Melanie SidotiThis post contains affiliate links, meaning we may receive compensation when you make a purchase through one of our links. All opinions and recommendations are our own.
Here are 14 truly useful (and inexpensive) things you and your favorite people didn’t know you needed in your lives!
Don’t you love finding that little treasure a person would absolutely adore but would most likely never splurge on for themselves? Any of these would make great gifts any time of the year, but with it being gift-giving season, what better time than now to gift your loved ones with one or two of these unique, useful, gifts they never knew they needed (or maybe you’d like a little treat for yourself)?
These are all items I have purchased personally, so if you need some ideas for last-minute Christmas gifts or just because gifts, here are 14 tried and true things I am just loving right now!
1) VITAMIN B COMPLEX by LIFE EXTENSION
I’ve been taking this particular Vitamin B supplement for about 3 months now. I could tell a SIGNIFICANT difference in my energy levels almost immediately after starting them. Also..before these little gems, it was almost impossible for me to make the scale budge…I mean for years. With these and some other small changes I am down 15 lbs. and truly believe the quality B vitamin complex is helping give my body what it needs to release the weight more easily. I have them on subscription now because I do not want to be without them. Try them for yourself.
2) WASHER BALLS
BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD…no kidding! I confess…I am always up for trying something new but I am usually a bit of a skeptic. When I bought these I was really thinking well…for less than $20 for four what do I really have to lose…especially with all the $$$$$$ I have literally sent down the drain in laundry detergent over the years.
Folks, one of these balls is supposed to wash 1500 LOADS OF LAUNDRY. To refresh…or recharge them you can put them out in the sun for a few hours a month. Just WOW!
What You Need to Know:
- My boyfriend works hard and his clothes are FILTHY!
- My daughter plays sports and her clothes smell FUNKY!
- My grandaughter cannot walk across the room without getting DIRTY!
- My dog..well you get it.
- I received the wash balls and I set out to REALLY put them to the test. I washed load after load of the dirtiest, stinkiest clothes I could find, my blankets, comforters, bedsheets, towels, funky socks, you name it.
- Load after load these clothes kept coming out clean and smelling fresh. Now, don’t get me wrong …they don’t smell like Tide or Summer Breeze or anything but they smell fresh and clean!
- I know I have washed at least 40 loads of laundry by now and I am STILL loving this little ball of magic!
- One washer ball lasts for 1500 loads of laundry!
- I gave one to my mother and she LOVES it too!
- My friend has kids who are super sensitive to detergents and chemicals. I think these would be so great for them I am gifting them one of mine to try. Can you imagine not having to worry about buying the more expensive special dye-free detergents?
- EVERYONE I know is getting these for Christmas!! You can all thank me later! 🙂
3) The SLEEKEZ
My heart of hearts happens to be a twenty-five-pound Chihuahua/JackRussell fur generator. My sweet little ball of sass sheds EVERYWHERE. Thank goodness we have hardwood floors..mostly. She thinks she is human and belongs on every piece of furniture we own and I spoil her like she is my child so I cannot tell her any different okay? Anyway, for eight years I have tried just about every brush and comb on the market in an attempt to even semi control the amount of fur this kid generates. I won’t call them by name but some of these were supposed to be top of the line. The SLEEKEZ is by far my FAVORITE!
Call me crazy but I think I just really have a soft spot for things that WORK…you know, things that simply do what they say they are supposed to do! You would not even believe the amount of loose hair and undercoat I am able to remove from my dog with the SLEEKEZ. These babies come in THREE different sizes. I bought the large one because I didn’t want to regret not buying the large one. Maybe I could have gotten away with the medium-sized one but I am super happy with the one I have. Also, I have a niece and nephew who have a Great Pyrenees. This Christmas they are getting one of these for that hairy beast!
What You Should Know:
- My girl loves getting brushed with the SLEEKEZ. She will actually come to sit in front of me and wait for it when I pick it up.
- These are 100% MADE IN USA.
- The company offers a 30-day, hassle-free, money-back guarantee.
