25 Innovative Home Products to Make Life More Relaxing

Life is full of little annoyances that take up away time and energy from what you want to be doing. Chores, work, cooking—who has time for it all? Luckily, there is a solution to nearly every inconvenience you might be facing. Here are some helpful and inventive products that you didn’t know you needed but will change your life.

1. Sheet Straps

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Few things are more annoying than waking up in the middle of the night to find that your fitted sheet is now fitted around you rather than the bed. Check out these handy elastic fasteners that hold your sheets in place no matter how much you thrash! 

2. Garment Steamer

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Do you like ironing? Neither do I. Grab a garment steamer to speed up and simplify your wrinkle-removal process. Take one into the office to spruce up your clothes before an important meeting or keep it in your closet for special occasions.

3. Laptop Cooling Pad

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Few things are as stress-inducing as when you are working with a large file, and your computer begins to make sounds that mimic an airplane crashing. For under $25, you can buy a laptop cooling pad to prevent disaster. 

4. Electric Toothbrush

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If you own a typical manual toothbrush, you might be leaving behind more food particles and bacteria than you realize, even if you brush twice a day. Avoid this and impress your dentist by investing in an electric toothbrush. 

5. Robot Vacuum

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Vacuuming is one of those monotonous household chores that almost no one enjoys. Cut down on your vacuuming and have someone—or something—else do it for you. These little guys are an investment, but they’ll save you valuable time.

6. Meal Delivery Subscription Boxes

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Investing in a meal delivery subscription is worthwhile if you don’t want to grocery shop and cook during the week. If you are willing to cook, opt for HelloFresh or Blue Apron, services that include all the ingredients and instructions you need to whip up a meal at home.

7. Car Seat Gap Fillers

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Have you ever dropped your perfectly crunchy, salty, hot french fry into the crevice between your car seat and cupholder? Order these car seat gap fillers and never lose a fry again. 

8. Sofa Tray Table

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If you’ve ever been relegated to the corner seat on the couch that is the furthest from the coffee table, you haven’t been completely forgotten. With a sofa tray table that fits securely on the arm of your sofa or chair, everyone has a place to put their drink! 

9. Dog Feeding Schedule

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In households with multiple people (and/or multiple pets), overfeeding or forgetting to feed them altogether is a common occurrence. A convenient magnetic chart can help you and everyone in your household remember when Fido was fed. 

10. Lime Squeezer

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You have heard of the lemon squeezer, but now I give you the lime squeezer. For less than $5, you can juice your limes in a squeezer that is correctly sized for their shape. Use it for cocktails, guacamole, or key lime pie.

11. Cleaning Putty

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If looking at the tiny crumbs and fibers in your computer’s keyboard drives you crazy, this cleaning putty is perfect for you. This sticky blob reminiscent of children’s play slime can reach those pesky hard-to-reach places. 

12. Window Fly Trap

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The classic fly traps that hang from the ceiling are great until you walk right into one and have a face full of flies. Opt for a fly trap that mounts to the window instead to avoid this unpleasant interaction—and to avoid having to use an old-fashioned flyswatter.

13. Stainless Steel Cleaner

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You can attempt to clean your stainless steel appliances with an all-purpose cleaner, but you will probably be left with streaks that make you wonder if you ever cleaned at all. Add this stainless steel cleaner to your virtual cart for a shiny finish. 

14. Time Marked Water Bottle

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Did you know drinking 64 ounces of water daily is recommended? If you are like most people, you definitely don’t do this regularly. Order time-marked reusable water bottles to monitor your water intake. 

15. Reusable Grocery Bags

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Reusable grocery bags are affordable, convenient, and good for the environment. Many stores now charge a small fee for paper or plastic bags. Instead, invest in a few good reusable bags. You can even find insulated ones that will keep your frozen food cold until you get home.

16. Cooling Pillow

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It can be challenging to regulate your temperature while you sleep, especially if you live in a warm climate. Ditch your regular pillows for one infused with cooling gel memory foam. You’ll wake up feeling rested on even the hottest days.

17. LED Temperature Faucet Nozzle

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While most faucets have the hot water knob on the left and the cold water knob on the right, sometimes they are flipped. Other times, you could reach for the cold water knob only to find the water still scalding from the previous hot water user. Check out this LED faucet that turns blue or red to indicate the temperature. 

18. One Trip Grocery Bag Holder

Woman and child shopping for groceries.
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If you’ve got a large grocery haul, that usually means multiple trips to and from the car. With the help of this one-trip grocery bag holder, you can click the device around the handles of your grocery bags and carry them all at once. 

19. Portable Door Lock

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While most hotels and motels have locks already installed on the doors, you can never be too cautious, especially if you are staying somewhere unfamiliar. Add this portable door lock to your travel shopping list, and always have extra security when it comes to your safety. 

20. Bed Fan

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Staying cool and waking up sweat-free is very important to most people. The cooling pillow may not be enough to keep your sheets dry if you are hot-natured. Check out this under-sheet bed fan to help keep you extra cool at night for under $100!

21. Fan and Light Bulb Pull Chains

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Have you ever experienced the frustration of attempting to turn your ceiling fan on at night only to be blinded by the light instead? With these clearly designated ceiling fans and light bulb chains, you will never pull the wrong one again. 

22. Doorbell Camera

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Security is even more critical when it comes to your own home. While you can opt for a more expensive popular brand like Ring, you can also find more affordable alternative doorbell cameras online.

23. Wad-Free Sheet Washing Tool

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Washing machines and tumble dryers take most of the difficult work out of washing bed sheets, but if your sheets get wadded together in the dryer, you might find yourself drying over and over again. By attaching these handy products to the corners of your bed sheets, wadding becomes impossible! 

24. Teeth Whitening Pen

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Teeth whitening done at the dentist’s office can be expensive. While whitening strips are a more affordable alternative, they often take several weeks of treatments to show results. Try a pocket-sized teeth whitening pen for an instant and long-lasting whitening effect. 

25. Fridge Drawer Liners

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The crisper drawers in the refrigerator may do a good job of keeping your vegetables crisp and fresh, but there is nothing to prevent those veggies from molding. Add a mold-resistant drawer liner to make your veggies and produce last even longer! 

14 Realities Facing Electric Vehicles on Long Road Trips

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Electric vehicles are more popular than ever, but if you’re planning a long road trip, you might need to make some accommodations for your car. From range considerations to charging infrastructure, here are some things to consider before taking your EV for a ride.

14 Realities Facing Electric Vehicles on Long Road Trips

15 Common Vacation Spots Retirees Might Want to Avoid

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Travel is a hobby you never outgrow—but it does change as you get older. Accessibility issues and healthcare considerations may come first when deciding where to vacation. Here are some locations retirees may want to avoid.

15 Common Vacation Spots Retirees Might Want to Avoid