1. A reusable picking pad to help when that urge to absolutely destroy your skin by poking and prodding hits. If you're anything like me, picking at your skin can be a major disruptor to both productivity and self-esteem. This little fidget toy has embedded beads that give you all of that extraction-induced satisfaction, with none of the pain or harm. Plus, once you've picked it to shreds, you can reassemble it using the included mould (directions *are* included), and it's good as new.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

🚨 FYI, this product is for adults and big kids only. The beads are a major choking hazard for little ones — so make sure to keep this out of reach if you've got toddlers on the loose. 

I never knew that there was anything I could do about my struggle with excoriation. Skin-picking has been a part of my life since I was a kid. I've tried a long-sleeve-only wardrobe. I've tried a reward system with myself. Doctors have given me fidget bracelets, pimple-popping simulation apps to check out, and even medication to try. Nothing. Has. Ever. Worked. 

Until...someone noticed the picking marks on my upper arms (iykyk) and showed me their picking pad. "That's what I use to help me," they said. When I tell you I ran to Amazon, sifted through all of the reviews...and landed on this one. It was a total game-changer. Like crying-tears-of-relief type of game-changer. It is SO satisfying. I personally use tweezers to pull the beads out, because that's the way I pick at my skin...and it really helps me with that compulsion. I'm not saying that this has stopped or cured my excoriation, of course I still pick at my skin, but the picky pad has helped me cut back significantly. 

I love the reusable aspect of this pad in particular, because you don't have to keep repurchasing new ones every single time you get all of the beads out. It's really awesome to just be able to reheat the gel and get right back to picking. 

Check out this TikTok to see how picking pads work.

Get it on Amazon for $15.99.

2. And some acne patches that can *also* help curb that picking urge. These hydrocolloid stickers can absorb the gunk out of open whiteheads, and act as a protective barrier against anything that might disturb your pimple's healing process (including your own fingers). 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "These are the best patches I’ve tried. They pull out the moisture very well and protect your blemishes throughout the day/night. Helps me not pick at my skin as well. Neutral color, which blends well with skin tones. Helps decrease puffiness, size, and color of pimples." —KWitt

Get 30 round patches from Amazon for $4.88 (also available in a 60-pack).

3. A Take-n-Slide medication tracker if you've ever looked at one of those "Did You Feed The Dog?" signs and thought to yourself, I wish they made these for people. This daily tracker sticks right onto your pill bottle and can help cut down on missed *and* accidental double doses. 

www.amazon.com, Amazon

Take-n-Slide is a small business specializing in tools that make it easy to keep track of medications. 

See it in action on TikTok. 

Promising review: "How did I live without these? If pill boxes are just not working for you or your loved ones, and the automated dispensers are prohibitively expensive, do give these a try! I’ve been using them for a week now and have a lot of relief in seeing for certain whether the pill has been taken." —GingerSnap

Get a pack of five from Amazon for $19.99 (available in two colors and in a two-pack).

4. A clear nail-biting polish with a frankly very nasty flavor profile that can help deter you from putting your hands in your mouth. As a former nail-biter turned lacquerista...I'm telling you, you can stop and there is hope for your nail beds with this product. You've got this. 💅

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I’ve been a nail bitter since I was a kid. There’s never been a time I didn’t and I rip acrylics off, too. My nails went from paper-thin, sore, and raw to healthy and strong! It took two weeks of actively applying this to get me to stop mindlessly putting my hands in or near my mouth. It tastes disgusting, but it works!! Recommending it to every nail-biter I know! 🥺🤍" —Lis. C 

Get it from Amazon for $12.35.

5. A 32-ounce Hydro Flask bottle for all of us out there who struggle to hit our daily hydration goals. The world may have moved on to Owala as the trending water bottle of the moment...but 🎶 I stayed there, dust collected on my pinned-up hair 🎶...because these really are that good. There's a portable handle for taking them on the go, they can *really* take a tumble, and they actually are leakproof. 

www.amazon.com, Karly Jacklin / BuzzFeed

I once left this water bottle in the car all day (I live in the Sonoran Desert, where it's so hot that you could bake cookies on the dash), and there was still ice in it when I went back to retrieve it. I also drop this thing constantly, and it's completely fine. We have to no choice but to stan 🫡.

Promising review: "Love this water bottle. Keeps my water cold all day. I fill it up once in the morning and once in the afternoon to hit my 64-ounce goal each day. Love the straw/spot on top. Easy to drink out of and easy to clean/throw in the dishwasher." —Rachel

Get a 32-ounce bottle from Amazon for $44.93 (available in four sizes and 36 styles).

