This article was originally published on RealLifeDIY
From kitchen and other home products to toys for children, these items are like nothing we've seen before. They might seem ordinary at first glance, but a closer look reveals small and sometimes big details that give them a unique twist. And the designs aren't just one-of-a-kind - they have a purpose behind them that makes them all the more useful and practical. Once you see it, you won't understand why other designers didn't do the same.
A Delivery Box That Can Invert Into a Children's Playhouse
Now, this is special. Someone ordered an item online, and the box that it was packed in was made to be turned into a super fun toy for kids. All they had to do was make some cuts around the door, and suddenly, this box turned into a tiny home for toddlers. Honestly, you might be hoping that this miniature home is also approved for adults because what parent wouldn't want to have some fun alongside their kids with this thing?
Playing with boxes is basically a right of passage in every person's childhood, but one that turns explicitly into a playhouse is super cool, and honestly, we're kind of jealous.
Another (sad) Cactus Awaits Dogs After They Chew Through This Toy
This cactus toy was bought for a dog, and the clever surprise inside was revealed after the dog tore it apart. The winking cactus on the outside had another sad one just hanging out within it, waiting to show its disappointment in whatever dog tore chewed apart its mama cactus. Both the dog and owner didn't expect this to happen, which is why they shared this excellent find with the online world.
This toy company clearly knows that dogs love to rip things apart, which is why they left a little gift inside that is both cute and worth all of the money in the world.
Special Plate for When You Want Coffee With a Side of Ice Cream
This regular cup of coffee came with the greatest surprise tucked neatly next to it- something that would truly make anyone's day. We're not exactly sure where in the world you could get a little ice cream cone attached to the side of your cappuccino, but if you have any ideas, please let us know. We think it's probably somewhere in Europe because this picture is giving off major European vibes.
This miniature ice cream cone is simply too cute to be ignored, and the cappuccino alone was already picture-worthy and photogenic. It can't get better than this.
Every Book Should Come With a Bookmark Like This
Even bookworms can get lost and confused when a book has a lot of characters in it. That's why we love the bookmark that came inside this book! It has a list of all the relevant characters and a short description of their role in the story. Genius! Then, when you're reading the book, you don't have to flip back and forth to remember who did what. It would be great if every book came with one of these inside.
This would be especially useful for books where the characters have unique or complicated names. Imagine how much easier it'd be to keep up with The Lord of the Rings if it had one of these bookmarks inside.
This Hair Dye Box Takes Care of Its Customers With Glasses
If you wear glasses and decide to dye your hair at home, you'll probably have to take your glasses off while applying the dye. That is unless you buy this brand, which conveniently provides a couple of covers to shield the sides of your glasses from the dye. It's perfect for people who wear them and actually want to see what they are doing when dying their hair themselves.
One of the hardest things for people with glasses can be activities that require taking them off. If you're one of these people, you should probably buy this hair dye.
The Russian Dolls of Toilet Paper
There aren't too many special things that come to mind when you think about toilet rolls unless you're buying this brand. There was a little surprise left in the middle of the roll here, and it's basically a miniature toilet paper roll. This is super convenient for people who quickly run out of toilet paper or want to take a tiny roll with them on the go. This idea is both practical and creative.
There's so much wasted space happening in a toilet paper package that we didn't even notice until seeing this genius design. All toilet paper companies should take note of these guys.
Now You Can Clean Your Glasses With Your Sleeve and They'll Actually Look Cleaner
Shirt sleeves are usually the next best option when a cleaning cloth is nowhere to be found, and this clothing company kept that thought in mind when designing their shirts. They added microfiber to the shirt's inside, specifically for people who need to clean their glasses quickly. This company really had its customers in mind when they came up with ideas, which should probably be a lot more common.
Every glasses wearer has found themselves using their sleeves in order to wipe away some smudges, which is why the designer of this shirt is seriously a modern-day genius.
