⏱️ 7 min read
20 Fun Facts About Everyday Objects You Use
Every day, we interact with countless objects without giving them a second thought. From the moment we wake up until we go to bed, we use items that have fascinating histories, surprising designs, and hidden features we rarely notice. These everyday objects that seem so ordinary actually have extraordinary stories and interesting facts behind them. Here are 20 fun facts about common items you probably use regularly that will change the way you look at the world around you.
The Surprising Stories Behind Common Items
1. The Hole in Pen Caps
That small hole at the top of a pen cap isn’t just for decoration or to prevent the pen from drying out. It’s actually a safety feature designed to allow air to pass through if someone, particularly a child, accidentally swallows the cap. This design has saved numerous lives by preventing complete airway blockage.
2. The Original Purpose of Jeans Pockets
Those tiny pockets inside the main pockets of your jeans were originally designed in the 1800s to hold pocket watches. Cowboys and miners needed a secure place for their watches, and this small pocket served that purpose perfectly. Today, they’re often used for coins, though many people still wonder about their original function.
3. The Ridges on Keyboard Keys
The small bumps on the “F” and “J” keys on your keyboard serve as tactile markers to help you position your index fingers correctly without looking down. This design feature enables touch typing and increases typing efficiency by allowing users to maintain proper hand placement.
4. The Arrow Next to Your Gas Gauge
Most modern cars have a small arrow next to the gas pump icon on the fuel gauge. This arrow indicates which side of the car the gas tank is located on, making it easier when you pull up to a gas station, especially in rental or unfamiliar vehicles.
5. The Loop on the Back of Shirts
That small loop sewn into the back of dress shirts, particularly Oxford shirts, originally served a practical purpose. Sailors used these loops to hang their shirts on ship hooks, keeping them wrinkle-free. In the 1960s, college students would remove the loop to signal they were in a relationship.
6. The Hole at the End of Rulers
The hole at the end of most rulers and measuring tape isn’t just for hanging them on a hook for storage. Many craftspeople use this hole to create perfect circles by inserting a nail or pencil through it and rotating the ruler around a fixed point.
7. The Cylinder on Laptop Charger Cables
That cylindrical lump on your laptop charger cable is called a ferrite core or ferrite bead. It’s designed to suppress high-frequency electromagnetic interference that could affect other electronic devices or degrade the power signal to your laptop, ensuring cleaner power delivery.
8. The Extra Shoelace Holes on Sneakers
Most athletic shoes have an extra hole near the ankle that often goes unused. This hole is designed for a “heel lock” or “lace lock” technique that prevents your heel from sliding inside the shoe, reducing blisters and improving performance during physical activity.
9. The Margins in Notebooks
The red margin lines in notebooks weren’t originally designed for aesthetic purposes or to provide a writing guideline. They were created to protect important writing from rats and mice, which commonly infested homes and offices in earlier centuries and would nibble the edges of paper.
10. The Grooves in Coins
The ridged edges on quarters, dimes, and other coins are called “reeding.” This feature dates back to when coins were made from precious metals. The grooves prevented people from shaving off the edges to collect the valuable metal while still using the coin at full value, a practice known as “clipping.”
11. The Drawer Under Your Oven
That drawer at the bottom of your oven isn’t primarily for storage, though many people use it that way. It’s actually a warming drawer designed to keep finished dishes warm while you complete the rest of your meal. Some ovens use it as a broiler instead.
12. The Pompom on Winter Hats
The decorative pompom on top of winter hats originally served a protective function. French sailors in the 18th century wore hats with pompoms to cushion their heads from hitting low ceilings on ships. Various military units also used different colored pompoms to distinguish between regiments.
13. The Blue Part of Erasers
Contrary to popular belief, the blue end of a pink-and-blue eraser wasn’t designed for erasing pen ink. It was actually created for removing pencil marks from heavier, more textured paper that the softer pink eraser couldn’t handle effectively without tearing.
14. The Hole in Airplane Windows
Commercial airplane windows have a tiny hole called a “breather hole” or “bleed hole” in the outer pane. This hole regulates air pressure between the cabin and the outside atmosphere, preventing the window from cracking due to pressure differences and also reduces fog and frost.
15. The Bumps on the “5” Key
Like the bumps on keyboard letters, most telephone keypads and remote controls have a raised mark on the number “5” key. This tactile indicator helps users orient their fingers correctly without looking, making it easier to dial or input numbers by touch alone.
16. The Extra Fabric That Comes With Clothing
That small bag of extra fabric attached to new clothes isn’t just for patching holes. Its primary purpose is to test how the fabric reacts to different washing methods, detergents, and bleaches, allowing you to experiment without risking damage to the actual garment.
17. The Hole in Pot and Pan Handles
While most people use the hole in pot and pan handles for hanging, it has another clever purpose. You can insert your cooking spoon or spatula through the hole while cooking, keeping it off the counter and preventing drips, while also keeping the utensil readily accessible.
18. The Stapler’s Two Settings
Most standard staplers have a rotating metal plate on the base that offers two settings. The typical setting bends staple legs inward for permanent binding. The alternative setting bends legs outward, making it easier to remove the staple later—perfect for temporary attachments.
19. The Slots in Tic Tac Lids
The small indentation in a Tic Tac container lid is precisely designed to dispense one mint at a time. Rather than shaking multiple candies into your hand, you can tip the container and use the slot to catch a single Tic Tac for more controlled dispensing.
20. The Color of Bread Bag Tags
The colored plastic tags or twists on bread bags aren’t random. They follow a color-coding system that indicates which day of the week the bread was baked. This system helps store employees rotate stock properly and helps consumers identify the freshest loaves, though the specific color code varies by brand.
Conclusion
These 20 everyday objects demonstrate that even the most mundane items in our lives have thoughtful designs and fascinating histories behind them. From safety features like ventilated pen caps to practical innovations like tactile keyboard markers, each design element serves a specific purpose that often goes unnoticed. Understanding these hidden features and interesting facts not only enriches our appreciation for the objects we use daily but also highlights the careful consideration that goes into designing even the simplest tools and products. The next time you use these common items, you’ll likely see them in an entirely new light, recognizing the clever engineering and historical significance behind their seemingly simple designs.
