33 Little Helpful Things To Have Around The House
We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
A rechargeable lighter, a pet odor eliminator, a coffee mug warmer, and other products you'll wish already lived inside your home.
BuzzFeed Staff
Promising review: "I replaced some hard stoppers with these, and now when the drawer gets closed hard, it's just a soft thud instead of a hard loud BANG. I'm pleased with these." —Jason
Get a sheet of 100 from Amazon for $6.99.
Promising review: "Wow. This thing is amazing. Small and so easy to use. My husband kept saying it won’t actually light anything and was blown away when it did. We lit candles and paper to use as tinder with absolutely no effort. No fuel needed. Just a quick recharging. And no waste in throwing away those huge and never easy-to-use butane sticks. Love love it." —Diane Bold
Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in 12 colors/styles).
Promising review: "It's going on a little over a year since I got this coffee warmer, and I felt I needed to let everyone know that this is the best coffee warmer I've gotten. I work 7 a.m.–5 p.m. and it is on the entire time, five to six days a week. It keeps my tea at just the right temperature. Not scalding or room temperature like other warmers I've purchased.
The 60-inch cord is long enough to go across my large desk. The hot plate is 3.25 inches in diameter, making it the right size for even my large-bottomed coffee mug. The entire warmer is 5.2-by-8.6 inches, so it's not cumbersome having it sit on my desk. This was a great purchase, and I'm glad I got it." —Christin Fern
Get it from Amazon for $18.41.
You get a set of 100 stickers made to fit all sorts of electronics so you can find the ones that will work perfectly for you.
Promising review: "Ingenious little idea. I suffer from migraines, so I know how a little LED light can irritate you in an otherwise pitch-black room. This product does a great job of dimming those harsh LED indicators that EVERYTHING seems to have nowadays. They are neat, not unsightly." —Jarom A. Daszko
Get a pack of 100 from Amazon for $1.49.
Promising review: "It was always a pain to reach down the side of my bed to reach my chargers, not to mention the wad of cables I’d have to sift through just to charge my phone. I finally searched for a solution and came across these. They’re great! They’re really easy to stick on, and they stay in place. I haven’t had an issue with them falling off. Whenever I need to charge a device, they’re right next to me, easy to reach, and untangled. I definitely recommend!" —Nurse Nelis
Get a six-pack from Amazon for $6.96.
Promising review: "I'm so happy with this organizer box. I can't stand a heap of tangled cords going every which way. I've got two AC adapter boxes in there. Also in the box is a small power supply, the cord for the iMac I use, and a long USB cord plugged into my charging station. It's awesome." —Ben W
Get a set of two from Amazon for $29.99 (available in three styles).
FYI, it installs like a regular outlet cover, and can also be installed so the shelf is below the outlet.
Promising review: "I was very skeptical about this one. I had it in my cart for a while, and just couldn’t get myself to order it. Once I did and I received it, I was so happy I did. I will be ordering more now. It adds extra storage space. My laundry room is very limited, so any added storage is key! I use it for my dryer sheets. I’ll be ordering another to store a small trash bin for lint from the dryer. I’m thinking about also adding these around the house for other things. So easy to install, takes literally less than two minutes." —Hazel Vera
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in four colors and multipacks).
Promising review: "About four years ago, I adopted Daisy, who I was told was short-haired. Little did I know that she would be more medium hair and about the sheddiest animal I've ever owned. My wife and I love her, but because most apartment housing doesn't allow animals because of dander, we were getting to the point that we were going to give her away. I saw a video on YouTube about the ChomChom Roller, and I was convinced after seeing a guy remove all of the white pet fur off of a velvet topper.
This thing is amazing! It even got hair off of the carpet that our vacuum cleaner couldn't get. Now, the mechanism isn't really a roller, it's actually one of those lint brushes where the hairs face a certain direction, so you're not actually rolling, but rubbing away the fur. The trap has brushes facing the opposite direction inside that grab the hair and keep it maintained in the trap. It is easy to clean and well worth the money! It is so much more effective than any lint roller I've ever purchased, and I was even able to get her fur off of my jeans. Get this thing!" —K. Patao
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in two colors).
To use, apply the product to the stain, and let sit for 30–60 minutes. Then blot and let air-dry. It also works for cleaning up kennels, pet carriers, and litter boxes.
Rocco & Roxie Supply Company is a family-owned small business established in 2013 that specializes in pet odor eliminators, pet toys, pet snacks, and pet accessories.
Promising review: "I don’t know how I ever survived without this. There’s tons of 'pet stain/odor remover' products out there, but this by far is the absolute best. I cringed paying the $20 for it when others are between $5–$10, but I have NO ISSUES paying now. I foster dogs, some puppies, some older, some not housebroken, and every room in my house is carpeted except the kitchen, which means I have lots of accidents.
