Mystery solved: 6 household object design quirks explained
There are countless mysteries that occupy our minds: Where is Atlantis? Do yetis really exist? Was the death of Elvis a huge conspiracy? And what the heck is this little groove on the underside of your coffee mug? The last question might have only arisen in the past few years but at least there is a real answer to it. These everyday mysteries will no longer leave you scratching your head.
Take Tic Tacs out of the package the right way
You've probably been there before: you want a Tic Tac but either you cannot get one out of the package or a whole bunch fall out at once. Turn the package on its head, hold it firmly with one hand, open the lid using your other hand. The mold on the inside of the lid is designed in such a way so that exactly one Tic Tac fits in it.
What can we do with pencil shavings?
When the Tic Tac pack is empty, you can put your pencil sharpener in the opening. The shavings from your pencil can be stored inside until you find a trash can.
Groove on the underside of a mug
And what's the point of this little groove on the underside of some mugs? Are you supposed to set your cigarette there? No, that's not it! The groove is there so water can run off when the cup is in the dishwasher. If you've ever emptied a dishwasher, you'll be familiar with the little pools of water that form on the undersides of mugs.
Store plastic wrap, foil and baking parchment properly
In order to get plastic wrap, foil, or baking parchment out of the box without problems, there are small openings on the sides that you press on. They hold the roll in position and you can pull off what you need.
The hole in a tape measure
Even a simple tape measure has its design quirks that we've often puzzled over. The little hole at the end of the tape measure has a purpose. You can use this to attach it to the top of a screw if you don't have a second person to assist you when you measure something.
The serrated end of the tape measure
Using the serrated end of the tape measure, you can make marks without a pencil. Scratch a mark here and there over the right spot. Then you have a line that you can work around.
Measure in corners
But how are you supposed to measure in hard-to-reach corners when the plastic part of the tape measure itself always gets in the way? That's not a problem. On the plastic part, you will see how long it is so that you can include this in your measurement.
For a closer look on the secrets of tape measures, have a look at this video:
The mysteries of Atlantis, yetis and Elvis persist but at least we were able to clear up a few very important questions. There are many things that only make sense after you give them a second look and sometimes you have to think outside the box.