Never Cross-Contaminate Your Spatula and Countertop Again
Cooking gadgets can be a great thing to have around the kitchen for obvious reasons, and this one is perfect for anyone that enjoys cooking while keeping it clean. This spatula comes with a tiny stand specifically made to prevent it from touching the counter. This can save you from spending extra time cleaning up the kitchen after cooking a big meal, and it keeps your spatula free of cross-contamination with something on the counter. Every spatula should come with a stand similar to this one.
This spatula might not come with a private chef, but it does come with a really cool added addition that might make cooking way easier than it's ever been in the past.
This Record Came With a Cardboard Gramophone That Actually Works
The best thing about music is that it can come in many different mediums, shapes, and forms. This one here just happens to be extra special. The cardboard design is beyond unique, and together with the little record, the whole item is fantastic. We're not sure how this works, but according to the person who bought the record the cardboard gramophone came with, the cardboard creation successfully plays music!
So does this mean we could all be making our own cardboard gramophone? Is the speaker's industry about to go extinct because everyone will be DIYing their own speakers?
Hot Water Heater by Day, Pie Heater by Night
Older homes often have older appliances, some of which might not exist or even be helpful today. This water heater is a perfect example of that: at the top of it is a special compartment to warm pies, taking advantage of the water heater's warmth and getting two jobs done for the price of one. Nowadays, not many of us need a pie warmer since we have full-sized ovens that can pretty much do the same thing.
Although not very necessary today, it was common in old European houses. And honestly, we wouldn't be upset if we moved into a place and were surprised by this cute amenity.
The Most Dapper Pizza Box
Someone ordered a pizza and was surprised to find a tuxedo print on one side of the box. Standing behind the box while it's open even makes it look like you're actually wearing the suit, as you can see here. This man's regular clothing also fits perfectly with the design. The design might not have a practical use or function, but it is undoubtedly picture-worthy and fun.
If you have ever wanted to look like a fancy man in a stained tuxedo while eating an entire pizza pie, you should probably head to this restaurant.
All Colleges Should Give Out Wallet-Sized Diplomas Like This One
Have you ever wanted to show off your diploma while you're on the go without wanting to bring out the real thing? If so, you should try to get a mini wallet-size version like this one. It will give you instant bragging rights wherever you are. You worked so hard for it anyway, so you might as well be able to easily show it off whenever you feel like it.
Everyone will end up with a diploma following their graduation. But not everyone will end up with a wallet-sized certificate, and that's much cuter and more convenient.
This Backpack Has a Hidden Whistle for Any Emergency
This backpack came with a handy buckle that is perfect for outdoor activities like hiking and exploring. There's a little hidden whistle on it that most people would never notice at first glance. It can be useful for alerting other people if you're in trouble and might even be able to save you from a bear attack, making it a really great thing to add to a backpack.
Lots of backpacks come with hidden additions, and a whistle is a really convenient thing to carry with you on the go in terms of safety, especially if you're on your own.
This Magical Umbrella Only Shows Its Penguin Design When Wet
Penguins pretty much make everything better, which is probably why this umbrella company added the design to their products. The best part about this is that it only shows up when the umbrella is wet, making a rainy day way more fun than it ever was before. Going out in the rain can be a bit stressful, but it's all fun and games when you walk outside with this one.
This was a really fun addition to the umbrella, and the fact that the logos are penguins just makes this entire product a million times better than it already was.
Whisky Bottle Comes With a Free Ride Because Safety First
The person who bought this bottle of whiskey was excited to see that it came with a free ride. It is a brilliant marketing move on this company's end and an addition that makes this bottle unforgettable. They also just don't want anyone to drink this bottle and then attempt to drive afterward because they believe that safety always comes first. This makes so much sense for both the alcohol company and the product consumers.
We all know that drinking can be a lot of fun. But it also comes with its dangers and - something this whiskey company is well aware of.
This Wine Had a Special Cork With a Surprise Inside
We're pretty sure that almost every wine bottle comes with a cork inside of it, but none of them are as cool as this one. This bottle comes with a miniature-sized game inside of the cork, which is awesome. The game includes four tiny dice that can be used to play any game you can think of that requires dice, all while you enjoy a glass of wine simultaneously.
