40+ Clever Solutions To Modern-Day Problems We Wish Existed Everywhere

Over the past several decades, we’ve been flooded with new inventions, many of which were created to solve one particular problem. Of course, that doesn’t mean that they’re all good. Many of these “brilliant ideas” are devices or systems that are just overcomplicated or impractical. But maybe we should be thanking these failed inventors; otherwise, we wouldn’t know how to recognize a truly brilliant idea when we see one.

Problems like locating a product at the supermarket or efficient parking spots are more useful than, say, an all-in-one bathroom tool (thank you, Randall Peltzer in Gremlins). Let’s go through some of the remarkable ideas that make our lives easier. We hope to see more of these bright ideas in the future.

Sanitize your hands with this bathroom door

Restrooms are common places to contract all kinds of diseases, from not wanting to see you sit on the toilet seat to avoiding flushing with your bare hands. Even if you do these things, your hands can still be filled with germs when you come out.

However, is there ever a way to come out of public toilets germ-free? Yes, it is possible with this type of door. It has an integrated feature that dispenses hand sanitizer — just apply it on your hands and kill the germs. Genius!

Find an open stall without necessarily opening every door

Have you ever gotten upset when trying to find a vacant stall? This is one experience everybody can relate to. In most cases, you find yourself checking almost every single door that’s closed just to be sure you get an open stall and a clean one at that.

Someone thought of a great idea for how to solve this problem by using a simple trick. The idea is straightforward: a simple light system that indicates which stall is free or occupied was introduced to this otherwise regular ‘ol bathroom, and we think it’s brilliant!

Don’t overthink, check the breakdown

Oftentimes, we tend to question or doubt the genuineness of the bill after we pay. Even after enjoying ourselves at a nice restaurant, this can still happen. However, would you still have any doubt if a breakdown of the charges is given to you?

Well, this restaurant saw the need to let their customers know what they are paying for. Hence they provide receipts that show the number of calories they ate and the amount that should be paid. It looks like people have requested this breakdown one too many times.

Check this: A recycling machine

While it is no longer news that you can make some money through bottles and cans recycling, the process of gathering enough of these recyclables, cans, and bottles and taking them to any waste recycling company can be time-consuming.

However, would this still be a problem if there are recycling machines in strategic places in every area? The answer is no. Even with this invention, you can easily make quick money on every bottle you are recycling. It’s definitely more of an incentive to recycle, too!

Counters like this bring convenience

Have you ever thought of how aggressive you would become if you ended up not getting what you wanted after long hours of rigorous searching? Perhaps you would not have stressed yourself if you knew earlier. Or if you saw a big sign!

Here, there’s a huge sign telling customers to put their minds off candy because they shouldn’t expect any. This doesn’t only serve to bring convenience to the buyers; it also helps them save their money, and calories, for another day.

Use this to express your emotions

Many times, there is an urge to communicate our thoughts to other drivers while on the road. We don’t often get the chance to warn any car that tries to mess with you until someone thinks of this genius invention!

With this LED light, you can easily create signs to communicate your mind and thoughts to the cars behind you without necessarily putting your head out of the car. Most people will notice this and know you are sending a message to them.

Seat savers

Like everyone else, when going to a big event, especially when there are more people than the available seats, you try to find a comfy seat to make sure you will enjoy your event. So, you patiently wait to see if people are leaving their seats.

The funniest thing is that someone is probably thinking the same thing that you are. However, with a seat saver like the ones you see in the picture above, you can carefully place them on your seat, which will prevent people from taking over your seat. No questions asked.

Enjoy your visit to the bathroom

Most stalls have openings that make it easier for people to peep and confirm if a stall is open or not. However, this can be extremely awkward and embarrassing. Imagine if you notice someone that has just peeped at you through the openings? No, thank you.

However, we now have certain materials perfectly designed to fix this problem. These days, it is common to see stalls with bristles built into them. That way, you can have the whole bathroom to yourself without anybody peeping at you as it should be.

