1. A lavender-scented Raid ant and roach killer spray designed to keep killing for up to 13 weeks after you've sprayed an affected area! And, of course, it kills on contact — it's "Raid," duh.

www.amazon.com

This fast-working formula kills faster than the speed of light, and that's science. My last apartment became infested with roaches in my last few months of living there — thanks, nearby NYC construction! I hate bugs, but I absolutely abhor roaches. While some roaches were small enough to be swatted (eww), some were a little too big for me to want to get near them. That's where this spray comes in. I'd spray this on a bug, and it'd be dead in less than a second. (Which I guess are called "milliseconds??") And the lavender scent wasn't too chemical-y and dissipated pretty quickly after spraying. I almost bought several cans to keep in different parts of the apartment so I was always ready when a roach appeared, but that seemed like ~overkill~...get it?

Get it from Amazon for $5.49 (also available in "Fresh Scent").

2. Or a family-safe Wondercide indoor pest control spray that uses essential oils to eliminate bothersome bugs on contact. Not only does it kill, but it also repels! So those ants, roaches, spiders, flies, fleas, ticks, wasps, scorpions, mosquitoes, fruit flies, silverfish, moths, gnats, carpet beetles, earwigs, palmetto bugs, and waterbugs (*INHALES DEEPLY*) should become a thing of the past. This is safe to use on carpets, furniture, and bedding.

Amazon

Wondercide is a woman-owned small business that you might recognize from Shark Tank! They make plant-powered and cruelty-free bug protection for you, your pet, and your home.

Promising review: "This spray has been a life-saver! I am very scared of cockroaches, and when I get one, I want it gone immediately. Since you can't squish them and they move quickly, this spray has been my lifeline. I’ll spray the cockroach generously, and it will die in a matter of seconds. The spray comes out fast, hard, and goes quite a distance, which is perfect because I don’t want to get anywhere near that thing. Then, I can safely suck it up with my vacuum and be done with it." —JD

Get it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in three sizes and four scents).

3. A Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum cleaner — this beauty can convert to a handheld vacuum AND comes with three attachments to help you clean up high, down low, and those hard-to-reach places in between. Dust on the ceiling and crown molding? Gone! Crumbs hidden under your couch? Buh-bye! Fur coating your favorite armchair's upholstery? Not anymore!

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

In addition to having TWO power modes, a full battery charge can last up to 40 minutes — which is plenty of time to get your hardwood and carpeted floors looking pristine. It also comes with a wall dock to keep your floors clear.

Promising review: "I was honestly surprised by how powerful this little vacuum is! It’s super lightweight, which makes it easy to carry around the house, and I love how practical it is for quick cleanups. Cleaning the dust container is a breeze, too. Perfect for everyday use. Definitely worth it!" —Camila I.

Get it from Amazon for $389.99.

4. A drywall repair putty so you can patch up that hole where you attempted to hang a 50-pound gold mirror you found on Craigslist. No putty knife needed! Just apply, wipe, and paint over it — no one will ever know you had to hire a Task Rabbit to hang the mirror, instead.

Amazon

Promising review: "Recommended off TikTok and I love. I didn’t realize how many holes were in the walls until I got this product! Easy to use and good filling. Much better than a tub of spackle for small fixes." —Leigh Helsel

Get it from Amazon for $14.89.

5. A foam gap sealant to close up any small spaces where pests have been crawling or flying through. Once applied, it'll expand up to one inch wide.

Amazon, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "This is very useful for closing up small holes. We had lots of water bugs and they basically stopped after we used the foam." —A

Get it from Amazon for $8.18.

