45 Practical Solutions To Everyday Problems That We Didn’t Realize Existed
By Farah J
Coming up with ingenious and creative solutions to the simplest of problems can turn the world upside down for everyone, no matter if it’s a DIY hack or a business-level product for the public. It’s true what they say; when you think outside of the box, you can gain unconventional perspectives. We believe that we wouldn’t be here without those free spirits who pushed the boundaries and invented products we never even knew we needed. From pickle baskets that give us easier access to the pickles without shoving our hand down the jar to a space to store and lock skateboards like a bike stand. We have a long list of mind-blowing, jaw-hanging, genius ideas to make your life much easier.
Eco-Friendly practical combo
Mother nature is dying, and we all need to switch our lifestyles from eco-hazardous habits to eco-friendly actions to give this earth and our next generations a realistic chance of survival. And the first step to doing this is using eco-friendly products!
Like how this college took its cafés and sitting area to the next level by using solar panels as the shade over the bench, these panels, in turn, provide the power to the charging ports for the students to charge their electronic devices! Two in one!
Picnic inclusion
It’s the thought that counts! It’s the representation that matters! It’s the practice of humanity that everyone should follow. We don’t usually see such genuine kindness around us, and when we do, it restores our faith in humanity.
People don’t acknowledge how often we exclude our own folks who are relatively different from us, like those with physical disabilities and limitations. Whoever built this picnic bench that provides the space for wheelchair users has our most profound respect!
Plastic bag replacement
Honestly, we are all tired of seeing plastic trash everywhere. Our planet is full of plastic litter, and that aggravates us! But it is so wholesome to see people brainstorming different ideas about ditching the plastic and decreasing its use.
See, now Thailand is one of the few countries which is putting effort into lowering plastic waste; they are doing their part, and it shows. They wrapped fruits and vegetables in banana leaves instead of plastic bags! How innovative is that?
Icelandic treat
We all love and dream about watching the Northern Lights in person, right? When we make a travel bucket list, we ensure that Iceland is there. Well, by the looks of it, the Iceland hotel managers know the gold they have that attracts the tourists: The Northern Lights!
But seeing how tourists usually miss it when they are sleeping in their hotel rooms, the hotel managers decided to add a special button on rooms’ phones that wakes you up when The Northern Lights are waiting for you up in the sky! Pack your bags, folks; we are going to Iceland!
Work from home innovation
When the pandemic hit, everyone lost their marbles about how they would work from home with the kids running around. Well, it looks like the saying, “necessity is the mother of invention,” is true because people thought of hundreds of genius ideas for everything!
For instance, this mother put LED lights in the door jam and connected them to her work schedule through Wi-Fi. So whenever she has a meeting scheduled, the lights turn red. So, her kids know that they aren’t supposed to make any noise or enter the room during ‘red’!
How to save a life?
Airport terminals can be a waste of time, and lingering there can be exhausting and tedious. Unless you prefer to waste time chit-chatting or sleeping, Baltimore thought of this creative invention to make use of your precious time and potentially save the lives of others!
Now you can learn how to do CPR on a machine instead of sitting aimlessly at Baltimore Airport. Because what’s better than knowing how to save a life in an emergency? This, along with other life-saving information, should be everywhere, in our opinion.
Parking lot ease
Finding a parking space to park your car in a giant underground parking lot, especially on a busy day in a crowded place, can be pretty frustrating. We all know the annoyance it brings. So, some genius decided to put sensors under the ground!
These sensors are connected to the lights above the parking spots. When the sensor recognizes a car is parked there, the previously green light turns red. This way, you can see the green light from a distance and know where to go to park.
The duck ramp
Lakes are a pretty view wherever they are. Especially with the ducks and swans swimming around, lakes are a great place to sit back and relax. But pretty sight-seeing views come with a price. How does one resist falling into the water?