One of the best parts of a fun game night is the bottle of wine that usually goes along with it, which is why this company was thinking way ahead of the game.
Cigarette Box Comes With Pouch to Mail and Recycle the Butts
This person was surprised to find out that the cigarette package they bought came with a portable pouch for trash. Anyone who buys these cigarettes can collect the butts inside the pouch, seal them, and mail them to the address already listed on the envelope. Then, the cigarette buts get recycled. This is a great idea since cigarettes are one of the things that get thrown most on the ground. Every pack of cigarettes should probably come with one of these.
Most cigarette packages come with small warning labels to remind you of the dangers of smoking, but this one also has a little place to put your used ones. We love it.
A Tiny Grater for Those Tiny Nutmegs
This French bottle of nutmeg comes with a really useful addition: a tiny grater that can fit between your fingers and is just big enough to grate the little nutmeg pieces inside. This might be one of the best ideas out there when it comes to spices. We think France is simply ahead of the game regarding its excellent design ideas, and we will now only be buying our nutmeg there.
There aren't too many things that could make a spice bottle either awesome or unique, but this tiny grater is one of the few things that enhances any relevant spice bottle.
The Perfect Boots for Icy Surfaces
The company that made these boots knew that adding ice cleats to them would be a great idea. That's because these are winter boots and accidentally slipping on ice is practically a favorite pastime during the cold season. The cleats are also located in the best place to prevent slipping and allow for both traction and balance. Every winter boot should probably come with an ice cleat like this one.
Ice cleats are a much-needed thing for people who live in icy areas or enjoy hiking in the winter. They can save you from falling and work well when made well.
This Yogurt Lid Transforms Into a One-Time Spoon
Some people already use their yogurt lids as spoons, so this company added step-by-step instructions that tell you exactly how to do it most efficiently. It may not be the best alternative to a real spoon, but this technique can come in handy when you forget to pack one in your lunch box. It's also a fun miniature origami activity before eating a quick snack, which is exciting for almost everyone.
There was once a widespread rumor that all yogurt lids were able to transform into a spoon. Whether or not that's true, this company certainly attempted to achieve that.
This Raincoat Has a Secret Water-Activated Design
Putting hidden designs on products that are used for the rain is becoming a popular thing, but the patterns aren't always as pretty as this one. The little flowers show up only when the coat gets wet; as you can tell, it's certainly picture-worthy. The design is both cute and dainty, and people walking past you probably wouldn't know that your raincoat could do a super cool thing like this.
Most jackets are pretty average and were made for nothing more than to protect you from the rain. This cute and unexpected addition made this jacket more special than the rest.
A Literal Tool Belt
The only downside to these is that your pants might fall down when you take off this belt to fix something. We're not sure if they're actually usable or are just there for design, but these are certainly unique either way. This product is perfect for anyone who enjoys fixing things around the house, even if the tools are just there to make the belt look cool.
Pulling out the end of a belt to fix something might be a bit weird, but it certainly seems like these tools would get the job done just as well as a regular one.
These Luxury Pickles Have a Little "elevator" in the Jar
You probably wouldn't notice anything unusual about this jar filled with baby pickles until you opened it up and took a pickle out. This handy design is super common in European countries, and we hope the trend starts to appear in other places, too. It makes sense and could save you from splashing unwanted pickle juice on your newly cleaned counters. If you're a clean freak, this jar of yummy pickles is undoubtedly for you.
Pickles can get really messy when you're reaching into the jar to grab one, which is precisely why this one provided its buyers with a tiny elevator to lift them up and out.
Never Lose Your Remote in Bed Again
One of the worst things that can happen is when you want to watch tv, but the remote is nowhere to be found. You might have even spent hours looking for the remote before just giving up and deciding to do something else. This is why having a designated place to put the remote can be a really great idea. This one is even at arm's reach and can easily be found with a small amount of effort.
