potential Complications
"It has changed my sex life significantly. Posts like these are disheartening, because I remembered scrolling through similar posts and disregarding those who were not so lucky and ended up with PVPS (Post-Vasectomy Pain Syndrome) or other changes in their sex life. So many men say it's the best thing they did and never regretted it: no change in orgasms whatsoever."
"The intensity of my orgasms has changed a lot. It isn't as good as it used to be. It's like stepping on a garden hose where water wants to escape but it can't. I never feel relaxed after an orgasm anymore or fulfilled. There's a feeling of congestion after."
"I am not experiencing any pain, luckily. I do feel my testicles are more sensitive. I already feel the tenderness when I go to the bathroom just to pee. I loved it when my partner held them, but I don't anymore."
"Everyone will say it's psychological; your urologist and the people around you. I have posted a couple of times on Reddit about it, but most people thought I was trolling."
"Maybe it is only psychological, but that doesn't change how I perceive my orgasms."
- ThrowRabedeezled
Motivations for the Procedure
"One of my mates got married at around 20 and had two kids by the time he was 23. Got the snip when the second kid was born. Turns 30, and found out his wife had been sleeping with every guy at the gym, divorced, remarried, but the new wife is only 25 and wants kids of her own. He went in for the reversal, but I haven't heard if it was successful yet."
"Another mate was single, got the snip around 35 to make casual sex less stressful. Got married at 40, decided they wanted kids, got a reversal, but it was unsuccessful (that was about 10 years ago though)."
- Michael_Scott247365
Electrifying Experience
"I guess I'm one of the unlucky few..."
"Had mine done, went in, just like most: Small opening, went in, numbed... This is supposed to be the only part that's uncomfortable... I'm pretty sure he hit the wrong spot somewhere."
"Everything was fine for the one side, and then I felt stuff on the other... Not unbearable, but I will never NOT remember feeling whatever he was doing."
"My doc, however, didn't ground the tool that's supposed to cauterize the area. I got shocked to f**king kingdom come. It was the single most painful experience of my life. I put it above almost dying in a car accident or the time I got shot in the eye with an airsoft rifle."
"Recovery: Over a month."
"Walking made me scream. Sleeping was pretty much impossible and it was absolutely miserable. The doc didn't believe me and finally gave me pain medication on my 3rd+ visit. Which was a constant need so that I didn't get fired."
"Ended up behind on every bill I had."
"I'm fine now."
- D3Dragoon
Childfree Choice
"No regrets. Done it this year with 31 without having children."
"The chance of regretting having a child is too high and I do not want it to feel or even suffer from it. I can live with the regret of not having one."
"As for the question, 'And what if your girlfriend wants children?,' I only date women that do not want one. And even then, when all the planets align and h**l is frozen, there are too many children in children’s homes growing up without parents. Adopt them and give them a home and more importantly a loving family."
- Cruso91
Open Communication
"Got the snip around age 36 after my then wife and I were done having kids. My health insurance covered it 100%, not even a deductible. The pain wasn’t too bad. Felt very much like when you’ve been kicked in the nuts."
"We later divorced. It made post-divorce sex life great. Women were really into the security of not getting pregnant. Let me tell you, life was pretty sweet."
"My girlfriend now has no kids. I was very upfront with her very early on in the relationship about the fact I didn’t want more kids, and didn’t want to hinder her from pursuing having children if it was a desire of hers."
"I basically told her if we needed to end the relationship so that she could find someone else to have kids with, I’d understand. She said she was ok not having kids and we’ve been together ever since."
- wizkee
Dad Jokes
"I was told that after a vasectomy I wouldn't have kids anymore, but when I got home, they were still there..."
- CommentToBeDeleted
While there are certainly risks, and even regrets, involved, most Redditors argued that the ends justified the means when it came to getting a vasectomy.
For most, it removed the stress and pressure of possibilities of pregnancy that some people are not interested in, and it's difficult to put a price on something like that.
There are things that we all wish we had known from an earlier age to avoid mistakes, mishaps, and general embarrassment.
Not only is there advice that older people wish they could give the younger generation, but there are things the younger generation is doing now that older people simply do not get.