Mop while you do other things

Is there a way to mop and still do other things simultaneously? Well, you should try these one-of-a-kind slippers. The bottom of the slippers is made of special material that can also perform the function of a mop.

You have plenty of time to plan your day while you do a quick mop in the morning. For instance, say you’re running late and still have to mop, why not try these slippers on quickly and take a spin around the house? Just make sure not to fall!

With this, you know what you are buying

Before this time, consumers didn’t consider it important to check the ingredient list of any product. They just trusted the brand. However, people are beginning to understand why it’s important to check the ingredient list on a product constantly.

Today, companies are also aware of the position of the consumers, meaning they have equally considered it essential to always provide comprehensive information about their ingredient list. That way, consumers can decide and choose what they really need and what is healthy for them.

Not your mother’s cookie jar

We all know the problem we have with kids when they follow us to the grocery store — they always want you to buy them cookies or something sweet. And we don’t like to grant them every time because we want them to be healthy at the end of the day.

Because of this addition, a lot of other grocery stores are considering putting this fixture in their produce sections as well, making it a priority to teach kids to replace all the cookies with healthy snacks and fruits. Way to go!

Charging made easier with USB outlets

There are many times when you find yourself not being able to charge your phone. Why is this? Because many people have the same idea, especially with adapters. Meanwhile, we don’t always experience the same problem when charging via USB outlets.

However, we can easily fix this problem by taking regular electricity outlets and adding a USB port to the mix. That way, you only need your USB cable, and there will be more spaces for people to charge their phones simultaneously.

Flush without touching the toilet handle

Basically, for hygiene purposes, you’re expected to be careful when touching things inside public restrooms. The reason for this is simple; you have no idea how the last person used the toilet, and public restrooms are the easiest places to get infected.

The foot flush pedal in this picture should be a normal thing in every bathroom. You can easily use it without touching any part of the toilet. This is a brilliant idea, but you are most likely not going to see this everywhere, unfortunately.

With this, it is impossible to snooze

Think of the countless times you tried to snooze your alarm clock — everything went well, so much that you were able to sleep for another one hour. The sad part is that this has cost you so many things, opportunities, work…you name it!

However, this alarm clock is what you should purchase if you want to stop this habit. What happens when it goes off is it falls off of wherever it’s sitting, causing a huge bang and thereby preventing you from activating the snooze function of the alarm clock.

Can you shop yourself or do you need help?

Some shoppers find it embarrassing when asked if they need help as they shop. They find it a pain in the butt and an invasion of privacy. Although this is not a general thing, some people don’t like it when they are schooled to do certain things. Well, that is understandable.

Some stores now use different kinds of colored baskets to differentiate between shoppers who need help and those who don’t in order to fix this issue in the most graceful way possible. So, if you fall into the latter category, then go for the right basket.

Check other things you can make with your wasted food

There are times we need to clean up our kitchen in order to get rid of the food that has otherwise gone bad. While this sounds like a good idea, there are benefits you can still receive from this food.

A perfect example of how you can use ripe bananas is to bake banana bread. Ordinarily, you would go through your plans to get rid of the rotten bananas if they turn all brown and soft. But this grocery store sells them for cheap for this reason.

We don’t want you to miss a scene

No one likes to be disturbed when they are caught up in an entertaining moment. But, what can we do if we need to use the restroom during the middle of an interesting movie?  Well, there’s a solution that exists for this already.

Although this has not become a general thing, a movie theater tried to fix this issue by equipping all of its toilets with screens so that you can continue watching your movie straight from the toilet seat. The screens are perfectly placed on the floor — one per toilet.

Your kids need a business card like this

Getting a business card for kids may sound ridiculously unreasonable, but the idea behind this makes a lot of sense. An organization ran a campaign to help adults understand why children need to be prepared for their long futures.