6. A cellphone jail you'll want to get if your self-imposed, mentally noted screen time limits are still not enough to keep you off that darn phone. This box will physically hold your devices captive for up to 10 days and will *not* unlock until the timer hits zero (so make sure you set it for the correct amount of time).  

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Kitchen Safe is a US-based small business that specializes in lockboxes to help curb distracting habits.  

Important note: Once it’s locked, there are no overrides. So in case of emergencies, you’ll need a backup plan: access to another phone (such as a roommate's) or, as reviewers note, the option to break the box. They sell replacement bases on their website for this reason!

Promising review: "This thing is amazing. I've struggled with procrastination for years, and nothing has worked for me. I read books on it, I tried to come up with rewards for myself, tracked my productivity, etc. Nothing really worked for long. This does. There's no hyped-up exclamation mark on that sentence. It's a statement of fact. This worked for me when nothing else did. I wish it had been invented when I was a kid. I have a work computer and a personal computer. The work computer has no games or anything like that on it. The personal computer does. When I first started using this, I locked my personal computer's hard drive in this thing for increasing periods. Before long, I lost interest in playing games for the most part, and I spend my evenings studying now. This is one of the best things I've ever purchased and I could not recommend it more highly." —Matt

Get it from Amazon for$59.99+ (available in three sizes, five lid colors, and with a white or clear base).

7. A Waterpik flosser with 10 pressure settings for an easier way to sneak flossing into your routine. Whether you're floss-adverse due to sensitive gums, time constraints, or you just don't waaaaaant to, this'll help you clear all that gunk out from between your teeth with just a stream of water. Plus, it's great for braces.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I am the most reluctant flosser ever. Every time I come back from a dentist visit, I intend to start flossing... and my new habit lasts about two weeks. Then on the next office visit, it's a bloodbath. I feel sorry for my hygienist, who despite coming at me with sharp objects, is a very nice person. I've been using the Waterpik regularly since my last visit. For me, it's a thousand times more pleasant than flossing. I can't wait to lay my plaque-free chompers on her." —Chester Washburn

Get it from Amazon for $59.45. 

8. A budget binder set that comes with everything you need to set your finances straight...or at least get them on the right track. Along with the binder itself, you'll get 12 monthly budgeting sheets, 12 cash envelopes (with a variety of sticker labels, so you can save for a variety of occasions), a mini calculator, and some sticky-tabs for organization. 

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I'm teaching my 12-year-old how to budget, and this fits the bill perfectly. Love the sturdy budget sheets which my kid is learning to fill out every time he makes a purchase and whenever his allowance hits his bank account. As to savings goals, the vinyl pockets are the perfect size for bills and the goal sheet." —Liz

Get it from Amazon for$9.99+ (available in five colors). 

9. An electric makeup brush cleaner to help you get in the habit of *not* swiping a cluster of dirty bristles across your eyelids whenever you do your makeup. Struggling with the annoying task of washing your brushes with soap in the sink? Never fear, this automated cleaner is here. Just fill it with water and a bit of cleanser, pop your brushes in, and wait as it gently removes all the grime.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

The top can fit brushes of varying sizes (from big, fluffy powder brushes to teeny tiny liner brushes). And this gadget works for makeup sponges, too!

Promising review: "I love this electric makeup brush cleaning machine! It's an absolute game changer in my beauty routine. Cleaning my brushes used to be a chore, but this machine makes it incredibly easy and efficient. It works on all types of makeup brushes, and the results are amazing: My brushes come out spotless and dry in just a few minutes!" —Dayana Marquez

Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in four colors).

10. An under-the-desk electric treadmill that'll take your activity levels from sedentary office employee to ~slightly more active~ office employee 😊. No need to wait for your lunch break to squeeze in your steps when you can do it while attending a bunch of Zoom meetings (that could have definitely been emails).

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "This thing is awesome. I'm a small, not technical person, and managed to haul this thing up two flights of stairs (slowly), unbox, turn on, and even connect my phone to the Bluetooth in it. No assembly. Simple instructions. Distance and time measurements seem to be accurate, but the 'calories' might be missing a decimal point. No squealing or groaning under my walking. Not too loud. Slides right under my bed. Didn't need to adjust the belt, though the tool to do so is included. The packaging says to oil every 30 hours. The remote is needed to make the treadmill function. It is extremely cheap — like dollar-store cheap. I hope the company has a remote replacement for if/when the remote bites it. Even still, I would 100% buy this again. Great treadmill!" —Crowells

Get it from Amazon for $284.99+ (available in three colors).