Redditor IslamicAnime asked:
"Older women of Reddit, what is something young women are doing that puzzles you?"
Buccal Fat Removal
"Buccal Fat Removal surgery."
- walkingoffthebuz
"They're gonna regret that s**t, lol (laughing out loud)."
- beepbooponyournose
"It's permanent, and your body will never make more of it. Buccal fat removal ages the face immediately, which isn't a problem for most women in their 20s, but as they actually do age, there is a high likelihood that they will need to constantly get fillers for the rest of their life to combat the side effects of significant premature aging."
- NinaNeptune13
Lip Fillers
"The overdone lip injections. I can’t wait for this trend to die."
- chubbybarbie81
"I'm 26. I went to high school with a girl who has lip fillers, and every time I see a picture of her, those d**n lips are all I can look at. They look so goofy."
- mrsbebe
Surgical Butt Lifts
"Brazilian Butt Lifts. The weird disproportionate diaper booty look is... interesting."
- Shapoopadoopie
"I have not seen a single one that looked good. The proportions are so unnatural between the butt and legs."
- Hexenhut
Social Media Babies
"Blasting pictures of their young children all over social media with 1000 followers."
- assylemdivas
"Before my son was born, I asked everyone to keep my kid off their social media. Mine is restricted to friends and family only, locked down pretty well, and difficult to find because I don’t use my first name on there. I don’t know who other people have on their pages but my kid didn’t need to be blasted all over their pages to see."
"My son was born via C-section around 5:00 PM. The nurse asked if I wanted a picture taken on my phone to show my mom and niece (who were in the waiting room). I said yes, she went and got my phone from my mom, took a couple of photos, and gave it back to my mom."
"She sent it to herself, then to close family members. Within 10 minutes, my sister had it posted on all of her social media pages and was acting as though she had been at the hospital with me all day."
"My 16-year-old niece (her daughter) called her and told her to stop, to take it all down, and do as I’d asked. My sister apparently got mad but finally did it. I found out about it the next day and thanked my niece, but it started a whole thing that ended with me finally just blocking her (my sister) on social media because she wouldn’t do one simple thing."
- quincyd
Falsies of All Sizes
"Big, fluffy false eyelashes. I tried it once and it felt like caterpillars on my eyelids, they had to come off right away. I don't know how they stand it, but I admire their skill."
"(Just wanna make it clear here, I'm not about sh*tting on the aesthetics of young people. You do you, my sweet children! It's just not for me.)"
- katie-kaboom
A Little Privacy
"Letting everyone on the internet know exactly where you are at all times and what your schedule is seems a bit nuts."
- Konebred
"I teach high school math..."
"My students have tracking apps so they can see exactly where their friends are at all times, and I think it's weird as h**l."
"Someone was absent, so I asked, 'Where is Martha?' to nobody in particular. Well, her friend in class pulls out her phone and replies, 'Oh! She should be here soon. She's in the 300 building bathroom.' I find it incredibly creepy, but they have no issue with it."
- Philyphreak3
Influencer Concerns
"Posting non-stop content and then caring so much about what strangers say about them online. As if life isn't difficult enough for women without finding new and unnecessary standards to hold themselves up to. It all seems like an exhausting, pointless, and mentally draining exercise."
- MuddaFrmAnnudaBrudda
"Focusing on their social media appearance. The lighting, the posing… it’s all for likes."
"Posting where they are. Where they go."
"The complete transparency over their location floors me after being told not to tell people that stuff online."
"I worry that a lot of young people are too aware of their social media standing and appearance and aesthetic and are forgetting to find and love themselves for who they are."
- punnymama
Lack of Communication
"Passive-aggressive roommate fights."
"The layers can get really impressive, but in a terrible way. 'A wrote B a note about dishes, but C thought it was about them, so C wrote A a note, and then B came home and thought it was for her so she texted the group chat and...'"
"DUDE. TALK TO PEOPLE. TALK. TO. PEOPLE. This is the perfect time in your life to be practicing assertiveness and healthy conflict resolution. All this s**tty note-writing and vague group text chatting and bulls**t is making whatever the problem is a thousand times worse."
