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Mar 31, 2024

26 Products To Prop You Up When Life Gets Busy

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

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.

Sometimes your support system includes a robot vacuum and that's OK.

BuzzFeed Staff

This cooker includes the base, clear lid, measuring cup, poaching tray, omelet bowl, boiling tray, and a handy little recipe book!

Promising review: "Where has this gadget been all my life?! I love to cook but I always find boiling water for eggs to be annoying. It's very easy to use and the eggs come out perfect! You just pick how you want to make your eggs, fill the cup with water to the appropriate line, pierce the egg, cover it, and turn on. All in all, it's a great product and I’m happy with this purchase." —Death2Barbie

In need of an egg cooker deep dive? Check out our Dash Egg Cooker review.

Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in eight colors).

Promising review: "I really like this for my kid's Duplo Lego bricks, but I think it could be used for a lot more than that. I want to get one for my kids train track. The fabric part is really large and would fit the track on it. I found the cleanup is extremely easy; all you do is lift up the fabric and it all goes in the bin. An added bonus, my 2-year-old can dump over the bin and it stays on the fabric part. I also would like to add that I like the fabric on the outside of the bin; it looks durable and good quality." —KFundy

Get it from Amazon for $58.99 (available in four colors).

Each set comes with a curling rod, two hair scrunchies, a claw hair clip, and two duckbill hair clips to set it in place. These are designed to work with all hair types, but work best if you roll them with damp hair!

Promising review: "Before purchasing, I’d seen a lot of reviews and tutorials on TikTok showing the results. My hair is thick, coarse, and naturally wavy, so I figured this might be a good alternative to rollers that are time-consuming to put in, difficult to sleep in, and ultimately not worth it. And MAN was I right to be hopeful. Wrap pieces of damp hair around it before bed, the tighter the wrap, the tighter the curl. Easy to sleep in since there’s nothing on the back of your head, and my curls are BOUNCY the next morning. My only complaint is that it doesn’t help give any top-volume, but nothing some teasing can’t fix. 10/10. I’ll never go back to a curling iron." —Mariah

Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in six colors).

Promising review: "I have very thick, wavy hair. I can never blow out my hair because it's too hard to hold the round brush and hair dryer in the right spots. THIS!! It is everything all in one and the oval shape makes it so easy to use. It gets really hot. It is a little loud on high, but I've found if my hair is already a little dry then I can just use it on low. I used a blow-dry primer spray to accelerate the drying time and protect my hair. I'm in love! The flat iron always flattens my hair and makes it look dry. This straightens and retains the volume and gives it a soft, nondamaged look." —SAHM2011

Get it from Amazon for $39.89.

Promising review: "I have been having shower draining issues, so there was a buildup of soap scum in my shower. I have a very weak stomach and cleaning the shower makes me physically ill. I have tried several products that have claimed to be no scrub/wipe but this has been the only one that has worked. I sprayed it after my shower and left it to sit until the next night. Found that A LOT of the grime had disappeared. Now, was it perfect? No. But I think with consistent use it will get there. Highly recommend this product." —KZ

Get it from Amazon for $20.98+ (available in two scents and two sizes).

TookTake is a woman-owned small businesses that started as a DIY solution to organizing the founder's many medications throughout her cancer treatment. It evolved into the sticker system you see today.

I have a pretty checkered past when it comes to consistently taking my daily vitamins and medicine. Lately, I've opted for an in-your-face series of phone alarms, but on more than one occasion have absent-mindedly snoozed said alarm only to be be left wondering an hour later if I actually took my pill. That's what I really like about these tracking stickers — the marked tabs give you that answer at a glance reducing the chance for missed or doubled doses. The only complaint is that the tabs can be a little tricky to remove as others reviewers mention, but if you have any semblance of a fingernail it shouldn't give you too much trouble. This is a cheap and discreet solution for forgetful humans who want to stay on top of better taking care of themselves.

Get a three-pack (12 labels) from Amazon for $14.97 (available in 10-day and hourly editions).

Promising review: "I NEVER leave reviews, but I had to do it for this product. I have two girls with curly hair who would cry when it was time to brush their hair after a bath. We tried a few products, but this product beats them all. Shoot, I use this spray on my hair, too. I also spray my girls’ hair in the morning with this spray and rub my fingers through it. Beautiful curls for my girls because of this product." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $7.99.

