18 Places You Should Probably Clean And Definitely Haven't
Shopping
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Your mattress. That's all I'm going to say.
1. PLACE: Range hood filters. If they're coated in grime, they're not able to properly do their job.
THE PRODUCT: A multi-purpose OxiClean powder for getting grease off of range hood filters. It's even got the bandwidth to revitalize brickwork, help you bid adieu to makeup and oil stains on your favorite dress, or lift red wine stains from your living room accent chair.
amazon.com
Promising review:"I use very hot water, add this stuff, and put the range hood filter in it. After about 30 minutes, there's already a lot of grease and dirt floating in the water by itself. If you shake it vigorously, even more grease comes off! The effect is really noticeable! I'm so excited; I can finally have a clean kitchen! And this isn't just for cleaning the kitchen; it can also wash clothes. It feels like it can do everything!!" — Nameless
Get it from Amazon for $14.23.
THE PRODUCT: A long-handle wall cleaner with four extension poles so you can deep clean hard-to-reach areas and eradicate scuff marks and kid's sticky fingerprints. This kit comes with a ceiling cleaner, baseboard duster, dry duster, and wet cleaning mop.
Promising review:"Do you envy your friends and the fact that their walls are always spotless? Do your kids use the walls as their personal napkins or jungle gym? Are you tired of spending hours a day cleaning? Fret no more - this really does the trick! Seriously though, I was tired of seeing spots and stains on our walls. I even changed our builder-grade flat paint to a nice eggshell grayish that everyone seems to love. But we still had issues with scuffs and marks. This 'wall mop' has been a life and time saver!!" — Savannah Wilson
THE PRODUCT: A lint roller that's a grossly satisfying gadget capable of picking up every speck of gunk plastered onto your furniture. This is excellent for collecting dog hair from both human furniture or pet beds *and* revitalizing cat trees to look as good as new.
amazon.com
Promising review: " I'm a fur-mom of five cats and two dogs, so I know all about animal hair on everything. And I was very skeptical about this purchase, but I figured why not? Nothing else is working very well. Holy moly. I have a well-loved old cat tree that I've tried vacuuming and lint rollers, and had finally resolved myself to it being cat hair carpet. This sucker grabs hair so good that my cat trees almost look newish!" — spztckttn
Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in two styles).
4. THE PLACE: That trusty memory foam mattress you splurged on three years ago. The one your body rests on for a minimum of seven hours a night.
THE PRODUCT: A mattress vacuum equipped with a UV light to obliterate scary bacteria *and* a suction cup design that traps dust and mites. And if you think this is wildly unnecessary and ridiculous, I dare you to take a long hard look at your bare mattress. Go ahead. Tell me you don't want to sneeze just looking at it.
amazon.com
Promising review: "So I brought this originally for my son who gets really bad allergies to dust. At first we didn't know what was causing this until someone told me to check our beds and furniture. Even though we change our bed sheets regularly, there will be dust left over. So I decided to give this a try and they were right! I couldn't believe how many mites and how much dust there was. I took my time cleaning everyone's bed and our sofa which was easy to use and light. My son haven't had a reaction in a while for means this product works for my family!" — Lisa
Get it from Amazon for $109.99.
THE PRODUCT: A cleaning brush kit to draw out the dust hidden in plain sight... right under your nose. Literally. A few passes with these compact, handheld brushes and woosh! Perhaps now you won't be inhaling allergy mites with every breath you take.
amazon.com
This five-piece kit comes with a track cleaning brush, a tile lines brush, a window blind duster, a 2-in-1 windowsill sweeper, and a hand-held groove gap brush.
Promising review:"We just moved and the previous owners of our new house left us a wonderful amount of dust and dirt to clean. I was originally looking for just a vent cleaner and stumbled upon these multi kits. The price point is amazing and it really does seem like a do it all kit." — Ty Loli
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
6. THE PLACE: Glass light fixtures that are supposed to brighten up your home. Supposed to.
THE PRODUCT: A pack of microfiber cloths for a lint- and streak-free finish on glassware, windows, and yes, that includes light fixtures that have been permanently covered in a layer of dulling grime. The best part is you don't even need a cleaning solution! A bit of water combined with one of these cloths is all you'll need.
amazon.com
Promising review: "If you have any glass light fixtures in your home you absolutely need this product. I don't think the fixture was this clear even when I bought it, and the best part is it's just using water and the two rags." — Lisa Collins
THE PRODUCT: A vacuum hose attachment in which multiple reviewers (multiple!) swear they pulled out whole socks from their lint traps. Clogged vents = longer drying times = higher utility bills = less money in your bank account to put toward, say, more Seamless takeout.
amazon.com, amazon.com
Promising review:"This thing is seriously amazing. I figured out how to use it very quickly and it worked like a charm. I had a sock stuck wayy down in my vent and would've had no idea! I still can't believe how much lent and dust came out of my dryer. My husband is already talking about other uses for this unique tool, like getting into tight spaces in our cars." — J. Johnson
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in three colors).
8. THE PLACE: The appliance responsible for deep cleaning the cutlery you put in your mouth every day — the dishwasher.
THE PRODUCT: Affresh cleaning tablets because HOW can you get clean, glistening dishes if the dishwasher itself is *gag* covered in grime? Answer: You can't. These babies are here to help. Simply pop one in, put on the rinse cycle, and continue watching your show. Easy peasy.
amazon.com
Promising review:"I had tried lots of white vinegar for two cycles in my 20-year-old dishwasher for the cloudy and powdery dinginess it had started doing and it only helped about 30%. We have very hard water. This zapped the buildup and glass is clear again and colored plastics no longer have the powdery-like coating. So glad I took a chance on this!" — J. Holden
Get a pack of six from Amazon for $8.99.
