Electric wheelchair.
Pretty much been housebound since 2018. I can walk short distances, but large stores like a grocery store or a Home Depot were out of reach unless they had their own scooters available, which were often broken, or un-charged.
Malls were out entirely. City centers? Not a chance.
The wheelchair opened all that back up to me!
Not specifically mine but definitely that of my wife: a company called Beurer in Germany makes this little tool with a small ceramic plate that you can heat. Press the hot thing against a mosquito bite and not only does the itch go away, the actual inflammation is diminished. For 20 euros one of the best impulse buys I ever did.
We've also put in an order for an electric bicycle which I think will lead to us leaving the car now often.
An e-bike. I used my regular bike for errands but the e-bike just made it so much easier to pedal in high winds or when I was hauling my trailer full of groceries. Plus it increased my range because I knew I could go farther in the same amount of time. I bought a class 1 e-bike so I always have to pedal, like a normal bike. Because I use it more, I think I actually get MORE exercise despite the assist. I really love it.
While I wouldn't recommend this avenue… A trip to the ER and a 2 week quarantine stay at the hospital. I had pancreatitis that was suspected to be caused by a contagious virus? Idk after I was placed in my room I wasn't allowed visitors and I was pretty isolated aside from blood draws every 4 hours. Cliché but it allowed me to reflect on my life and identify faults in myself and devise ways to become a better.
Still working on a lot of things, but comparing myself to me 6 months ago, I feel amazing about my growth that I don't think I could have otherwise achieved without this major life event. :)
Electric bike, 95 Ford Ranger, camping gear, garden cart, gardening supplies and plants, cat tree, ebook reader
A bidet, an ebike, a tongue scraper.
The first means no more clogged toilets, no toilet paper needed, and a fantastically clean ass always.
Also comes with side benefits like being able to eat the hottest foods imaginable, not getting hemorroids or healing those ones you may already have, being able to wipe your ass with two broken wrists (if you mountain bike or are old), not getting forever chemicals on your asshole, and having an ass that your SO won't think is disgusting.
A commuter ebike, because it allows you to travel 1-45 miles stupidly easy, which saves a staggering amount of money on gas (uses pennies of electricity), parking fees, and wear and tear on your car. Side benefits include not being absolutely enraged in traffic, occasionally beating your own drive times in a car, and not having parking anxiety at popular destinations such as beaches, parks, downtown shopping, or ferries. Provides a decent amount of exercise as it basically becomes an exercise bike when the assist is turned off.
It also will allow you to get up hills without getting sweaty.
Tongue scraper- removes plaque from your tongue in cakes. Way better than mouthwash. Leaves your breath much fresher after meals. Works best at night, but also can remove bad morning breath. Get a small metal one. Dramatically changes your breath quality and makes your mouth feel cleaner. Great if you plan on doing some kissing.
Reusable, vacuum sealable ziplock bags. Cuts back on waste & lengthens the shelf life of most foods.
It’s also really nice to be able to buy bulk meats & be able to separate them into vacuum sealed single servings.
And last but not least, it really helps with using the sous vide. I like being able to separate a bulk package of chicken into individual meals with different marinades. Just pull a bag out & defrost it, then it’s 90 seconds a side to gourmet meals midweek.
If people are here to receive recommendations, I'm preaching to the choir. But responding the question directly, a computer of my own. Being able to go online or work on digital stuff whenever I want to has changed my life for the better.
Tech to make day to day chores easier have had the largest impact for us. The automated self cleaning liter box for the cats, the cordless vacuum, the cordless electric mop (such as Tineco), electric lawn mowers (no maintenance), smart outlets and automations via home assistant.
Another big one is the RO water filter at the kitchen sink. No more bottled water. Bonus points if you get one that tells you when fillters need to be changed. So nice.
- A new apartment with all new home appliances. Big quality of life change right there.
- New hybrid bike, with proper bottle and lock holders. Takes me to work very quickly.
