Not everyone has the time or money to call in a specialist when faced with a problem that needs fixing. Sometimes we just need to do what we can with whatever we have available. In South Africa, we call it making an “akkeltjie”. I’m yet to find a direct English translation for that Afrikaans slang but think “quick-fix,” “modification,” “creative solution,” or “DIY mend that kinda, sorta works.”
Whether it’s putting a bumper sticker over a dent in your car door, or using a stapler to tailor your pants, us humans have the uncanny ability to figure something out. In Afrikaans, we say, “‘n boer maak ‘n plan” (a farmer makes a plan). Clearly the country has a knack for being innovative, resilient and never taking “no” for an an answer.
Around the world, people have been coming up with clever ideas to fix everyday issues. Some stranger and funnier than others. They proudly share the proof on a page called There I Fixed It regardless of whether said problem was truly “fixed” or not. Bored Panda has put together a list of the best posts to inspire anyone on the verge of giving up…
#1 My Stepdad Backed My Car Into A Semi… Fixed It
Image source: Chicka360
#2 “But Boss, I Don’t Think A 4×4 Plank Will Hold Up That Telephone Pole.” “Do I Pay You To Think Or Do I Pay You To Do What I Tell You?”
Image source: TheCheshireCody
#3 I Have No Title, Still Trying To Perceive What I’m Looking At
Image source: Naptownfellow
#4 Not Really, But Ok
Image source: kesavadh
#5 Deactivated Esclator=stairs
Image source: [deleted]
#6 So I’m Basically An Electrician Now
Image source: temporalwanderer
#7 Boeing Fixed The Door Blowout Problem. Thank Goodness!!
Image source: Chronstoppable
#8 I Like To Consider Myself A Handyman. Gotta Do What You Gotta Do To Pass University Dorm Inspections
Image source: [deleted]
#9 Lighting Fixture Found In My Grandparents Basement
Image source: DoctorBurger
#10 Post Brain Surgery Rehab. My Hand Doesn’t Work So They Taped It Up So I Could…firmly Grasp It
Image source: TheBlackCat13
#11 Why… Just Why
Image source: BertfromNL
#12 Idk, I’m Impressed
Image source: thanksamanda
#13 This Sub Was Suggested
Image source: prybarwindow
#14 My Cousin’s: From Multiple Rage Controller Flexes
Image source: MOEB74
#15 The Lord Giveth
Image source: PBSabre
#16 Amateur Mechanic Hack. Got Tired Of The Size Moving. Didn’t Have A Short Open End 17mm So This Worked
Image source: PBSabre
#17 Who Needs Em
Image source: Actually_is_Jesus
#18 My Dad’s Solution To Keep The Dishwasher Door From Opening Mid Cycle 😂
Image source: PBSabre
#19 That Ought To Do It
Image source: BosEsq
#20 Forbidden Jenga
Image source: [deleted]
#21 You Are The Weakest Link
Image source: DrThrowawayToYou
#22 Needed A Lid Without A Hole. Didn’t Have A Lid Without A Hole. Screw It
Image source: [deleted]
#23 Fixed The Pcb
Image source: KRider92
#24 Almost Blends In
Image source: MRairden
#25 I Saw This Gracefully Repaired Car. Pretty Smart Gotta Admit
Image source: Roar_Im_A_Nice_Bear
#26 In Order To Open The Oven We Mounted The Drawer Handles In This Way. It’s Perfect!
Image source: 0x5742
#27 Feels Like Shoddy Car Mirror Fixes Are Everywhere, But Here’s Another One
Image source: semus0
#28 Religious Signage In Public Toilet
Image source: This-is-not-eric
#29 Husband Dropped His Water Bottle On His Cell And New Immediately How To Fix It
Image source: Vampyre_Lilith
#30 Genius
Image source: Livid_Day_985
#31 You Could’ve At Least Used The Right Color Bricks
Image source: rastroboy
#32 What Do You Mean I Need A New Windshield Wiper?
Image source: polenta23
#33 When Opening The Dishwasher Is Too Much Work
Image source: Fr33_load3r
#34 Electrical Pole Doesn’t Need Further Repair Just Put Up A Warning Gummy – Don’t Crash Here Again!
