Most useful item purchased in lockdown

[CoRhona]

...or items?

Mine have been:

1. A large transparent command hook that I put on the side of a chest of drawers to hang my hairdryer on (I tried lots of other sticky hooks before but that was the only one that actually worked)

1. Buying all the same clothes hangers so DD's clothes look tidier

1. A large kitchen sink tidier which has instantly made the kitchen side less messy

I am on a constant mission to improve our living spaces, so AIBU to ask what yours have been?

A second hand cross trainer and a pressure washer!

Icebreaker merino thermals or any other merino thermals I can lay my hands on

Big thumbs up to merino thermals. I'm still wearing my late DH's Icebreaker stuff for dog walking and layering in the Melbourne winter, which is not happening right now. 31 degrees and humid.

Aldi often have merino thermals but the once wonderful pants are now....pants. Thin loft (see-through) and less material so don't gather nicely at the ankle.

Another vote for eufy.

I've also bought a lot of house plants recently. It's giving me joy.

Had air conditioning installed in March last year, made the hot summer bearable (not in UK, but subject to lockdown restrictions).

I've just bought a rubber brush because of you people!
My most useful things have been:
My gorgeous new desk. I now work in the spare room, it's all set up with plants and music system - it has a big drawer and I pu compartments in there with make up, hand cream, eye cream etc to keep me fresh during the day for zoom meetings.
My dab/Bluetooth radio. Beautiful sound and nice to look at (pure make the best ones) and it means we don't keep yelling 'Alexa' when we are having dinner!

@moonmallow

Sink tidy (says it's out of stock but may be available elsewhere): www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B08LGFRY48?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Command hook: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00SH2C98Y?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

I've also replaced a lot of the ageing technology around the house - new TV in the conservatory where I work which has improved my quality of life a bit, replaced knackered PC monitors (I got sick of doing the HDMI cable jiggle to wake them up) and the like.

And apple pencils for the kids' iPads - they've just done worksheets on-screen on their tablets and sent them in rather than having to print everything out. With the amount of Death by Twinkl the school are putting them through - I've probably saved the cost in printer ink.

an indoor swing and monkey bars

An office chair to work from home, sitting on a dining chair was killing my back

An Oodie
Sky TV
Ugg's
Extra game consoles so the dc aren't constantly arguing over the same one
Last summer, new garden furniture
Gin!
I appreciate I sound fortunate but the only reason I have any money is because I list two family members within 9 months of eachother

@Kolo

Do I need a robot vacuum cleaner? 🤔

Yes!

I had a real organising streak, bought archive boxes and sorted the loft, and really useful boxes from Ryman who had an offer 3 for £30 for Christmas decorations, winter clothing (one for each of us) in pink and blue www.ryman.co.uk/really-useful-box-35-litre

Sorted out the drawers in our desks with these www.amazon.co.uk/InnoGear-Organiser-Plastic-Storage-Divider/dp/B08C581FVV/ref=sr_1_7_mod_primary_lightning_deal?dchild=1&smid=A1Q7TA93N2BEFO&sbo=Tc8eqSFhUl4VwMzbE4fw%2Fw%3D%3D&crid=3LW1WSB37JCTG&keywords=drawer+organisers&sprefix=drawer%2Caps%2C187&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1613724420&sr=8-7

Sorted out cables and put them in these www.etsy.com/uk/listing/761312508/plugs-leads-drawstring-travel-bag?ref=shop_home_active_10&frs=1

Bought one of these each for my uni aged children and labeled them for exam certificates, uni, car, bank etc www.paperchase.com/en_gb/kraft-slim-expanding-folder.html

And so much more - will have a think!

@Kolo Truly wonderful!

A big beautifully soft pink blanket made from cotton and recycled plastic. I put it over my legs when I’m working as I seem to have perpetually cold feed despite the underfloor heating and Ugg slippers.

2 swinging lounge recliners during lockdown 1. I am counting the days to warmer weather so I can sit out and read in the sun.

Blue light glasses. I wear them all day and my sleep is much better quality now.

An inflatable hot tub! Has literally saved my sanity. We use it constantly.

And a sleep mask with integrated blue tooth speakers. I can listen to the calm sleep stories and drift off to sleep.

Such a good thread! Those with an Eufy RoboVac, could anyone recommend which model they have or post a link?
I’ve read too many articles about RoboVacs and there are so many models!
My best discovery for the pandemic was recommended on here, the website world of books.com, second hand books at cheap prices. It’s saved me! Sarah Moss is probably my favourite author to have discovered.

Waterproof walking boots. A cordless Shark, hoovering is so much less of a faff. I have swopped over to lots of reusables over lockdown,made bees wax wraps etc that's made me feel good.

Also collected up all our hats and gloves, popped in a bag and hung up with our coats www.etsy.com/uk/listing/779153513/hats-gloves-drawstring-travel-bag?ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1

For me it was a turbo trainer a few days before the first lockdown so I could ride my bike in the garage. I was worried we might have draconian limits on how far we could go for exercise. I ended up with a Zwift subscription (so you can do virtual rides with other people or solo in places like New York and London) which made it more interesting to ride on the spot - and also avoided constantly having to cross roads when out running. This lockdown has been different as we can go out with one other person so I've done much more running and much less zwifting but it's still useful for wet days.

And more expensively, a garden office in early July.

A toasted sandwich press - sandwiches are far more interesting if hot

A second laptop which has made homeschooling soooo much easier - it’s clunky and cheap but much better than the previous sharing arguments

DH would say the Watt bike, I would say my warm weather running clothes which has meant I can get out even when it was snowing

@anatara I am also on an organising streak!!

Lockdown has really given me the chance to look at our house and how we live in it / use it, and see what works for us.

Loving all the suggestions

A loft conversion so DH now has his own bedroom and I don't have to fight the urge to smother him listen to him snore at night.

Thanks @CoRhona!

CoRhona I have been taking one room at a time, and really enjoyed it, it helped that we did a bit of decorating so cleared a room out at a time and didn't just put everything back in. Have a lot to go to the charity shops when open!