
I’ve never been much of a napper. I’m one of those people that has a hard enough time trying to get to sleep at night, let alone for only an hour or two in the middle of the day. It’s not to say that I haven’t tried. Oh, how I’ve tried! I usually just end up laying there, thinking about all the other things I should probably be doing instead of attempting this fruitless nap. I’ll admit, it’s somewhat of a self-defeating strategy.
I think the biggest problem I have when it comes to napping is that I’m so focused on how long I have to sleep that I can’t clear my mind. The Napper (Amazon, $14.99) understands the stresses of everyday life and the need to take a relaxing snooze. Well, at least the person who created this charming alarm clock understands that because they’ve added a delightful feature to the traditional alarm: preset snooze buttons! Instead of having to hit the snooze button over and over or reset your perpetual alarm, simply hit the snooze time of your choice. You can choose from 15, 30, or even 60 minutes of uninterrupted snooze time by barely lifting a finger.
You know that expression, “You snooze, you lose?” Well, I think it should be, “You snooze, you win.”
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Preset snooze timers
-Includes time and standard alarm clock settings
-Snooze for 15, 30, or 60 minutes

If the idea of summertime barbeque seems far away to you, I can assure you it’ll be here before you know it. Not only is January basically over, but the forecast this week is downright balmy weather. Seriously, it’s like Mother Nature is playing a sick practical joke on us and we’ll wake up one day in June to a snowstorm.
Grillers, arm yourselves with the Grill Sergeant Apron (Perpetual Kid, $19.99)! More than just your traditional apron, this bad boy has space for everything you could possibly need to make that awesome barbeque idea a reality. Alright, so it doesn’t have meat pockets (wouldn’t that be disgusting), but it does have three extra large tool pockets as well as four sauce pockets and six (!) beverage can slots. This manly apron also includes a bottle opener and two spice pockets, which I think should just about cover all your grilling bases.
Don’t worry if you’ve grilled yourself one delicious steak too many because this apron is one size fits all.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Holdall apron
-3 XL tool pockets, 4 sauce pockets, and 6 beverage can slots
-Includes bottle opener and 2 spice pockets
-One size fits all
-Made of 100% cotton

I drink a lot of tea and I have to agree with the notion that loose tea is better. There’s no need to start arguing about it; I’ve done the necessary research and it’s simply the truth. The problem with loose tea versus tea bags is that tea bags are just so darn convenient. I mean, you can reach for a tea bag and you’re in business whereas loose tea involves measurements and contraptions. It can be a bit daunting at first.
My least favorite thing about loose tea is cleaning out my infuser afterwards. No matter what, tiny specs of tea leaves always get stuck inside it and it seems like I spend an eternity trying to get them out. Meanwhile, my tea has gone cold. The Paper Tea Filters (Not On The High Street, £4.50) allow you the luxury of loose tea living without the hassle of fine mesh infuser cleaning. Because these paper filters are disposable, all you need to do is fill one with your tea of choice (I’m currently into oolong), slide the wood stick through the notches, and place the whole thing in your cup. The wood stick keeps the filter upright and provides a burn-free extraction. Each set of 40 even comes packaged in its own reusable cotton bag!
Tea: the other breakfast beverage.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Set of 40 filters and wood sticks
-Loose leaf tea infusers
-Disposable
-Made of non chlorine bleached pulp fibers


I always love a good morphing gadget. I mean, why buy two things when you can buy one multi-purpose item? In addition to taking up less space, it’s nicer on the wallet (not to mention just good sense).
This Trivet Set (Generate Design, $39.00) is right up my alley. In case you don’t know (and some people don’t), a trivet is used as a barrier between a hot dish and your countertop. Some of us lazy/poor people just use a pot holder, but that’s neither here nor there. I’m already jazzed that this set includes not one, not two, but three trivets of varying colors so imagine my delight when I realized that each trivet can be repurposed into a coaster or dish drainer! The secret here is the flexible silicone they’re made of which allows them to be easily molded into another useful shape. When you look at it that way, it looks like you need some trivets in your life.
A trivet for all seasons! Well, three of them at least.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 10.2″ x 8.7″ x 1.6″
-Set of 3 trivets (black, orange, red)
-Also functions as coaster or dish drainer
-Made of silicone


It has been argued that being a woman is a lot harder than being a man. I mean, obviously there’s that whole childbearing thing, but there are also an outstanding number of appearance maintenance issues. Clearly one of the most time consuming issues is hair removal – whether it’s shaving, plucking, waxing, or tweezing. And as if the time spent undertaking this task wasn’t enough, just think about the cost! But what choice do women have? It’s either hair removal or Amazonian status.
While you probably won’t be using this to get rid of your leg or under arm hair, the Natural Hair Removing Threader (Hammacher Schlemmer, $124.95) brings the latest trend in facial hair removal right into your home. You’ve seen those eyebrow threading booths everywhere (even in the mail) and as tempting as it would be to try it out, I don’t think I’d want strangers staring at me. Regardless if you’re new to the process or a seasoned veteran who’s tired of paying someone else to do this simple task, you can use this device to remove hair right at the follicle. What’s so great about that? Well since hair is removed from the root, the skin stays smoother longer than shaving or waxing. This kit includes a numbing lotion, rice powder (to absorb skin oils), and an after threading moisturizing lotion as well as nine months of hair removal threads.
The one big bummer about this set? It’ll take a long time before your purchase becomes cost effective.
3 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 11″ x 7.5″ x 2.75″
-Easily removed unwanted hair
-Includes threader, 24 thread sets, emollient lotion, rice powder, and lotion
-Removes hair from the root
-Lasts longer than waxing or tweezing
-Up to 9 months of hair removal