- A big set of iFixit tools to fix electronics and toys for my family. (The manta kit, and the pro tech kit.)
- Other proper tools for fixing bikes and such smaller adjustment work.
- A proper power drill.
Rolling laundry cart.
Now my clothes mostly don't end up on the floor.
A bunch of stacking prep bowls for the kitchen. Previously, I had nesting sets of glass and metal bowls, each with three sizes. I still kept the glass set for microwaving, but I gave away the set of three metal bowls. In their place, I got 8 medium bowls and 12 mixing bowls. They are great when prepping ingredients for mise en place style cooking. The mixing bowls are a bit larger, so I also use them for making salads, soaking chickpeas, and so on. It's nice to never need to scramble for bowls, but at the same time they stack perfectly so they don't take up much space. I bought extra because I am assuming the bowls with get damaged over time, but the company will eventually stop making them.
Headphones to sleep with. It's a big stretchy headband with flat speakers sewn in, and it works on Bluetooth (speakers are removable with a little effort to wash the band). I've always needed stories to fall asleep, and now I can't believe how many years I spent propping my phone just-so against my ear to not bother my sleeping partner.
Game changer for sleepless me.
Aer Daypack 2 work backpack. I replaced my older shoulder bag with that and it’s so much easier to carry around my work laptop, etc.
Things I love:
- Protective fleece sleeve that protects the laptop
- Pocket for a tablet and/or pad of paper in front of that
- Plenty of smaller pockets in a separate compartment for pens, mouse, keys, etc.
- Small fleece lined pocket up top to hold sunglasses, wallet, etc.
- Bottle holder on the side that fits a 24oz Thermoflask with rubber bottom.
- Zippers can hide in bottle pocket for security
- Made out of Cordura ballistic fabric (had it on my last bag that still looks brand new after 20 years)
- Shoulder strap holders
- Removable sternum strap.
- Top handle is made out of multi-layered silky seatbelt fabric. It’s the most comfortable handle I’ve used.
- Strap on the back that can be slipped over carry on luggage handles.
- Built to stand up on its own even when loaded
I freaking love the thing. Unfortunately, they no longer sell it as there is a newer model, the Day Pack 3; it adds a few things like an AirTag pocket and side handle but removes the removable sternum strap (according to one reviewer, the picture looks like the buckle can slide up and off the new strap rails), and changes the inner pocket fabric.
Gymnastic rings, straps (includes anchor kit), and I paid people to set it up. Probably the best money I've ever spent.
Samsung S6 lite, the notes app and pen are amazing for work. And its price got slashed aswell. Also buying lots of vegetables during shopping, lets me eat more while staying the dame weight.👍
I adopted a cat. Best and worst purchase all wrapped in one.
Victorinox SAK. The scissors, blade, opener layer and corkscrew (for knots) are bloody helpful. Easiest $30 BIFL lifetime investment you can make.
Also a thermal insulated water bottle. Keeps water cold in summers and hot in winters. Easiest $10-20 you can spend on your health.
These are mechanical things that require no electricity and always work reliably.
Furniture of proportionate scale to my body.
To all you fellow deviations from the average height: look up the ratios of how your body is supposed to relate to chairs, tables, counters, and screens and search for ways to make that happen. These things are not supposed to cause you inevitable pain.
You can’t make everything perfect, especially if sharing spaces with people who don’t match your scale, but do what you can and it will make a huge difference.
Also this is good advice for the regular-sized, the problem is just less pervasive for them.
A Comma 3 driver assist system for my car. I drive a lot for work, and it's an absolute game changer for driving distance as an enhancement to the stock LKAS and ACC systems. Highway miles are dramatically less strain and effort, and it makes me more able to watch the flow of traffic and keep an eye out for hazards. Their tagline is that they're "making driving chill" and it's definitely the case as long as you have a fully compatible vehicle.
I bought a subscription to the Waking Up app.
A 1911 chambered in .22 long.
Açaí Bowl, the only thing that makes me happy
Food