They believe getting a business card of this type for kids and letting them explore the world themselves is one way they can develop problem-solving skills and independence, which can change the world as kids understand and prepare for what lies ahead.

What a way to pass a message

There are many reported cases of children with sensory issues. Is there a way we can help the situation? Well, in a bid to help children be fully aware of their sensitivities, this Chuck E. Cheese in the United States came up with this fun game.

Every Sunday, Chuck E. Cheese helps to gather children with sensitivities so that they can have fun while also testing their sensitivities with fun games. This is a brilliant idea — a fun-filled party is an event every child would like to attend.

Your mustache shouldn’t be an issue

Although people have different reasons for growing a mustache, we understand why some people just can’t jump on the bandwagon. For instance, they are itchy, and you can’t drink or eat certain foods without some particles sticking to your mustache.

However, if this is an issue, how do we fix it? Well, check out this coffee cup — it has what looks like a mustache guard attached to it for the very reasons we stated above. That way, you can drink without having anything stick to your mustache.

Park your bike and pump

You wouldn’t know why this is considered a thing until you go out with your bike and you start to notice that you might eventually end up with a flat tire without any solution at hand. However, what if there were tire pumping stations around your city like this one?

Here is an image of a bike stand with a pump carefully and thoughtfully connected to it. It looks so chic. The interesting thing is that it’s meant to be used by the public — so you can park and pump enough air into your tires without having to worry.

Cell Jail

It is so obvious that the only time we allow our phones to truly take a break is during bedtime. So, it is common to see people eating their meals with phones in their hands. The question is, how do we correct this bad habit?

This solution looks funny, but it is a brilliant one. This habit has been corrected in many homes with an invention that allows you to lock up your phone during mealtimes. Also, this invention can accommodate other small devices (distractions).

This helps you stay healthy

While there are important reasons for using the elevator, like physical health, the fact is, we are also losing in some ways, such as time. However, no one will ever agree with you if you try to educate them about the benefits of using the staircase.

At least it helps us burn calories and get our blood flowing. But how do you make people see this? Well, somebody thought about the same thing and decided to attach the number of calories we burn as we step on each stair.

This is not your regular ATM

The idea of having a machine that dispenses cupcakes might sound funny to most people, but it’s already a popular thing in some places around the world. The design of this machine resembles a regular ATM — just locate one and get served.

The idea behind this invention is most likely connected to the affinity people have for cupcakes. They are quite a delicacy if done right. For instance, people don’t usually say no to cupcakes, except when they have a pure and genuine reason, like a strict diet.

Walk without getting hurt

One big problem with high-heeled shoes is that you are at risk of injuring your ankle if you fail to watch your step instead of paying attention to where you’re going. For instance, you can easily get the heel of your shoe stuck inside a hole, like this lady.

However, as you can see from the image above, some people thought that painting certain over the troubled area could prevent such unpleasant situations when people walk on it. This is a brilliant idea as people now know where to step without taking risks.

Let’s take you through the steps

Anyone who has had to assemble certain items in the past knows the experience is not always an easy one. In most cases, people appreciate it better when they find someone or something to walk them through the process to avoid frustration.

This company understood the needs of the people — they want their customers to have an easy time as they assemble their products. So, for every stage of assembling a product, the parts required are packaged separately. That way, you know what step comes next throughout the process.

Have you seen this before?

We are very sure this doesn’t look like something you have seen before. Unless you search for these types of things on the internet. In case you are wondering what this is, this is a fry holder. So, you have something to hold your fries while driving as not to get distracted.

An interesting part of this is that the fry holder also comes with a tiny side cup that allows you to put other things like ketchup or mayo. While this is for fries and ketchup, there are similar products for holding other materials out there.

Have you seen a stair slide before?

Does it sound amazing having slides attached to staircases? At least, you know there’s an opportunity to use the slide if you don’t feel like using the stairs. Aside from this, we also catch fun doing this.

