Upgrade your (Quarantine) Life with these Items
Buy these items for quick life upgrades, I have tried and own all of them, if the exact amazon item is not available, then I linked to a highly rated version.
It’s July 2020, we’re in the middle of a pandemic, most of us are homebound, with little evidence that a cure or vaccine will be ready anytime soon. I wanted to share a useful list of a few items you can upgrade your home or office with. All of these items, we use in our own house, have vetted and tested. They are simple, easy to get set up, and should have longevity for years. The goal is that add enjoyment to the little things in life, taking the sharp edge off quarantine life.
Sleep Number Pillows: Sleep is the top priority. Chances are, your pillow is old. I really enjoy the padded but also inflatable pillows from SleepNumber, and have used for a number of years. They have variations depending on if you are a back or side sleeper.
Himalayan Salt Lamp: We know that LEDs can disrupt the natural sleep process, so get a diffuse light for your bed stand, with an incandescent bulb. I have it on a timer, and it goes on a few hours before bedtime, but then goes off, as a signal I need to hit the sack.
Sonos One Speakers: We have these little speakers hidden around the living area, underneath cabinets on a wall mount, hidden underneath the couch, and tucked into corners for ambient music in our main living areas. All controlled via an app. Easy to get used.
Leatherman Multi-Tool: You’re using your house a lot more and that means basic repairs are increasing. Get a low-cost Leatherman Juice with pliers to have in an easy to access location in the house, great for 90% of all fixes you need around the home. Got a young child? There are child versions too (in which the blade is removable) so they can learn basic home-improvement skills. Easy to get used.
Shower Head: Even if you’re renting, you can change out the showerhead for a more enjoyable experience. Bring some spa life into your shower, some of which are even water economic.
Hot water spigot on counter/sink: If you’re a homeowner, I highly recommend this upgrade. It’s great for tea, pour over coffee, warming babies milk, or accelerating pasta cooking by starting with hot water. It’s not too expensive and saves us a lot of time. For those that are renting, consider a hot water appliance if your landlord won’t agree to the upgrade.
Wusthof Chef’s knife: Having a wicked sharp knife, at an affordable price is critical. This sharpens nicely and passes the “tomato test”, It’s well balanced and was recommended to me by a real sushi chef.
Portion Control Containers: Save time, save money, and build healthy meals into food portion control boxes. I recommend these glass ones as they can easily be microwaved. I have six and it really helped me manage my weight, in fact, I lost 30lbs (13kg) in 8 weeks, and this was a helpful tool.
Pullup Bar: You can use this for leg lifts (abs) or dead hangs (grip and stretches) or even attach at TRX straps to it, in addition to pull-ups. This low-cost fitness tool often goes over the door frame and is a great way to get into shape. For those that can’t complete a pull-up (I couldn’t a few years ago) start with dead hangs, then negatives (lower yourself down slowly) till you can.
AirPods Pro: The noise-canceling is fantastic. They instantly pair with my iPhone, and the sound quality is really premium. Perhaps one of the best phone accessories I’ve ever had in my life. What’s useful is one can go hands-free around the house and backyard.
Home Projector 1080P: A Ten-foot image! Can’t go to the movie theatre? Bring it home. We have this exact model, which we use for backyard movie nights, in-home on-wall projections, and can invite friends/family/neighbors over for a garage-door-projection socially-distanced evening party. You may want to purchase a screen if you don’t have a white wall. We connect via a Apple TV (which enables screen sharing from any Apple device), and Bluetooth speakers.
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