I have a lot of stuff in my flat. My dad is always appalled whenever we’re on a FaceTime call - though he did say it wasn’t actually that bad when he saw my flat in person. And although I think he’s being a bit dramatic, I do believe that many of us might have a lot of clutter. This post, however, as you’ve seen from the title, has nothing to do with decluttering - maybe I should write a post about that, actually.
Today’s post is about random objects that many people might not have but that are really, really handy to have - and that won’t just lie in the back of a cupboard without ever seeing the light of day. Some are even essentials that people don’t think about! Following my last post, which was the 25-minute read Paris travel guide, I thought a shorter and lighter post would be ideal. So grab yourself a cuppa and enjoy the read!
Jar opener
My mum bought me a jar opener when I moved away to uni, and it’s probably one of my most-used items in the house. You can use it to open loads of things other than jars, such as nail polish, bottles of shampoo or face wash, your hot water bottle lid… I’ve got one that looks like this and I think that shape is more versatile than some of the others on the market. No more struggling to open jars thanks to this lovely device!
Fruit bowl
This was also one of the items I bought to bring to uni with me. Did I have way too much stuff for a student moving into halls? Absolutely. But do I now have a kitchen that is well stocked? You bet.
Anyway, it seems quite a few people don’t have a fruit bowl at home. Where do you keep your fruit that you don’t keep in the fridge? My best friend actually just bought one herself because she was ‘sick of not having anywhere to store stuff’. If that sounds like you, get yourself a fruit bowl.
Ice cube tray
Same as the fruit bowl, having an ice cube tray is not always a priority. But especially during warmer days - or if you’re too impatient to wait for your wine to chill in the fridge - having ice cubes is great. If you don’t like how ice cubes water down your drink as they melt, you can get these wee reusable ice cubes that you put in the freezer and then pop in your drink as needed.
Step ladder
How many of us have stepped on a dodgy chair to reach something? This is the one item on this list I do not yet own and need to invest in. Did you know many accidents at home are linked to falls? And most often it’s because people climb on stuff that isn’t made for that. So let’s all be safe and get ourselves a step ladder. Depending on your home and what you might be working on, you might also want to invest in a bigger ladder to reach ceilings or the roof, for example.
First aid kit
In a similar fashion to what I said in the above paragraph, accidents happen at home a lot. Have you ever cut your finger or burned yourself while cooking, for example? It’s crucial to have some first aid basics in the house. You can buy a complete kit or you can also use this list by the NHS to (re)fill your stock.
Tape measurer
Have you ever bought furniture that didn’t fit your space because you didn’t measure the latter properly or at all? Having a tape measurer in the house will be useful for so many things. You might not use it every day, but it’s one of those things that’s hard to replace. Your 15cm ruler is not going to help you much when you’re trying to measure your wall to install a wardrobe, trust me.
If you really want to be prepared, I suggest getting two kinds: a retractable tape measurer and a sewing tape measurer. They’re pretty inexpensive and having both will mean all your measuring needs are covered. Just check they’re long enough for your use before you buy them.
Tape dispenser
One of the most frustrating first-world problems is trying to find the end of the tape. And as soon as you find it and cut a piece off, you lose the end again. Having a tape dispenser will make wrapping presents and sticking stuff together a lot easier and stress-free.
Whiteboard
Whiteboards are incredibly versatile. Whether you want to write down a shopping list, your to-dos, a message for your flatmate or your appointments for the week, a whiteboard will be a great asset to your home. They come in plenty of sizes and you can either store your whiteboard on your desk, mount it on the wall or only take it out when you need it.
Fan
We’ve just had a pretty intense heatwave in the UK - and we went up to 35°C in Scotland, which might not sound like much to you, but trust me it’s unheard of here. Heatwave + Scottish mugginess = not a good time. While nothing will beat air conditioning, getting a fan can make things slightly more bearable. A great way to cool down is to wet your skin and then stand in front of the fan.
Steamer
While studying fashion, I saw how brilliant steamers were. But it wasn’t until I recently used a steamer at my cousin’s house that I realised just how much I needed one in my life. Unless you’re one of those rare people who love ironing, chances are you avoid it as much as possible. Or you might not own an iron and ironing board at all, like me. Attempting to steam my shirts with the steam from the shower was just never going to be a viable option. There are plenty of hand-held steamers you can buy for not too much money, such as this one.
Speaker
While your neighbours might not agree with this, having a good speaker is very handy. Whether it’s for when you have friends over or just for you to have a solo dance party to your favourite tunes, relying on your phone’s speakers won’t do the trick. I would recommend ordering a higher-quality speaker, and if you can’t afford one, asks your friends and family to get you one for Christmas or your birthday. I bought a small £20 one on a whim, and the sound quality is pretty shite. So it’s definitely worth the investment, in my opinion. Bose and JBL are very popular brands and have pretty good reviews.
Throw blanket
If you’ve read my post on making a home away from home or on decorating your space, you’ll know I adore throw blankets. I don’t think there’s such a thing as too many throws. They’re the best way to instantly make your space cosier. And they also do a great job of keeping you warm during the cold winter months - especially if you live in a cold flat! You can find some pretty inexpensive ones online or in many shops, including large supermarkets.
Memory box
Do you have a random pile of knick-knacks that you are holding onto for the memories, but that you don’t have a space for? Then you, my friend, are in need of a memory box! You can use any box for this, even an old shoe box. Just make sure it can be closed and doesn’t have holes in it (to avoid dust from ruining your precious goods). My memory box is filled with everything and anything, from old cinema and concert tickets to name tags and even a small piece of confetti from a ballet show I went to. Going through your memory box will be great fun and will feel very special too, I promise.
So there we have it. Are there any objects on this list that you already own and are there any that I haven’t mentioned? Let me know in the comments below. Thank you for reading this post, and I hope you have a lovely week. Take care of yourself!
Yours truly,