- Much_Difference
Self-Sufficiency
"I am bewildered by women who do not prioritize the ability to support themselves."
- Joey690
"I have so many friends that can't do stuff my dad taught me was basic. Like following instructions for general house maintenance stuff. No reason to pay someone $400 and wait two weeks for them to come when you can do it yourself in 15 minutes with an online tutorial."
"Like swapping the lock assembly on a washing machine. Sounds difficult if you don't know what you're doing, but on many washing machines it's one screw and it's plug and play. There are a ton of videos on YouTube for it, so you don't even need to know how to start."
"I guess what I really got from my dad was the confidence to try. So many people I run into just don't even think they can, so they don't try."
- caboosetp
#VanLife
"Van life."
"The whole 'Van life is so glamorous, look at me sipping my coffee sitting in the back of my van in front of the sunrise' thing is WAY overrated and very, very fake."
"Van life or camper life can be fun and an adventure at times, yes, but it comes with a LOT of work, expenses, and risks that people don't tell you about."
- Just_another_Sue
Makeup Enthusiasts
"They are SO good at makeup. I don’t know if it’s because they have better products, the availability of tutorial videos, or both but they all look amazing and we were walking around with orange faces and smudged eyeliner. Not gonna lie, I’m a little jealous."
"EDITED TO ADD: so many bitter people in these replies! Makeup is a hobby. It might not be one that you enjoy but that doesn’t invalidate it."
"We should respect and uplift all women and however they choose to express themselves, whether it’s by wearing makeup and miniskirts or Carhartt and axel grease."
- SnooPeripherals5969
Relationship Red Flags
"I'm definitely not considered an older woman yet, so I apologize as my view may not count, but one thing I've noticed since starting a new job and working with some 17-20-year-olds has given me a few yikes."
"One is the weird obsession with knowing where their partner is at all times, one girl threw a mini fit because her partner's Snapchat location wasn't on and she was scarily angry about it."
"And the weird glorification I've seen about being 'psycho' is such a weird red flag. Amount of them boasting about borderline mentally abusive things or acts they do to their partners is f**king WILD and frankly scares me a little."
- bamyris
Real-Life Experiences
"I'm 33 so I don't consider myself old yet, but I've seen young girls living through Snapchat and other apps, vehemently photographing themselves and everything around them."
"To me, it seems as if they care more about how they portray themselves online towards others (they don't even know), instead of enjoying the actual experiences."
- Flikketeer
Miss Dependent
"I know a few 17 or 18-year-old girls who have decided not to learn to drive or get licensed because their boyfriends always have cars; not to finish school because they don't enjoy it; and don't ever want to vote because that stuff's boring."
"They have these precious rights to be free, to be educated, to be heard, and they don't care!"
"(Regarding the car thing, we're in a semi-rural area with limited transport options.)"
- RooBeeDooBeeDoo
Lack of Skin Protection
"Not wearing sunscreen and still going tanning."
"My sister died at age 36 from skin cancer and it is still a struggle to convince younger girls of all ethnicities to wear sunscreen and stop tanning. Use a fake tanner or/and love the skin you're in."
- Sure_Temperature_349
From generation to generation, priorities and practices have a way of changing. Some practices are wildly confusing for older generations, leaving the older people to wish that they could give younger people advice they wish they'd had themselves.
The mundane activities we do on a daily basis put us into auto-pilot, where we don't have to think about what we're doing.
This occurs every day. But maybe we shouldn't assume things will always go well.
Think about it. Drivers who commute don't have to concern themselves with how to get to work or school. But can you assume the drivers with whom you share the road are safe drivers?
Diners at restaurants don't have to worry about eating the foods prepared for them. Are you sure there aren't any foreign–possibly sharp–objects in your entree?
Even acts that are simple as stepping into the shower early in the morning don't have to worry about a single thing.
Did you watch Final Destination?
Curious to hear about normal activities that can unexpectedly turn deadly, Redditor Godzilla_Cheese asked:
"What is something everyone does daily that if done wrong, can kill you?"
These are reminders for people not to check out on the most basic activities.
Showers Can Be Fatal
"take a shower or bath."
