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Well, this year has been a lot, hasn’t it? If you feel anything like us, it can go and do one, right?
What we need now is a helping hand, some reliability, and not a little bit of self-care. We want our problems solved and our stresses relieved, thank you very much.
Which is why we’ve rounded us some products guaranteed to deliver one or more of the above. If you’re feeling exhausted by ~ gestures vaguely ~ all this, these are the affordable buys that are actually worth your time and energy.
1
If (like me) your workday duties have turned you into an accidental serial plant killer, this water-saving gel has got your back.
It holds up to four times its own weight in water, but don't worry about drowning your plants – it releases the liquid as and when it's needed.
2
Aside from looking adorable, these spinner rings have really helped fidgety customers to unwind.
They come in silver and gold tones and have little spheres that you can spin or adjust when you just need something to fuss at (which, for me, is about 98% of the time I spend in meetings).
3
This ridiculously well-designed pillow is perfect for people who sleep on their side or back, so you'll be sure to wake up on the right side of the bed.
Its medium support filling is neither too soft nor too stiff, and reviewers reckon it's the best pillow they've found to banish their post-sleep neck pain. It's machine-washable too!
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4
Cooking dinner becomes an Olympic medal-worthy sport for me by around Wednesday, so it's a good thing this microwave pasta cooker basically does all the hard work for me.
Its built-in drainer makes it really easy to strain, and it's ridiculously easy and speedy to use.
5
Sick of pouring a glass of wine out for yourself after work only to realise it's gone off? Same. You'll be able to keep your opened wine fresh for up to a week(!!) by using these vacuum stoppers.
Their built-in vacuum pumps draw all the wine-ruining oxygen out of the bottle, effectively re-corking your best booze whenever you need to close it.
6
You'll be able to julienne carrots in no time with this genius OXO peeler (because honestly, chopping veg is the worst part of cooking).
There's something almost Bruce Almighty-like about how easy and satisfying this low-effort peeler is, right?
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7
Sorry, but your kitchen basically isn't complete without these reusable stretchy silicone lids – especially if, like me, your diet becomes 99% leftovers as the week progresses.
They shrink or expand according to the surface you're placing them over, meaning they can be used to cover everything from half-eaten watermelons to pots of chilli! They're dishwasher, freezer, and microwave-safe, and reviewers back up their spill-proof claims too.
8
Duzzit's (bloody massive) bottle of baking soda does pretty much every cleaning task you can imagine, and it helps to neutralise odours too! It's a great leave-on-and-go-about-your-day treatment – I like to leave a baking soda paste in my oven overnight for a low-hassle deep-clean the next day.
Customers use it for everything from their ovens to the annoying pet smells on their sofa, and the results are impressive (seriously, check out some of the before-and-after pics in the review section).
9
This nifty lil' 20-litre bin has an odour-proof lid, making it perfect for bathrooms or kitchens. Its pedal can be accessed from three sides too, so it's perfect for chucking out your banana peels while you're simultaneously texting, carrying your bags, and attempting to rush out the door in something resembling a reasonable time.
The silent lid of this bin closes extra tight to ensure that absolutely no odours escape (and judging by the reviews, it's really good at its job). It opens via a step-on pedal that you can access from three sides, and its surface is fingerprint-proof too!
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10
You know when half of your bin liner falls into the bin and it makes removing the whole bag a *much* grosser process? Yeah, that won't happen with these bags that have elasticated tops.
They're sealed at the side rather than the bottom to prevent splitting under the weight of rubbish, and they're triple-layered too to prevent leakage (I don't dream about bin bags that often, but if I did, I'm pretty sure this is what I'd think up).
11
Tinted lip balm is so much more forgiving than a full-on lipstick. You can apply this as you're leaving the house without any hassle!
I feel like people don't talk enough about how hard it is to apply lipstick properly – one wonky line can turn you from "high-glam makeup guru" to "slightly overenthusiastic child who got into a makeup bag" in no time. This tinted lip balm from Burt's Bees is much more forgiving than regular lipstick, and the hydrating formula is great for your lips too! It contains hydrating beeswax and skin-enriching pomegranate extract, and customers say the finish from this balm is incredible.
12
I'm not saying you would forget to wash your hair and wake up to some flat locks that you're not sure how to style. I'm just saying that if you did, some dry shampoo could probably help.
As someone who 1) has long hair, 2) has a fringe, and 3) considers washing and drying my locks to be a Herculean task, I face a *lot* of stringy, flat 'dos throughout the week. This dry shampoo is the only one I can count on to add volume without any itchiness, and it actually does last all day too.