THE PRODUCT: A jar of TICARVE Dust Cleaning Gel for trapping said goo hunk, dust mites, and dirt with relish. And in moments. I don't know who needs to hear this but...that Dorito trapped between the J and K key? You might want to get rid of it.
Amazon
Promising review:"When I first saw this product I thought 'No way is that really going to work' but for the price, it was worth a try. I got it within two days of purchasing it — and it truly works. I immediately used it on my laptop keyboard and my PC keyboard. It really did pull all of the dust and whatnot out from in between the keys. It feels damp to your skin and doesn't really leave a residue, the smell is not harsh and is really barely there (not like an antiseptic or harsh chemical at all). I really like it." — BRickard
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
THE PRODUCT: Cleaning cups that'll deep clean said coffee machine (#poetry) within minutes. Simply pop this biodegradable cleaner in as you would a cup of caffeine and proceed to marvel at the gunk that's made its way into your daily cup of joe.
amazon.com
Promising review: "We've had our Keurig for a few years, and with the exception of using only filtered water and dispensing hot water every so often, we've never cleaned the needle or K-Cup area. I used three cleaning cups back to back and WOW our machine was dirty! I'm so happy I purchased these! I'll be keeping up on cleaning these more often." — Heather Garcia
Get a six-pack from Amazon for $9.95.
11. THE PLACE: Garbage. Disposal. Ohmygod.
THE PRODUCT: A Glisten foaming cleaner to neutralize the funky odors coming from said garbage disposal (*yuck*). This lemon-scented stuff requires absolutely no effort and two simple steps: turn on hot water, add the cleanser.
amazon.com
Promising review:"I went on a trip and when I came back, there was this foul odor coming from my garbage disposal (even though we didn't leave any dishes on the sink) and I tried every home remedy I could think of to get rid of the smell but nothing did. So I turned to the internet and immediately these seemed like the best choice for an okay price. I followed the instructions carefully, and within a minute I saw the foam rise up and then go back down — awful smell FINALLY GONE!" — A.L.
Get it from Amazon for $3.98.
THE PRODUCT: A garbage disposal brush so you can deep clean and no longer live with the grossness that is plate dirt and smelly leftovers. So long forever, nasty odors building up in my kitchen sink.
amazon.com
Promising review: "I have tried many concoctions to freshen and keep my garbage disposal clean when I decided that a true deep cleaning is the way to go. This brush is the perfect size to get into places in the disposal that your hand just can't go. While pulling it out from disposal it gets the under part of the rubber seal, making the disposal seem sparkling fresh and new. It's a true must-have." — spearmintstars
Get it from Amazon for $10.06.
THE PRODUCT: An adjustable duster brush because the amount of dust that can accumulate in narrow vents is *cough* genuinely disgusting. And don't worry, cleaning said crevices requires but a few minutes of your time and just a flick or two of the wrist.
Tap to play GIF
Tap to play GIF
amazon.com
This handy dandy tool comes with five microfiber cloths, meaning you'll be able to clean your whole darn house in one sweep.
Promising review:"This product is AMAZING! You can clean both sides of two blinds at once and grip them firmly to get ALL of the dust off. Plus, it comes with five covers, so that no matter how dirty your blinds are, you'll be able to finish dusting your whole house! I also love that you can wash the covers and don't have to waste money on refills." — Sarah
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
14. THE PLACE: The grout in your bathroom, which was white once upon a time.
THE PRODUCT: A stain cleaner that clings to silicone sealants (so the thin area around your showerhead, in between your tiles, etc.) and effectively banishes mold and mildew to the pits of heck forever, which is where they rightfully belong. Someone contact Dante and let him know we've got another Inferno contender.
amazon.com
Promising review:"You guys. I'm embarrassed to even show you this. The grout around our tub was DISGUSTING. It was never caulked right and it got gross very quickly. I would scrub. The cleaning lady would scrub. It would get worse. Well, I came across this in a BuzzFeed list, and this stuff made me curious. I don't know why it doesn't have 10,000 good reviews. Seriously. All I did was squeeze it on and walk away. I let it sit overnight. Check this out. Buy it. Like today." — KarynB
Get it from Amazon for $14.99.
THE PRODUCT: Bottle-cleaning tablets that quickly remove all that funky, gross, probably-starting-to-smell build-up in hard-to-reach areas. These are biodegradable, chlorine-free, and require absolutely no effort or scrubbing. The results are so. damn. satisfying. to look at.
amazon.com, amazon.com
Promising review:"I seriously can't believe how well these little tablets work. I had the most disgusting Hydro Flask coffee mug — I tried everything. A bottle brush, different kinds of soap, vinegar, EVERYTHING, and there was still a seemingly impenetrable layer of black sludge inside. I let a tablet sit in each of my mugs for an hour or two, and the black sludge rinsed out COMPLETELY, without even scrubbing. They look brand new. What a magical product. No weird smell or taste afterward, either. I liked it so much I used it on another Hydro Flask I use primarily to hold my Bloody Mary mix in the fridge. I couldn't put anything else in it because it would always taste like spicy tomato juice. Bottle Bright to the rescue! No residual smell or taste anymore. AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING." — Amazon Customer
16. THE PLACE: Screens! Cellphones, laptops, tablets.
THE PRODUCT: A liquid-free, reusable rolling screen cleaner so you can see what your phone, laptop, and tablet looked like pre- permanent fingertips. A few quick swipes = no more smudges staring back at you whilst you respond to emails.