11. A keyboard calendar to help keep you on-track with your tasks and on-time to your meetings. If you are ready to transform from an Always Late Kate into an Always Ready Freddie...trust me, just try this calendar out. Put it right by your computer and watch as you magically become the productivity machine of your dreams.

Karly Jacklin / Buzzfeed

Yes, that is my work computer, and yes, that is my very real schedule that I blurred a little bit because while I want everyone to know how much I love this calendar, y'all don't need to see the breakdown of my doctor's appointments or my grocery lists. Because yes, I track my *entire* week (not just my work) with this thing. 

Real talk, this calendar has changed my life. I'm super scatterbrained, and I love to multitask...which is an amazing combo — I know. 😖 But this calendar pretty much makes it so only the latter is true. It's really helpful to see my day visually broken into morning and afternoon halves. Plus, there's a checklist on the left that helps you visualize broader goals for the week. I literally have never been more productive in my life. Fingers crossed, this might just help with my chronic lateness, too. 🤞 

(Psst... you could pair the calendar with these fine-point pens that don't bleed through!)

Promising review: "I love lists. Usually, I don't use paper calendars because the squares are either too small or too 'timed appointment oriented' for my listy lifestyle. Sometimes, I just need to write down a lot of information on a certain day. This calendar is organized just right. I love that you can start it at any time of the year. The paper quality is really heavy and smooth, so pens don't bleed through. On the back of each calendar page, there's more space for lists!" —Sonya W

Get it from Amazon for $9.62.

12. A microwave pasta cooker if your laziness is the only thing stopping you from deleting the DoorDash app. This product is perfect if you love to eat but hate to cook — just put your pasta and water in, pop it in the microwave, and then dump the excess water out with the built-in strainer. 

Amazon, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "This pasta cooker is amazing! It is so easy to use. I love pasta and although it’s not difficult to cook the traditional way, you do have to stand over it and I almost always burn myself when straining heavy pots of boiling water. You just follow the directions and you can walk away while it cooks. It’s light and easy to strain without struggling or burning myself. It washes easily and doesn’t take up much space. I love it so much that I bought another as a gift." —Cheryl N.

Get it from Amazon for $17.95.

13. An earwax removal kit that works so well, you'll FINALLY ditch those harmful (but oh-so-satisfying) cotton swabs. Trust me, you'll never go back to jamming random crap in your ear after trying these. It's just as satisfying, and, unlike cotton swabs, tweezers, bobby pins, long fake nails, keys, Barbie hands, and anything else you've ever desperately stuck inside your ear...this gentle irrigation system is super unlikely to damage your ear canal.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

I'm not kidding — this stuff is wildly effective. For months, my boyfriend had a lot of impacted earwax to the point where he would have to turn his "good ear" to me when we were having a conversation. After a particularly bad hearing day, I picked up this kit and immediately got to work. After consistent use of the drops, it took about six rounds of gentle irrigation over the course of three days for a MONSTER of an earwax glob to fall out. Y'all, when the big one came out, he had to steady himself because the pressure alleviation and complete relief was that intense. He described it as a complete "rebirth." The next day he even asked if the AC was supposed to be that loud 😭. We will never be without this in our medicine cabinet again.

Promising review: "My right ear has been plugged up for months. I squirted warm water in there, peroxide, tried various ear scraper tools, then just gave up. A month or so later, I saw this product at a local CVS, and gave it a try. Laid on couch with several drops in my ear for a half hour. I could hear weird fizzing noises. Then I flushed warm water in my ear with the included soft bulb syringe, and out came the culprit. Had to have been deep in there." —fixitforgood

Get it from Amazon for $8.72.

14. No Worries: A Guided Journal, a self-help workbook to help you reframe your thinking if you're trying to go through life with a more positive outlook. It's a 12-week journal that could help you not only break anxiety-inducing habits, but also build new, calming ones. 

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I’ve never been a journal or diary person, but I needed an outlet for my anxiety and stress. Each day has the same two-page spread that prompts you to think about your day, how you felt, and why you felt that way. There isn’t really any inspiration or advice, just open lines for your thoughts without it being an intimidating blank page. This journal has already helped me see patterns in my thoughts/emotions, and I feel better overall. I would recommend this journal to anyone." —Kari Madsen

Get it from Amazon for$9.99. 

15. A waterproof trashcan for your car so you can stop treating your backseat like a landfill. This handy thing can be placed on the back of seats, in the center console, or free-standing on the floor. There's even mesh storage on the side for wipes, extra trash bags, or whatever else you might need to store.

