Little things that make life better
Stuff you didn't know that you needed but will be happy you have
Money cannot buy happiness…except sometimes the small little purchases really can make our days a lot brighter. I was getting ready recently in the bathroom and thought about a few upgrades that have made my morning routine so much better. This is in the same vein of another post I did, The Best Purchases of Adulthood. Not a single one of these things is necessary, but they do make the repetitive actions that I do day in and day out more enjoyable. Hopefully they might for you too!
Showerhead and essential oils. It is not difficult to replace a showerhead, so why did we wait so long? I notice how much I enjoy good water pressure when I stay in hotels, so I finally decided to order a new showerhead for our bathroom. We replaced it in about ten minutes, and the particular brand we ordered came with an essential oil diffuser. It smells like a spa in our bathroom now, and I love it.
Motion sensor trash can. Bathroom trash cans are one of life’s little annoyances. The kids never seem to get their tissues into the can, no matter where I place the bin or how big or small it is. This motion sensor trash can has improved (but not solved) the situation. Since the lid stays raised for several seconds, trash is more likely to get into the can rather than fall out to the side like it did with our foot pedal bins. I personally like these bins for throwing away floss—it is easier to get the floss into this can than any other trash can I have ever had.
Hum toothbrush. Major parent hack here! I learned about these recently: toothbrushes that have an accompanying game. You download an app on your smartphone, and kids brush for two minutes and earn points and gems to spend for special filters. The app breaks the mouth into six sections and monitors their brushing via camera, so the kids are thoroughly brushing their teeth. It truly is amazing. They are doing a much better job brushing, and I am able to be more hands off.
Timer mechanisms. Whether they are little kitchen timers, watches, or smart phone speakers, I swear by setting alarms for everything. It is so convenient to keep a timer going on my watch while I am cooking or baking and be able to run around the house doing chores without worrying whether I will hear the kitchen timer go off. We set visual timers for our kids to complete certain tasks so they know how long they have. I set alarms for myself if I want to be involved in deep work but know I need to be ready for something so I do not have to keep checking the clock. I have even been known to set a timer if I have a hard stop in a meeting. It is a fairly graceful and simple way to exit.
Scent diffusers. I love nice smells. We have several Puras throughout our home, and I even have one in my car to combat the funk of an active household with dogs and children. The scent wakes me up and makes me more present.
Cute workout clothes. I used to wear old T-shirts and whatever I had on hand to work out, but I prefer flattering and intentional workout gear. I spend most of the time looking in the mirror to check my form, so I may as well feel good about what I am wearing.
Ultrasonic cleaner. If you have a retainer or Invisalign, this is worth purchasing. I use this to clean my retainer every day. Its cleaning power is far superior to the effervescent tablets.
Vitamin/pill organizer. I take several different kinds of supplements each day, and it is so nice to sort them for the week rather than get each individual bottle out every time. I also can easily see if I have already taken them on a given day. Every member of our household has one—it is easy to check if the kids have had their vitamins!
Command hooks in unexpected places. I love a well-placed command hook. There’s minimal commitment, and they come in many styles now. I use them inside my cabinet doors to hang pot holders and step stools, in my closet for bathrobes, under the sink for gloves and microfiber cleaning cloths, and beside my desk to give my tote bag a place to hang.
Cord tangle solutions. We have approximately a million pieces of technology that require charging now, so it is worth considering how to keep the mess corralled. We use cord organizers (these are expensive but the best I’ve tried). These are great for nightstands or computer desks where you have multiple cords dangling from a power strip. In-drawer power strips are a little pricey but nice for hiding away the digital clutter.
Dishwasher and washing machine cleaning tablets. The Affresh tablets make the appliances smell so clean! I run the Affresh dishwasher tablet with a load of dishes about once a week to help with funky smells, and I run the washing machine tablet on the clean washer cycle about once a month.
Light bulbs on timers. We use Hue lightbulbs in our main living spaces, and I love that I can set them to dim as the evening goes on, turn on when I want to wake up in the morning, or be ready for us when we arrive home from work. When we are out of town, we can set them to continue the routine so it still appears that there is activity in the house.
Stocked stationery and gifts. I keep a stash of birthday cards, sympathy cards, notecards, gift cards, and gifts in my office closet. I appreciate not having to run out whenever there is a kid’s birthday party, and it is easier to send a card if all I need to do is write a note rather than find time to purchase the card first.
An “outgoing” basket. We almost always have packages that need to be returned or items that need to go out to someone else. These items tend to accumulate in inconvenient spaces—on the kitchen counter or by the backdoor. I grabbed an empty basket and now that basket holds anything that needs to go out. I like that the items are contained and not an eyesore. We check the basket before we leave to see if we need to take something with us.
Blow drying accelerator. I did not even know that that this was a thing. There are hair products that act as heat protectants and claim to speed up drying time. I decided to give it a try because I am always trying to save time in the morning, and I think it really does work! I save a few minutes blow drying my hair.
Again, all of these are absolutely not essential and yet make my life a little bit more pleasant. Addressing small pain points can add up to make a big difference in the day-to-day. Do you have any little things that no one else is talking about that you swear by?