6. A pack of five hair-clog removers that'll be useful if your bathtub suddenly fills up like a muddy, rainy-day puddle. These drain snakes will grab all the hair and swamp creatures that have settled in your pipes.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I have been trying to clear my drain for months, frequently pouring several pots of boiling hot water down my drain because I could not stop water from collecting at the bottom of my shower. I had tried other similar products to remove hair from the drain or collect it before it drained, but nothing worked. None of the drain snake–type products would fit down my drain. After using the green gobbler hair grabber, my only concern now is how much I feel like a creature knowing that I apparently shed more than my boyfriend’s dog and have been collecting goo in my drains that were probably mixed into the water sitting in the bottom of my tub while I showered." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $8.99.

7. Or a professional-strength hair clog eliminator gel if your shedding seems to have caused your bathtub to turn into a gross little bog, complete with malevolent faeries during shower time this morning. It'll also get rid of any gunk and soap scum building up in your pipes.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "My shower drain is the absolute worst! I live in a really old house, and the twisting and turning of the pipes makes it ridiculously difficult to snake or anything like that, so I have to resort to using Drano-like products. Speaking of Drano, I have used every single one of their products out there, and nothing works! I’ve tried really expensive hair de-clogger products. NOTHING has worked until this!! Seriously, I can’t believe I’m writing this detailed review on a liquid/gel hair clog eliminator, but I’m so amazed at how quickly this product works at unclogging my drain. Fifteen minutes later, and no more water above my ankles. Yes, I do have to redo it every month or two because, of course, it gets clogged again with new hair and gunk. For the price, I’m willing to pay for it monthly forever to keep the problem abated." —Weston16

Get it from Amazon for $6.58.

8. Some Glisten garbage disposal cleaner — got an unexpected stench coming from your sink? Well, this will foam up and scrub your disposal, leaving a fresh scent behind instead of icky drain pipe odors.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Takes away that gross smell. It seems counterintuitive to put a little packet down your garbage disposal to clean it, but this does actually seem to work, at least for getting out weird smells that baking soda and vinegar don't really touch. I scrub the sink down first, especially around the garbage disposal area, rinse it down, and then just follow the directions on the package. I have used it with single, large-size sinks and with double sinks — the only difference is that the double sink will have blue cleaning foam rise up the drain, which you rinse away when the disposal sounds clear again. I have tried the foaming cleaner in a can, but unfortunately, it stopped coming out of the can about 10% of the way through. Went back to this tried and true." —KS

Get two packs of four from Amazon for $6.80.

9. A compact air purifier to help you breathe when you get those really fun and impromptu "poor air quality" alerts. This is designed to get rid of any pollen, smoke, odors, dust, mites, or mold hanging around in your air making it hard to live a sneeze-free life. This sleek purifier will freshen your air in 12 minutes. That's the power of its HEPA filter.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "This thing is a game changer. Ever since moving to Texas, I have suffered from terrible seasonal allergies. I never have in my life until now (turns out I'm allergic to a handful of trees that are native around here). For the past few weeks, my mornings have had me waking up congested and unable to breathe, blowing wads of snot out of my nose (sorry!), and with an itchy/scratchy sore throat. Then I found this little guy. I woke up this morning with NO allergy symptoms. None. No congestion, absolutely clear nasal passages, and NO sore throat at all! I'm blown away." —JJ

Get it from Amazon for $99.99+ (available in black and white and a two-pack).

10. A 64-piece iFixit kit so you can get your Benjamin Franklin + Bob the Builder on when one of your electronic devices is on the fritz. Close that tab with a list of nearby phone repair shops. You got this!

www.amazon.com

Here's what BuzzFeed writer Heather Braga had to say: 

"My husband is admittedly a 'gadget guy' and has had one of these kits for as long as I can remember. He's a big fan of the brand and loves that every set comes with a lifetime warranty."

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 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 $39.95.

11. A bottle of odorless bedbug spray if you've been visited by these bloodthirsty creatures. It'll not only kill the bedbugs but also their eggs, so no future bugs can come back to bite you in the butt. Literally. This spray continues to work (aka kill) for up to 16 weeks!

