Adulting is hard. You have so much responsibility, and you’re forced to appear as though you’ve got it all figured out when you’re really just holding on for dear life. There are certain products that make this whole “adulting” thing easier, and, because I’m a gracious and giving person, I’ve compiled a list of my 36 favorites for you, free of charge.
From gloves that keep you from cutting yourself to a device that painlessly removes your skin tags, these are the 36 things on Amazon that are necessary for my everyday adult human life. I’m a 32-year-old mom of a toddler, and these are my picks.
But don’t worry; you don’t have to have an adorable tiny human in your life to love these products.
These Gel Pens that are Purrrrrfect
Sure, I’m a grown-up lady, but I also love adorable things, and these GANSSIA Colorful Cats Design Gel Pens Black Ink Pen Pack are the cutest pens on earth. I use them to write in my journal every night while my cat sleeps next to me for the full Crazy Cat Lady esthetic.
This Recycling Sorter that Makes Me Feel Like Super Grown Up
I’ve been making more of an effort to reduce my carbon footprint and recycle as much as possible lately, so this Whitmor Aluminum Handle Triple Recycle Sorter in Black makes it easy to do my part. It fits perfectly underneath my sink and makes sorting various recyclables a breeze.
This Clothes Drying Rack that Keeps My Clothes from Shrinking
Before I bought this mDesign Metal Wall Mount Accordion Expandable Retractable Clothes Air Drying Rack, I would just drape the clothes that weren’t dryer-safe over my furniture and wait hours for them to dry. Now I can dry them like a functioning adult and not have to share my couch with a soaking wet sweater.
This Daily Planner
This Weekly Meal Planning Pad has completely changed the way I plan out my meal plans throughout the week. Or, should I say, it’s helped me to actually plan out my meal plans instead of just winging them. I love how it comes with stick-on magnets so I can hang it on my fridge.
These Clear Trays that Gave My Drawers a Makeover
These STORi Clear Plastic Vanity and Desk Drawer Organizers make me feel like I’ve finally gotten my life together. I use them in my bathroom to keep my makeup perfectly organized. I feel like a beauty vlogger every time I open my bathroom drawer.
This Wine Pump that Saves my Wine
I love a good glass of red wine, but since my husband is more of a scotch drinker than a wine drinker, I’m often left with a mostly full bottle that will go bad in a matter of days. The result? A lot of wasted wine. This Vacu Vin Wine Saver Pump makes my wine last twice as long as normal.
This Mousepad that Keeps Me Oh-So Organized
I’m not a naturally organized person, so whenever I find a product that will help me get more done every day I buy it immediately. That’s what happened with this Knock Knock Paper Mousepad with Pen Holder. It’s a mousepad that doubles as a daily planner. It even has a built-in pen holder and comes in three different themes.
This Spice Liner that Keeps My Spices in Check
I love to cook, and whenever I find a unique spice that I’ve never used before I always buy it. This is why my spice drawer is a total mess. My husband found this YouCopia SpiceLiner Spice Drawer Liner in Gray has made a huge difference. Now I can actually find the spices I’m looking for and they all fit perfectly.
This Reusable Tumbler that I Take Everywhere
I love drinking out of straws, and while I’m very on board with getting rid of plastic straws, I still believe that sipping liquids out of straws is just more enjoyable. That’s why I’m obsessed with this Ello Devon Glass Tumbler with Silicone Sleeve. It keeps me hydrated and is super portable.
These Clothes Organizer Bags that Use The Power of Charcoal
When I store my sweaters during the summer months, they tend to smell pretty darn musty when I pull them out around mid-September. These 1Storage Charcoal Fiber Clothing Organizer Bags with Breathable Material use charcoal to keep things fresh for months. They also keep my closets much less cluttered.
This Umbrella that Can Weather the Storm
I have an extremely active Australian Cattle Dog that insists that we take her for long walks no matter how inclement the weather happens to be. This Repel Umbrella Windproof Double Vented Travel Umbrella with Teflon Coating keeps me dry even during crazy downpours.