So, some smarty pants came up with the idea of building a little sliding ramp by the boundary railing of the lake, calling it “the duck ramp.” Two for one: the ramp keeps the people safe from accidents, and ducks get a special entrance to the lake!
Railing with Braille
Everybody deserves to enjoy the heavenly views of nature that the Lord Almighty has stored down here for us. But some people can’t enjoy the beauty directly through their eyes. People who are visually impaired deserve the best of everything, too.
For starters, these people deserve a Braille railing at every sight-seeing spot that describes their view, like this railing on a gazebo in Naples. We salute whoever came up with this fantastic idea. We all need more of this, please!
Workout with kids
Parks and playgrounds usually have benches where people sit and watch their kids play around on the swings. Rather than sitting around, we can use the same time our children are getting some exercise to get some as well.
Somewhere in this world, a brainy – and quite possibly, a health freak – installed outdoor workout equipment that faced the playground. Now, parents can do their daily workout while watching their kids have the time of their childhood lives!
Sink Creativity
We have seen people often complaining about the unleveled sink area in the kitchen, how water doesn’t get drained on its own, and creates a gross stagnant water smell in that area. It is a tremendous discomfort for everyone, especially those with small kitchens.
But, worry no more! Because some brains collaborated and designed an innovative sink with ridges. This design is efficient because you can use the same area to prepare food and then use it again as a draining board when washing up later.
Water fountain for doggo
Walking your dog can be pretty tiring when it’s a long trek, and running with them can be even more exhausting. Our water bottles get gulped down in one go, especially during the summertime! That’s when the water fountains seem like heaven, standing there in all their glory.
However, an intelligent individual with a doggo of his own figured out how they could get their little four-legged best friend some water from the water fountain. So, they built them their own separate ones besides their owners’. Isn’t it an adorable idea?
Upgraded picnic bench
We love to see the upgraded forms of everything when the new evolution is not only good-looking but serves a better purpose, too! We never knew we needed this picnic bench to upgrade our lives until we saw it. Such an excellent development!
We always had to squish between the people on the bench when we went out for picnics in large groups, whether family or friends. This picnic bench gives a sense of relief that we won’t have to endure those elbow hits in the ribs anymore while eating!
Spice rack standing drawer
Creativity in kitchens is an infamous deed, but you mostly hear about it regarding cooking delicious meals and desserts. The thing that’s most overlooked is how someone manages the kitchen clutter creatively and efficiently, especially in small or open kitchens.
For example, this person built a standing, vertical drawer with shelves for spices by the fridge! The way this satisfying spice rack is attracting us tells a lot about adulthood and the little perks it comes with. Never had we ever thought we’d want secret spice storage so bad!
Save the trees!
We’re always saying, “save the trees,” but we still aren’t willing to cut down on the use of paper. Sure, we’ve bonded with smart devices, but the paper over-usage is still there. How are we supposed to save the trees if we won’t limit the use of its commercial products?
Well, at least someone is performing their part in saving the planet. This eye doctor laminated their patient form and let the patients use a dry erase marker to fill it out! How smart is that? Recording the patient’s info in the computer later saves them the trouble of managing hard files, too!
Tip n’ tell monitor shipment
It is safe to say that this invention is one of the best! Well, partly because we have had way too many incidents of getting damaged parcels due to the mishandling by the shippers or delivery people. Most of the time, the complaints go unheard too.
Well, not anymore. Whoever’s genius mind was behind this invention; we’d like you to know that you have our respect and love. Tip n’ tell blue beads better be below the arrow on our packages when they reach our places, or we will have a word!
Convertible bench
Convertible stuff is a universal kink among the adults, do we all agree? Whether it is convertible beds, cars, desks, or cupboards. Now, tables, we are loving it! Saving space and making it look pretty – putting two in one is plain attractive.
Sidewalks need to be wide enough for people to walk on without easily bumping into every second person. So placing these here, the benches that can be turned into desks per your convenience, was a great move! It is a perfect spot to grab lunch or do a bit of work outdoors.
