What Small, Inexpensive Things Make Your Life Easier?

Carafe swing top glass bottles. I have two 1L ones that I fill with water every morning. I keep them at my desk, and refill my water glass with them. (Or use them to fill a water bottle if I’m going out) The easiest way to make sure I drink at least 2L per day, and not make a million trips to the kitchen to refill my water glass! (I still make a million trips to the bathroom to pee.)

Target, Container Store, and Amazon all carry.

LOVE THIS THREAD!

My bathroom sink used to run slow and clog all the time until I cleaned the drain with a drain weasel {life changing!!!} and then bought a sink strainer with tiny holes like a colander. Now my hair gets trapped in there instead, is easily dealt with, and my sink never clogs!
I recently invested in a Chef’n citrus squeezer and it makes juicing lemons, limes, and oranges a total breeze with keeping the seeds out.
A Victorinox paring knife that cost $9.99, stays razor sharp, and is cheap enough to toss in a drawer and not worry about taking proper care of it.

A foldable shopping bag. I have been using the same one for years now and I get anxious whenever I seem to have lost it.

We recently moved in to a 1 story home with vinyl plank floors throughout. We have three cats, and various types of vacuums (with attachments) and several attachments. It didn’t take long to start me thinking abut a robotic floor cleaner. After some research I purchased a very affordable Eufy ($125). TOTAL GAME CHANGER!!! BEST PURCHASE EVER!

The best thing and most useful and most stress reducing item we bought over lockdown / home schooling was a plug in pencil sharpener. It sits on the kitchen windowsill and never gets moved or lost. It’s been transformational!

The Diva Cup – not gonna lie, it’s tricky to get in and out the first time- but the freedom of no period leaks for 12 hours a crack is worth it! As a new mom with a new flow (read: so much heavier!), this has been a game changer!

Along the vein of Jenny, I loaded up on scrunchies after losing my mind with a new baby trying to find a hair tie anywhere in the house, in the diaper bag, etc. Now I have SO MANY I can keep them in every little place and whenever I need one, I don’t have to run around the house.

I haven’t read through every single comment yet (there are 800+ and counting! What a treasure trove of practical, cool ideas!). My contribution is for travel: extra Ziploc bags in a variety of sizes. There are lightweight and flat so they take up no room in your luggage. If I’m going on a weeklong trip or more, especially to several different cities, they help me organize: souvenirs such as postcards and trinkets; receipts especially if I’m separating by business expense vs personal expense; a large Ziploc bag can temporarily store a wet bathing suit in a pinch until you can wash it out at the hotel; the snack-size can stash small items like hair ties, barrettes, etc.

The snack-size bag is also incredibly useful to put your hotel key card. (I don’t use a card-carrying case on my iPhone). I’ve had several times where I’m fumbling through my purse trying to feel where my room card is. And I don’t want to keep it in my wallet. So I put the hotel card in a bag and I can easily feel where it is.

My cheap mini rechargeable fan; I carry it in my purse and use it constantly. If I’m walking, I don’t even have to take it out of my purse; I just aim it towards my face. It’s great for travel, or to dry sunscreen/serums/moisturizers while applying make up. When un air-conditioned Paris had an unseasonal hot spell last May, it slept beside me every night.

An ice roller. Put it in the freezer and roll it on a tired puffy face in the morning. So energizing. I actually agonized over buying this $8 item for a year. Best. Purchase. Ever.

Our Coravin. Being able to drink great wine without the pressure of finishing it in a night or two is a game changer. A small glass of a gorgeous red every night is just so delicious.

Fave comment thread ever!!

Top 3 for me –

1) Meat thermometer; game changer.. not more paranoid hacking up meat to check if it’s cooked enough

2) 1L water bottle with time markers… this has changed my & my wife’s life! We both never drank enough water and now we are drinking 2.5-3L per day, without fail. My skin is GLOWING from this change.

3) PMS Vitamins… I would spend up to 10 days each month incredibly bloated and uncomfortable, like clockwork. Started taking Welle PMS vitamins and it’s made this part of my cycle A LOT better. To spend 1/3 of my month feeling so uncomfortable was such a toll on me.

Oster electric wine bottle opener. Got this 7 years ago – works very well and obviously well worth it. 7 years ago, we paid ~$15 but would recommend even with the price increase!

https://www.amazon.com/Oster-Cordless-Electric-Bottle-Opener/dp/B003YFI0O6/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=electric+wine+bottle+opener&qid=1673452644&s=home-garden&sprefix=electric+wine+%2Cgarden%2C111&sr=1-3

These comments are genius – you are all champions at using items for purposes they were not originally designed for. I feel like a cheat for writing this, but my life changer has been the one item that is supposed to have multiple purposes: a pocket knife! Mine is the size of a lipstick and I carry it everywhere. It has knives in various sizes; a corkscrew and can opener; a screwdriver; a tiny pair of scissors; tweezers; even a toothpick. The one tool I thought I would never use is now actually one of my favourites: the saw is perfect for cutting off tree branches to brighten up my house. And the added bonus: carrying a pocket knife, I feel ready for anything – an undefeatable giant armed with tiny tools!

