1. A wall tap surge protector , so you can bring your ancient outlets into the 21st century. Plugging this little guy into a standard wall outlet will not only increase the number of plugs you’ve got from a measly two up to a whopping five, but also gives you two USB charging ports.
Charge your phone! Charge your tablet! Plug in your lamp! Do All The Things , and still have outlets to spare! Promising review: “A convenient way to plug in all of my devices and nicer-looking than a power strip, IMO. Plenty of room for larger plugs.” — HollyMolly Price: $19.
99 2. A boot tray that’ll protect your floors from the worst the Great Outdoors has to throw at you. Rain or snow? No problem.
Mud? Handled. General grime and grossness? Buh-bye. This functional rectangular tray holds three to four pairs of adult-size shoes or three pairs of more substantial boots.
Promising review: “Keeps the floor clean! This is great for keeping muddy work boots or wet shoes from getting your floors dirty. It's super easy to wipe clean or hose off outside. Definitely recommend if you are tired of mopping up muddy floors!” — Sam Price: $4.
99 3. An eight-piece drawer organizer set allowing you to finally whip your junk drawer into shape once and for all. Rather than one big, clunky piece, this set includes eight smaller compartments of various sizes that can be Tetris’d together to fit any drawer size.
Your rubber bands, twist ties, and push pins won’t even know what hit ‘em. Promising review: “These are amazing! They fit perfectly in my drawer and snap together so once you set them, they don’t scoot all around.” — Rken Price $10 4.
A sticky lint roller for preventing any pet owner's wardrobe from becoming a constant, furry disaster. Give yourself a quick roll-down with one of these suckers before you head out the door, and you can be reasonably sure that you won’t have to give that big presentation at work you’ve spent months putting together covered in Fluffy’s, uh, fluff. Listen.
I own two cats, one of whom has predominantly white fur. Also, my entire wardrobe is black. I buy sticky lint rollers in bulk because they are the only way I can ensure that I am not covered in extremely visible cat hair whenever I venture out into the world.
Bonus: They’re also great for rolling down anything else that might have accumulated pet fur, dust, or what have you — the couch, your pillow, curtains, you name it. Promising review: “Best lint roller! Only lint roller that truly sticks, does a great job at removing pet hair, and you get a lot of stick per sheet. I have three cats who produce an absurd amount of hair, and this is the only roller I will continue to repurchase.
More affordable, too.” — AtoZ Price: $8.59 5.
A set of cabinet bumpers so you can solve any slamming door problems in literal seconds. Got loud cabinets? Pop one of these lil’ self-adhesive nubs on the inside of the door, and voilà — cabinet doors that bounce a little bit rather than SLAM. Promising review: “Just what I needed! These are great.
Just moved into a new condo and they didn't put enough of these on the walls near the kitchen cabinets. I think they're always good to have on hand, so was glad to find them at Target.” — jboo Price: $3.
99 for a pack of 20 6. A handy steel step stool that’ll help you reach even the highest shelves in your kitchen with ease — no climbing on the countertops required. I’ve had a stepper like this in pretty much every kitchen I have ever had as an adult, and friends, they are indispensable — especially if you’re, uh, less than vertically blessed like I am.
They fold and unfold quickly; they’re easy to carry around; and they’re a breeze to store. A definite must-have in my book! Promising review: “This step stool is great. So sturdy.
I've been needing something to reach into my high cupboards and usually use a kitchen chair. But since I am getting older, I have safety in mind now. It folds up and I keep it handy against the wall near my kitchen .
” — Elizabeth Price: $25.99 7. A pack of zip ties because you never know when you might need ‘em.
From cable management to general organization, this pack of 40 ties — 20 three-inch ones and 20 six-inch ones — will always have you covered. Promising review: “I specifically needed white ties and these were exactly what I was looking for. It was nice that it had two different sizes and not just and assortment of sizes I wasn't going to use.
” — Recycled Price: $3.99 8. An all-in-one small-hole repair tool , so you can make quick work of any unexpected spackling jobs you might find yourself facing.
The tube is filled with a compound that combines primer and spackle in one; there’s a putty knife at one end of the bottle for easy application; and then there’s a sanding pad on the end of the cap so you can smooth out any rough edges. Done and done! Promising review: “Easy to use and a great product! This is so absolutely convenient and easy to use. It should be in everyone’s drawer.