Promising review: "We LOVE this! It works so much better than our four other Roombas. It always returns to its home base to charge. It rarely gets stuck on anything. It’s very convenient. Our robot mop is so finicky and never wants to start. This product is so nice! We add water about once a day." —Ali Bruder

Get it from Amazon for $169.99.

Promising review: "I’m big on skincare and wanted to add something to my products when I take a quick shower but don’t do a full lotion down. I mean...this smells great and is a thick oil as well. I will always purchase!" —Jacqueline

Get it from Amazon for $10.45.

Promising review: "Makes life so much easier. I can't imagine chopping onions or bell peppers by hand anymore, and it does so much more. We used to have a Prepworks chopper which was a similar idea, but you had to press so hard to chop, and it broke after not too long. This one requires very little effort to cut through the food and it has a generous container." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $29.99.

Promising reviews: "Who buys a grape cutter? Well, a working mom with a toddler! This makes lunch prep so quick and easy!! I recommend to every mom I meet!! 🤗" —Danielle

"A parent's best friend!! This makes my life so much easier, eases my mind sending grapes in my kid's lunch, and saves me so much time!!" —Kaitlin

Get it from Amazon for $11.99.

Promising review: "Love these. I can put my wet hair up in the morning and wear this all day and take the invisibobble out of my hair and there is no evidence (hair dents, crimping, etc.) that my hair had been pulled up all day." —Twixstery

Get an eight-pack from Amazon for $7.12+ (available in five color combos).

Promising review: "I have a very expensive flat iron that doesn't have the automatic shutoff option. I love the iron, but am frequently forgetting to turn it off. This little gadget is the perfect option. When I forget to turn the iron off, this gadget does it for me. No more wondering if I turned off the iron or not as I'm driving to work in the morning." —Polly

Get it from Amazon for $11.59.

Doggie Lawn is a small biz founded by dog lovers looking for a convenient and eco-friendly alternative to other indoor potties.

I live on the sixth floor of an NYC walk-up, so when my partner and I made the decision to get a dog we knew the bathroom situation was something we had to consider carefully. We settled on Doggie Lawn as the best balance of convenience and price, without the environmental concerns I had with relying on disposable pee pads. Our dog took to it immediately, but you can purchase a training spray to help attract more skeptical dogs. It is a live plant, so by the time our next shipment is due to arrive the grass is matted and browning (surprise, surprise, it doesn't stay cute forever), but we've had zero issues with bugs or weird smells. I have asked every human who walks into my apartment if I've gone nose blind to the scent, and they assure me they don't smell a thing. And when we're done, the grass is taken to our nearest compost drop-off — something you could never do with the synthetic lawns. Doggie Lawn has been such a lifesaver for us and we'll be regular customers for the foreseeable future.

Get it from Doggie Lawn for $32.20+ (available in four sizes).

Promising reviews: "Busy mom with two kids and two cats…. This makes cleaning litter so much easier for me and my kids. Trust me, worth the money!" —Janie

"We weren’t sure what to expect from this new type of manual cat box. The innovation is so logical and simple while cost effective. We bought this for our teenage cat. He used it right away. All we do is tilt and roll the entire cat box to the right until you hear a THUMP indicating the clumps land in a built in pull out scoop. Then roll the cat box back to the left so the remaining good litter settles back into the bottom. Then back to center. The scoop is easy to empty. We love it." —Suzanne Edwards

Get it from Amazon for $41.58+ (available in three colors and two sizes).

I hate wrinkles *and* am lazy — two at-odds conditions. This stuff has been a staple in my life since approximately ninth grade (thanks to my mama). As a former Catholic school uniform wearer, this stuff was VITAL to freshening up wrinkly dress shirts that spent the after-school hours stuffed in a gym bag. The scent is light and fresh, and its wrinkle-releasing powers are nearly instant. It definitely works better on some fabrics than others (great on cotton, less great on some synthetics), but it'll improve the look of most without dealing with an iron or steamer.

Get a two-pack from Amazon for $11.36.

Just add coarse-ground coffee into the mesh filter, pour water into the pitcher, screw the lid on (with the filter attached and submerged in the water), let it brew for 12–24 hours, and serve. You can pour it straight over ice cubes, or cut it with water or milk. Read our Tayeka cold brew maker review!

