In the mood for some home shopping this pre-holiday sale season? Make sure to double check if anything in your house needs replacing or an extra of, and don't forget to make space for any additions that improve home life by a mile.
Here are 6 random home items — ideal for every room in your personal space — that may as well be considered essentials given their usefulness and value:
For The Bedroom: White Noise Machine
The bedroom is considered by many an inner sanctum, an escape from the stress and drama of the outside world.
It creates a calming sound — typically nature-like or instrumental lullabies — that allows for downtime and good sleep. Perfect for those who live in condominiums or apartments with suspiciously thin walls, a soft sound generator does more than just mask the variety of awakening sounds like late-night parties or clanky air-conditioning units. It also helps create a pacifying ambiance that encourages concentration.
Remember: you spend a third of your life sleeping, so you better make the experience worth your while.
For The Bathroom: Bidet Attachment
Cleanliness is next to godliness, and perhaps the best way to prevent the spread of infections. The bathroom is there to keep you clean, which is why it has to be just as sanitary. Work with an easy-to-follow schedule that breaks up the sanitation process, use the right cleaning products, and purchase add-ons like a bidet attachment that make body hygiene a trouble-free task. We're already familiar with the humble tabo and timba combo, and bidets are just an upgraded version that take up little to no floor space.
Bidets work by spraying water to help rinse your underside, replacing toilet paper for when you have to do your business. And less toilet paper means less trips to the supermarket, and less trash and energy used that end up stressing Mother Earth. Talk about a win-win situation.
For the Living Room: Smart Plugs
Smart home technology is all the rage, and you don't need to turn your residence inside out to enjoy the benefits of living in a smart home. Start small with a few affordable Wi-Fi connected smart plugs and extensions that can power most appliances in your personal space.
The living room is a great spot to scatter these smart extensions, as it's generally an area that house many electronics and sees high foot traffic. Automated plugs work by acting as a switch that's controlled by a phone tap or a voice command. Aside from simply turning a non-smart appliance on or off, more advanced plugs and apps can even follow a schedule or routine set up remotely, purposely saving energy.
Spend resources and time in turning the rest of your home smart, and never have to worry about forgetting to turn off the lights or a home appliance ever again.
For The Kitchen: Heavy-Duty Blender
Similar to the living room, the kitchen is an extremely busy area that sees a lot of action throughout the day. Since most people eat 3 times a day with the occasional (or routinary) coffee/ tea break, the kitchen is a room that deserves to realize its full potential. (Wish you had a bigger kitchen or one with a better layout? Take your pick from our property listings here.)
A good first step in creating the kitchen space of your dreams is by investing in high-quality appliances that make cooking less of a chore and more of a recreational activity. Every self-respecting cook will tell you that a good chef's knife makes all the difference, and a cast iron pan trumps your standard non-stick. In terms of appliances, a heavy-duty blender is a majorly versatile kitchen tool whose value outweigh the machinal noise it makes.
A professional blender makes anything from smoothies and soups to dips and sauces, and even batters. Disregarding its bulky physique and unnerving machine sounds, a blender is a fantastic tool you can use to make juices and other smooth, healthy liquids at home.
And if you're not too big on baking at home or just don't have the counter space for both, you may just need a blender and not a food processor. Both appliances are able to make nut butters and simple condiments among other things, and take similar amounts of effort to clean.
For The Office: Essential Oil Diffuser
The pandemic has forced many to shift to a work-from-home arrangement or hybrid, making office maintenance an additional task that homeowners have to take on. Some are fortunate enough to have ample space for a full-blown study, while some only have a bit of wiggle room fit for a work desk and a wheeled office chair. Either way, there ought to be a way to make working at home less irky and more exciting — like employing mood-boosting scents with an essential oil diffuser.
The right aroma will not only boost productivity but also soothe your nerves. For your dedicated space, choose rosemary and cinnamon to clear out brain fog and help you concentrate. Lemon and peppermint help stimulate the brain, and jasmine is popular for its relaxing properties.
Of course, the scents are not effective if you don't use the appropriate equipment in aromatherapy. An electronic essential oil diffuser will almost always work better compared to simple linen sprays, potpourri, or scented candles (and less hazardous!) — and allow you to play with however many scents you want before you find the smell that suits your needs best.
Extra Item: Step Ladder
Step ladders are extremely practical yet underrated and often missing in many abodes. They are perfect for single dwellers that do most maintenance work and odd jobs themselves, like replacing a light bulb or sweeping atop a tall cabinet. A foldable step stool or ladder made with alloy steel and non-skid rubber pads are lightweight and durable, and can prove to be heaven-sent in a home predicament.
Moreover, stools and ladders are particularly useful in smaller spaces, where vertical space is utilized.
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