Everyone looks forward to the day when they get to move out of their parent's house and be a little more independent. There are tons of perks that come with moving out into your own place, like walking around in your underwear, eating ice cream for dinner, and sleeping in. But, to all the pros there are cons, like having someone to help you zip your dress up, or make you a hearty mom-styled meal. That's why these 35 products can make living on your own a little easier and we’re sure you’ll get yourself more than one of them.
Zipper Friend
The Best Friend zipper helper is something not only for people who have moved out from their parent's house, but definitely very useful for most single girls too. This handy little device clips onto your zip and has a wire just long enough for you to reach at the top of your back to pull the zip up yourself. So you will never need someone else to do it for you.
To make it feel a little more personal, they even made the handle part doll-like, so it feels like you do have a best friend helping right there helping you.
Bracelet Clip
We all know there is nothing worse than having to try to clasp the loop on your bracelet on your own. You can sit for a few long frustrating minutes battling before you give up and rather go without. With this bracelet tool, you will never have this issue again. The clip holds the loop in place with a long stick to manage it properly, then with your other hand you just clip it in.
Gone are the days of trying to wangle a bracelet on long enough to make you late for your date. Who needs people to help when you have things like this.
The Hand
Anyone who has long hair and is not a hairdresser knows that trying to give yourself a decent blowout cannot be done without a few arm twists and frustrating grunts. But, with this hands-free blow dryer holder, that can all be solved. The device mounts to the wall where you can place your hairdryer in and blow away. It works with any hairdryer making it universal, which is quite handy.
We do not think that this device will take hairdressers out of business but it will surely make a big difference to those people with long hair who live alone.
Jar Saver
This EZ Off jar opener is perfect for those tightly locked jars, especially when you do not have a strong muscular man around… or your dad. The opener goes neatly under a cabinet or drawer where you can discreetly open a jar without it looking like you are wrestling the lid off. It has metal teeth around it that clasp the jar hard enough for you to turn it open.
It is really handy for people who have weak or sore wrists or just have one hand occupied with greasy cooking and only the other one available to open it.
Carbon Monoxide Alarm
A carbon monoxide alarm could be really useful, especially if you have things in your house that burn fuels. Anything from a fireplace, wood stove, water heater, dryer, or stove can produce CO. And because CO has no smell or color that you could see, it is one of the many silent killers we have in the world. The alarm will go off, alerting you to get out of the house as soon as possible.
You would think that because of the seriousness of CO that when places are built, they would automatically come with one of these alarms in them. Be proactive and protect yourself.
Good Ol' Extinguisher
Nothing may ever extinguish the love you have for your parents, not even moving out of their house. However, you need to have an extinguisher in your house, just in case. House fires are usually not that common but you never know what might decide that it is time to light its inner fire. Having an extinguisher will not only be an extra safety measure for you but possibly also for someone living near you.
When you get a fire extinguisher, make sure to get it checked yearly because they last forever if you don’t need to use them. But they are good to have just in case.
Meal Kit
Make-it-at-home meal kits are becoming quite popular, not only for parents who don’t have time to stand for hours cooking but also for people living alone who want to spice things up in their cooking. If you don’t have mom around to make all the dinner decisions, order meal kits. They usually have options for how many people as well, so no more wastage when you just order a box set for one.
Sometimes the meal kits can be quite fancy, so you can impress your guests when you invite them over for dinner parties. It is not cheating, it is just a helping hand.
Black Box
If your fire extinguisher does not do the trick and you are left with a fire blazing in your house, then this fireproof filing box would also be a good buy for your independent self. This fireproof box is a safe way for you to store all those important documents, like your ID, your birth certificate, passport, secret diary, money, banking documents, and anything else that may be of importance to you.
When you move out, the benefit of your mom storing your documents safely goes away with the move. Just another thing to make adulting so much more serious than you thought.