Jedi controlling traffic lights
We are not kidding with the “Jedi” part; he has landed in Ukraine with his laser sword. The traffic lights are all the proof that you need. Ukraine went all-in with its aesthetic creativity and made things easier for the public by doing so!
Usually, the people behind larger vehicles cannot see the traffic light, so they have to depend on the car in front of them. But with this invention of turning traffic light poles into the color of the signal light, life has become easier for the minis!
You got this!
It’s the littlest of things that can frustrate us to the core. But, on the golden side, the little things make the most significant differences in this world, too. Like, clasping a bracelet – a mere bracelet – has had us exasperated when we couldn’t close it ourselves.
But this jewelry company knew the universal struggle. So, they started selling their bracelets along with a small gift – a paper clip! They also gave a little pep talk and instructions on the package. How sweet and wholesome is this?
Movie theater wholesomeness
All of these people who are performing these little acts of kindness and showing a whole lot of human decency to each other, and spreading love, fun, and respect all around are our favorite kinds of people on this planet.
Like, how considerate and wholesome is this: the movie theater workers writing on a chalkboard if there are any end credits in the movie that you bought tickets for, so you don’t miss them thinking that the film has ended and got out of there! This touched our hearts.
Million Stars to Book-A-Million
People rate libraries and book shops by giving them stars out of 5. However, we’ll issue a rating of a million stars to the Book-a-Million library for doing this kind and glorious deed that nobody else bothered to think of.
We love our books nice and clean – the inside and the covers – and especially non-sticky! This library puts a little piece of paper under their company sticker, so no sticky residue is left behind on the surface when the reader takes it off. Smart!
Push the kid-friendly cart
Going grocery shopping with kids is a huge deal in itself. You need to have ten eyes to do everything: buy all the groceries that you came for, listen to your toddler whine about how they want to push the cart, and watch over them every second while doing your thing.
Well, apparently, grocery workers understand your struggle, too. So they made this trolley stand for your kids to stand on and hold the cart while you push it! This gives them a sense of responsibility, decreases their tantrums, and lets you watch over them easily!
Elevator kinks
When companies try to make things easier for their workers and the public in any way possible, that’s when you know that the world’s going towards a better place. It’s always been hard to select the floor on the elevator while your hands are full.
So, this company upgraded their elevators by adding foot pedals for floor selection! Now, even if you have a million groceries, a baby in your arms, or you’re too tired to take your hands out of your pockets, just hit the foot pedal. Easy peasy!
Tinder as an LGBTQ+ ally
Tragically, anti-LGBTQIA+ bias and bashing are on the rise throughout the world, as is racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. It’s the 21st century, yet people are still getting condemned to death solely because they decided to be themselves. We are living in scary times.
Tinder throws the light into this dark world by being a true ally for the rainbow community. Checking the location pops a warning sign for users in LGBTQIA+ penalized areas that their fun could risk their safety and gives them options of finding people in or out of their locations!
Bicyclers wait-stand
Well, here’s a divine invention for the shorties who ride bicycles out there. We won’t hesitate to admit that we are part of that population, and this traffic light wait-stand invention for cyclists is giving us all the right feels!
We are tired of getting off and on the bicycle when we have to wait at the traffic signal. And don’t you dare say that our seat is set too high because it is not. These wait-stands should be everywhere. This is the most clever invention of all time!
Face mask holder
When we say that the pandemic brought out the creativity in everyone, we mean it. This is one of those examples where people learned how to adapt to the situation quickly and innovatively. Face masks were a necessity whether we liked it or not.
So, this restaurant bought many of them and replaced them with napkins in dispensers. And seeing how convenient and time-saving it must have gotten for the workers and the customers, whoever needs it, this idea is a delight!
Plantable calendar
Here is another example of saving trees by reducing paper usage to a minimum. And the cherry on top; this innovation brings utmost joy to our hearts because it is not only made out of recycled paper, it is a plantable calendar!