amazon.com
Promising review:"This little device removes the oil from your screen. Often, when you are 'cleaning' your screen by wiping it with a cloth, you are simply pushing around the oil into a thin enough layer to see through without noticing it as much. This device actually lifts the oil and removes it. My screen feels like new, which is great because I am picky about my devices. Also, this is much better than cleaning the screen with some kind of wipe since repeated cleaning with most wipes will damage the screen over time. Unbeknownst to me, my wife was cleaning her screen daily and now her screen collects oils far too quickly because she wore off the protective layer. With this product, you don't need to worry about that. Clean it as often as you want/need and you can continue to enjoy that pristine screen without fear of wearing the oleophobic layer off prematurely. I would highly recommend this to others." — Alex
Get it from Amazon for $24.95.
THE PRODUCT: An Oh Yuk cleaner with results so fantastic, they'll both satisfy and concern you: This lures out all the hidden grime lurking in your tub, aka the kind that was absolutely present when you took that last "relaxing" bath.
amazon.com
Run your bath, add this jet cleaner, have allllllll the grime come out of said jets, and then wipe down your tub. BOOM! You're done.
Promising review:"OK, so I love to clean and I run bleach through the jets prob twice a month on top of my daily weekly cleaning. And I was skeptical how this product could get it any cleaner than I thought it was. Well, I am here to tell you this pic is after the second cleaning with this cleaner!!!! I am a believer and would highly recommend this product to anyone with a jetted tub!!" — Momof2greatboys
Get it from Amazon for $18.73.
THE PRODUCT: A food-grade mineral oil because your trusty cutting board could truly use a little (or a lot of) TLC. This odorless formula helps restore and protect wood and bamboo surfaces, plus gives them a good deep clean. Go forth and use this on butcher blocks, countertops, knives, and more!
amazon.com
Promising review:"My husband is a professional sous chef and he was absolutely AMAZED with the end result. As many may be able to imagine, our cutting boards are used heavily and frequently. One treatment and the wood grain popped and, aside from visible blade strikes from years of use, our cutting block roared back to a deep and rich-looking wood." — Vanessa Graziano
Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in four sizes).
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Buzz Feed
2 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
What It Means To Protect Black Communities At Work
With great power — in any workplace, institution, or community — comes great responsibility. Many of us think of our professional responsibility in concrete and easy-to-track terms, such as goals or outcomes. But just as important, and frequently overlooked, is the responsibility to protect and defend people, especially those who have been historically marginalized and are still fighting against existential discrimination, when our institutions cause harm. Being a minority in a large company sometimes feels like being on an island. No matter the workplace, you'll find that challenges are often similar: navigating predominantly white or privileged surroundings, seeing your own identity misrepresented or neglected, and being expected to be well-versed in white culture while others aren't always expected to know anything about your culture. Media and tech companies, like BuzzFeed, carry an especially hefty burden. They influence culture, amplify voices, and help shape trends. When that influence is misused, the harm can reverberate loudly. This mistake deeply hurt members of the Black community, both internally and in our audience. But instead of ignoring the issue or sweeping it under the rug, we want to use it as a case study of what any workplace or community must face when it falls short and show what it looks like to try, sincerely, to do better. When something like this happens, take time to listen to your audience and employees about how it impacted them. At BuzzFeed, we have employee resource groups, or ERGs for short. They're groups made as a safe space anyone can join, and the main purpose is to uplift and create community within the workplace for different underrepresented groups. We (the authors of this article, Karlton and Myke) are the leads for BIO: Black Identities and Opportunities. As leads, we have several different responsibilities, such as putting together events, fostering community, and addressing the small and large issues we feel impact our community. In this leadership role, we spoke privately, publicly, and candidly with the Black employees at BuzzFeed after the Love Island post went viral. Here are some of their words: Take responsibility and make genuine apologies. It's hard to get a corporate apology right —apologies are best when they come from a human person who can show empathy. But when a mistake happens at a structural or group level, it's impossible to put a single face to that sentiment. BuzzFeed hasn't always gotten it right, especially when we leaned too heavily on corporate speak that didn't align with the voice of our brands. The key is to know that the audience and employees can feel the hollowness of a corporate apology when it's not done well. On the flip side, we must also learn to accept genuine apologies. It's okay if you're not in a place to hear the apology at the moment, nobody is telling you to shut off your emotions like a robot. Feel your anger. Embrace your disappointment or disgust. But when you're ready, be willing to accept a honest apology and step into the healing process with the energy of forgiveness. However, this is completely dependent on whether or not the apology was in fact genuine. Double down on internal checks and balances. At BuzzFeed, we already have several checks and balances in place. For example, we have Culture Lead Editors, who work as a guiding light for the communities they represent. They encourage, write, and edit a wide range of culturally diverse posts. We have customized tools built into our content management system, or CMS, that flag questionable, insensitive, or confusing language. We have both copy and package editors: teams who work to make sure the titles, pictures, and text within posts fit our standards and values. These are teams that would be helpful (and in our opinion, necessary) at all mass media companies. It is important for us to double down on these checks and balances throughout our entire corporation. For