I spray enough to saturate if it’s a lot of urine, let it soak for 10 minutes, then wipe it up with a hand towel. Then I put a larger towel on top of it if it’s in a high-traffic area until it’s completely dry. It’s taken out every stain and, more importantly, the odor is gone! I will never stop buying this product. I recommend it to everyone who has dogs!" —Shelly
Get it from Amazon for $19.97+ (available in two sizes).
Promising review: "Absolutely love these! I have bought them three times already on Amazon. I have been trying to organize my kitchen utensils. I have minimal counter space and ceramic tile walls behind my counter. I am unable to risk drilling into the tile or to the underside of my cabinets. These sticky hooks are perfect!! They adhere to the tile AND to the wood laminate of my upper cabinets. They also are great on the painted wall and the bumpy side of my refrigerator. I started using these around March of 2020 and I have not had a single one fall down. I have various sizes of kitchen utensils and items hanging from them." —Tigerakp
Get a pack of 16 from Amazon for $13.99.
I finally bought this because EVERY TIME I tried to open my bedroom window to let in a cool evening breeze, I got the added bonus of ending up covered in bites while watching an alarming number of mosquitos crash headfirst into my bright laptop screen. NOT TODAY! It was super easy to stick this repair tape over the slits and holes in my admittedly very old screen, and now I can keep my window open without inviting all the mosquitos in the neighborhood inside for a midnight snack.
Get it from Amazon for $8.99 (available in three colors and sizes).
Promising review: "I absolutely love these! In my apartment, I strung Christmas lights around the top of my bedroom and then did the same in my living room and kitchen. I hated having to plug and unplug them though. When I found out about these, it made life so much easier. I could shut them off from the other room. The controller does not have to be directly aimed at the receiver or unblocked. It works just fine from anywhere in my apartment — even across doors." —Brianna Curtis
Get a pack of three from Amazon for $19.56.
Promising review: "Give it a cap and a costume, this is the only thing I need in the kitchen! I am often looking for tools that can replace the 30 others I have collected in my kitchen. I have used this to flip grilled cheese, stir red beans and rice, strain Brussels sprouts, and taste sauce. I used the flat edge to cut onions that were too large once in the pot and scrape the bottom of the pan. The uni-tool feels nice in my hand, has held up fine in a number of dish washings, and has allowed me to toss a few kitchen tools that have become obsolete." —Meredith
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
iJoy is a small biz that sells a variety of tech accessories, speakers, and headphones.
Promising review: "I rarely write a review (this is the second in the past few years). One of the best purchases in a long time. Nice design and very practical. It solves all of my problems as it can go any direction. It's worth every penny. I turned around and bought two more. I am about to buy my fourth one. Love this!" —Pond P.
Get it from Amazon for $17.99 (available in five colors).
Each cord is six feet long and has three available plugs.
Promising review: "I have no idea why these are not sold everywhere. PERFECT for my room! I ended up getting this due to my king size bed being against a wall with only one outlet. I needed a way to connect my two lamps on my nightstand and this is absolutely, without a doubt, the very best solution to connecting my lamps and also not having all my outlets taken up. I recommend this to everyone! Also perfect for outlets connected to a switch to turn on and off both lights at the same time." —Ryan
Get it from Amazon for $14.99 (available in two colors).
Promising review: "This camera works so well it’s almost a joke. An overhead light in my boat’s cabin had severed wire. The hole to access the wire is not even 1/2” in diameter, and the gap in the ceiling is only 2” tall. Adjusted the semi rigid cable, located the severed wire, went back in with the hook attached, and voila!" —the family cook
Get it from Amazon for $27.89.
Promising review: "This is a well-made basket that has plenty of room for a large load, plus it expands and collapses well. I wish I would have gotten it sooner! It’s a great space saver!" —pfc689
Get it from Amazon for $29.70+ (available in nine colors).
Promising review: "Life saver. I used it for the first time today after someone accidentally bumped up against the knob on a newer model stove without realizing it until the smoke detectors went off. The size of the fire was more than we were comfortable with. I quickly grabbed for the can of spray, and the fire started going out right away, which gave me relief. The fire was quickly extinguished without having to call for the fire department. This can is great and simple to use for those not so experienced with extinguishing fires." —Amazon Shopper
Get it from Amazon for $12.97.
Promising review: "The perfect handy tool for getting into tight places. It's firm enough for a number of uses, but it doesn't scratch or mar surfaces. I should have gotten the five-pack. I have so many uses for these things. I think the best use yet was cleaning the sliding door track. I finally could get into the corners to get the grunge out. A great invention." —Miss Picky
Get a pack of five from Amazon for $14.99 (also available as a set of two).
