I Just Discovered a “Magical” Way to Unpack Seltzer Cans in Seconds (It’s So Easy!)

Every once in a while, I’m both shocked and delighted to find there is something new to learn about what I thought I’d had a handle on for years. While I was hanging out at my friend’s house recently, he asked if I knew the secret trick to getting seltzer cans out of the packaging. Umm, no, because there’s only one way: by opening the package and one by one sticking them in the fridge, obviously. But boy, was I wrong!

There is a brilliant trick that makes it super quick and easy to unbox all those cans of your favorite seltzer or soda when you go to store them in the fridge. My friend picked up this magic unpacking hack while working in new home sales — they always kept the refrigerator of the model home stocked with Coca-Cola and water, and apparently a coworker showed him a trick once to load the fridge more quickly. With a new pack of coconut water on his counter waiting to go in the fridge, he demonstrated this very impressive party trick for me. Naturally, I wanted to learn the magic unpack myself!

Some of you might be wondering: Why even take the cans out of the packaging? And that’s totally a personal preference. I don’t like having the cartons in the fridge, and I also don’t like rummaging around inside of them once the first few cans are gone. It seems like the packaging ends up ripping, and it just becomes one tiny extra layer of hassle that none of us need. Besides, this way is just fun! 

Here’s how it works, and yes, it’s really this simple. First you’ll want to make sure you have a spot cleared out in your refrigerator. Then, grab your pack of LaCroix or (whatever you’re stocking up on). 

1. Open one end of the package. 

2. With the cans upright, slide it in, open end first, into the designated spot in the fridge. 

3. Open the end facing you.

4. This is when you pretend to be the magician who slides a tablecloth out from under a set table. Put your hand inside the package and loosely sort of hold the first few cans, then — and confidence is key here — using your other hand, slide the package right off of the cans in one quick move, pulling it toward you.

5. Enjoy your perfectly organized cans!

That’s it! You’ve accomplished in mere moments what would take exponentially longer if you did it one can at a time. Were the packages designed this way intentionally? It certainly seems like it, and my friend jokes that it’s built right in. Maybe we’ll never know! Either way it is a fun little Easter egg, and once you know how to do it, you can’t unsee how easy it is. 
So, how did it go my first time out? It was hands down as easy as it looked, although I had one casualty with one can toppling over, but that’s because I didn’t do it quickly enough, or with confidence. My friend who has done it for years doesn’t hesitate, and the cans are left standing in place in one quick move. Is this earth-shattering? Maybe not. But if you can turn a chore into a bit of fun and save some time, I’m calling that a win. Maybe even magic.