You know — the drawer where we all collect stuff. This belongs there. It’s amazing.
” — Leslie Price: $7.29 9. A bottle of incredibly effective carpet stain remover from Bissell that's a must for pet owners — or anyone who’s just a little clumsy.
As someone who is both (hi there, fellow pet-owning klutzes!), I always, always keep a bottle or two of this stuff around. It works equally well on cat messes and coffee spills, and it gets the job done in seconds. Actual seconds! Promising review: “The BEST carpet cleaner I have ever used.
I have white rugs . I’ve tried at least 10 different carpet stain removers and this is phenomenal! Works quickly and easy to use!” — Angel Price: $5.99 10.
And a bottle of Shout's most advanced stain remover spray that will work real, live miracles on set-in stains on clothing, finally rescuing your favorite-but-currently-unwearable shirt from its tomato sauce-induced purgatory. Got stains? No, you don't. Just spray on some of this unique gel formula and then leave it alone for up to seven days.
The next time you throw the item in the wash, it will emerge miraculously stain-free. Magic! Promising review: “ My new favorite stain remover!! Gets out stains that other cleaners can't even touch! It is a true kid's clothing saver with all those kids stains — food, arts and crafts, and that 'I have no idea what that stain is..
.'” — Imma Price: $5.49 11.
A rolling, three-tier utility cart you can use to corral literally anything. Craft supplies? Sorted. Bath and beauty stuff? All here.
Spices and other kitchen essentials? Yep. In need of a library cart? This thing is perfect. Garage organization? Bam.
There’s a reason these things are called utility carts, after all. Promising review: “Cute, functional, and affordable— what more could you want? I swear this cart has made laundry time almost enjoyable. I used to have all of my laundry supplies in a bottom cabinet and now I can see and access everything.
The cart is sturdy and was easy to put together.” — Babyfreud *Another* promising review: “Awesome cart for postpartum/baby items! It helps me to have everything organized in one space that I can quickly move around the house as needed instead of in a bunch of random drawers .” — amber Price: $40 (available in three colors) 12.
An extendable, heavy-duty duster so you can finally do something about that annoying cobweb that’s been stuck up in the corner of your ceiling for, like, months. The handle of this pick from the geniuses at Swiffer stretches out to a full six feet — a boon for shorties with no reach, like yours truly! — while the duster head itself *actually* traps dust instead of just spreading it around. FYI, this set comes with the extendable handle, plus four duster heads.
Promising review: “So much easier to dust and clean picture frames, wall decor, ceiling fans, and anything up high or down low. It’s light and you can lock it at any angle you need it to be in. Wish I bought this sooner.
” — Madhatter Price: $15.79 13. A lightweight, bagless Shark stick vacuum that’ll make keeping your floors clean a breeze.
This compact lil' vac is so much easier to move around your home than the huge, messy, bagged vacuums of yore. You can change out the attachments with the click of a button; it easily converts to a hand-held device, negating the need to buy an additional hand vacuum; and, bonus, it's particularly good for pet hair if you have furbabies. Promising review: “Loveeeee it! I love this vacuum!! It picks up so much of my cats hair and dust in the carpets.
It’s so good I have to dump it often. Love how versatile it is with the attachments. It’s super easy to move around the house.
It’s a win for me!” — Christina Price: $129.99 (originally $199.99) 14.
A plunger and toilet cleaning brush set because, well...
you do absolutely need both of these things around. May as well go for a set that looks kind of, uh, nice? All things considered? I mean, it's true that most people would not describe toilet-cleaning paraphernalia as aesthetically pleasing, just on principle — but this sleek, matching set is at least unobtrusive. So, y'know, there's that.
Promising review: “Convenient! They always say to buy a plunger before you need it, so might as well get a two for one with this plunger and brush combo! I have one for each of my bathrooms, which makes cleaning a breeze. The bristles on the brush are sturdy and hold up with scrubbing.” — Ren Price: $19 15.