This looks extremely ingenious and exciting, most especially for kids. It also gives parents the chance to watch over their kids as they enjoy and entertain themselves. With this in place, you can enjoy the experience of a gigantic slide like they have in amusement parks.

Keep your dog safe here

Most people don’t go out with their dogs, usually because dogs are not allowed in every place you go. At times, dogs are at risk of acquiring and administering various health issues if they are allowed to go everywhere. So, is there any solution to this?

Well, a company came up with this idea. Dog owners can bring their dogs to the company since they have already made provisions for where dogs can be kept while their owners focus on other things. Call it doggy parking as you wish.

Have you seen a pizza Redbox before?

Check the image very well. This is not your regular Redbox filled with different movies. If you are wondering what this is, it’s a machine designed to take the shape of a Redbox for pizza delivery. Yes, this is a brilliant idea.

All you need to do is decide what kind of pizza you would like to have and allow it to bake for you — it only takes about three minutes. Basically, the machine helps you with everything, including payments and your big appetite.

Start opening doors with your foot

Even though you have washed your hands after using the toilet, the chances of you filling them with germs again the moment you step out are extremely high. Think of the door handle — unless you are not opening it with your hands, or like before where there is hand sanitizer attached to it.

So, some people came up with a simple yet brilliant idea — a door you can open with your foot. How does this work? They built a door with a pull system that allows people to control the door without touching the door handle with their hands.

Walk smartly, even in darkness

Can you count the number of times you have slipped or stumbled while walking in darkness? At times, we pay the price with bumped head or toe that makes us want to scream. Anyone who has had this experience knows it can be extremely upsetting.

Is there a way to fix this problem? Well, check this idea out — a pair of slippers that also gives you the necessary light to see in darkness. It simply means that as you slide your feet into these slippers, there is light. How convenient!

Parking made easy

Just for a second, can you think about your various frustrating experiences trying to maintain a parking spot and also trying to park smoothly next to the person beside you? This can be very tiring and time-consuming, even as an experienced driver. You want to be sure you are keeping some distance.

At times, you keep opening and closing your door just to be sure that you get it right. However, someone thought of the genius idea to continue the parking line on the wall and not just on the ground. This can fix the problems of so many folks out there.

Finally, a swing for wheelchair users

At times, we tend to feel depressed knowing that we can’t do what others are doing, especially when it comes to something physical. Since wheelchair users can’t use regular swings in the park, is there anything we can do to help this situation?

Just take a look at what we have here — yes, a swing for wheelchair users without them begging for support. This swing is perfectly designed to accommodate and support wheelchair users as they enjoy themselves on the swing.

Get rewarded for ruding your carbon footprint

You can get people to do something for you when they know they will be rewarded in return. It’s called an incentive. So, this is very aware of this and decided to offer free coffee in exchange for a full trash bin of litter that they collected from the beach.

The idea is to teach people how to keep their environment clean always while also being rewarded for it. They understand the importance of a clean environment, especially the beach ocean. So, as you clean their environment, you are getting free coffee in return.

A special treatment for the elderly

Crossing the road with an older person, especially on a bustling road, can be a serious task. Many of them have been killed by hit-and-run drivers due to their slow pace when crossing the road. But that’s not an excuse – the elderly need to be taken more seriously.

However, Singapore has already found a solution to this, especially for the elderly who walk at a slow pace. In Singapore, older people can create more time for themselves as they cross the road with their identity cards. They only need to show their cards to a designated sensor.

This is not your regular hallway

Is there a way to stop people from running when walking in the hallway? Because there have been various cases of serious collisions because someone chose not to be patient when using the hallway, causing serious injuries. But this place came up with a witty solution for that.

With this kind of hallway in the image above, no one needs to be advised on how to walk through it. They will figure it out at a slow-enough pace, so to speak. The design of the hallway looks terrifying, meaning you have to walk cautiously when walking through it. Problem solved!