Image source: espero
#35 Just Arrived In Houston To Visit The Boyfriend’s Dad For The First Time In 11 Months. I Think He Was A Little Confused As To Why I Was So Excited! 😄
Image source: TNmelissaTX
#36 Somebody At The Gym Threw A Medicine Ball Into The Drywall. They Fixed It By Putting A Vent Grate Over It
Image source: AverageLCP
#37 Brand Loyalty
Image source: smithers85
#38 Fixed The Outlet, Boss
Image source: KingArfer
#39 Fixed The Leaking Roof Vent Boss
Image source: stilsjx
#40 My Sis In Law Just Posted This. She Told My Brother, “Use Those DIY Books And Fix The Chair!” Done
Image source: BertfromNL
#41 My Fiancé Has Ripped His Joggers At Work And Used Cable Ties 🤦♀️🤣
Image source: Tsuki_xo
#42 City Mechanic Repairs Bumper With Drywall Screws
Image source: TheEVegaExperience
#43 Good Car Repair 🤣
Image source: gahdzila
#44 Elevator Button Fix Lockout
Image source: AAMeye
#45 Hose Clamps To Keep My Office Chair From Involuntarily Descending
Image source: freewillcausality
#46 Perfect!
Image source: muffinlady90
#47 Why Replace My Almost Broken Old Dirty Screen When I Can Do This?!
Image source: Emerald_bamboo
#48 My Car After A Fender Bender
Image source: StyleBosse
#49 Remember Him? He Is All Grown Up Now
Image source: Ransidmeat
#50 My Cats Were Destroying My Plants, So I Fixed It
Image source: muninn99
#51 Spectrum Fixed My WiFi A Few Months Ago. Just Realized They Used Two 4-Way Splitters
Image source: Edosurist
#52 Mini Fridge Didn’t Come With A Bar To Hold My Drinks In Place, So I Improvised With LEGO. I’m Convinced Mostly Anything Can Be Fixed With LEGO
Image source: master_mather
#53 Louisiana Walmart. DIY Windshield Replacement
Image source: AppleSeed81
#54 So Smart
Image source: Even_Watercress_9212
#55 Fixed My Bed
Image source: Antique_Law_8081
#56 Good Bracing
Image source: Idontnoidonhaveredit
#57 Washing Machine Literally Falling Apart? Just Tie That Shii Up – By My Mom
Image source: [deleted]
#58 I’m Honestly Impressed With This ‘Repair’. If They Had Used Red Wire Ties, It Would Resemble A Baseball
Image source: dericn
#59 The Hotel Door Literally Didn’t Have A Lock. So A Little More Safety Measurements Were Needed
Image source: hallia4334
#60 The Door On The Copier Kept Coming Open. Not Anymore
Image source: bnfdhfdhfd3
#61 “Don’t Buy A Car If You Have To Park It Outside The Streets Of Manila”. I Suppose This Counts As Being Inside
Image source: JustZara11
#62 You Can Always Fix It Right Or
Image source: wwhijr
#63 Heater Valve On Old Chevy Cracked. Random Box Of Plumbing Garbage To The Rescue
Image source: rugernut13
#64 Better Than New
Image source: Fr33_load3r
#65 The Fan On The Portable AC Unit Was Too Weak So I Fixed It
Image source: chrisyroid
#66 Found In The Wild
Image source: MrMixer
#67 Spotted This On The Men’s Room Door At A Service Call Today. At Least They Sanded It Smooth To Prevent Splinters, LOL
Image source: dericn
#68 My Dad Uses Water Filled Milk Jugs To Prop The Door Open In Their Hi Rise Balcony
Image source: grumpsuarus
#69 My Partner Fixed The Handle On Our Freezer Door
Image source: Separate_Inflation69
#70 My Brothers Landlords Solution To A Leaking Shower
Image source: DarthJerJer
#71 Which One Of You Is This? Lmao
Image source: WithaK19
#72 Spotted At The Supermarket
Image source: kr4t0s007
#73 I Was Really Sick Of My Tomatoes Splitting Open In The Garden
Image source: mikebellman
#74 Saw This Vintage Toy At A Local Flea Market And Thought Of This Sub
Image source: Calliope719
#75 The Front Of My Coffee Maker Keeps Popping Open So I Put A Jewelry Box Latch On It
Image source: GreenT1979
#76 This Was The Easiest Solution
Image source: nullr0uter
#77 My Popsocket Broke So I Designed A New One
Image source: smoosh13
#78 Found In The Celing Of Our Office Building. Projctor Mounted. Metal Bar Sticks About 4 Ft Out Of The Ceiling Tile Below. Previous Tentant
Image source: zodiac200213
#79 At The Local Waffle House
Image source: iceman92066
#80 Master Mind
Image source: Fr33_load3r
#81 At A Bar Somewhere In The Middle Of Nowhere In Upstate New York
Image source: Existing-Face-6322
#82 Tie Rod End
Image source: Not_me_no_way
#83 This Supermarket Quick-Fix Is Questionable
Image source: crasagam
#84 Blinkers Stopped Working And I Can’t Figure It Out
Image source: manoteee
#85 What Broken Window? This Is A Handy Boot Storage Solution
Image source: RainbowSkink
#86 My Rice Cooker Lid Latch Broke So I Had To Get Creative
Image source: lesleh
#87 Found This In The Wild
Image source: BBTransLady
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