Promising review: "Great cleaning cloth for any devices. I decided to buy these cleaning cloths for my technical devices and glasses as well. They work extremely well when removing fingerprints and smudges. Not only that, but they also work well in removing oils and lotions from the sides of your glasses. I use plenty of moisturizers on my face, so my glasses often get oily but after using these cleaning cloths, it works well.
I recommend getting these if you believe that the cleaning cloths that you get from your glasses aren't enough or you want to have separate cleaning cloths for different devices." —Lena Chau
Get a pack of two from Amazon for $5.99 (also available in larger multipacks).
Promising review: "These wipes work for us. We use them on our eyeglasses (that have anti-reflective coatings), phone screens, and computer monitor screens. A single wipe will do both of our glasses and both of our phones. And, there's no streaky residue like we have had in the past with other wipes." —John S.
Get a pack of 210 from Amazon for $13.99.
Promising review: "Easy to use and easy to read. I have a bonsai tree that only needs to be watered when almost dry. If it gets overwatered or dries out, it could die. This water meter takes the guesswork out of when to water it." —Brigitte Mason
Get it from Amazon for $8.97+ (available in three colors).
BuzzFeeder Mallory Mower uses these candles and loves them! Here's why:
"I'm in a small apartment with a bunch of litter boxes and two particularly well-fed cats. These candles were recommended to me by a coworker when I brought up the stress of keeping my place smelling fresh. I get each new sent every season, because they are the only thing I need to keep my home from smelling like pets. I firmly believe they are the best odor control around."
Promising review: "I have several dogs in the house and am always concerned that it smells like that to visitors even cleaning every day. I have used other candles and melts that add a pleasant smell to the underlying odor, but these candles do better. I have been able to leave the house for hours, and when I first open the door on my return, I don't smell dog. We recently had a house full of people (many of them pet parents) over for Christmas dinner and it was actually commented: 'Your house smells really nice. How do you keep the dog smell out?' I laughed and told them I was just wondering if the candles were working. I guess I got the BEST answer." —LLL Texas
Get it from Amazon for $22.99 (available in a variety of scents and as a pack of two).
Promising review "This cutting board style wood cookbook and iPad stand holder is very nice! I like the style and the convenience of having it in the kitchen. It doesn't take up too much counter space and works very well for my cookbook." —Jynnifer
Get it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in three styles).
Promising review: "Seriously, I have been repairing small electronics for decades now, over 30 dang years, and I will say this is probably the best deal and collection you can get for simple to even complicated repairs. It has a crapload of bits, but essentially everything you will need, as opposed to the next larger offering, though I am still considering getting that for my dungeon downstairs.
I keep this upstairs literally in the kitchen since a lot of impromptu repairs occur at the dining room table, but I have not been let down. This is top-notch quality material and manufacturing. It not only feels comfortable, but is very strong, and the bits do not let go of screws. It has a great deal of bits too, 64 in fact. It pretty much covers all the phone and laptop screws you will encounter and even has some socket ones too. Nice touch." —Riboild
Get it from Amazon for $39.99.
Promising review: "I really like this scrubber. I use it to clean my shower all the time. I fill it with a little bit of vinegar, dish soap, and water, and it works wonders. I love that I am able to just hang it in my shower. I haven't been able to do that with a lot of scrubbers that I've had in the past, and it makes it hard to keep track of them. It's also really durable. It's fallen a couple of times and still doesn't have a scratch on it. You can also scrub really hard with it and not bend the bristles." —N.Nelson
Get it from Amazon for $6.47.
Macrame Beautiful is a woman-owned small business based in Beijing, China that creates handmade macrame home decor such as plant holders, wall hangings, and even cat hammocks!
Promising review: "It is absolutely beautiful and well made. The yarn is soft but sturdy. I love the details. I used this fruit basket as a plant hanger and it's perfect for my space (I have cats who love to eat plants, so everything has to be up high)." —N C
Get it from Macrame Beautiful on Etsy for $30.35+ (available in 13 sizes and 19 colors).
Both tapes measure up to 60 inches one one side and 150 centimeters on the other!
Promising review: "I recently purchased this measuring tape, and have been very impressed with its performance. The tape itself is sturdy and durable, and the markings are clear and easy to read. I especially appreciate the locking mechanism, which keeps the tape securely in place while I take measurements.
I've used this tape for a variety of DIY projects around the house, from measuring for new curtains to building shelves, and it has held up well through all of them. The length of the tape is also generous, making it easy to measure larger items without having to constantly reposition the tape.Overall, I highly recommend the measuring tape for anyone in need of a reliable and accurate tool for their DIY projects. It's a great value for the price, and has quickly become a staple in my toolbox.—Karthik Dayanand
Get it from Amazon for $3.99.