those who work outside of the media, it's important to strengthen or create checks and balances that work to protect historically marginalized communities. Call out microaggressions and racism as they happen. This is a hard one. When you feel like your job may be on the line, or you may face some type of repercussion for speaking up, the stakes are infinitely higher. So proceed with caution, but do your best to call out microaggressions and racism in real time. Oftentimes, we may wait to address an issue, but by then, it's already hindsight, and you may feel pressured to stay silent because your concern no longer feels relevant to those in power. When you see something, say something (if you can. your own safety always comes first). In many cases, the person who committed the act may not even know what they did. Which is why staying silent is even scarier, because it creates an environment for the mistake to happen again and again. Never back down. Malcolm X said it best: "We want freedom by any means necessary. We want justice by any means necessary. We want equality by any means necessary," and if they don't exist yet, I say, create it is easier to get the ball rolling than to maintain the momentum. Many outside factors can serve as roadblocks, challenges, and discouragement when trying to hold yourself and others accountable, especially when dealing with injustices, inequality, or lack of equity. You might feel compelled to throw in the towel, whether it's government policies, company culture, fear of retaliation, or lack of resources. Don't. Keep it moving. As isolating as it might feel at times, you don't have to go at it alone. Our persistence when it came to the Love Island post led to conversations with more Black employees, eventually the company at large, and ultimately our top execs, which led toward seeking solutions. Work on covering Black people in a positive light. It's not solely the job of the Black employees to be the voice of all Black people. We're not monolithic. No identity is truly monolithic. In our situation, it could be possible that a lack of representation and education led to this mistake and the missteps that followed. This is why it's crucial to ensure you're mindful of the attention you give to that underrepresented group. If your Black employees are the only ones writing stories and creating videos centered around Black interests, entertainment, and culture, you have a problem. If the only content you're producing that includes Black people is centered around violence, criminality, and negativity, you have a problem. It's no secret that the media has struggled with the portrayal of Black people in a positive light, intentional or not, and there's no reason you should be part of the it's a poor excuse to blame it on your audience's interests and pop culture trends. If you're a media company, you lead the conversation in most instances, so take the reins and set the tone. If I can learn all the Taylor Swift lore in one day, you can take a few minutes to know the difference between Laurence Fishburne and Samuel L. Jackson. Each one, teach one. Pointing fingers solves little to nothing. We've all made mistakes. I think sometimes we're more willing to jump down each other's throats than to actually speak with one another. Instead speak with those responsible for the mistake. Listen to their reasoning (even if you don't agree with the reasoning at all). Gauge their level of sincerity. Educate them on how to do better. Or, if you're in a position where you feel like you're tired of educating, point them in the right direction. It can be exhausting being the person who always needs to educate others. However, I'm sure there is someone in your community who has accepted the role of educator. Simply point the offender in the right direction. What resources can they use? Who can they talk to? What books should they read? Which podcasts should they listen to? It's just too easy to tear each other down these days. Never think you can do no wrong. You know how the Hannah Montana song starts. "Everybody makes mistakes / Everybody has those days." It's true. Nobody's perfect, and that's not something to be seen as a curse. Oftentimes, it's individuals who believe they're not capable of being anti-Black, sexist, anti-LBGTQ+, etc., who have a harder time pinpointing when and where they screwed up. Today there's so much fear of being labeled a (insert word +ist) that we find ourselves making the situation worse with denial, gaslighting, or projecting our shame onto firmly believe everyone can learn from their mistakes; you just have to be willing to take accountability. The world's not over if you make a mistake, so own up to your crap and be okay sitting in it for a minute until you can work toward a can look like more than just a boilerplate apology or mandatory sensitivity training. Acknowledging wrongdoing and knowing there's an opportunity for improvement is where it's at. Create inclusive and safe spaces. What are you doing to create inclusive and safe spaces? What do they look like, and are they easily accessible to everyone? It shouldn't take a deep investigation to find someone working toward being inclusive to you as an employee. Dare I say the entire company should be working toward making the whole space inclusive — bigoted government policies and threats be have the ERGs at BuzzFeed, which cover groups like women, LGBTQ+, Latine, Parents, Black, AAPI, and more. It's encouraged that everyone participate in the activities and offerings that the ERGs produce because they allow you to either collaborate and bond with people who look like you, or get a chance to connect with people with entirely different experiences than your own. However, inclusive and safe spaces aren't always a diversity initiative. I found safe spaces by connecting with people who might've had a similar work trajectory or lived in a similar area. DMs and email threads are your friends when connecting with the right people to help foster communities. Most companies have remained remote or hybrid since 2020, and I think it's more important than ever to double down on creating spaces to ensure underrepresented groups feel heard and valued, especially in a world that's getting more creative at working to silence them. Work with your allies regularly. Look around you, you are not alone. There are allies willing to speak up. BuzzFeed held a company-wide meeting after our Love Island post went viral for all the wrong reasons, and some of the loudest and most potent voices in the room were people who were not Black. People who were very aware of the