To ask for your “game changers”

[AndTheReasonIsYou]

Things you’ve bought that have essentially changed your life for the better.

For me, it’s a swim dress. Basically a swimming costume with a little skirt that just covers the bikini line. Flattering, hides my stomach and most importantly it doesn’t matter if my bikini line is needing a little attention. It has completely taken the stress out of taking the kids swimming and now we go all the time

Other game changers for me include the perfect prep (🥰), L’Oréal eight-second wonder water, and Pinch of Nom.

I’ve just bought my first mooncup and have a feeling I might be kicking myself for using pads and tampons for about 20 years!!

Tangle teezer brush for the kids hair.

Buying machine washable office wear in identical copies but different patterns/colours.

Decent thermos

A shallow cast iron casserole dish I got from John Lewis. It was £60 but I’ve passed on all my large frying pans that could go in the oven, my wok, as well as a handful of other dishes as that one dish does it all.

Porridge pots and soup pots. Honestly live the routine of having a porridge pot and fruit for breakfast then a soup pot and a piece for lunch. Makes meal planning 100x easier.

Shellac manicure & pedicure - my nails have looked immaculate, every day, for over 5 years. Love that you never have to worry about chipping or smudging.

Bromelain tablets - totally cured my menopause water retention and bloating.

Erborian BB Cream - my Holy Grail tinted moisturizer.

First comment was a Robot vacuum and I have to agree!

My Phillips Lumea IPL machine. I love not feeling like a prickly cactus 3 hours after shaving my legs, and I zap loads of places with it! My hands, my face, bikini line, underarms legs and feet. When I think of the time I spent waxing or shaving I wish I'd done it years ago! Total game changer honest. Not cheap, but so so worth it.

The sear and stir slow cooker is great no more having to do things on the hob in a separate pan.

A smart plug that works with our Alexa. Every Christmas I get proper smug face about being able to just say "Alexa turn off plug" and have her do that, rather than the total ball ache of having to try to get to the plug behind the Christmas tree without it either dropping needles or baubles! Just plug all the lights onto an extension lead, and have that plugged in the smart plug. Life changing. Well. December changing anyway.

The biggest thing for me though was my anti depressant meds. That was the biggest game changer of all. Forgotten what a quiet mind felt like. Not sure I ever had one but I love it.

@Mankini

FatCatThinCat which robot lawnmower do you have? Sounds ideal - I hate mowing.

Husqvarna as we're in Sweden so it's easy to find a service point. The last one was an unbranded cheap one and it was utterly useless. Kept sodding off back to its charging station to recharge. It was like having a lazy teen cutting your grass, who downs tools the minute your back is turned.

[quote BornToBeWilde]@SharpLily
What do you mean "double duvet-ing"[/quote]
Quite simply using two, one on top of the other. Both big, light and fluffy and obviously not suitable in the summer (we live in a hot country), but my husband and I really, really look forward to the return of cool enough nights to be able to put on the second duvet. It seems to have a similar relaxing effect to a weighted blanket and we both notice the difference it makes to our sleep. Of course it won't work if your bedroom is warm but I like fresh air in the bedroom so the windows are open all year round.

Braun facial epilator for my hairy top lip. I used to have it threaded or waxed but it was such a faff to get anywhere. Now I do my own and it lasts hairless for ages!

But the very best things are... Charles Viancin silicone lids (cheap imitations don't work.
Chucked out all my sauccepan and frying pan lids... they take up SO much room and 6 of these on top of one another take up less than half an inch!

Also good for putting on bowls or containers for the fridge. They just suction automatically.
I've got every size

Philips IPL machine
GHD hairdryer
Induction hub
Shellac machine
Smart bulbs
Nolli phone case and card holder
Period underwear

This thread is so wholesome.

It’s menstrual cups for me. I still use tampons if I’ll be in the office/out and about for day 1 of my cycle, but after that I’ll put in the cup and forget all about my period for the day. It’s miraculous. IUDs also similarly fantastic at the right stage in life.

Aeropress and a Brompton bike

@Roussette how much does the facial epilator hurt? My skin has gone doscolourered where I wax my Tash so now I always have a tash even when the hairs are gone

@3ormorecharactersss

I can't pretend it doesn't make me ouch and my eyes water a bit (just being honest here!) but I can do it in minutes. I take a deep breath and go for it. And it's a lovely feeling when it's all off and I'm hairless!

Waxing takes of the downy hair but not the thick hairs, it leaves too many.
It's 2 AA batteries in mine but I've only changed them once and I've had it some years.

Robot vacuum
8 second wonder water
Air fryer

Great thread!

Handheld steamer - take it with me when I go anywhere overnight

Mirena coil

Period pants

Gousto - made me enjoy cooking again after a lockdown of painful constant meal planning

Trello list making app - finally found something that works for both work and home endless to do lists

Spanx leggings

Very tempted by a robot hoover now!

Instant pot
Fit bit
American fridge freezer with ice and water dispenser
Meal prep delivery service
Team RH membership

Sony wh-1000xm4 headphones - absolute best noise cancelling headphones I've owned (and I've tried them all!) - I'm noise sensitive and wear them almost all the time.

Mini trampoline, which helped me to enjoy exercise and get into shape after almost 40 years of no exercise at all.

And Bravissimo's Zara sleepwear - so supportive and comfortable if you have a somewhat larger chest.

Great ideas.

Mine are The Batch Lady, TOMM and YNAB.

Will be stealing the travel kettle idea!!

I agree with all the robot vac comments.

Contact lenses - no idea how I coped so long without them now really.

The attachments that you can buy to use with a Food Saver to suck out all excess air from regular or wide mouth Mason jars. I’ve had stored extra biscuits, pretzels etc and they keep fresh forever - I once opened a jar of biscuits that I had sealed two years prior that was as fresh as the day I bought them!

@Meruem

A really good coffee machine. I almost never buy coffees out now. A jacuzzi mat for the bath. I suffer with a lot of aches and pains, restless legs etc, and it’s been so good for me.

Jacuzzi mat..??

I need this in my life.

Having an Apple home pod in the kitchen. We have a shared shopping list on our iPhones and can just shout into the air for Siri to add things to the shopping list. Also have the Home app and special light switches so we can turns lights off and on via phone, with certain ones coming on at sunset abs turning themselves off at a set time. Sometimes when on holiday I’ll randomly turn the bedroom light on via my phone for a bit to make our house look like someone is home!

Motorbike
Stressed out?
Pissed off?

Take the bike out

Sorted

@NewPapaGuinea

Aeropress and a Brompton bike

I think you're my sister, and honestly I don't need either of these things in my life!