Dryer Balls
When the time comes when you miss your mom doing your laundry for you and fluffing up your warm freshly dried clothes and blankets, these dryer balls should make you feel a little less homesick. They make sure that your clothes dry quicker, and keep them smelling fresh and feeling fluffy. They almost work like natural fabric softeners without adding the softener liquid to your machine and they are eco-friendly.
With these handy balls, we are sure your parents will be impressed. But, that shouldn’t stop you from stopping by your parents and letting them do your washing once in a while.
Handyman Ladder
One thing you will surely miss when you move out from your parent's house is your dad doing all the handyman work, reaching to the top of the cupboard for the good snacks, and lending a tall helping hand to clean out your light fixture. Luckily, some clever people invented the step ladder to give shorter people a boost. And you will not be sorry if you buy yourself one.
You will be amazed at how often you will make use of a step ladder, and usually, it is not for the things you thought you would need it for.
Lighter
You can never have enough lighters lying around, but even when you have them all, you will still always be looking for one. Lighters are really useful for so many things, not just lighting candles. Got a friend over who smokes, light it. Having a barbeque, flick the fire on to light it. Need to calm yourself down? Burn some incense. The options are endless and a lighter will always be handy.
Just do not be that person who steals everyone's lighters and collects them in a drawer somewhere. Because when living on your own, you can’t say that they are your parents’ lighters.
Booster
Having a portable car battery charger or booster is a product that they should give all girls right after they get their driving licenses. Not to say that it is only girls who need a jump start, but most of the time it is. Having one of these with you will help you to avoid having to beg, steal and borrow jumper cables from strangers to get your car running again.
If you have moved far away from your parents it would be a little harder for dad to come to the rescue. Although we are sure he’d love to help anyway.
Power Strip
A multiple-outlet power strip is something that will become your best friend in your house. You will find yourself adding a few of them in different areas around your home because they are just that handy. When you need to have a few things powered, like your TV, lamp, sound system, and PlayStation, you can let them all link up to one power source without having plugs connected like building blocks.
With that being said, another useful device to have is a surge protector. Especially connected to plugs that have a TV, computer, or any other expensive electronic devices you have connected.
Multi-Functional Oven
Some houses do not come equipped with a stove and an oven, that is why investing in a convection oven can be really useful. Convection ovens are usually multi-functional, which means you can make a few different styles of food, just to spice things up. Convection overs can bake foods, toast them, broil them, and provide you with a mean roasted dish too. So you can tosh out the toaster too.
What makes them even handier, is that they are perfect for meals for one, or maybe four if you push it. They are best used for just the right amount of food needed.
First Aid Kit
One thing moms always have handy in their box of Mary Poppins tricks is first aid supplies. That's why when you move out, make sure you get your own one. Most of the time you can buy an already kitted box with all the things you’ll need for small emergencies, but if you want to build up your own one, it may be best to ask mom what she keeps in hers.
You will need a whole lot more than just bandaids and gauzes. Don’t forget the things like gloves, burn aid, breathing bag, and anything else for things worse than a papercut.
All-Purpose Cleaner
Mom says, there is no use crying over spilled milk. But when the milk is spilled, someone has got to clean it up, and let’s be honest, you’re going to be spilling a whole lot more than just milk when you’re out of the house. That’s why all-purpose cleaner should be a product you buy in bulk so that no matter what mess is made, you have one thing available to clean it up with.
All-purpose cleaners can be used in the kitchen, bathroom, floors, bedroom, and anything else really. And that means you’re saving money too by only needing one product to do it all.
Infrared Thermometers
By now everyone should own at least one, if not more, infrared forehead thermometers to check their temperatures. With the rise in sales of these devices during Covid, we would be surprised if you didn’t have one. But, if you were using your parents, might be best to buy your own for those last-minute fevers that hit, and we don’t mean the ones you get after drinking too much wine.
So, if you do find yourself sitting with a high temp, at least you can send your mom a picture of the dial and she’ll rush by to help you mend.