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13
These air fryer liners are frankly a revelation (what do you mean I could have skipped cleaning the crumb-y grease basket this entire time?).
Anyone who owns an air fryer will understand how invaluable they are as a mid-week cooking hack (I'm currently on a ten-minute salmon roll) – but if you're as shamelessly greedy and ungrateful as I am, you demand even more convenience from devices your ancestors probably would have worshipped as gods. Enter: these oh-so-handy greaseproof liners which mean you don't have to do The Big Basket Clean after a long day's work. They don't have any holes in their base so no oil will leak through, they're suitable for use up to 232℃, and they come in various sizes (so you can choose the right one for your appliance). Game-changing.
14
I don't know you, but I've got a sneaking suspicion you've had at least one freezing morning commute this week which have made you resolve to buy a pair of gloves that you either never buy or never wear because they don't work with your phone. Don't worry – these ridiculously highly-rated touchscreen-enabled ones have got your back (or at least your hands).
I have this weird habit of putting on about five layers of clothing when it's cold out without ever considering that my hands will get cold too when I'm outside, and I also somehow fail to remember that I'm addicted to my phone whenever I do eventually buy gloves. Thankfully, these toasty, touchscreen-friendly options are here to help me break the cycle – the rubber triangles on their palms makes them perfect for cyclists, though I find they're equally useful for preventing those annoying red strain marks you get from carrying too much shopping home too.
15
Speaking of seasonal chills, the thought of coming home to this blanket hoodie has been enough to see me through the last three nap-worthy hours of the work day recently.
It basically turns every surface I lie down on into a bed – what more can I say?
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16
And the same goes for this lanky little hot water bottle that can be wrapped around your shoulders or back.
The length. The fluffy cover. The flexibility. The under-duvet full-body-warming potential. She's got it all.
17
The thought alone of waking up to already-filled-in brows on busy weekday mornings is enough to make me buy this Dybrow tinting kit.
Reviewers reckon its tint lasts for up to six weeks, which sounds pretty appealing if (like me) you reckon you spend that amount of time per year filling in your brows anyway.
18
This ridiculously low-hassle cooker will perfectly boil, poach, or...omelette? (shh) your eggs in a matter of minutes, no pans needed.
Not only can you set the timer to achieve the perfect, uniform done-ness (I'm a jammy yolks girl, but you do you), but this pretty inexpensive cooker also means you won't have to face washing greasy pans or wispy egg white-filled pots of water in the morning. It's perfect for familes because it can cook up to seven eggs at once, and it'll create impressive, low-hassle poached eggs and omelettes too.
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19
If you're a packed lunch person, I'm drooling over this glass lunchbox with cutlery in its lid.
Anyone with taste understands three things to be true: 1) leftovers make the best lunches, 2) non-glass food containers aren't worth the cupboard space they take up, and 3) every meal needs at least two courses. This two-segment lunchbox completely gets it, and it's microwave, oven, freezer, and dishwasher-safe too – oh, and did we mention the cutlery in its lid?
20
I never understand the phrase 'the straw that broke the camel's back' as deeply as I do when I spot deodorant stains on my freshly-washed shirt. Good thing Dr. Beckmann's stain remover is so effective, I suppose.
Spritz this stuff over the affected areas before chucking your shirt in the wash – customers say it's saved them a tonne of hassle.
21
If (like me) that relentless piles of dishes is probably your most common stressor, this ruthlessly efficient Scrub Mommy sponge is here to help.
Don't let that innocent little smile fool you – the scourer on the back of this sponge banishes stubborn dirt so effectively that I always find myself thinking the word 'obliterate :)' every time I use it. It'll stay firm in cold water to tackle tough stains without scratching your dishes, and it softens up in warmer liquid for lighter washing.
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22
Coty Airspun powder has a cult following for a reason. This stuff will help to give your makeup a flawless finish, even if you've spent next to no time actually applying it!
This translucent powder claims to work on all skin tones, and because it's so finely-milled, it'll give a really smooth, almost filtered finish to your skin. It's a great way to make your five-minute, rushing-out-the-door makeup look like it took way longer, or even just as an addition to an otherwise bare face!
23
You won't have to face condensation in your car's windshield first thing in the morning after nabbing this dehumidifier bag.
It attracts the moisture in the air to keep it away from your windows and prevent them from fogging up! My coworker used hers continually for over a month before she had to 'reset' it in the microwave for the first time.