plight, and stuck their necks out to protect and defend another community. Work with these allies as much as possible. You may be in an environment at your company where someone else's voice may be the final key to unlock the solution. Seek out these allies. Meet up with or communicate with them outside of work. Build a multicultural coalition that cannot be denied. And last but not least, protect women. I don't think this needs any explanation. Protect women. Period. Our responsibility is to protect people, especially those who have been historically marginalized. The fight against existential discrimination is going to take more than 11 points on a BuzzFeed listicle. Calling out the issue and taking accountability is a move in the right direction and hopefully, this can be something we can call back to when we need to correct the next mistake, address new employee concerns, and ultimately stay true to our values in the workplace. Through these steps and our work we are aiming every day to promote Black joy, to protect Black women, and to help steer a much larger and whiter organization in a direction that's inclusive for us and all others.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
People Are Holding Nothing Back When Describing Their Extremely Difficult In-Laws, And I Really, Really Feel For Them
Reddit user u/fuzzyloulou recently posed the question: "Married people of Reddit, what's something you just hate about your in-laws?" "Hate" is a pretty strong word, but most people responded with some genuine grievances they have with their in-laws' behavior. BuzzFeed Community members also chimed in with some gripes of their own. Here's what people shared: 1."We have more money than my MIL, and she is so jealous of my husband's success. She'll make fun of our vacations, say she'd never live in a 'snobby' place, wouldn't work as a corporate exec, or drive cars that weren't made in America. We don't put anything on Facebook or anywhere else. I guess his sister tells her? But she always posts about how her son thinks he is so great. You know what? He fucking is. Sorry, he came from broke ass, miserable people and made a success of himself. You'd think she'd be proud of him. It's all envy disguised as disdain. What mother gets mad when her kid does well in life?" —kestrelh 2."My MIL? I love her; she's great. My FIL? He cheated on my MIL with her sister, and still sees said sister every week while somehow still remaining married to my MIL. He bought himself and the sister a new car while my MIL drives a 20-year-old F-150. When he's home, all he does is drink Budweiser from 11:00 a.m. on and watch TV. And, he complains about everyone else in the family. He doesn't come to his grandkids' birthday parties, and instead just hands us cash to go buy something and to say it's from him. On several occasions, he's been at nice dinners and gotten drunk and belligerent to the point of embarrassing everyone with him." —u/Tiberius_Jim 3."The way they travel. They constantly need to overpack, shop for stuff to take home, etc.. It always results in half a dozen overweight suitcases and carry-ons that they then ALWAYS have to reorganize to handle the weight. They ALWAYS expect everyone in the group to pack light to accommodate in case they have to dump their stuff on you. I hate it, and it ticks me off every time." —u/Sorry-birthday1 4."When we go to my in-laws, we never leave the house. We sit in the den, watch TV 12 hours a day, and listen to my FIL crap on anything and everything he sees on the idiot box. We finally told them that the condition for our coming was to turn off Fox News. It's not just because he's 84 and a grumpy old man. He's been doing this for the past 30 years. Everybody and everything is 'stupid,' except for him. It's just this constant stream of negativity. My MIL isn't much better. She will sit there and talk about everybody else under the sun and how foolish those people are. I've started leaving for a couple of hours for a sanity break. I have to demand that my children go visit them once a year." —u/AnybodySeeMyKeys 5."My MIL treats her son like a baby. She also says things like, 'No one can love you like I love you,' and seems to assume I'm just using her son for money and childcare…because she was like that when raising her kids. Other than that, she's a super funny and charismatic person. I try to give her the benefit of the doubt, as she's just a protective mom, but I can say I will not be treating my children or in-laws like that." —u/oo0Lucidity0oo 6."My MIL asked my husband's whole family to wear crosses to our wedding so it wouldn't be 'godless and satanic.' Why? Because my mother was officiating. She stalks my 11-year-old stepdaughter, who is no contact with said MIL due to extreme panic attacks whenever she has to see her grandmother. gave me an individually wrapped dish sponge for Christmas last year." —elizabeth_pearl_1105 7."My MIL isn't too nice to the kids. Granted, she has 15 grandkids, but you can tell which ones she likes which she likes less. My kids are in the middle." —u/wclure 8."My in-laws are terrible with money. They filed for bankruptcy and then decided not to make some payments. So my husband and I took over their finances and put them on a budget to make ends meet. Are they grateful? Nope!! When we tell them they don't have money to go out to eat, we get told that we don't care about them. It got so bad that we've told them not to talk to us anymore. We manage the finances, but any communication to us has to go through one of my husband's siblings." —alley2024 9."Their concept of time. They're all always shamelessly late to everything. And, they act like it's a cardinal sin to be early. They think they're 'early' if they stroll in just in the nick of time. For example, I've told them, 'We have to be there at 7:00, and it's a 20-minute drive, so we should leave by 6:35 at the latest. So, you need to be at our house at 6:30 so we can load the car.' 