Promising review: "I LOVE this product so much! I drink iced coffee on the daily but the system I had just wasn't cutting it for me. I found out about this product through TikTok and it is a GAME CHANGER. All you have to do is put coffee grounds in the filter, fill up the main compartment 3/4 full with water (I use water from my fridge), screw the filter into the lid and screw the lid shut, shake it a little to put the coffee grounds to work, and let it do it's magic for 12–24 hours! This is probably the best investment I've ever made. You need this!!" —Carmen E

Get it from Amazon for $27.99+ (also available in a 2-quart size).

Eco Roots is a woman-owned small business on a mission to bring all the best eco-friendly and low waste products together in one, easy-to-shop location.

Promising review: "I do not usually like dry shampoo because of the smell. So many are so strong that they give me a headache. This has a natural smell and it works wonderfully to remove grease and give volume to roots. It is easy to apply with my brush and I love the minimal, plastic-free packaging. The results are seriously worth it! A little goes a long long way. I highly recommend this product!" —Stephanie H.

Get it from Eco Roots for $21.

Promising review: "I saw this and had to have it. If you have any hand/finger weakness this is the perfect tool to make your life easier. Giant milk? This eliminates the need to lift it out of the refrigerator. Both our kids love the dispenser. Increases independence and the adults love it too." —Aly

Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in four colors).

The earplugs also come with a carrying case and eight different ear tips (XS–L) to ensure the perfect fit.

Promising review: "These earplugs are awesome. I can have them in all day, and they are so comfortable. They have changed my life honestly. I am very sensitive to certain noises, which is very stressful. However, these earplugs are great. They drown out the annoying noises. I can still have conversations with people and listen to music and watch TV without being overwhelmed by background noise! Also by people eating! I also think that they have improved my focus a lot too. When I have them in, my brain isn't distracted by what's going on in the background, so I can focus better on what's in front of me." —Oana

Get it from Amazon for $34.95 (available in seven colors). A super-soft silicone version is also available for $24.95 (available in nine colors).

Promising review: "These mushrooms are so adorable and so functional!! They are super easy! Just place them as the directions say, fill, and forget! I check them about once a week. They keep my plants happy — which keeps me happy! They were packaged well; no worry about breakage during transport, shipped fast, and I get lots of compliments! 🥰" —Rebecca Mitchell

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $26.99 (also available in a pack of six).

FYI, these are included in Prime Try Before You Buy, so you can give them a trial run if you're a member!

Promising review: "Great pants for work! These pants have the perfect thickness and stretchiness! They have huge pockets and belt loops, which is typically hard to find on pull on pants!! Will be buying more!" —Addie Adams

Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in women's sizes 0–22 and in 12 colors).

Ably Apparel is a small businesses founded by two brothers — Raj and Akhil — who spent 40 years developing a better way to make more durable, functional clothing that isn't as tough on the environment.

Promising review: "I own a bunch of Ably T-shirts both short and long. They are so great for travel. This one is more snug in the arms than other ones I’ve tried. In general though, these shirts are marvelous, especially for long trips when you don’t want to do laundry." —April H.

Get it from Ably for $60 (available in women's sizes XS–2X and in seven colors).

Promising review: "I've had mine for years. It's the best rice cooker I have (I have two electric ones); I'll take this over them any day. I also steam in it. Mine still has some years left in it, but I will be buying another one when that day comes." —Brenda

Get it from Amazon for $18.99.

Lotus Trolley is a family-owned small business specializing in grocery store trolley bags and produce bags.

Each set of machine washable bags includes an insulated grocery bag, a bag with pockets for egg cartons and wine/liquor bottle pockets, and mesh bottomed bags to ensure spills don't pool in the bottom of the bag.

Promising review: "I am the envy of all who see me. Seriously. The only 'problem' with these bags is how many people will stop you to ask about them. I never forget to bring my reusable bags anymore because these are so useful! I use the scan as you shop app at my local store and bag as I go. When I’m finished shopping, I scan it at any register, pay, and go. Everything is packed the way I want it and can be easily carried into my home. It saves time while helping the environment — win/win. I plan to buy these for all of my friends for their birthdays. So much more useful than body wash or another scented candle!" —S. Connell

Get a set of four bags from Amazon for $44.99

You can take their quiz to get matched with your perfect shades or just jump straight to building your personalized collection. They've got everything from portable concealers and bronzers to eyeshadows and shine control powder.

Get it from Subtl Beauty starting at $14+ per stack layer.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.