This addition is the perfect design for those sleepless nights. All you need to do is reach behind you to turn on the tv without actually having to search for the remote.
A Jeep Exclusive Window Addition
The car company, Jeep, is known for putting little designs on their cars. It's kind of like their hidden signature, and some people might find easter eggs, while others will end up with supernatural creatures like this sasquatch. They already make great cars, which are super popular on the market, but adding a design like this one makes it way better. We almost want to go out and buy one just for that.
Sasquatches may not be real, but Jeep thought it would be cool to add a tiny one on their windshield, just to remind you that, if they did exist, you could efficiently run away from one in a Jeep.
The Perfect Pandemic Design: Tie Came With a (surprise) Matching Mask
Some of us had the privilege of staying home from work during the pandemic, while others had absolutely no choice other than to go into the office like any other day. This clothing company was aware of that, which is why they provided face masks for every purchase of a tie. In terms of production, they were probably even able to reuse and recycle the same materials that were put into the tie.
This company was thinking head first when they came out with this perfect marketing design. The best part about this is obviously that the mask actually matches perfectly with the tie.
No More Wasting Cooking Oil or Washing Oily Spoons
This work is perfect for people who love cooking but also want to reduce the amount of oil they use. Finding the most balanced amount for whatever you're making can be hard, which is why this company provided a cute visual aid in order to make things in the kitchen much easier for their customers. Not only that, but the design is also pretty adorable and fun to look at.
Woks are great for cooking food that requires a lot of oil, which means that you could easily put too little or too much. Unless you have this one, you'll have the right amount every time.
The Perfect Coaster for Those of Us With Restless Hands
The word fun isn't often what comes to mind when you think of coasters, but this company decided to change that. These are foldable and can turn into a bunch of different shapes and sizes, depending on what you get. It's a great idea for people who tend to get fidgety when they drink and need to hold or play with something in their hands. It can also be a really fun bar activity to laugh about with your friends.
Before your drink has the chance to stain the table, you're able to have a bit of fun with these coasters that are shaped like penguins.
Ski Resort Chairs With a Convenient Surprise
These chairs have a storage compartment that can be easily accessed by simply lifting up the seat. What's even better is that they were made for a ski resort where skiers can take a quick rest without worrying about losing their things. This hotel was seriously thinking about their guests when they put these chairs inside the lounge area. They can hold everything from gloves, helmets, and hats, but unfortunately, not skis.
After a day on the slopes, most people end up relaxing in the lounge. It can be hard to find a place to put your things, but this resort solved that problem.
Never Choose Between a Fork and a Chop Stick Again
A Thai restaurant created an awesome utensil for its customers. It's a pair of chopsticks that might look normal until you flip them around. That's because they also have a fork at the other end, allowing any diner to switch between the two ends easily. This has to be one of the coolest disposable utensils that we've seriously ever seen, and it's a product that every busy restaurant should get their hands on.
Some people are chopstick masters, while others just simply can't use them. This Thai restaurant made sure that nobody would have to ask for a fork when sitting down to eat.
A Newspaper for Wrapping Gifts
The best part about this wrapping paper is that it's free and also happens to look really nice. It might not be as good as the expensive rolls, but this is still unique. It can only wrap small items, but it seems like it would do just as well as any other kind of paper. If you forgot to wrap your last-minute holiday gifts, you would be happy to come across this.
Newspapers are the next best option when the actual wrapping paper is nowhere to be found. That's exactly why they put these adorable prints on the back, probably during the holiday season.
How Have All the Nail Brands Not Hopped on This Trend yet?!
The bottle of nail polish in the picture comes with a sample swatch attached to it. They did this so customers could see how the color actually looks on nails before buying the bottle. This was super clever, and adding this sample definitely helped them sell a lot more bottles. Seeing how the color would look before purchasing can also help shoppers save some money.
The thing about buying nail polish is that it might look great in the bottle, but something completely different could show up on your nails; this is why this brand is perfect.