"one slip and you could die."
– TrailerParkPrepper
"This happened to a kid at my highschool. Was showering, slipped hit his head and died. Was only like 16. Nice guy."
– TheWillsofSilence
Amateur Cooks Beware
"I’m a firefighter and my only answer is: cooking"
"You f'kers set your stoves on fire entirely too often."
– alstottno1
"First thing in every sims game I've played: buy a fire alarm and install it right above the oven and grind out a point in cooking."
"Far too many ghosts in my town due to grilled cheese."
– Torringtonn
Drivers should be focused on one thing: driving.
Eyes On The Road Please
"How many people answered this while driving?"
– hamstrung_hero
"So, I only know exactly one person, personally, that has died while driving. Yet, it happens all the time. So, I often think at work (I work at a bar): 'how many people here aren’t gonna make it home tonight?' Just, statistically, working in bars for 15 years; I know there has to be some number of people who came to my bar and that was the last day of their life."
– NerdModeActivated
Driving Defensively
"The scariest part is you can do everything right and still die because someone else did it wrong."
– Vegan-Fury
"Always assume everyone else is on the road is a complete imbecile. Don’t just be aware of what’s in front of you (and in front of them), be aware of what’s on all sides of you. Know which way you can swerve if needed, etc…"
– NBA_Fan_76
Be Aware Of Last-Minute Maneuvers
"Almost happened to me this morning. People seem to think it's okay to pick the last possible second to exit or merge. You had an entire mile to prepare for this and you chose to try and kill me instead."
– Silent-G
Lingering Trauma
"Yup, a friend of mines was recently involved in a fatal traffic accident. Thanks to CCTV on the vehicle he was deemed not at fault by police. I can't begin to imagine what's going through his head, he's still off work for health reasons."
– STRICKIBHOY
"The only thing keeping us from smashing into oncoming traffic is an agreement to not cross a thin painted line on the road."
– gREGER2K
Wrong Time, Wrong Place
"Literally just walking."
"Walk in the wrong spot at the wrong time and wham hit by a semi truck."
"People literally die from random shi*t like tripping and hitting their head on the edge of a curb, doesn’t even need to be a car!"
– Swift_F0x
Don't assume everything goes down smoothly.
Dining On-The-Go
"Drink or eat."
– oneofyrfencegrls
"I just saw my 88 year old aunt for maybe the last time. (She lives halfway around the world and was clear that this is her last trip to the US) she started choking on a piece of sushi, we asked if she was okay, she shook her head 'no' and pointed to her back."
"My dad starts patting her back not nearly hard enough and I realize that if I did the Heimlich on her, I could break a rib. She’s tiny and frail. Luckily, she coughs it up and her British a** says, 'So sorry to be a bother. I’m quite embarrassed by that.' I blurted out, 'Sorry!? I thought you were going to die! We’re good.'”
– phlavor
The Peanut
"Peanuts. My dad's Shaolin Kempo teacher died this way. Big burly guy. Black belt fighter. Choked on a peanut with no one around to do a Heimlich. Like this guy got hit in the head multiple times during tournaments, but a peanut is what did him in. Bizarre to think about."
– Melvarkie
Killer Tomatoes
"I used to have a teacher in high school who worked in tomato fields earlier in life, which anyone who's ever worked in a picking field knows that it can easily f'k you up good. He eventually made his way out of the fields and into a teaching career, and one day years later he was eating a salad and started choking on a piece of tomato. Luckily one of the students was able to pat him on the back hard enough to force it out, but once everyone's nerves weren't on edge he was just like, 'Man I made it out of those fields just for the tomatoes to try and kill me now.'"
– AcousticAaron
Wrong Pipe
"I hate when you drink water wrong."
– Good-Management-4241
"Dihydrogen monoxide strikes again."
– notthephonz
"Aspiration kills 168,000 humans yearly (approximately)"
– Puresparx420
Take from this list what you will.
Many Redditors learned some new things in the thread but also expressed regret.
Redditor pandaram02, for instance, wrote:
"Idk why I’m opening the comment section just unlocking new fears."
Seconded.
Who knew that cleaning can kill you?
