16 Things Every Man Should Know How To Do

1 CHANGE A TYRE

This is an essential thing to master. You do not want to wait 7 hours for AA to reach you just because you have a flat tire. In a nutshell, put the parking brake and hazard lights on; get out your lug nut wrench and car jack; remove the hubcap; loosen the lug nuts; jack up the car; remove the lug nuts followed by the flat tire; put the new tire onto the wheel studs; put the lug nuts back, and make sure they’re screwed on tight. 

 

2 TIE A TIE

So you can tie your shoe laces? Cool, but what a bout a tie? Every man should know how to tie a tie and look the part at every formal occasion.  

 

3 THE PHONETIC ALAPHET

It will save you hours on the phone over the course of your life. No more struggling with ‘n’ and ‘m’.

 

4 LAUNDRY 

Asking your mother to do the laundry for you because your a single man is not okay. It’s not rocket science, so you can easily wash your own clothes. If you need a bit of guidance, follow this link. 

 

5. OPEN A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE

Nothing wrong with having the occasional pint, but sometimes only a bottle of champagne will do. And that’s when you want to be able to open it without firing the cork into someone’s eye. 

1. Chill the bottle to at least 7.2 C.
2. Hold down the cork with the palm of your hand and remove the wire cage.
3. Place a towel over the top of the bottle and grasp the cork

 

If you want to try something a bit more advanced, learn how to sabre a bottle of champagne.

 

6. CHANGE A LIGHTBULB

No doubt one of the most important things a man should know how to do.

 

7. TIE A BOW-TIE

You may only attend a couple of black tie events a year and think that wearing a clip-on is okay. Nope. Learn how to tie a bow-tie. Just remember practise makes perfect. Do not attempt to do this for the first time 5 minutes before you are due to leave the house.

 

8. SHINE YOUR SHOES

A woman always judges a man by the state of his shoes. Take good care of them. Both the shoes and the women.

 

9. SEW A BUTTON

Any man who thinks that this is only the work of a woman is just that; a man. A gentleman knows how to sew a button on in a matter of minutes and whenever emergency strikes.

Lisa Comfort, founder of the Sew Over It sewing cafe, gives easy step-by-step instructions and stitching tricks. Read more.

 

10. CHOOSE THE RIGHT WINE

Knowing the difference between red and white is not knowledge. Also, you do not make Rosé by mixing red and white. When faced with a wine list in a fancy (or otherwise) restaurant, a gentleman should know what to pick with ease and confidence.

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11. COOK A SIGNATURE MEAL

Every gentleman should have his own signature dish. And not something really simple like pasta (unless the sauce is home-made). Also nothing microwavable, please. Ideally, this is a dish you can cook to really impress a date. 

12 GIVE A COMPLIMENT

Making the people around you feel good is a trait of a proper gentleman. People enjoy being complimented, although not in a sleazy way and not just for the sake of it. Be genuine, charming and honest. 

 

13. IRON A SHIRT

There is a surprisingly high number of men who do not know how to iron a shirt. In the same way dirty shoes ruins an otherwise great outfit, so does a wrinkled shirt. It doesn’t take you long, and a lot of people even find the act quite therapeutic. 

 

14. GIVE A GOOD HAND SHAKE

You can tell a lot about a man from his handshake, or in some cases the lack of one. When meeting someone for the first time, nothing ruins a first impression like a clammy, limp squeeze of the hand, or a nerve-damaging bruiser of a grip. Not too soft, and not too firm. And maintain eye contact.

 Master the firm, masculine handshake and you’ll instantly improve your business credentials.

 

15. PARALLELL PARK

Imagine this. You are driving around in your car looking for a parking space. Sat next to you is your date for the evening. It is a busy night thus most spaces are already taken. “There’s a space!” she says. You slow down and turn on your indicator only to realise you will have to parallel park. “It’s okay” you tell yourself. “I can do this.” Liar. 15 minutes later you step out of the car and watch your date park it for you.

Moral of the story: learn how to parallel park!

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16. CPR

CPR is something absolutely everyone should know.