'Why so early? I'll be at your house at 6:45.' Then, they show up at 6:55 and can't understand why I'm angry. And, we get to where we're supposed to be at 7:15, and they can't understand why everyone there is mad. At least my husband has gotten better about it. He still hates to be anywhere early, but he plans and takes steps to be on time, not late." —u/MrsPottyMouth 10."My former MIL was always on the selfish side and 100% had her favorites. She went out of her way to tell me she took a religious oath a long time ago to prevent her children from marrying people of MY religion, but she was okay with it since I'm not practicing. Fast forward many years, sadly, our only child passed away from childhood cancer, and my mother passed less than a year later. The upcoming Mother's Day was the first for me without either my child or my mother, so I was a wreck. I'm a motherless child and a childless mother, but she had to play it up that SHE was more distraught because of the loss of her grandchild than I was over both, so that she could get my husband's attention. She is a miserable woman who can't stand not being the center of attention." —mengram76 11."They have four kids, and the only boy is their favorite. They ignore their daughters, which includes my wife. The heartbreak she feels every time they blow her off to go spend more time with their son is gut-wrenching. They took him to Vegas on her birthday two years in a row." —u/korar67 12."The way they come over to my house unannounced. They just show up, then get mad at me for being in the shower or not at home because I'm running errands. I know I'm a stay-at-home mom, but dang, I still have to go run errands outside the house. I also don't like the way they insist they can have our baby whenever they please, without our permission." —u/LoveOfTheLee 13."My in-laws are racist, and I'm Mexican. They've never made comments directed towards me specifically, but they have made comments about Mexican immigrants. My parents are immigrants, and my in-laws know this. I stopped going to any event with them, and thankfully, they moved out of state. My partner spends holidays with them, and I stay and enjoy the holidays with my family. I haven't seen them in two years." —darlingcath 14."My FIL called my wife and her three sisters 'whores' all while standing in MY house. Reason, you ask? They all got married outside of the Catholic faith. We haven't spoken in six years. Best six years of my life." —u/Patrick2337 15."My MIL is the cheapest woman I have ever met. I have hundreds of stories and examples. Last Christmas, she gave me a can of nuts from Goodwill. She said she didn't feel comfortable getting us a wedding gift. She won a cruise to Alaska and took our son, which was very sweet, but she refused to pay for anything during the trip. They ate sandwiches in the room and spent most days walking around Juneau. He wanted to come home on day two. I have fixed things, helped her move, mowed her lawn, and done a dozen other things. She has never once bought dinner as a thank you or to celebrate a special event. Years ago, we had a bad time and asked if we could live in her house for two months. She insisted on charging us rent. She has missed funerals and weddings because she will not pay for travel or a hotel. I will stop now because I could go on forever." —u/brt309 16."I'm pretty sure my MIL has never heard the word 'no.' Apparently, I introduced it to her because she thinks she can just announce she wants to visit or say she wants this or that, and expects everyone to comply. Here I came along and was like, NOPE! Safe to say we don't have a great relationship and have moved away from her TWICE!" —lulu98 17."The gossiping about us to anyone who will listen. And, the guilt trips. Every single guilt trip tactic to get us to drag our family of four across the country to go see them. Also, they were absolute trash parents to my husband. They both allowed physical, mental, and verbal abuse to run rampant, and now have the audacity to expect a relationship with their adult child." —u/Ninjaher0 18."Where to start? They are racist bigots who, despite only being Christmas Christians who haven't been to church in 40 years, didn't like their son marrying a Jew. We bought their house over 20 years ago, and my MIL has not said anything nice about anything we've changed, as though it should have been kept a shrine to her style. They moved away years ago and have only visited their son maybe three times. They made a trip to the state once without telling him because they were visiting his uncle and didn't visit their son. And when we first bought the house, I, a Jew, did my best to host a festive Christmas for them, only to be told they wouldn't return for Christmas ever again because it 'wasn't what they were expecting.' I could go on for hours with examples." —jbdnco 19."My MIL still blames me for moving her daughter away and can't believe we moved for better economic opportunities 11 years ago. She will call my wife and cry almost every other night about how she doesn't know how much time she has left, and she refuses to visit, even when we offer to pay the travel expenses. She puts on this poor-me sob story every time we visit. My GOD, just STFU!" —u/Zantabar 20."How critical they are of my partner. He is loving, kind, smart, and unique. Nothing he ever does will ever be enough for them. As a result, he has major anxiety and perfectionist issues. He's hard on himself and constantly apologizes for minor things. I wish he knew how awesome he is. For this reason, I've chewed out both his dad and mom, but they were clueless. What issues? If things were different, I'd love to be close to them, but I see how dysfunctional they are and am totally okay with zero contact." —u/Spletzi 21."Mine used my wedding as their own personal photoshoot, often taking their son/my groom away to snap family pictures. They then posted all the pictures of themselves in the group chat, and only one of me, which was just of my back at the altar. They also managed to get a photo of just the groom cutting the cake alone, without me in the photo, though we were obviously standing close together. I don't think they were malicious; they're just very self-centered people with zero social awareness." —u/Charming_Foot_495 22."The number one thing is that they are drama vampires. They can't live without it. Everything is about them; if it isn't, it will be soon. They are cartoonishly childish, and it's as ridiculous as it is sad. I feel terrible for my spouse and her siblings. Every family get-together is a mess. Number two is that they can't make a plan without overcomplicating the ever-loving crap out of it, which my wife has inherited." —u/Studlum 23."I judge my step-MIL because she posts EVERYTHING on Facebook. I swear she can't take a poop without posting." —u/MalpracticeMatt 24."They are good people, but also the pickiest eaters I have ever met. It has to be genetic. Their entire diet consists of Rice-A-Roni, overcooked, baked chicken, and Ragu pasta. They will not venture out and try anything that they deem too 'exotic' or potentially mildly spicy. For example, chicken tacos sound too wild for them. It has to be Taco Bell-style ground beef." —u/Tbonejak 25."I get along great with my MIL and FIL as individual people