Towels
Decent hand towels aren’t just something grannies have because they know what's up, they are actually very useful and surprisingly for you too. A good quality hand towel will make the world of difference. They provide you with a soft finish after a long night of washing dishes and dry dishes a lot better than the cheaper ones. Plus, they look really stylish when you hand them over your kitchen handles.
If you’re a male and you get good hand towels, don’t use them to clean the spilled juice off the floor. Your mom might not be there, but you know she wouldn’t approve.
Flashlight
We would be surprised if you do not have one of these in your house, but if you do not, get some as soon as possible. You will need a few flashlights; one next to your bed, near the front and back door, in the kitchen, and anywhere else you spend a lot of time. And do not forget to have the right size spare batteries for them stored away safely too.
And who knows, maybe you won’t need them for a power outage, but then at least you have them on hand for a spooky Halloween night with some ghost stories.
Key Finder
Losing your phone, your wallet, and keys don’t stop happening after you move out from your parent's place and this time, you also don’t have other people around to help you look. A Bluetooth-enabled tracking device is a way to go if you are just too forgetful for your own good. You attach the device to your items and it links to an app on your phone to make it ring.
But if it’s your phone you have lost, you can click on the device to make your phone ring. A pretty cool product to have to avoid running late because you can’t find your keys again.
Shelf Liners
We have probably all seen our grandparent's kitchen cabinets filled with what looks like leftover wallpaper from the 60s. But, there is a method to their madness. By placing non-adhesive shelf liners in your drawers or cabinets, you will prevent your glasses, bowels, plates, and anything else breakable from moving around more than they should. This way you will prevent your glassware from breaking unnecessarily and having to replace them.
Just an extra tip though, try to go for a liner that is white, clear, or a neutral color, so your modern kitchen doesn’t come out looking like your grandparents.
Decent Flatware Set
In the movie, when bachelors live alone for the first time, their drawers are filled with 2 forks, 1 knife, 3 spoons, and 2 and a half teaspoons, because they used one to try open a jar. But don’t be like them, be proactive and make sure you get yourself a decent stainless steel flatware set, with enough pieces to give all your friends a set when they come over.
Imagine how fancy you will look when you host a dinner party and you have the table laid out with all the necessary cutlery to enjoy the meal in full.
Water Purifier
There is no better water than the purified kind and that is why you need to have a purifying water pitcher kept in your refrigerator ready to quench your thirst. You never know when you’ll be in a bind where the tap water comes murky and you too afraid to even touch it. Water purifiers clean out all the bad stuff that may be floating in your water and make it safe to drink again.
Also, if you have something that is easy enough to fill up and store, it would most likely make sure that you get your 8 cups of water throughout your day.
Cleaning Set
An absolute must in your house is a broom and a dustpan, and if you want to get technically fancy, you can even find yourself one that is angled. The normal ones usually do the job, just the angled ones help you scoop dirt out from those hard-to-reach places, like the corners of the kitchen floor. We promise you that you will use a broom and dustpan almost every day of your life.
Not only are they a great help for cleaning, but also provide you with a quick clean-up when you break a glass or throw a packet of crisps off the arm of the sofa.
Learn Lifehacks
You will find that when you move out from your parents you will be looking for life hacks that will help you live better and save more money. Well, here is a good hack for you. A shrink-adhesive window installation sheet is a product that helps keep the heat in during the colder seasons. It is easy to put up yourself and will stop those icy drafts from coming in.
You will spend a lot less money on your electricity bill when you are using your heater less because these amazing inventions keep your house warmer inside. Lifehack ad saving hack in one.
Tool Kit
We mentioned before that you will notice when dad isn’t around to fix the little things, but if you have moved out of the house, you have to start acting like a big kid. A tool kit is just the thing that should do the trick for that. Having a basic tool kit at bay will mean that you have the chance to learn how to fix your own broken things.
It doesn't mean you have to redo the whole house, but you will be able to screw things back, cut wires, and hammer nails in to hang your pictures on.
