Cool Hidden Features Of Everyday Objects

We're so accustomed to the objects we interact with on a daily basis that we don't usually stop to question why they have some of the features that they do. We just take it for granted that coins have ridges on the sides of them and jeans have little metal pieces near the pockets.

What do those things even do? What's the point of them? Keep reading to learn more about the truth behind these hidden features.

The Margins On Lined Paper

A child does his homework in Marseille, southern France

Have you ever wondered why pieces of paper have margins? Why don't we just use the whole piece of paper?

Well, it's because back in the day, rats would often chew on the edges of papers. People would leave the margins blank so their words would stay intact.

The Holes In Lollipop Sticks

Lollipop with a heart in your hands at the exclusive Late-Night Shopping Event

All lollipop sticks have little holes near the top of them where the candy sits. That's so the molten sugar has something to grab onto.

It keeps the candy from falling right off.

Half-Belts On Coats

Julia Haghjoo wears earrings, bracelets, a khaki and yellow camouflage scarf, a grey oversized coat with shoulder pads and a half belt, a burgundy studded bag, black leather pants, black pointy heeled boots, outside Miu Miu, during Paris Fashion Week

During the First World War, soldiers' coats used to double as blankets.

That meant that they had a bunch of extra material, and the half-belts would hold all of that material up and out of the way.

Those Little Holes In Padlocks

7 January 2021, Hessen, Frankfurt/Main: Snowed-in love locks are affixed to the girders of the Eiserner Steg, a footbridge over the Main River, against the morning backdrop of Frankfurt's skyscrapers and apartment buildings.

Those little holes in padlocks aren't quick release or lock-picking systems.

They allow water to drain out of the lock, and they allow you to put oil into the lock if you want to loosen it up.

Wooden Hangers

Coat hook in the deaconess's mother house

Cedar is a great material to use in any kind of clothes storage. It helps repel moths and other bugs.

That's why a lot of wooden hangers are made out of cedar.

Little Holes In Airplane Windows

A child looks out of the airplane window during the departure of 140 Iraqis as part of the implementation of the

If you've ever been on a plane (or, more specifically, in a window seat on a plane), you might have noticed some tiny holes in the glass.

Those holes exist to depressurize the cabin.

The Embossed 57

A bottle of tomato ketchup, manufactured by Kraft Heinz Co., stands in this arranged photograph in London, U.K., on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017.

All glass Heinz ketchup bottles have a little 57 embossed on the sides of them.

Apparently if you tap on that 57, the ketchup will flow out of the bottle easier.

The Bumps On Your Keyboard

Detail of a 2020 Apple MacBook Air laptop computer, taken on April 14, 2020.

The little bumps on the F and J keys on your keyboard exist to help you find your "home row."

It helps you type without looking down at the keyboard the whole time.

Buttons On The Left Of Women's Shirts

Men's shirts button on the right, but women's shirts always button on the left.

That's because left-hand buttons used to be a sign of wealth because they implied that you had a chambermaid to dress you.

The Drawer Under Your Oven

Kitchen in the Model Unit at The Lofton on May 17, 2021

That drawer under your oven isn't really supposed to be used for storage. It's supposed to be a warming drawer to keep your food hot.

I'm still going to put baking sheets in it though.

The Holes In Pen Caps

Holes in pen caps were put there to stop people from choking on pen caps. That way if you accidentally swallow one, your airway won't be completely blocked.

It's an essential safety feature.

Rivets In Denim

Anthony Etcheverry, aka hair stylist Monsieur Anthony @monsieur_anthony_paris, wears sunglasses, a yellow t-shirt, a yellow with black collar pullover with large pocket, a blue white and yellow denim jean ripped oversized long jacket, blue faded denim jeans pants, on May 30, 2021 in Paris, France

Rivets (those metal bits) exist to hold thick denim fabric together, especially in places where jeans are likely to fall apart.

They aren't just there for decoration. They actually serve a purpose.

Coin Ridges

Close up of isolated one Euro coin the main currency of the European Union, money stacked on euro coins in the background on a reflecting surface.

Back in the day, the value of a coin was determined by its weight. Some people tried to cheat the system by shaving off the edge of a coin to make it lighter.

The ridges were added to make it obvious when a coin had been filed down.

Brass Doorknobs

Traditional doorway with fanlight windows in Merrion Square famous for its Georgian architecture, Dublin, Ireland

Brass as a material actually has a lot of antimicrobial properties. That means that brass doorknobs are basically self-cleaning.

That's a really great feature to have in an item that gets touched so much.

The Arrow On The Gas Gauge

If you're unsure which side of your car your gas tank is on, you can always look at your gas gauge.

The arrow next to the picture of the gas pump points to the side with the gas tank.

Pom-Poms On Winter Hats

Back in the day, pom-poms on hats were more than just decoration. They protected sailors' heads when they were below deck during a storm.

Those ship ceilings were pretty low.

Small Pocket In Front

Do you know what the tiny pocket in the front of jeans is for?

It's not for lighters—it was originally created for pocket watches. Now you know its purpose, but these days, it's pretty useless.

A Hack With Onesies

If you ever paid attention to onesies, you'd see that the neck has a strange construction.

That's because it allows you to pull it down off the baby if the diaper load is too nasty.