4) The FURZAPPER
I have been using these for my laundry for over a year now and they are still on my list of favorite things! I am getting ready to order another set because I have used the others to death and I’m down to a half paw now. My dog sheds EVERYWHERE so it really is a constant battle to keep everything clean. If I am being honest, these are great for getting the hair off ALL the laundry but I especially love them for socks and blankets. Socks and blankets seem to collect the most hair and without the FURZAPPER it is near impossible to get it out. FIVE STAR item for my fellow fur parents.
5) L’OREAL AGE PERFECT RADIANT SERUM FOUNDATION
It’s been a few years since I had to come clean with myself and admit that I could no longer use the same makeup as I could when I was in my twenties or thirties. I used to love Estee Lauder Double Wear Makeup but my skin was a little oilier then. Now my skin has aged and I have really struggled over the last five-plus years to find a foundation that doesn’t make my skin appear dry or settle into my fine lines.
My mother actually turned me on to this foundation! I had heard of it but assumed it would be another thick and heavy foundation that would dry up and begin to flake after a few hours and make me look old and lifeless. One day I noticed she was just glowing. She actually looked younger and her skin looked super hydrated. I had to try it and now I’m hooked! This foundation is light and breathable, moisturizing, and offers great coverage! Long story short…this is great makeup for dry and/or aging skin.
They also have this great blurring PRIMER!
6) HUMANS Book
If you need your faith in humanity restored you MUST check out the “HUMANS” book collection. I absolutely love all the stories of REAL people from all different walks of life. They always remind me of how we humans really aren’t that different after all. We live, we love, we struggle, we cry, we have hearts that break, and that at the end of the day the thing we have most in common is that we all want to love and be loved.
I love books but rarely buy one new since there are so many out there that need to be adopted into new homes. However, I actually preordered this one for myself during the COVID quarantine and have not had one regret. It is a BEAUTIFUL work! Ohhhhh…all the feels. Thank you, Brandon Stanton. It all began with the HUMANS of NEW YORK stories and has evolved to an entire collection of books. Check them out!
Any of these books would make a GREAT GIFT! (For yourself or any of your book-loving family and friends)
7) 3-TIER OVEN RACK
Who doesn’t need one of these for the holiday season? We have always found ourselves juggling when it comes to getting everything in and out of the oven on time for holiday dinners. Well..this sure makes things easier. Enjoy!
8) RAKUTEN
If you have not already signed up for RAKUTEN, there is simply no reason not to. The holiday season is a perfect time! With RAKUTEN, you literally earn cash back for shopping you are already doing! A no-brainer, right?
What You Should Know:
- SIGN UP – it’s FREE
- If you sign up with my link before December 7th and make a qualifying purchase of at least $40 within 90 days YOU get $40 and I get $40.
- If you don’t sign up before December 7th sign up anyway and start earning cash back on things you are already shopping for.
- Don’t forget to install it in your CHROME BROWSER so you get a notification about cashback offers EVERY TIME YOU SHOP.
- I included the image below so you know this is very real. Recently, I ordered glasses from Zenni Optical and got $10.00 cashback, ordered a Christmas present for my daughter, and got $16.50 back from Dell, then I decided to try Pretty Litter and got $22.00 cashback!
9) PRETTY LITTER
Okay, now let’s talk about PRETTY LITTER. I have been watching ads for this stuff come up on Facebook for about 3 months. My local store ran out of my usual kitty litter and I had to buy a lesser version of one of the leading brands (okay Tidy Cats). After about two days of cleaning and cleaning the litter, it still seemed like my entire house REEKED of the litterbox. Well, I decided to bite the bullet and go for it. I jumped in with both feet and ordered the 3 month supply.
This HAS to be better than regular, dusty, nasty clay litter and with the discounts, I am positive it is no more than I have been spending on regular litter.
What You Should Know:
- My link gets us BOTH a FREE BAG of litter.
- If you have RAKUTEN, Pretty Litter is offering up to 50% cashback right now.
