TikToker Shares 20 Things Everyone Should Know Before They Turn 30

Ashley Hunte
A phone home screen featuring the TikTok app icon.
Unsplash | Solen Feyissa

Thirty really feels like a turning point in our lives. We aren't quite "old," but we aren't quite "young," either. At least, not as young as we were in our 20s.

And with that extra age comes a little more wisdom. If you're lucky, you'll come across people like TikToker @sidneyraz, who's out here telling us all the things he wish he knew before he turned 30.

Using a spatula to unstick a drawer.

You know how random stuff can get stuck in your kitchen drawers, making them impossible to open? Well, apparently using a spatula (instead of jiggling the drawer around awkwardly) can get it unstuck, nice and easy.

Keeping your coat from slipping off the hanger.

Okay, I think this one actually changed my life. Ever have a coat that's always slipping off the hanger? Just put the top part of the hanger through the loop on the back, and it stays. Amazing.

Getting past the annoying seal on pill bottles.

Or anything with that seal, really. If it has a child lock with a tab sticking out (as you can see in the TikTok), then you can use it to puncture a hole in the seal.

How to silence a loud smoke detector...

So, guys. There's a button. There's a button. I don't know about you, but this is an absolute game changer for me. I wish I knew this as a kid, let alone in my 20s!

There's a faster way to peel garlic.

All you need is a microwave. Literally. That's it. Just look at the TikTok; after a few seconds in the microwave, the peel just pops off. Who would've thought it could be that easy?

There's a right way to tie your shoes.

Didn't know that? Me neither. But if you look at the TikTok, you can see that there's a little heel lock you're supposed to loop the laces through and it... locks the heel.

There's one way to reheat pizza that's better than the others.

Sure, you could use your microwave or oven. But apparently, the best way to reheat pizza is to put it in a pan with a little water.

Or you could just eat it cold and not have to worry about all that.

Ever wonder why jackets have shoulder straps?

They're to keep things like backpacks or purses from annoyingly slipping off your shoulders. You open the strap, stick your bag's strap in there, and fasten it up. It literally won't move. Incredible...

The right way to paint a wall.

Okay, I'm gonna confess that I actually knew this one. Before you start rolling the wall, you need to take a brush and paint along the edges. Trust me, it'll make things a lot easier.

So... you don't need to shake a seasoning bottle.

If you just twist it so that the slots go from exposed to covered, the seasoning will just fall out, nice and easy. I swear, you learn something new every day.

You can open plastic packaging... with a can opener.

No need for scissors and a lot of swear words. Just use a can opener the same way you'd open a can (sliding the sharp part along the edge), and it opens so easily!

You can just... trim a broom.

I guess brooms are supposed to last waaaay longer than we all thought. You can clean yours, and then trim all the stray bristles, and it'll be as good as new — just a wee bit shorter.

How to open mail...

Sure, we might not get too many important letters anymore, but when you do get one, don't open it by ripping the entire flap. Just tear the corner of the flap, and then twist around the end. It couldn't be any easier, apparently.

Windshield scrapers are actually way more useful than they seem.

...if you use the back of the tool, that is. Like, the part with the bits that stick out (if you watch the TikTok, you'll know what I mean).

I feel like I should've known this many winters ago...

Egg-cracking surfaces aren't all created equal.

In fact, there are some surfaces that are better to crack eggs on than others. Like any flat surface (your counter). Works waaay better than cracking an egg on the edge of the pan.

Put stuff along the outer part of the microwave tray, not the middle.

It'll heat things more evenly, so you get fewer cold spots in the middle of your meal. I actually knew about this one too (but I only learned it a couple of years ago, so that barely counts).

Faucets have... filters?

So, a sink faucet has a little filter called an aerator. And we're supposed to be replacing it every year.

Don't mind me, I'm just panicking a little bit right now. I have replaced mine in, precisely, never.

You can use tin foil to get rid of hair static!

Okay, I legit had no idea you could do that! I feel like this is a game changer for anyone who has frizzy hair all the time (like me).

Like taps, blow dryers have a filter (and you should be cleaning it).

It's the part on the back. Luckily, you can just pop it off, clean it, and put it back on. No need to buy a replacement or anything.

How to light a multi-wick candle:

Instead of lighting each wick one by one, just light one, and then tilt the candle so the flame catches on the others. This seems way easier, and probably a little safer, too.