There are so many really cool and useful things available these days to buy (online or in stores). When I see things online which intrigue me, I do what many folks do, and open a new tab in my various browsers with them (so I can find them later). And as we all know, those open tabs can really add up, so when they hit a certain (unspecified) number, the time comes to weed through them. Which brings me to this post. What follows are products which I think are really cool and which I may purchase either for myself or a beloved friend or family member. I thought I'd share them with you in case you are looking for something for a specific person or for yourself/ your home, or even for me (you KNOW I really like all of these, lol)!
I have organized these items into three categories:
Travel necessities -- I will have a post at some point specifically on useful travel products.
Lovely Gifts
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Word Clock: Kinda digital, but really nice to look at. $26.99
Wordle Mug: For those who are Wordle obsessed (er, highly engaged each day), this is a necessary mug. $14.99 currently.
Smore Maker: Romantic yet fun for the family. Valentine's Day is almost here... $35.99
Mug Warmer: Don't let your hot beverage get cold! This one is better than the others because it is nice to look at AND does the job. $23.99 currently.
Air Pod Strap: Those air pods can easily be lost, right? This strap will keep them from falling out and getting lost, even during a tough workout or run through the airport! $9.99
Nice-looking Travel Salad Container: I know a bunch of folks who love to make salad ahead of time to bring with them, but worry about things getting warm and wilting or sogging up. This solution comes in loads of designs, is stainless steel, and is just plain cool (in my opinion). $40.00
Useful and Cool Items
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Keep Those Rug Corners Flat! This will not mar your floor, and it will keep you or loved ones from tripping. $14.99 currently.
Corral Your Most Important Documents: NokBox makes products to ensure the people who NEED to know where to find your most important documents can. As a professional organizer, I recommend this product whole-heartedly. Get it for yourself or the most important seniors in your life. $59 and up (depends what you want/ need).
The Ikea Frakta Bag: These are the gold standard for packing your kids up for college (or moving homes, as I learned a few years ago). They are TOUGH and now you don't need to get to an Ikea store to get yourself some. Seriously, if you don't have some of these, you definitely want some! (And they have a non-zip bag as well, which I also strongly recommend -- I keep at least one in my trunk at all times.) $22.99 for 4 bags currently.
An Amazing Telescoping and Retractable Drying Rack. OK, maybe not everybody is going to get as giddy as I am about this, but this is beautiful, has wooden prongs, and folds into nothing (so you can keep it in a nook someplace). Sure, it's not cheap, but I am definitely upgrading my drying rack to this one (since I need to look at it pretty regularly). $129.88 currently (but other colors are cheaper).
Covers for Those Annoying Wire Closet and Pantry Shelves. We all know how annoying it is when items either fall through/ fall over on the wire shelves, or when your clothes get the wire indentation from sitting on the shelves. And, yeah, you can get plastic covers, but check these shelf covers out! Your welcome... Prices depend on your size and desired wood finish -- there are many finishes available.
The BEST Solution for Spice Storage In a Cabinet! How do I know this? Because I have several of them which allow me to access my spices and herbs better than I could have hoped. There may be cheaper options out there, but I cannot recommend these highly enough for anyone who is spice/ herb storage space-challenged. $117.45 for a 3-rack. There are multiple sizes available.
Recommended Travel Items
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Air Tags: There are so many way to use these locator doo-dads if you have an iphone, and if you are prone to losing things or getting things stolen, I suggest you pick up some of these. Attach them to your luggage, water bottle, your kid or parent, stick one in your wallet, whatever. You'll be able to find your stuff if you do. $84.99 for a 4-pack currently.
Mount For A Cell Phone: Watch or play on your phone when traveling by attaching this to your tray table, arm rest, telescoping carry-on handle, or many other places. This is the best of this type of product I've seen and as it takes up so little space, I am recommending it for your travel. $12.97
Plug Adaptor/ USB Charger: I own this and do not leave home (or certainly the US) without it! It has every plug I've ever needed, doesn't weigh much, is pretty small, and has slots for 3 or 4 USB cords. Please note this is NOT an electrical current converter, so do not use it for items which require a lot of juice (like an iron or hair dryer). $18.95 currently (get it? currently? get it?)
Clean & Dirty Compression Packing Cubes: If you are anything like me, you have both a tendency to overpack AND an aversion to checking luggage. So you therefore really should be using compressing packing cubes. Not only do they keep your clothing organized (shirts in one cube, pants in another, etc.), they smush (without wrinkling!) your clothes so you can fit more in your bag! These enable you to keep your clean and dirty clothes from each cube separate -- which is cool and unusual! That said, they are not cheap (see the next bullet for a more affordable option). $67.71 for a set of 6
Standard Compression Packing Cubes: These cubes don't separate your clean and dirty clothes, but will compress what you pack and are highly rated. At $24.99 for 6, they are a relative bargain.
Small Cable Organizer: It is SO easy to lose track of where you put your cords and dongles when you travel. Here's a small and cheap solution. $8.99
Pretty cool stuff, right? And apologies if this has led you to have more open tabs for later.
Please know that I am always willing to test out and report on products related to home, travel, food/ cooking, organizing, and Vermont. So if you have a connection, please feel free to share it and if you have specific requests for some of my favorite things, please reach out.
Also, any purchases made above using the Amazon links may yield me a (small) commission. Apparently (according to my accountant), I need to make some money with this blog, lol!