Note: never mix bleach with ammonia. Inhaling the noxious fumes from the chemical reaction can have near-fatal consequences.
Everyone has a different relationship with hygiene.
While some people wash their hands every time they enter a new room, and never leave home without a bottle of hand sanitizer, others might not care where their hands have been as they bust open a bag of chips.
However, one thing that both parties have in common is that over time, they might have developed certain practices related to their own personal hygiene that are unique to them.
Helping them either make sure their hands, teeth, and body are as clean as can possibly be or help them get things done as speedily, if not as effectively, as possible.
"What is the peculiar hygiene habit that you've developed?"
So Nothing Gets Overlooked
"When I shower I slowly rotate in a circle like some type of vertical rotisserie chicken."- RootsRoots55
To Help It Come Out... Maybe?...
"When I sit down to poo, I sort of sit in a way that spreads my cheeks as much as possible."- Myzx
Clean Before You Clean
"I wash my hands in the shower before I touch my face."- plasticIove
Happy Wash Hands GIF by Mecklenburg CountyGiphySurprisingly Overlooked
"I spend an extra minute in every shower making sure I thoroughly clean my feet."
"Not weird to clean feet."
"But definitely weird to remind myself every day 'gotta wash them trotters'."- ingoodtime23
Don't Overlook The Hard To Reach Places
"I see a lot of elderly people in the hospital.'
"99% have toenail fungus."
"I keep anti-fungal shampoo in the shower next to a toothbrush and scrub my nails and in-between my toes every morning."- Resilient_bookworm
Nothing Says You Can't Have Fun In The Shower...
"More of a fun one, but related to hygiene."
"When in the shower, and I'm lathering up my body with my soap/shower gel, I ensure a nice seal between my arm and body."
"Then I keep my fingertips against my hip and extend my elbow, creating a huge bubble in the gap between my arm and body."
"Then I blow it to see how big a bubble I can blow before it pops."
"Yes I'm a 35 year old man."- Angry_Cornflake
Extra, Extra Dry
"Squeegee myself with my hands in the shower to get most of the water off before I towel dry."- clydeswitch
Wash Up After Cleaning
"After using a sponge or cloth from the kitchen sink, I wash my hands with soap."
"These things are just nasty, imo."- knuckleduster12
A Few Steps Ahead
"Taking showers in the middle of the night."
"I have insomnia and one night I decided, what the hell, I need to shower when I get up anyways, so I'll get it out of the way now."
"Maybe it's placebo, but as soon as I got out of the shower and got into bed I slept like a baby."
"Now if I can't fall asleep or wake up in the middle of the night I'll go take a shower instead of laying in bed trying to force myself to fall asleep."- SunnySilver8
Relaxing Homer Simpson GIFGiphyBeware The Excess Spray
"I try to close the toilet seat lid before flushing because I saw a video once where green 'bacteria' gets shot out of the toilet."- LrckLacroix
Their Expert Hiders
"Full body tick check before bed every night."
"I spend a lot of time in the bush and lyme sucks."- cat_named_virtue
The Proof Is In The Pudding... Flavored Toothpaste
"My friends think it's weird that I time myself brushing my teeth so that I brush for the full 2 minutes."
"Joke's on them though, I have the nicest teeth in the friend group."- selloboy
Brush Colgate GIFGiphy...Seems Kind Of Dangerous...
"I like to shower in complete darkness."
"Turn off the lights, block the bottom of the bathroom door with a towel or my clothes if I have to, maybe put some music on if I'm in the mood, and just have a nice, long, hot shower."
"It's incredibly relaxing, almost like a little nap with how warm it is and all the darkness."- Adventurous-Till2924
Should That Even Matter?
"As a straight guy, washing my a**, apparently."- fromkentucky
It Can Get Out Of Control
"I trim my armpit hair every time I trim my beard."
"It’s like a buzz-cut under there."
"Deodorant is more effective that way."-
One would like to think that everyone follows the most basic rules of personal hygiene without needing to be reminded.
At the end of the day though, what's important is doing whatever puts your mind at rest that you are as clean as it possibly can be.
Still... How can you really tell how clean you are if you shower in the dark?