Level Tool
Just as we mentioned how the tool kit can help with hanging your own pictures, you will need something to do along with that to make sure they hang straight. Add a level to your toolbox so you can make sure that all your hanging things are perfectly straight. You wouldn’t want to have a skew shelf or tilted family photo on the wall and levels are the right things to have to prevent that.
They are also handy to check what parts of the house which were built are not actually straight. A fun thing to do when you’re bored at home one night.
Always Pan
We would guess that anyone moving into their own place won’t be moving into a big one. You will have limited space to store things and that’s why multifunctioning all-in-one products will become your favorites to buy. This Always Pan can be used as a steamer, fry pan, nonstick pan, spoon rest, saucepan, saucier, skillet, and even comes with a spatula along the pans arm. What more would a person need?
You may run into a problem when you need to fry something and boil something at the same time, so might be best to get yourself two of these, just in case.
Instant Pot
Instant Pots are not something we’re unfamiliar with, but as a person who will be moving out, we highly recommend you get one. Instant pots have so many functions which are great for different kinds of meals, but our all-time favorite function is the slow cooker one. You can add your ingredient in the morning, set it to cook over a few hours, and by the time you come home from work, dinner is ready.
It is almost the same as coming to a homecooked meal from your partner, except you made it and there was no one at the door to kiss you hello.
Reusable Bags
We all want to be those people who reuse and recycle, but sometimes it can get difficult to remember, especially when it comes to going to the grocery store. If you want to avoid having a box filled with plastic bags from the grocery stores, buy yourself some reusable shopping bags. They are easier to store and can be used for more than just groceries, such as a durable beach bag.
Because they are reusable, they usually come in cool and colorful designs so you can choose the right one to match your outfit, if you would really like to do that.
Plunger and Brush Set
As kids, we can probably all admit we used a plunger to stick on a wall or someone's back. Until one day we learned what they were actually used for and were totally grossed out by our actions. But as an adult, plungers and toilet brushes are way more useful. You would not want to be stuck in a sticky situation where your drain blocks right before your friend is supposed to come over.
You will see, once you won your own toilet brush too, you will always want to be cleaning that toilet until it sparkles. There is just something magical about a clean toilet.
Wall Hooks
Having hooks on hand in your new place may just make organizing things a little easier. Utility jooks are most handy because you do not need to hammer them in. You can use them for all sorts of different things, like hanging up decorations or kitchen utensils and even pictures. They cost a lot less than a hammer and nails and help you avoid putting unnecessary holes in the walls.
Some people even use them to hold bins or near the front door for coats, hats, scarves, and keys. If something needs to be hung, a utility hook can probably hang it.
Safety Alarm
This handy device is most important for women who are alone but can be useful to men too. A personal safety alarm that you can set off to alert people you are in danger. The alarm is so loud and high-pitched that it can even scare off some vicious dogs. It even has a strobe light that goes off, so if you are in the dark, people can find you easily come and help.
The sound is quite alarming and if it goes off by accident, it may even make you want to run away. This is a highly recommended product because safety always comes first.
Mug Organizers
We know by now that small home hacks are something people are interested in, and that's why these mug organizers will help a ton for those little to-none storages spaces. These organizers let you stack mugs on top of each other, so you use up half the space you would of if you did not have them. Because they are adjustable, you can stack different sizes on each other as well.
If you have enough space to squeeze all your mugs, you won’t have to throw some out like you thought you had to. You can hang onto that mug you’ve had since you were 5-years-old.
Keurig Coffee Machine
If you can have quick dinners for one, why can’t you have the same with your morning coffee too? The Keurig coffee machine allows you to brew one single cup of coffee, so no need to wait half an hour for a pot to brew just for half of it to go to waste because it’s just for you. The machine comes in different colors, so you can match your color scheme.
You also get different coffee pods to go with it too, so you can mix up your coffee types each day. Not only is it handy, but it's very fancy too.