An indoor flying insect trap so effective, gnats and fruit flies will no longer go anywhere near your home. This plug-in gadget attracts bugs using blue and UV lights, then traps them in a replaceable, easily-disposed-of cartridge. Flying pests, begone! Promising review: “No more bugs! I don’t usually write reviews but I had to for this.
I got this because we get a lot of fruit flies — this thing has caught so many gnats, mosquitoes, and other little buggies that we didn’t even know we had! So much more effective than citronella candles and I’m more comfortable using this than pesticides. Amazingly effective — the light is bright, but so worth it.” — emilylime Price: $19.
99 16. A bottle of stainless steel cleaner and polish that’ll get all your appliances sparkling again with almost no effort. With this stuff on hand, you’ll be able to banish fingerprints and streaks with just a spritz and a wipe — couldn’t be easier! Promising review: “ I can't believe I haven't been using this product until now.
It works magic on my fridge, oven/stove top, microwave, dishwasher, and kitchen trash can. Smells good too. Just use a clean rag to clean, buff, and shine.
Will be buying again and again. Thanks, Method!” — Tora Price: $7.79 17.
And a canister of Bar Keepers Friend because seriously, this multipurpose powder cleanser is the unsung hero of kitchens everywhere (including mine). It might not look like much, but this stuff? You need it. Trust me.
My fave use for Bar Keepers Friend is cleaning my good cookware — it’s A+ on stainless pots and pans, although you’ll want to avoid using it on nonstick stuff (never clean your nonstick gear with an abrasive cleanser; it’ll strip the coating clear off) — but folks find all sorts of uses for it, from cleaning sinks and stovetops to even getting weird rust stains out of their bathtubs. Promising review: “Have had a horrible brown stain on our cheap quartz countertops that couldn’t be removed despite everything I tried. However, this finally did the trick!! I had gotten to the point where I was going to just buy a new section of countertop, but this saved me from having to do that.
” — Laura H *Another* promising review: “Amazing! This stuff is amazing. I wanted to try it specifically for my bathtub. It did a GREAT job.
The rust and soap scum accumulated are gone. I can’t wait to try the other products.” — Kenwood Price: $2.
29 18. A quick and effective jewelry-cleaning “dazzle stick” for a fuss-free way to keep your shinies..
. well, shiny . A quick scrub with this little brush-tipped tool and voilà — your favorite pieces will be sparkling again in no time.
Promising review: “Can’t stop looking at my ring! Love this ! My ring is 20-years- old and looks brand-new after using this product. So sparkly!” — Lala Price: $9.49 19.
A good tool kit since you'll never regret having the means to DIY a ton of your own household repairs. Exciting? Not really. Useful? Extremely .
And guess what? A complete household tool kit is a lot more affordable than you probably think it is. This 40-piece kit includes a ratchet screwdriver, 20 bits plus a magnetic bit holder, four precision screwdrivers, a claw hammer, slip joint pliers, a tape measure, scissors, a utility knife, and a bunch of hex keys, all packed into a durable case. Promising review: “ Very useful for putting together new furniture and fixing door handles.
I wanted the pink set, but only the blue one was available in stores. This one looks more professional anyway and my mother trusted me to put together my own bedroom furniture. The pink set would have been cute too.
” — Handy Girl Price: $21.99 20. A three-pack of drain snakes because being able to clear out your own drains on demand beats having to wait for the plumber to arrive.
You’d be amazed what this deceptively simple little tool can dig out of the depths of your pipes. (Spoiler alert: It is mostly hair, and it is gross. ) Promising review: “This is so disgustingly satisfying.
I used it on my sink and shower and got the biggest hair chunk ever. Easy to use and no problem with the drainage now!” — Des Price: $7.39 21.
And lastly, a big ol’ bag of baking soda — listen, this stuff is a true miracle worker. Smelly cat box? Add a sprinkle of baking soda to the litter. Grubby-looking stainless steel? Scrub it with baking soda.
Stinky fridge? Pop some baking soda in there. Anywhere you need some scouring power or some serious odor-fighting, baking soda is there for you. Thanks, baking soda.
Promising review: “Worked wonders. My son got sick in the car, and this absorbed it all/took out the smell. Thankful for the larger bag and love that it is resealable like a Ziploc.
I 100% will buy again.” — Skunk on Rye Price: $3.89 for a 3-pound bag Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
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