When seeking a faster, easier or better way to do things, a capitalist-programmed industrial designer may try to create a new product that solves the problem. But as our world becomes cluttered with more junk, I’ve come to appreciate those whose solutions rely on cleverness and improvisation with or repurposing of existing stuff. Here are the best such DIY shortcuts, tricks and hacks we saw in 2019:

Guy Develops Clever Way to Unload Huge Concrete Pipes By Himself

Workers Develop Clever Up-to-Down Brick Transportation Method

An Easy Way to Hang Pictures: Use a Fork

DIY Defense During Hong Kong Protest: Cordless Leafblower vs. Tear Gas

DIY Defense During Hong Kong Protest: Tiny Brick “Stonehenges” vs. Police Water Cannon Trucks

Clever Trick for Neatly Pouring Oil Into an Engine, Without Using a Funnel

Package Design Trickery: Bike Company Prints Flatscreen TVs on Shipping Cartons, Reduces Damage by 70%-80%

More Package Design Deception: Signal Snowboards Ships Theirs Disguised as Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Design Solutions for Boot Jacks, Part 3: The DIY Farmer’s Hack and More

Different Methods for Using Pencils All the Way to the Freaking End

Image credit: TapSmart

How to (Quickly) Use Your iPhone as a Super Magnifying Glass

The Car, Gadgets, and Tricks Used to Drive From NYC to LA in 27.5 Hours Without Getting Caught by Police

Laura Kampf’s Clever Repurposed Workbench Modifications

A Trick for Putting Someone Out if Their Clothes Catch On Fire