Amazon

Promising review: "My grandson came to visit and left something to remember him by: BEDBUGS. We tried so many products until I think the bugs waited for the new flavors. I was so frustrated!!!! I was ready to burn the house down and build a new one. I saw the reviews one dreary, sleepless night and decided to try once more. I was not disappointed. This stuff works. I mean actually works. I recommend this to anyone who hasn't slept in months with their eyes open. You will not be disappointed." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $11.97+ (also available in three sizes).

12. A pack of 80 plant cleaning wipes since you just noticed that your indoor greenery has been collecting an unsightly amount of dust on its leaves. These soft and gentle plant-based wipes can also help get rid of dirt, pollution, and water spots; not only do clean leaves look better, but they'll also be able to photosynthesize better!

www.amazon.com

Southside Plants is a small business created by two sisters who want to help your plants thrive!

Promising review: "The wipes are thick and soft, and they make it so easy to clean my indoor plants. I know I can just use a damp rag at home, but I've been dealing with spider mites coming in and getting onto some of my plants. Using the wipes helps me feel more confident that I'm not going to spread anything around when cleaning my plants up." —Ginny Ortiz

Get it from Amazon for $17.99.

13. An enzyme-activated pet odor and stain remover, because you never know when your new pup is gonna forget that their bathroom is outside. In addition to dealing with recent messes, you'll also be able to finally and fully reclaim your home from years-old dark spots on your couch and the scent of cat pee emanating from your rug.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I never write reviews, but I'm writing one for this amazing spray!! I know what you're thinking. I thought the same: That's an awful lot to pay for a bottle of spray cleaner. I get it, and it's worth every penny!!! I have two large dogs who are potty-trained; however, my niece accidentally shut them in one of the spare rooms while we were upstairs (bless her tiny heart), so they took it upon themselves to hate-pee allllll over the carpet in there!! When we finally took a black light to the carpet, we discovered the true horror of our situation. CSI crime scenes had nothing on us! We tried EVERYTHING. I found this product, read the reviews, and hit the 'buy now' button with all of my hope riding on Prime shipping and a spray bottle. NO ODOR, NO STANK, LIGHT CLEAN SMELL, BUT NO FAKE FLOWERY COATED AIR!!!! This stuff is a MIRACLE!!!" —N. Garcia

Get it from Amazon for $21.77+ (available in two sizes and scents).

14. A toilet tank cleaner whose citric acid formula works to remove hard-water deposits and other stains in your toilet tank without any elbow grease needed. Get rid of stubborn odors with this safe-on-pipes cleaner.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "This stuff is magical!! I had tried so many different ways to get the tank clean. Poured this into the tank, and boom, the stains from years of use were gone!! Will buy again." —Theresa Blansit

Get it from Amazon for $5.86.

15. A bulb changer — this gripper will make swapping out ceiling bulbs sooo much easier. Because why risk your life climbing a wobbly ladder when you can stand on solid ground instead?

www.amazon.com

Just so you know, this is only the gripper tool — not the pole. If you need the pole, you can select that style in the listing.

Promising review: "We have 10-foot ceilings, and one of our overhead floodlights was starting to blink on and off. I have an 8-foot ladder but rather than hauling that into the house and climbing up on it, I got online to see what I could find. I had an old 10-foot car wash pole and that worked perfectly with the bulb changer — so much easier than the hassle of a ladder. After replacing my bad light, I then wondered about changing my stairway light 16 feet up from the stairs landing. Luckily, we had bought a second-story window-washing kit a couple of months ago, which included a four-piece extending pole, so I thought I would try that out and see how it would be. It’s a little tricky holding steady that high up, but when the need arises, I think it’ll work just fine. So all-in-all, I’m quite happy with this, and it’ll make a great tool to keep stored away waiting for the next light bulb failure." —Patrick

Get it from Amazon for $19.83.