Amazon, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Good quality products, easy to use, looks great in my model 3, hold a standard plastic grocery bag as the liner perfect. Easy to clean inside and out. Fasteners to attach to seat work well, and the ones inside for the bag are magnetic so it's easy change to liner." —eostgaard

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two sizes and 13 styles). 

16. A Squatty Potty to help you get out of the habit of straining to defecate...because yes, that is a learned behavior that you *can* change with the right tools (and mindset....let's all start manifesting smoother bowel movements rn 🧘). This bad boy puts you in a more natural pooping position, which can help alleviate constipation and open up your — and there's no polite way to put this — booty canal.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Read more about constipation relief at home, including using a squatting position, at Cleveland Clinic.

Hi, enthusiastic over-sharer here! I've had a recurrent kink in my colon since I was an infant, which means...I get backed up. A lot 🥲. When I was a kid, I used to physically squat *on the toilet seat* but...my adult form sadly cannot handle that balancing act. The Squatty Potty lets me sit in that same, helpful position without leaving me teetering off the seat in terror with the exact same posture and facial expression of a pooping gargoyle. So...now you know that!

Promising review: "I didn’t know I needed this until I tried it, and now I can’t imagine going without it! This toilet stool is an absolute game-changer. It puts you in the perfect position, and let me tell you, it really helps everything come out smooth and effortless. I feel lighter, healthier, and honestly, a little bit like royalty every time I use it. The design is sturdy, the height is just right, and it tucks neatly under the toilet when not in use. It’s subtle but so effective. If you’ve ever had any 'struggles' in the bathroom, do yourself a favor and get one of these. Your body will thank you. Seriously, 10/10 recommend!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $22.99+ (available in 10 colors).

P.S. If you're still not convinced, check out our Squatty Potty review.

17. An app-supported portable cocktail maker that you can use to host at home instead of spending a ton of money going to the bar every weekend. Think about it: one $17 dollar, watered-down vodka cran in a cramped venue...or unlimited drinks at home where you don't even have to wear pants. I know which option I'm picking. 

www.amazon.com, Amazon

The multi-purpose cup is divided into sections to help you measure ingredients quickly, easily, and simultaneously. And with the Bartifier app, you can get 20 free recipes (plus over 400 more with a paid subscription). 

Promising review: "I waited a few months after my purchase to leave a review, and honestly, Bartifier has completely transformed my at-home cocktail experience. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced mixologist, this tool makes crafting the perfect drink easy and fun. The best thing for me is that the interface is user-friendly with clear instructions." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $19.99.

18. A heatless curler set to get that effortless blowout look without using heat on your hair for the bazillionth time this week. This set comes with a 34-inch satin curling rod and two scrunchies to help you secure your style in place.

www.amazon.com

Don't want to give up heat-styling entirely? Try this L'Oreal heat protectant (it says "iron straight," but I use it all the time with my three-barrel waver and have had zero issues). 

Promising review: "I ordered this on a whim as I’m stepping away from heat but I love the finished look of curls. It felt a little gimmicky, and I definitely didn’t have high hopes BUT I was pleasantly surprised! It’s so simple to use and I get perfect curls every single time! It can feel a little bulky but I secure it behind me with a third scrunchy and I like that better then on the side of my head. Saves me the typical 20–30 minutes with my curling iron." —Jo

Get it from Amazon for$15.99+ (available in 13 colors).

19. And finally, an undated habit calendar with 12 months of habit-tracking goodness inside. You can see your progress toward your goals with daily, weekly, and monthly checklists, so you can look at your accomplishments in their entirety. Plus, it comes with a brainstorming guide for habits you might want to track — like overspending, physical activity, and gratitude. 

www.amazon.com, Amazon

Free Period Press is a small business focused on products that help you slow down and stay centered.

Promising review: "I wanted to reduce stress and nail down some habits, and I've always done better when I can see progress tangibly. I'd been eyeing this calendar for some time, but was unsure if it was worth the money. I decided to go for it. SO glad I did. It has some 'homework' pages at the beginning to help you focus in on your goals, but mostly it's the cleanness and ready-to-go nature of the monthly calendar pages that have worked for me. It's helped me be more disciplined AND narrow my focus so I'm not worrying about doing everything under the sun each day. I liked it so much that I bought a second one for a friend. Another friend saw me using it and also made a purchase. I'm really happy I made the leap." —Flight of Stars

Get it from Amazon for $24.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.