As each month passes, you plant the calendar of that month according to its instructions. And it gives you real edible plants! This invention is five in one: saves trees, reduces paper waste, recycles paper, is biodegradable, and provides you with food. How cool is that!
Story-time or Snack-time?
This is the chair that separates the family people and singles. The idea behind the chair was really thoughtful and considerate and quite adorable too. You won’t have to sit the kids in your arms or on the floor while you read their favorite book to them.
However, speaking for all the people out there who see themselves in this chair all cozy, with snacks on one side and their pet on the other side, while watching a movie, we are proud to be in your community. But those with kids and dreams, you guys are doing great too!
Book wall
Waiting for the bus or subway can be frustrating and unproductive, right? Especially when we don’t have anything to do except stand there and wait when every second feels like an hour long. We dread those moments, in all honesty.
This train station in Spain thought of a brilliant idea to keep passengers out of boredom and frustration. They pasted an entire novel of Don Quixote on the wall, so people could read while waiting for their ride, and they could pick up where they left off when they came back!
Arthritic-friendly
It is always so good to see people making things easier for people with physical and mental ailments in any way they can. Physical problems can be hard to deal with in this world, where most of the required treatments and products don’t consider the struggle of those suffering in our community.
We won’t lose hope, though, because there are few people on this planet who are willing to take the first very necessary – and the hardest – steps to help you. They manufactured the arthritic-friendly cap on the arthritis relief gel, so it’s easier to open! It’s hopeful!
Vending machine upgrade
College students always have it harder than most of us; nobody understands their struggle unless they have gone through that phase in life where you had to juggle college, home, relationships, and jobs, simultaneously. The new life transition is difficult to manage, we know.
Well, this university took some of their difficulties and made them their own, giving them a little sigh of relief in return. They turned their food vending machine into a student-needs vending machine – from stationary to flu medicines and power banks, it’s all there!
Keep ’em crunchy!
There are two types of people in this world: those who like their cereal crunchy and those who enjoy it very soggy. And by its looks, the creator of this bowl is very serious about their crunchy cereals! If ‘genius’ were a thing, this would be it.
It’s so relieving and joyous to see that someone brainy is on our side and has created a two portioned cereal bowl where you can pour milk on the deeper side and keep the cereal on the higher end, and keep dropping the cereal little by little in the milk as you eat!
Ruler rules!
We almost started a petition to design the rulers so that rulers falling on the floor or sitting on a flat surface didn’t give us the highest level of anger and frustration trying to pick them back up.! It sounds like a no-fuss, but it is such an unnecessary frustration.
The universe finally heard our screams of frustration and put the most incredible idea in someone’s brain to end our misery. This ruler company’s new ruler design includes one raised end of the ruler, and it even says “pick up.” Thank you!
IKEA goodness
It was probably one of the most frequent observations workers made at IKEA: people struggling to buy new furniture because they didn’t know if their Xbox would fit in there or if it was too small for the PlayStation box.
Well, good thing IKEA’s main priority is their customers and their ease. They made these 3D Xbox and PlayStation boxes with the exact measurements to place them in the furniture that you have your eyes on and check before you pay for it.
Two-way access
We had spent a lifetime shouting to the person outside to pass the shower gels and shampoos and even shaving razors that we forgot to pick up before we stepped into the shower. We all know the frustration of forgetting shower accessories.
If this isn’t one of the most ground-breaking ideas, we don’t know what is! A two-way accessible shelf in the hotel bathroom! You can keep all your things there, and no matter which side of the bathroom you’re standing on, you can take your stuff easily. Suitable for small bathrooms, too!
Movable picnic tables
Excuse our immaturity (and sarcasm), but yes, we are definitely going to sit down nicely, instead of going ‘weeeeee,’ trying to drag the whole table with our feet, racing with other fellas on these tracks until we are dizzy. Ok, but seriously…
We will calmly sit down on these excellent railroad tracks after dragging them to the spot that we like and enjoy our picnic in peace with our friends. Honestly, these movable tables are giving us all the adrenaline that we need to feed our inner child!
