One time I was driving from my place to a friend’s house after work, which was about a three hour drive, and I really had to pee. I mean, really had to go. I was probably about 10 miles or so from his house, but I didn’t think I could even make it that long so I pulled over at the next exit and hoped there would be a bathroom nearby. Well, I was in luck because I found a bathroom, it just happened to be in a sketch city gas station. The minute I got in there, I knew I would have preferred to pee my pants. Not only was it disgusting, but I almost got trapped in there and I had left my phone in the car. All signs immediately began to point to panic.
Obviously I (barely) survived, but it made me think twice about randomly selecting public facilities. Since you can’t always choose the cleanest restroom, it pays to be prepared for the worst with the Public Toilet Survival Kit (Perpetual Kid, $4.99). Although this kit won’t make the bathroom any less creepy, it will prepare you to deal with its grossness. Inside the metal tin you get a toilet seat cover (a luxury that gas station bathrooms do not have), two antiseptic wipes (in case you touch anything), and a pair of latex gloves. Better safe than sorry!
The only thing missing from this kit is a mini roll of toilet paper. Chances are, if you’re in a nasty ass bathroom, there isn’t anything but a tiny scrap of toilet paper mocking you from the naked cardboard roll. Do yourself a favor and stash some in this kit.
3 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 3.75″ x 2″ x 1″ (metal tin)
-Always be prepared for public restrooms
-Includes 1 toilet seat cover, 2 antiseptic wipes, and 1 pair of latex gloves
-Great for travel
I really love to bake, but the problem with baking is that it’s very rarely single serving style. I mean, sure I want a few leftovers but I don’t think it’s healthy for me to eat a whole tray of brownies by myself just so they won’t go to waste. And even if you have a larger amount of people to bake for, there’s no guarantee that they won’t wuss out and spout some nonsense about being on a diet or being full – whatever, dude, it’s still totally your fault that I have to throw away 16 out of 24 delicious cupcakes.
If only there was a way to still be able to make your favorite dessert without the guilt of throwing away most of the leftovers…something like the Split Decision Pie Pan (Taylor Gifts, $16.98), perhaps? Who in their right mind would make one giant pie that no one will finish when they could make two pie halves that everyone can enjoy? Ok, so if you were of the one giant pie persuasion, you can still do that with this pan because it comes with removable nonstick inserts. Once the pie is done baking, just lift and serve for easy removal that won’t break the crusts.
I can’t stress enough how great of an idea this is for holiday baking – nobody wants to bake a whole mince pie just because it’s Grandpa’s favorite when they could instead bake half a mince pie and half a pecan pie.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 9″ diameter
-Bake two pies in one pan
-Includes pie pan and two inserts
-Create two halves or one full size pie
-Lift and serve
-Nonstick coating for even baking
-Easy cleanup
-Made of coated carbon steel
If you have pets, then understand how hard it is to get your house fully cleaned. Basically, it’s never gonna happen. You may as well resign yourself to the fact that everything you own is and will always be permanently covered in pet hair. I think the worst thing about trying to clean your house is the pet hair tumbleweeds that roll around. I swear, it’s like an old western up in here.
The Broom Groomer (Latest Buy, $20.95) started out as yet another “why didn’t I think of that” concept, but this one was lucky enough to get made. See, one of the biggest reasons why your floors aren’t getting clean is that your broom isn’t clean. You might think it is, but I bet if you looked at it right now you’d be disgusted. It’s full of debris, isn’t it? That’s where this gadget comes in – it cleans your broom bristles for you so you don’t have to touch all that nasty floor gunk. Just sweep your floors as you normally would, then corral it all into the dustpan and make sure to pull the broom bristles through the protruding teeth in the back. Your broom bristles will emerge clump-free and ready to sweep another day.
Note: House will not clean itself.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 12.2″ x 10.2″ x 2.9″
-Rubber teeth clean broom bristles after sweeping
-Hands free sweeping
-Foot pedal keeps dustpan steady
-Wall hanging hole
-Made of durable plastic with rubber accents
-Broom not included
When traveling, it’s important to pack light. Not only will it save you a few bucks when it comes to checking baggage, but you also won’t have to cart around a bunch of junk that you’re never gonna wear/use. However, packing light doesn’t mean you should compromise on the essentials. What are the essentials? Well, that all depends on you.
If you’re a gadget fiend, then you’ll want to make sure that you have every piece of mobile media you can carry. Most importantly, you’ll want to make sure that you have the power source for your media, or else you’ll be a sad panda by the end of day two. The FlipIt! USB Stealth Charger (ThinkGeek, $13.99) is the perfect gadget companion for the traveling geek because it takes any traditional power source and uses it to your advantage. How does it do that? The device fits over a standard outlet and leeches power from the device being charged there, converting it to USB power that can in turn be used to charge your iPhone, iPod, or any other mobile device. Because it works with an in-use power source, you’ll be able to power your electronics just about anywhere even if all the available outlets are taken. Take that, overcrowded airport gate!
I’d keep an eye on this baby though – it’s just the type of awesome technology that someone will try to shiest from you when you’re not looking.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 2.35″ x 1.3″ x 0.67″
-USB charger for mobile devices
-Leeches power from in use power lines
-Supplies 1000mA (1A) at 5V
-Contact pad rotates 270 degrees for easy access
Once again, my desk that started out the week as fairly clean has now fallen victim to massive amounts of clutter. Have I mentioned how much I hate clutter? I seriously cannot stand clutter. It’s not like I’m a neat-freak either, but the sight of piles of junk literally makes my skin crawl. Naturally, it’s a lot worse when it’s not my stuff because I can’t even concentrate on anything else except the urge to tidy up. Makes you wonder how I ever get anything done, huh?
Do me and the rest of the anal-retentive world a favor and either pick up your shit or invest in the Straps: Flexible Storage Solution (Not On The High Street, £16.00). These straps embody the same basic properties as a shelf or bookcase, but they take up a lot less space and are ten times as fun to look at. Basically, you screw the included hooks into your wall and stretch the strap (in the color of your choice) to fit between the hooks. Then you can wedge pretty much anything in there, from books and magazines to bags and shoes (seriously, look at that picture with the shoe attached to the wall). You can affix the straps to the wall either vertically or horizontally and since the straps are made of silicone rubber, they’ll stretch up to 90cm!
Please don’t use this for your shoes; shoes on a wall are just weird.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 72cm x 3cm x 1cm
-Holds books, toys, bags, etc
-Affix vertically or horizontally onto any wall
-Maximum stretched length is 90cm
-Maximum weight of 1kg
-Available in red, green, white, anthracite, or blue
-Price is for one strap
-Made of silicone rubber