What Your Refrigerator Is Trying to Tell You
People often start to worry if their refrigerator makes strange sounds, especially if it's brand new. Sometimes they make weird sounds, but this guide can help you easily differentiate the bad ones from the normal ones. Also, these are so easy to read that a five-year-old could probably comprehend this just as well as you can. This is a really great addition for people to tend to worry about their household appliances.
We don't think that instructions can get any more literal than these. This refrigerator company was super clever when they decided to write these up and include them in the box.
The Perfect Gift for Any Gardening Lover
This pair of gloves might look like they belong to a Halloween costume, but they're actually a cute little gardening tool that can seriously come in handy. Some gardeners find themselves tunneling dirt in order to dig down deep, which is a great technique when it comes to planting. That's why this company added these tiny tools to their products; just slide them onto the tips of your fingers and get digging.
We can easily figure out what these finger claws are for, so if you're into digging with your hands while gardening, then this might be the perfect product for you.
This Scratch 'N Sniff Gas Bill Might Save Lives
There's no way to know if this addition to a gas bill actually smells like gas or if it's completely odorless and they were just playing a little joke. Either way, it seems like they really want their customers to know what natural gas smells like, which generally isn't too pleasant. We're not really sure why, but there had to be some kind of purpose when it came to this envelope.
Most of society knows exactly what gas smells like and absolutely hates it, so we're not too sure if adding a scratch and sniff is actually a good idea or not.
This "selfie Stix" Lets You Attach a Treat to Your Phone
A bag of dog treats came with a super cute addition that makes for a really fun time. It's a clip that can connect to your phone on one end. The other end can actually hold onto dog treats, which hopefully gets your cute pet to look right into the camera. With one of these, you'll have never-ending pictures with your furry best friend while they get lots of well-deserved treats.
Selfie sticks are one of the best things to play around with when you have a pet, but it can be hard to keep them in the frame. This selfie stix will surely solve that issue.
Cool Pan Turns Red When Hot
There is a heat indicator attached to this pan which could actually save you from burning yourself. It turns red when hot and remains green when cool so that you're able to know when you're frying pan is at the perfect temperature. This can help you get cooking quicker and easier without having to check whether it's hot; all you need to do is look at the indicator's color.
Most people hover their hands over their frying pans when trying to figure out if it's hot, which can be dangerous. That's why this indicator is a great safety idea.
Mini Paper Crane Packaging
A woman's husband ordered a laptop, and it came with super cute and special packing material. Instead of the basic kind, like packing peanuts, they seem to be handmade adorable little cranes that are all in different colors. Someone definitely spent a lot of time making these by hand, and we are thoroughly impressed. Needless to say, we think that pretty much anyone would be excited to find these after opening up a box.
Usually, the packaging is thrown into the trash after opening the box, but these little cranes are way too cute and should probably be kept forever or reused for another project.
Buy a Painting From the Zoo, Get an Adorable Picture of the Process
This painting was handmade by a meerkat from a local zoo and even came with a picture of the animal in the middle of its very deep creative process. Based on the picture, it seems like he takes his artwork very seriously and even enjoys working on multiple canvases at one time. We don't really doubt that the famous Vincent Van Gogh would be beyond impressed with this unique work of art, which deserves to be framed.
We've all heard of dogs and cats picking up a paintbrush and getting behind a canvas, but a zoo animal is certainly a new one. This meerkat did a really great job.
Where Are People Finding All of These Water-Activated Patterned Items?
If you're ever in Japan, you might want to go ahead and pick up one of these fun umbrellas- you might even find yourself standing out on the street. They have hidden special patterns that only show up when wet. They come in a variety of colors, and each one is unique in its own way. Rainy days can be troublesome, but they certainly become a bit brighter when you can walk around with something as cool as these umbrellas.
These umbrellas even come in a variety of unique patterns that all have something to do with animals. Japan always seems to have the coolest products, and we're kind of jealous.