and have close relationships with both, but good god, they have a horrible relationship. It's really awkward sometimes. I have no idea how or why they are still together. They literally hate each other. Early in our relationship, I attempted to gently inquire about what I had observed after getting to know my wife's parents a bit. Before I even finished asking, she casually said, 'Yeah, they should have divorced a long, long time ago. We (her siblings) all think they need to give it up.'" —u/chillin_trashpanda 26."How fake they are. They just care about their image and how they appear to others. Very little, if anything, is genuine about them." —u/Unhygienictree 27."I absolutely love my in-laws, but compared to my family, they are REALLY loud. Like, instead of taking turns talking, they just talk louder over each other until someone listens. I leave with a headache, including when I sneak to an empty room for peace." —u/kannakantplay 28."The constant criticism. I married their only son, and nothing I do is good enough. My house is never clean enough, my 1-year-old doesn't 'behave,' and my cooking sucks. The passive aggressiveness is so overwhelming." —u/BAM151822 29."My husband's mother and two sisters really went out of their way to make me feel unwanted and disliked early in our marriage. They judged me, gave me the cold shoulder, and criticized everything I did. Joke's on them. My husband and I have been married for 30 years. So, I learned a lesson: Screw the naysayers. Haters gonna hate." —u/heyjudemarie 30."They are terrible with money and have tried to drag my immediate family down with them. I've had to stop acting like an ATM for them, and they're resentful that we won't support their BS anymore." —u/Alternative_Let_1599 31."My MIL refuses to discuss anything that bothers her. She just goes dead silent for a moment, then pivots to a different subject." —u/LaComtesseGonflable 32."My step-MIL could definitely be represented here. She's a piece of work. She's a teacher but literally hates children; all she does is complain about her horrible students, who are kindergarten kids. And often she treats the grandkids like she would rather be anywhere else but with them. She also has some really bizarre hang-ups about my husband's mom. My FIL and MIL divorced almost 30 years ago, and yet, step-MIL felt it necessary to bring up during my recent baby shower that she and FIL had now been married longer than he and MIL. She did this out loud to other people while my saint of a MIL was no more than three feet away. Why would that even matter?! She's an odd bird." —SFoxy 33."My in-laws are very nice people, but they have two things that really bug me. They have never-ending visits, and they do this with their entire family. I don't want to have house guests for two weeks. Second, they don't help at all when they visit. You used a cup, and you just saw me load the dishwasher? Put the cup in the dishwasher, not the sink. My son is autistic and has been known to get out of the house. Just keep an eye on him if I step away for a minute. Don't tell me he left the house and just sit there. When he was a baby, no one ever offered to feed him, change a diaper, or even give me a break to nap and just play with him. It's exhausting." —yesitsmissa 34."My wife's dad is a very 'I'm right, you're wrong' kind of person. If he's not right, he refuses to admit it and will just leave and not speak to you for a long time. Then, he'll show back up and act like nothing happened." —u/SaiyanGodKing 35."I adore my FIL and step-MIL. They are supportive, welcoming, and fun. They are both really Type A and 'super planners,' which can sometimes be a little irritating, but we have a huge family, and their organization makes for seamless and enjoyable family gatherings. I love my MIL, but she is not the most pleasant person to be around. She is very passive-aggressive and is one of those people who always wants to be miserable. When we get together, she spends most of the time complaining about how her sons never want to see her. She also recruits them to do things for her (which they would happily do) by implying that they owe her because 'I gave birth to you!' It's just exhausting." "Everyone would probably make more of an effort to spend time with her if every time wasn't a passive-aggressive guilt trip. She is better one-on-one, so I try to find ways to hang out with her alone because we get along well. I just wish she would let everyone relax and enjoy the time together." —la0912 "There's nothing I really hate about my in-laws, but my MIL occasionally says some things that give me pause when she's in the room. For example, she wished me a happy birthday recently, to which I casually replied, 'Just another trip around the sun.' My comment resulted in a 20-minute lecture about how the sun actually orbits the Earth, based on her visual observation of it rising in the east and setting in the west every day. I often wonder how much of my partner's childhood trauma is a direct result of her mother's 'unusual' beliefs." —u/officehelpermonkey What's the most frustrating thing your in-laws do? Tell us in the comments or share anonymously using this form. Solve the daily Crossword
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26 Parent-Approved School Year Essentials
A school supply essentials box in case that back-to-school list is just too daunting. This case has pretty much everything you'll need for the school year and almost anything that'll be on the supply list so you can enjoy summer rather than fight Hunger Games-style with another adult over the last glue stick. Each bundle includes a plastic pencil box, a 10-pack of markers, a 24-pack of crayons, a 12-pack of colored pencils, three glue sticks, a pack of #2 pencils, five pencil top erasers, a rubber eraser, a pencil sharpener, a pair of blunt tip scissors, two pencil grips, a 12-inch ruler, a wide-rule spiral notebook, a wide ruled composition book, and two 2-pocket folder with metal review: "As a busy working mother, this was a lifesaver! The kit had everything my third grader needed to start his new school year, and I didn't have to fight the crowds at the stores!!! 