15+ Simple Ideas That Solve So Many Common Problems

It may seem like a strange choice at first. What's wrong with where they've always been?

Until you're crawling down the hall under thick smoke and need to find the fire exit.

Instead of just slapping their logo on a bottle, this university had a map of the campus printed on it. It also marks out all the refill stations.

And it's great to see more places install them. All they really require is a tap with enough clearance for a standard bottle and something to catch the drips.

Of course, everyone writes differently, so it's just a general estimate, but it'll still make sure you know to pack a spare before a test. There's nothing worse than running out of ink halfway through an essay question.

This is a bicycle park in Copenhagen, but instead of just plain concrete or random paths, this one helps kids get used to how roads and their laws work.

I've seen these toilet paper rolls popping up a lot lately, so they must be becoming more commonplace. I think the mini travel rolls are a great idea, but I'm still not sure I need as many as I'd end up with after going through a 24-pack of rolls.

Being short, it's hard enough to properly gauge where the lines are when parking, let alone in cramped, dim garages.

This garage continues the lines up onto the wall, so you can always see if you're in the space.

With this, you can get into your kayak or canoe while it's held firmly in place and then just slide safely down into the water.

This is a repair post, where you can stop to inflate tires, fix chains, or do other small adjustments that will keep your bike in tip-top shape.

Some beaches have chairs that can go on sand, but not everyone can afford to rent them or can be moved from their custom chair. This mesh mat provides a path to the water's edge.

Imagine being a kid in a wheelchair and being unable to take part in any playground activities. A swing that works with their chair can let them take part in at least some of the fun.

The light will change based on how loud the area around it is, saving librarians the job of constant shushing. All this needs is a way for colorblind people to also read it. Then it would be perfect.

I feel like you see these more often in hotels, but I think it would be worth the cost of the upgrade at home too. Way better than my hack of periodically spreading shaving cream on mine.

These stuck out to me in particular because my morning commute currently involves driving directly into the sun.

When I ended up first at a stop light, I had to peek around the edge of the visor to see when one of the high overhead lights changed. This would have been really helpful.

Instead of paying people to clean up garbage from the waterways, catch the garbage at the sewer outtakes with big mesh bags. Then all that's needed is for someone to periodically change the bags.

Laundromats don't have much incentive to modernize. If you can't wash clothes at home, then you're stuck with them. While some have added free WiFi to help you pass the time, this one has a mini gym.

For example, Australia includes a specific breakdown of exactly how much of each person's taxes went to which public service.

$420 per year doesn't seem like a lot for healthcare in comparison to private insurance, does it?

I'm a single woman who lives alone, so having a stranger come to my house can be nerve-racking.

Usually, I opt to meet at a store parking lot, but this town has gone a step farther. They've created designated safe places that will be better monitored by local authorities.

It's bad enough when you're an able-bodied person, but what about the elderly or others with mobility issues?

In Singapore, they are provided with cards that when scanned, will tell the crosswalk to provide more time.

Instead of jumbling all the hardware together for you to manually sort, or grouping them by type, these parts came separated by the step in which they are needed.

Which is genius.