I’ve always had terrible nasal allergies here in D.C., but after a few months of adding spirulina to my smoothies, I noticed my allergies were gone, and in the spring no less. A brief google showed that there have been a few studies on the effects of spirulina on allergic rhinitis, and it seems to be a natural histamine blocker. I use Kos brand, and it’s been a surprise life-changer!

A silicone spoon holder that clips onto the pot you’re using! No more messy counter tops or spoon rest thing I have to clean! I’ve been looking for one of these for years since I saw a friend of mine with one and FINALLY found it. Mine is a little crab jubilantly holding the spoon up in its claws!

Rain pants! No more soaked pants when you get to work, and they act as windbreakers too when it’s cold. Obviously best when used with rain boots. If you bike, a fender is also a great addition.

I remember buying one of those big cheap measuring jugs and using them for washing my kid’s hair. Soooo much quicker than using the shower head. Just fill it up with shower water and pour it over your child’s shampoo covered head. Makes washing the kid’s hair a lot easier!

The Hairy Grabster is a must for anyone with long hair that sheds in the shower.

https://hairygrabster.com/product/hairy-grabster-2/

Yes for reusable straws!!! I use a silicone straw for hot beverages because my teeth are easily stained by coffee. It saves a trip to the dentist! Some people find it weird that I use a straw when drinking a steaming mug of coffee, but my family and coffee buddies are used to it already. I have a lot in different colors!

No new gadgets to share but something that I use over the years:
– I always have a ballpen in my bag everywhere I go. Serves as a good weapon too.
When I was younger, I would wrap a scotch tape around my ballpen, which became handy whenever I needed one. Do others do that too?

– Instead of hair ties, I use a hair clamp, which is less damaging on the hair. I also have one in the bathroom instead of using shower caps. Also nice to use if there is something you need to wrap or hold temporarily (when a tape is out of reach, hence the tape on the ballpen, hahaha). :)

I use a dough knife to scrape our cutting board so I can wipe it without a bunch of crumbs etc getting on the sponge or towel. Do this almost daily!

Soap standle. Complete gamechanger for bar soap. My face soap bar lasted for over a year and only died when my dog ate it https://amzn.to/3vO51kB

Rechargeable candle lighter. Matches aren’t hard, but this is so easy and convenient, and it makes me happy https://amzn.to/3GpbiIh

Time Timer. Bad name aside, this visual clock helps me stay on track. I lose track of time easily, and this is a vital tool for home and work. Got a second one one for my kids who keep arguing over who gets to use our indoor swing and for how long.

salad spinner! we like the crank kind. we wash a lot of greens and make a lot of salad and it’s in constant use around dinner time…excellent $15 purchase.

also, cheap cork trivets from ikea. we use them under decorative vases and bowls to protect wood surfaces, and as coasters, and trivets for hot plates. cork! it’s good stuff.

This comment thread is THE BEST. I have a few:

– After every trip, I immediately reset my toiletries bag so it’s ready for next trip or in case of emergency. If I put it off, I end up scrambling every time.

– I’m short, so these in my kitchen cabinets have been a game-changer. Found mine originally in HomeGoods but there are different sizes here: https://amzn.to/3vN1tPx

– We have three pets who have different dosages of meal supplements, some refrigerated and some not. I wrote the pet name and dose in sharpie on the lid of each item and keep them together – one fridge bin and one pantry bin. Then I bought duplicate sets of cheap measuring spoons in different colors – one for the cat and one for the dogs – that I took apart and put only the sizes needed in the bins with the supps. Much easier for anyone who takes care of our pets.

– Miniature stainless steel spatula with a thin edge makes getting dried hairball puke off rugs/carpets a breeze. Hit the spot with some Sal’s Suds and it’s like it never happened.

– One pack of these lasts forever for use in the freezer for defrosting instructions on regularly used dishes like monthly meal prep, and the sharpie doesn’t run when defrosting the labeled item. Some have (accidentally) survived the dishwasher https://amzn.to/3Gro1u7

This inexpensive plastic lemon juicer is so easy. My metal hinged juicer — the one that looks like a torture instrument — is now in the way-back of the drawer! This plastic one checks all the boxes. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Lemon-Squeezer-Plastic-Citrus-Juicer-Manual-Hand-Juicer-Orange-Citrus-Lime-Juicer-with-Built-in-Measuring-Cup/2682607536