We’ve all had that dream of coming up with the next big idea that takes the world by storm, haven’t we? Well, what about the next little thing that moves the needle towards a better life just a bit? Those things are certainly welcome, too!
Now, these things might not be lucrative for the designers behind them, but they should still feel proud of their work. And with any luck, we’ll see more of this stuff in the future, and not less.
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Just a divot sets this coffee cup’s lid apart from all other lids, and makes it decidedly superior.
For all of us who smash our noses into our hot coffee lids in the morning, that divot is an absolute revelation.
The next best thing to having a coffee lid make room for your schnoz? Finding a cookie hidden there.
And a nice, warm cookie, too! Nothing helps coffee along like dunking a cookie in it!
At this children’s hospital, there’s an MRI playset to help kids get acquainted with scary machinery they might need to use.
Obviously it’s not the same as the real thing, but anything to reduce fear and anxiety helps.
Have you ever seen a house so faithfully reproduced as a mailbox?
And the time and effort that went into making it was totally worth it, because it’s adorable .
You don’t need a fancy charger to recharge this battery, just a microUSB, which you probably already have a few of anyway.
It probably doesn’t hold a charge for as long as a standard AAA battery, but then, it can be charged via microUSB, which is pretty handy.
What kind of house has a twirly slide from the second floor deck to the ground floor of the back yard?
The most fun house on the block! I want one of these on my house now.
Here’s a fitting room designed for customer service I have seldom, if ever, experienced in my life.
How awesome would it be if you could get an attendant to run size changes for you?
At many intersections around the world, the traffic lights have countdown timers to let you know how much time is left until they change.
I love the idea of countdowns at intersections, but I wonder how they would actually play out in real life.
You have to give major applause to the designers behind the Veteran’s Memorial in Anthem, Arizona.
The five marble pillars, each representing a branch of the Armed Services, line up perfectly with the sun at exactly 11:11 am on November 11th every year, casting the Great Seal of the United States onto the bricks below.
In Japan, it’s much more difficult for the visually impaired to accidentally grab a beer instead of a soda because the cans have braille on the tops.
Or to grab a soda instead of a beer, I suppose.
This jacket comes with an extra built-in safety feature, with a whistle right on the zipper.
You can never be too safe, so it’s a welcome addition, and lowkey, too.
Assuming everybody can agree on what to watch, this big screen cardio theater is exactly what my pudgy self has been waiting for.
Because craning your neck up to watch cable news on a tiny screen while you jog is so 2002.
Waiting around for your flight just got slightly easier at this airport, with three outlets every other seat for all your charging needs.
There never seems to be enough outlets at airports, but it’s getting better!
Finally, there’s a refrigerator troubleshooting guide that speaks our language.
And, honestly, I really want to know what that “Tak” noise my fridge has been making is all about.
The maker of this fan knows exactly what we want it for 75% of the time and gave us a setting for it: white noise.
Perfect for sleeping to, both for cooling the room down and giving that little, soothing background noise.
This hotel provides a checkout checklist so you’re less likely to leave behind anything you’ll need.
I wonder how much this cut down on the things they collect for their lost and found.
Kids in this neighborhood are the luckiest, because they get a mammoth for a playground.
Much of the equipment is inside the mammoth’s body, and kids can slide down the tusks.
Yeah, I would definitely do a double-take if stuck behind this guy in traffic.
That’s a decal on his truck’s tailgate that makes it look like his bed is empty, a very effective illusion.
I don’t know if this van actually takes kids to school or not, or if it does so in Springfield, but none of that makes this less cool.
I especially appreciate the inclusion of Wendel and Bart’s Treehouse of Horror twin, Hugo.
To reduce the signature tangy odor of a public bathroom, this one has a little garden in the middle, with a skylight overhead to give the plants some natural light.
Who wouldn’t love a little fresh air and greenery when nature calls?
When you turn an old car wash into a Starbucks drive-thru, you use the opportunity it presents as well as you can.
Not only is it weather-friendly, but it’s also beautifully painted inside!
At this gas station, you can order a fill-up for yourself while you fill up your tank.
What an age we live in, when a gas station is also a Whataburger drive-thru!
This fast food joint has a spot next to the trash where you can empty a drink.
Love this idea. I’ve always felt like I should apologize to whoever has to empty the trash when I throw away a half-empty soda.
Here’s a grocer who’s looking out for their customers, sorting avocados by ripeness.
Now if only there was a way to time it down to the four minutes of true, perfect ripeness every avocado seems to have.