- If you don’t already have RAKUTEN, read about it above and get SIGNED UP.
- With the $40 from RAKUTEN, the up to 50% cashback from Pretty Litter, the 15% to 25% discount from the Pretty Litter website, and the FREE BAG of litter you almost get PAID TO TRY IT. So go ahead and TRY IT!
10) GO SMILE Premium 2-in-1 Teeth Whitening System
I have had my GO SMILE for about a year now and I am still absolutely in love! This toothbrush gets my teeth so much cleaner than a regular toothbrush. It massages and cleans my gums…they look healthier than ever. Special blue light technology amplifies the action of the whitening gel for phenomenal (and practically immediate) results! I will NEVER go back to a regular toothbrush!
What You Need To Know:
- Great for regular and sensitive teeth.
- Safe On Dental Work, Crowns, Veneers, Bonding
- 5-YEAR Unconditional Satisfaction Guarantee!
11) BUTTERFLY PEA FLOWER BLUE TEA
I started drinking BLUE TEA for the blood sugar and weight loss benefits. All I can tell you is that I love it and drink a cup a day at a minimum. I like the taste of it plain, with a little lemon juice, and I’ve even tried it creamy latte style (add a little sweet cream creamer). It seems to work great as a diuretic and I really enjoy the brain-boosting benefits. I can certainly tell a difference in my focus and alertness after having a cup.
What You Need To Know:
- BLUE TEA has a long list of BENEFITS
- There are no known side effects.
- It is caffeine free
- Khwan’s Tea is 100% natural, organic, gluten free, NON GMO, and vegan.
- A little lemon juice alters the pH of the tea and it become a beautiful PURPLE color.
- It has natural anti-inflammatory properties
- Promotes anti-aging
DRINK UP!
12) SCHICK HYDRO SILK Touch-Up Dermaplaning Tool
Have you tried dermaplaning yet? I met a BEAUTIFUL woman years ago who happened to be in her fifties. She had the smoothest, glowy skin I had ever seen. She told us she actually used a razor..yes a regular leg-shaving razor to shave her face…EVERY DAY. She swore by it! Well of course I thought she was crazy. Shaving my face went against everything I was ever taught. I was terrified the peach fuzz and stray hairs would come back in abundance, thicker and faster.
Well, it turns out it would take me fifteen years to catch on, but I tried dermaplaning once and I am hooked! The main reason I wanted to try it was because anytime I would wear foundation it would dry into my skin and look cakey and flaky and just awful. It’s true that dermaplaning makes your foundation go on more easily and your skin appear more smooth.
13) SHARK STEAM MOP
I have had some version of this for about the last four years. This is still, by far, one of my favorite purchases. We use the SHARK STEAM MOP for our hardwood and tile floors. It is so easy to use and the floors always end up so clean you can just feel the difference! I know you can use this mop standalone with just the steam but I love to use some kind of all-purpose cleaner to boost the cleaning and so everything smells fresh. I have also used some Murphy’s Oil Soap (drizzled directly on the floor) to spruce up the hardwoods.
14) DADDERALL
Recently, I was able to score some samples of this product and have fallen in love!! If you need greater focus and an energy boost I urge you to give DADDERALL a try. I struggle with both energy and focus most days. This product has helped tremendously! As a matter of fact, I can really tell if I forget to take it. I have a very hard time being able to focus throughout the day. My mind is EVERYWHERE. This truly helps me to channel my brainpower and be able to focus on the task at hand. For my boyfriend, it is more about the energy benefits. He has a real problem most days with feeling sleepy all day and even nodding off if he slows down or even sits down. Since we have gotten these handy little sticks, he is alert and awake all day! (Blue Yum is our favorite flavor.)
What You Need To Know:
- Enhances mental function, mind clarity, and brain focus
- Combats brain fog
- No crashes or jittery side-effects
- 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Enjoy!
Is there a product that you absolutely love or wouldn’t want to live without? Share it with us in the comments!
Very good blog.Really thank you! Much obliged.
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