Strange Things That You Never Think About

There are hundreds, no millions of things that are part of our everyday lives but that we don’t consider at all. It might be that they are too small to be thought of as significant, or they might be too humdrum and boring for us to register them on any level except the most basic. Or it could be that we’ve got so used to things, gadgets and gizmos and all sorts of handy articles all designed to make our lives easier entering and then leaving our lives that we fail to notice it happening anymore. We’ve become desensitised to invention and creativity. We demand big and flashy and so don’t see the small and remarkable. We miss out on quite a lot that way.

Take shoe hangers for example. Anybody ever think about those? When did you start noticing that shoes started to be hung rather than stacked on shelves or on boxes in order to be displayed? Have you noticed? Or did you just accept it by osmosis as we accept most changes regarding display in the retail industry. Has anyone ever said to you, “Look at these innovative shoe hangers. They clasp the shoes so tightly yet they don’t damage the fabric at all. Look how well rounded the edges are so that you don’t poke yourself or accidentally prick a hole in the shoe.” Not? How about, “Goodness these shoe hangers are awful! They’ve left deep indentations on the leather and look the rough edges on this one has torn this shoe!” Did you have to think about it? You can bet the second option is more likely. We’d notice shoe hangers if they were badly made and ruined the merchandise that we were interested in. So that’s the thanks the manufacturers get for a job well done, no recognition at all. It’s so often the case no matter what the job.

Have a look at some shoe hangers the next time you’re in a clothing store. They’re quite clever devices. They come in all different shapes and sizes and styles. You get heel hangers and toe hangers. Toe hangers come in multiple varieties. Each one subtly different from the other depending on the style of the sandal or shoe it is used for. There are boot clips. Those are quite cool. Some look vicious and toothy but I’m sure that they have a very specific function that is very safe in the shoe related world. Round edges are a must obviously for the safety of shoes and people alike. And then depending on the designers and manufacturers there is the question of colour. Grey and black are pretty standard and probably the most professional looking but they shouldn’t underestimate the striking effect of colour in the kiddies market and the adolescent market. Perhaps even among some adult leisure shoes. Everyone has the secret desire to be young, spirited and carefree. Coloured hangers will do that for you. Just a suggestion.

The importance of paying attention to the little things around you cannot be overemphasised. Next time you see a shoe hanger maybe you’ll remember this. And be more appreciative of the men and women who work hard to make our lives easier and more convenient. Remember how difficult things were when we had to stoop and bend and lift boxes and then open boxes and then lift the shoes out only to find that there was one shoe in it and it was the wrong size. Sigh. Be extremely grateful for shoe hangers and the makers that make them.