These Tough Kitchen Gloves that Prevent Nicks
I’m extremely accident-prone and have cut myself more times than I can count. Luckily, I still have all ten fingers, and I credit that to these NoCry Cut Resistant Gloves. They’re made from cut-resistant material that prevents cuts but is still flexible enough to allow you to slice and dice without being encumbered.
This Roller Stamp That Keeps My Identity Secure
Before I bought this Identity Protection Roller Stamps Wide Kit I had no idea what to do with my important papers. I never threw them out since I was worried about identity theft, and my basement was slowly filling up with papers. This thing allows me to block out my information one quick (and fun!) step.
This Wall Organizer that I Recommend to Everyone
This Smead Cascading Wall Organizer made me feel like an adult the moment I hung it up. I keep my important documents in it and keeps me organized so I’m not panicked while searching for my son’s birth certificate or our home loan information. Plus, it just looks pretty on my office wall.
This Portable Cooler that’s Super Insulated
I have a 15-month-old toddler that’s constantly hungry, so whenever we go anywhere for longer than 15 minutes I have to bring a snack. This MIER 24 Can Large Capacity Soft Cooler Tote Insulated Lunch Bag Outdoor Picnic Bag keeps my food perfectly chilled for hours and is extremely easy to wipe clean when spills happen.
These Storage Containers that Make My Life Way Easier
Speaking of the lunches and snacks I’m constantly packing, these BlenderBottle ProStak Twist n’ Lock Storage Jars are my favorite way to bring food on-the-go. They come in a variety of sizes and even have a tiny one for pills. The lids have a tight closure so I don’t have to worry about leakage.
This Hair Diffuser that Keeps My Locks Frizz-Free
I have extremely long, thick, wavy red hair. For the longest time, I thought my hair was naturally frizzy and was constantly frustrated by how messy it always looked. It wasn’t until a wavy-haired friend recommended this Hairizone Universal Hair Diffuser Adaptable for Blow Dryers that I realized I could have perfectly defined waves with zero frizz. GAME-CHANGER.
These Glass Straws that Make Me Feel Fancy
Because of my love for straws, my husband surprised me with these Hiware Reusable Glass Drinking Straws and I was immediately hooked. I love how they’re reusable so I’m not creating unnecessary waste, and the little brush makes them easy to clean. The eight-piece set comes with four straight straws and four curved styles.
This Mail Organizer that’s Simple Yet Brilliant
Before I found this mDesign Wall Mount Plastic Mail Organizer Storage Basket I would just throw all of my mail on the floor of my front entryway. Naturally, it all got mixed together, and I ended up throwing out important letters along with the junk. This thing keeps me organized and provides a great spot for my keys.
This Bathroom Guest Book that’s Disgustingly Hilarious
This Knock Knock Bathroom Guest Book is the one thing in my house that every single guest mentions whenever they come over. It’s toilet humor at its best, and I love looking through it after people leave to read the ridiculous things that people write (and draw).
This Makeup Mirror that Has Natural LED Lighting
I love playing around with different makeup looks, and this 10X Magnifying Makeup Vanity Mirror mimics natural daylight so I can see exactly what my face will look like once I leave my house. I love how I can move it into different positions and mount it directly onto my bathroom wall.
This Skin Rag Remover that Solves a Gross Problem
I’ll admit it: I get skin tags. A lot of skin tags. In fact, a new one seems to pop up every week or so. This Micro TagBand Skin Tag Remover Device for Small to Medium Skin Tags gets rid of them with zero pain and minimal effort on my part. If you have skin tags, you need this magical little gadget.
This Water Flosser that Makes My Teeth Insanely Clean
You know that incredibly clean feeling that your teeth have after a professional cleaning? This Homgeek Upgrade Water Flosser recreated that without the trip to the dentist. I can never go back to normal flossers now. I’m hooked on this thing forever. I can’t recommend it enough.