Lemon seeds filter
We are having quite a difficult time wondering how in the freaking world did we survive without this incredible invention? Humans have been on this planet for millions of years now, and well, we have been here for quite a long time, too.
But how is it that only now has someone in this one restaurant come up with the idea of putting a mesh net around lemon halves to keep their customers’ food safe from lemon seeds while the juice spills down? All this technology, yet it took years for us to figure out how to make a lemon seed filter?
Box size guide
We didn’t know how much we needed this invention until someone put it out there. We are proud of you, creative people who are making this world much brighter, easier, and less stressful for everyone; your contributions to this world won’t go unseen, we promise!
This post office’s creative workers made a brilliant move by making a size guide for the delivery boxes, so you can see which size you may need for the package in your hand before you buy it! We can sense the convenience this puts everyone in.
A friendly reminder
Grocery shopping can be pretty frustrating when you come back home after buying seemingly everything, but a day later, you find out that a particular something is just about finished. Like, tissues or plastic wrap, kitchen foil, or dishwasher soap.
We need this clever reminder to be installed in every item that’s ever existed! This plastic wrap company is spreading goodness in this world by putting this little reminder in their products that it’s about to go out. It saves everyone lots of trouble!
Pickle basket
Pickles are easy to pick out from a newly bought jar. But as you eat them, the lower the pickles go, the harder it gets to retrieve them out of the jar. However, fret not! These creative thinkers have got our backs just in time!
Seeing our struggle with pickles and a fork, they decided to make a little basket that sits at the bottom of the jar under all the pickles. Its’ handle climbs up to the top for you to pull up. So when the top ones are eaten, you can easily access those juicy pickles at the bottom!
A quiet place
Midnight snacks have always been a top tier, agreed? Nothing can be more superior than those divine nights when you are snuggling in a cozy bed, with lots of junk snacks by your side and Netflix in front of you, while the world is quiet around you.
But when it comes to microwaving mac n cheese in the middle of the night, you cannot make a single noise, or else you are dead meat. This microwave company understands the night owls, and they upgraded their products by adding a “no beep” option! God knows we needed this!
Skateboard locker stand
We have seen bicycle stands outside schools, libraries, parking lots, etc. But no one ever thought of making a skateboard stand for those who skateboard their way everywhere in town. Well, except for this library! How considerate and useful this is!
It’s a simple vertical stand where you can put your skateboard in the slating ridge and lock it up! But everything has its cons: this skateboard stand isn’t the best possible solution. One would only need to screw off one of the trucks of your skateboard, and it’ll be gone.
Egg timer
Boiling eggs exactly how you like has never been easier! We have always been following our instincts on when to take the egg out of boiling water. Measuring the hardening of the boiling egg through time has never been our greatest strength.
But this invention of an egg timer is a sign that we can start eating boiled eggs again, and this time, we will get them exactly how we like them. You put in the egg timer with the egg in the water, and all you need to do is follow the coloring of the egg timer.
Cheat codes
It was a brilliant idea to fill the empty shell of the pen with something that could help students with their homework. And what better than the entire periodic table? Most students struggle to learn all the names of elements, let alone the figures.
But, knowing the human species, its cleverness, lying, and cheating habits are notorious everywhere. Even though the thought behind this pen with a built-in periodic table was probably to help the students, we all know how students will pass their chemistry exams now.
Snack pack
Where are all the snack devourers? Huddle up because this one is for you! Snacking from huge packets has always been difficult, not to mention messy and dirty. We have to go all-in for the snacks sitting at the end.
Sometimes, your whole forearm is deep in the packet, greasing it all in the process. But the Koreans – and Japanese, too – have put notches in their snack packs to ease retrieving the last bits. The convenience here is through the roof!