This tape measures up to 64 inches or 152.4 centimeters!
Get it from Rifle Paper Co. for $18.
Get it from our Goodful shop for $72 (also available in white).
Paige's Candle Co. is a Black woman-owned small business based in New York City that specializes in vegan candles that are shipped with biodegradable materials. Founder Paige Graham is a strong believer that access to natural products should not be constrained by one's zip code, and works to create products that contribute towards a positive and healthy lifestyle accessible to everyone. A portion of sales are donated to offer free craft classes to New York City non-profit organizations, and during the COVID-19 crisis, a portion of sales are donated to City Harvest, a nonprofit organization helping to feed hungry New Yorkers in need.
Get it from Paige's Candle Co. for $18.50+ (available in three sizes).
It sets strong because it turns into silicone rubber, permanently bonding to almost any surface. It's waterproof (use it to secure a shower caddy!), heat- and cold resistant, and electricity insulating.
Promising review: "I’ve used Sugru for years and can testify to its durability and versatility. Probably the longest-term repair is the perch on a birdfeeder. It has been hanging outdoors 365/a year for five years now in rain, snow, and heat, and is still holding up. I’ve also used it to repair a favorite silicone cooking spoon, all sorts of cord management, bathroom 'caulk,' sunglasses repair, lamp repair, and more I can’t think of at the moment. I’ve needed to remove it a few times, and that's easy too. (I don’t really understand how a product with such good adherence can also be so easy to remove, but there you have it!) Plan your usage carefully, because once you open the packet, you might as well use the whole thing up. No matter how tightly I’ve re-wrapped it, it always becomes unusable within a few days." —Big Shopper
Although the reviewer above notes that once opened, the leftover product hardens in a few days, many reviewers note that it stays usable if you keep it in the fridge!
Get an eight-pack from Amazon for $19.99 (available in three color sets).
There's a version for cat owners and fish owners too, as well as ones to keep track of if you brushed your teeth!
Promising review: "Awesome product! There are four of us who were working together to feed the dogs. It simplified everything, because I no longer have to text to see if anyone had fed them every morning. Now I just check to see if it's green, and if not, I feed them and indicate it. We all love it so much!" —Toni Deegan
Get it from Amazon for $11.95+ (available in five styles and two colors).
Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Promising review:Promising review:This thing is amazing. Small and so easy to use.No fuel needed. Just a quick recharging.Promising review:It keeps my tea at just the right temperature. Not scalding or room temperature like other warmers I've purchased. Promising review:Promising review:Promising review:Promising review:It adds extra storage space. My laundry room is very limited, so any added storage is key!Promising review:This thing is amazing! It even got hair off of the carpet that our vacuum cleaner couldn't get.It is easy to clean and well worth the money! It is so much more effective than any lint roller I've ever purchased, and I was even able to get her fur off of my jeans.Promising review:. There’s tons of 'pet stain/odor remover' products out there, but this by far is the absolute best. It’s taken out every stain and, more importantly, the odor is gone! I will never stop buying this product.Promising review:I have not had a single one fall downPromising review:I hated having to plug and unplug them though. When I found out about these, it made life so much easier.Promising review:The uni-tool feels nice in my hand, has held up fine in a number of dish washings, and has allowed me to toss a few kitchen tools that have become obsolete.Promising review:It solves all of my problems as it can go any direction. It's worth every penny. Promising review:I needed a way to connect my two lamps on my nightstand and this is absolutely, without a doubt, the very best solution to connecting my lamps and also not having all my outlets taken up.Promising review:This camera works so well it’s almost a joke.Promising review:Promising review:The fire was quickly extinguished without having to call for the fire department. This can is great and simple to use for those not so experienced with extinguishing fires.Promising review:I should have gotten the five-pack. I have so many uses for these things. Promising review: They work extremely well when removing fingerprints and smudges.Promising review:A single wipe will do both of our glasses and both of our phones. And, there's no streaky residue like we have had in the past with other wipes.Promising review:Promising review:We recently had a house full of people (many of them pet parents) over for Christmas dinner and it was actually commented: 'Your house smells really nice. How do you keep the dog smell out?'Promising reviewIt doesn't take up too much counter space Promising review:the best deal and collection you can get for simple to even complicated repairsIt pretty much covers all the phone and laptop screws you will encounter and even has some socket ones tooPromising review:I fill it with a little bit of vinegar, dish soap, and water, and it works wonders.Promising review: The yarn is soft but sturdyPromising review: The tape itself is sturdy and durable, and the markings are clear and easy to read Promising review:Promising review:It simplified everything, because I no longer have to text to see if anyone had fed them every morning.