These Bamboo Sheets that are Eco-Friendly
I had been needing to buy new sheets for a while, and I’m so glad I decided on these LuxClub 6 PC Sheet Set Bamboo Sheets Deep Pockets 18″ Eco Friendly Wrinkle Free Sheets. They feel like they should be much more expensive than they are and come in a wide variety of colors.
This Bath Mat that’s Straight Out Of a Spa
My life tends to be pretty stressful, so whenever I have the opportunity to pamper myself without having to leave home I’m all about it. This GOBAM Shower Mat Bath Mat looks and feels straight out of a high-end spa and makes me feel super relaxed every time I step out of my shower.
This Desk Organizer that Helps Me Be More Productive
I work from home, and if my desk is cluttered it makes me extremely distracted. This Jerry & Maggie Desktop Organizer Office Storage Rack Adjustable Wood Display Shelf is the perfect size for my small-ish desk and gives everything its own proper place. Bonus: it comes in three gorgeous colors.
These Massage Balls that Saved My Back
When I’m stressed out, I tend to get tense and the muscles in my back and neck get extremely sore. These Kieba Massage Lacrosse Balls for Myofascial Release and Trigger Point Therapy have made a huge difference in my pain level. They’re easy to use and a fraction of the price of a chiropractor appointment.
This Mixing Bowl Set that’s a Kitchen Staple
If you want to start cooking or baking more, I suggest you buy this Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl Set immediately. I bought it a few years ago and it’s never let me down. Pyrex is known for quality, and this glass bowl set would probably make it through an apocalypse without a chip or a scratch.
This Pepper Mill that I Use On Every Meal
I strongly believe that freshly cracked pepper makes any meal taste better. Mac and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, waffles…okay, so maybe not every meal. This OXO Good Grips Radial Pepper Grinder is ridiculously easy to use and makes my cooking taste more way more professional.
This Bar Soap that Changed My Skin Forever
I used to be against any and all types of bar soaps and was afraid that they would dry out my skin and leave it rough and uneven. But this Herbivore Natural Pink Clay Cleansing Soap Bar made me a bar soap believer. It hydrates and soothes my acne-prone skin while deep-cleaning at the same time.
These Non-Slip Hangers that Gave My Closet a Makeover
These Zober Non-Slip Velvet Hangers make me feel like a sophisticated adult every time I look in my closet. The non-slip design is great for dresses that would otherwise slide off of traditional hangers, and the pack of 30 means I can throw out my mismatched ones for a clean, sleek look.
These Silicone Tongs that are my Kitchen MVPs
Tongs are one of those kitchen tools that I never really thought I needed. But after I bought these StarPack Basics Silicone Kitchen Tongs I used them with almost every recipe. I especially appreciate the non-stick silicone tips and high heat resistance. Plus, they’re just over $10 bucks!
This Dish Strainer that Makes My Life Easier
Before my son started eating solid foods, I used this Prepworks by Progressive Collapsible Over-The-Sink Dish Drainer to dry his millions of baby bottles. Now that he’s moved on to big people food, I still use it to dry his sippy cups and toddler plates. I use this thing every single day!
This Undies Pack that I Can’t Live Without
The minute I tried on one of the pairs of underwear from this Wealurre Cotton Bikini Women’s Breathable Panties Seamless Comfort Underwear Set I walked over to my dresser, pulled out all of my other uncomfortable pairs, and threw them into the garbage can. Yes, they’re that good.
This Meat Thermometer that I Won’t Cook Chicken Without
I used to be terrified of cooking chicken. I was always afraid that I’d undercooked it, so, just to be sure, I’d cook it for way too long and dry it out to the point of it being inedible. This Habor 022 Meat Thermometer makes it easy to tell when it’s done so I can cook chicken (and any other meat) with confidence.
This Makeup Case that’s Just the Right Size
Two of my greatest loves in life are makeup and traveling, and this Cosmetic Bag 365park Travel Accessories Cosmetics MakeUp Case combines them in one stunning package. It’s spacious enough for my on-the-go must-haves without being too big and bulky. Not a pink person? It also comes in black.