Get a CVS vending machine for your business

One of the major goals of most businesses is to understand how to bring people in to purchase their products. And they use different marketing approaches to make this happen. Check out the image below and see how this store is cornering the market.

Yes, that is a CVS vending machine housing different kinds of hygiene and medical products. And to further catch the attention of potential buyers, the CVS vending machine also comes with an intuitive big screen to display the different products that are offered.

Stop stressing your brain, use this instead

It’s funny how people go to grocery stores and start engaging their minds with all kinds of calculations. That is understandable — you don’t want to go over your budget, but, at the same time, you want to buy everything you need.

However, here is a very brilliant idea from this grocery store — the company decided to help customers by attaching a calculator to every shopping cart in their store. That way, shoppers can easily disturb the calculator and not their minds by adding tax and whatnot.

Use this for structural formulas in organic chemistry

The discouraging part of organic chemistry is that there are tons of structural formulas to draw and remember, and they all look complex as you press deeper into different areas. Well, no need to worry as there is a solution for this already.

Check the image and see the non-intrusive lines — that is, everything you need to draw a perfect structural formula. The interesting thing is that this book can also serve the purpose of a regular book if you need to jot down notes.

This makes car washing easier

For professional car washers, car washing might not be a problem since there are easier ways to go about it, such as different methods and machines to use. But, the same can’t be said for this local car wash. What do you think of this brilliant idea?

This car wash has caught the attention of many people for having a gun-like device for kids to shoot soap foam at any car visiting the car wash. That way, car washing becomes easier and faster. It also entertains the kids, which is always a plus.

Pack your leftover pizza smartly

There are times we stop eating our pizza for whatever reasons, and we start making decisions as to what to do with the leftovers. Since we usually only have a couple of pieces leftover, many people wish there was a box for this, too.

This is exactly where a pizza box of this type comes in handy. This pizza parlor definitely cares about its customers and their leftovers. All you need to do is to tear the box in half and use it as a cover for the leftover pizza. Then, microwave and eat it later.

Enjoy your pizza without getting stained

We are continuing with the pizza theme. Ending up with stains on your clothes after having a delicious meal is one thing we never wish for. This can especially happen with messy food like pizza. However, a restaurant has come up with the idea that can fix this.

Check the inside of this pizza box. The maker decided to make the inside of the box look like your regular suit. By placing the cover-up to your neck, you magically have a bib built into the box. Do you ever ask yourself, why didn’t we think of this before?

Menu presentation

We often wish there were pictures of certain menu items when browsing through a menu to have an idea of what we are ordering. Because of this, we keep on missing opportunities to eat great meals because we have no idea what they look like.

However, this restaurant decided to use a different approach to better serve its customers. They did this by attaching an image of their pizzas to their specific page. That way, you have an idea of what is coming your way. This also helps people branch out more instead of ordering the same things all the time.

Mirror setup

The best way to learn from your teachers is to lead by example and model their instructions. That way, you can conveniently replicate the whole process without seeking the assistance of anybody. Let’s see what these students replicated.

These students understood this, so they wanted to know what their teacher is doing as he cooks up some chemistry. They thought of a more convenient way and came up with an amazing idea to set up a mirror to reflect what their teacher is doing so they can always follow instructions.

Tubeless tire

Can you recount any experience of having to deal with a punctured bike tire in the middle of the road? At times, we might not be so lucky to find a quick fix, so you become stranded. However, this person found a solution to this problem.

In fact, the idea of getting tubeless tires is spreading to all parts of the world. With tubeless tires, you don’t have to worry about getting a flat tire anymore. Even with your punctured tires, tubeless tires got you covered.

Freedom cast

Before, a major issue with having a cast on any injured part of the body is making sure not to get it wet. That also includes not being able to shower, making shower time much less relaxing. So how exactly can you clean your injury?

However, this is no longer an issue as you can conveniently shower with a cast like the one above, all thanks to the brilliant inventions of companies like ActivArmor. This type of cast also solves common problems that normally come along with a regular cast.