16. A pack of 12 heavy-duty dishwasher cleaning tablets — hate hand-washing your dishes so much that you've been ignoring the funky smell coming from your beloved appliance? As well as the fact that your "clean" dishes are less than sparkling? These eco-friendly tablets are designed to offer a super deep clean; they'll make their way to the pump and valve, spray arm, and filters to break down built-up dirt, grime, grease, limescale, hard water marks, and more.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "My dishwasher has been the bane of my existence lately. No matter what I do, I can't get it clean. Got this stuff, ran one cycle (we have super super hard water) and bam! Wiped it out, double-checked the filter, and my dishwasher looks brand new. I will definitely be buying these again! The scent was also great, and I have sensitivity to strong smells, which can make cleaning hard due to allergies, but this didn't really bother me." —Alaura Price

Get it from Amazon for $18.99.

17. Plus, a box of 12 extra-large washing machine cleaner tablets because your favorite blankie just came out dirtier than it went in. These unscented and biodegradable tablets dissolve to remove any residue that may have built up inside your machine's pump, drum, tub, valve, agitator, filter, and hose. Now you can be sure your favorite blanket comes out smelling fresh!

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising reviews: "White clothing very much highlights the cleanliness of the washer because now they come out with none of the spots we experienced before. Also appreciate the calendar on the side of the box to keep track of usage." —Josar

"I had been noticing whiffs of an odd mildew-y smell in the vicinity of the laundry area for a while and figured I'd give this a try. It was super sudsy in there while the cycle was running, and after the cycle completed and everything was dried out, the mildew-y smell was gone. This has no scent of its own, which I also very much appreciate." —Linda in NJ

Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (also available in a six-pack).

18. A stainless-steel crack-weeding tool if weeds think they're being clever by growing in the cracks of your patio or sidewalk. This sharp, L-shaped tool can remove the entire root without you needing to literally dig around for it. It's also got a soft grip handle because taking care of your home's outward appearance shouldn't be physically taxing.

www.amazon.com, www.amazon.com

Promising review: "Doesn’t disrupt nearby plants. For weeds with long roots like bindweed, follow along the weed's root. You’ll get a feel for it with practice. The tip has a sharper angle than my last one, so it's good for cutting the roots of shallow-rooted plants. It’s a game-changer, for sure. Good, sturdy, well-made, and has a comfortable handle." —Hanna

Get it from Amazon for $13.83.

19. And a weed puller with a long handle so you don't have to bend down to fight an uninvited weed's tough roots with your bare hands. Get your garden in tip-top shape!

Amazon, www.amazon.com

Grampa's Gardenware Co. is a family-owned small business that makes products that make the gardening, weeding, or harvesting of your land a little easier.

Promising review: "Oh my god, I friggin' love this tool. I bought this on a whim, given my husband, and I bought our first house and know nothing about caring for a yard, and boy, has it come in handy. Our new house had a ton of weeds in the front yard, and this tool helped me get most of them out in no time. In fact, the process of yanking out the weed was strangely satisfying! I don't think anyone can say that weeding is fun, but this tool made it as close to fun as you can get." —JG 

Get it from Amazon for $39.97.

20. A pack of two flexible dryer vent cleaners because there's likely a bunch of trapped lint causing your clothes to still come out kinda damp. Use this to get all that gunk out, which will also help to prevent dryer fires!

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "I clean my dryer vent after every single use. I was shocked to see so much lint and dust come out! It was very simple to use and it really works! I kept one for myself and gave the other to my daughter." —Shari Schmidt

Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in three set sizes).

21. A gutter scoop if waterlogged and matted leaves are beginning to clog your gutters. It's got chisel teeth on the front to pick at debris as well as a mesh screen that water can exit through. 

Amazon

Promising review: "Not sure why it took me so long to find this item. After years of scraping out packed silt in the bottom of my gutters, I saw this and ordered it. I was a little unsure if I could use it on my smaller than standard size 4-inch gutters, but if anything the smaller size lets this thing fit even tighter and scoop out more efficiently. (I do have to lift it over the gutter junctions but that's fine." —W. Steward

Get it from Amazon for $9.99.

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.