5 stars!!!" —Carolyn JacksonGet it from Amazon for $32.99+ (available in two other sizes). A gentle alarm clock that'll hopefully bring you much cheerier wake-ups than jarring beeping sounds. I recently started using this sunrise clock and THE CHANGE to my mornings. Even if your little one is too young for an alarm clock, just having one for yourself can make waking up so much more pleasant. Promising review: "This clock is a lifesaver! I bought one each for my three kids so they can get up on time for school, and it works perfectly! They love the ease of use and customization — and they are actually excited about getting up on time!" —KavinaGet it from Amazon for $32.88+ (available in three colors). A cereal dispenser so they can get themselves breakfast without a gigantic pile of spilled cereal on the floor. The added excitement of making every breakfast feel like a hotel vacation breakfast is simply a bonus. Promising review: "These keep my cereal fresh, my 6-year-old can use them on her own! It's truly a lifesaver!" —Allison MarieGet it from Amazon for $31.22. A breakfast sandwich maker to get you a hot and delicious breakfast rather than scavenging off of leftover cereal and cold toaster pastries. This machine makes amazing breakfast sandwiches in minutes — plus you can embarrass your brood by singing H-O-T-T-O-G-O every time you pass them a sando. Promising review: "This thing is a lifesaver. I'm a mother of four young kids, so I have resorted to eating cereal, Pop-Tarts, anything FAST in the mornings because I have lots of little people to take care of, too. For as little as one minute of prep time and five minutes to cook, I have a delicious and much healthier breakfast. I bought the single, but I am considering ordering a double as well." — it from Amazon for $29.95+ (available in five colors). A hard-boiled egg maker so efficient, it takes almost all of the time out of making hard-boiled eggs for your family. Quickly make up to six eggs at a time in about 10 minutes. Perfect for any family rushing through the breakfast chaos — or anyone who has found their batch of hard-boiled eggs sitting in a lukewarm pot of water six hours later. 🫠 Promising review: "Lifesaver! Quick eggs and do not need to be prepped that much. Helps a lot when you are getting kids ready to go to school." —DeepakGet it from Amazon for $18.99+ (available in two sizes and seven colors). A programmable coffee maker that'll help you set your coffee up the night before and wake up to your favorite aroma. If you're like me and have had too many mornings where you realize you forgot to brew your coffee until it was too late, it's time to treat yourself to a better system. Promising review: "What was I waiting for? I drink a lot of coffee. Now I've always had a glass pot coffee maker and briefly went down the Keurig road (hated it.) After breaking my third glass pot in the past few years, I started looking into getting a stainless steel pot. I saw a few with a water reservoir, but I decided against it. Good fresh water makes for good coffee. This one seemed to get good reviews, so I ordered it. Boy, am I glad that I did! The pot is huge (a lot of stainless steel pots were only 10 cups, this one makes 12.) The design is sleek and matches my kitchen so well. The auto feature is nice when I remember to actually prep it at night. There is a bold feature (yaasss!) The display will tell you how many minutes, up to two hours, have passed since it brewed. The best part, however, is the pot. It keeps the coffee warm for hours and hours. I have four kids and run a home daycare, so I don't always get around to getting my second and third cups until hours after brewing. And I hate microwaved coffee! This coffee maker has been a lifesaver. I can have my early morning cup. Get through my morning schedule and go back for another cup, and it'll be just as hot! No reheating! My only complaint is that I wish the filter were cone-shaped instead of a basket. Just a personal preference of mine. (I think the chance of grounds getting into the brew increases with a basket filter, that's all.) But other than that, this has been the best coffee maker I have ever bought." —JasmineGet it from Amazon for $65.99+ (available in three versions). A set of refrigerator storage bins to make getting lunches ready a much more streamlined process. Rather than digging through the fridge trying to find whatever snacks you have, keep them separated and at the ready. Promising review: "The bins were a lifesaver. Now I can reach things easily by pulling out bins. The entire family found that this works better than reaching in the back of the refrigerator for things that have fallen. Now it is simply pulling out a bin. Also, it avoids standing in front of the refrigerator looking for things. The bins have 'like' items in each. I also paired this with the rotating refrigerator carousel. My refrigerator is now very organized and maximizes space. The bins seem very durable and are made of sturdy material." —Gorbla2Get a set of four from Amazon for $16.76+ (available in two sizes). A pack of silicone dividers so foods in the lunch box stay separated and less soggy — because no one likes soggy crackers thanks to strawberry spillage. Promising review: "We love these! Every Sunday, we make homemade Lunchables. We put crackers in the rectangular cup, sliced cheese in the square, and salami or pepperoni on the round. They fit into an airtight container to go into the fridge until the kids pack their lunches each morning. It's been a life and time saver!!!" —Erin B. LeggGet a 36-pack of assorted shapes from Amazon for $9.99 (available in various shapes and sizes). A lunchbox with an option to send warm food for the kid who likes to mix up their lunch routine. The hot cup has a lid to keep food separate AND is removable — meaning you don't need two lunchboxes when your kiddo decides to take a cold lunch. So many more lunch opportunities are in your future. Promising review: "My daughter loves to bring a warm lunch to school every day. We have previously tried other bento lunchboxes, but none of them keep the food warm or fresh for very long. The OmieBox has been a lifesaver! This lunchbox has plenty of space and keeps the food warm and fresh all day. It is strong and has lasted despite all the times it has been bumped and banged up at school. It is easy to clean and does not leave food residue. I will be buying another one for my son this school year. Highly recommended!" —Jesus CastroGet it from Amazon for $49.95 (available in seven colors). An insulated Thermos for sending them with something hot along with their cold lunch items. Although some parents love sending pasta, many rave about the ability to send some dino nuggets that are still hot by lunch! Promising review: "My child doesn't like many cold lunch options for school. This has been a lifesaver! I've packed macaroni and cheese, chili and rice, soups, chicken and broccoli, and much more, all with success. The container keeps the food warm, doesn't leak, and seems to be enough food." —OH ReviewGet it from Amazon for $15.39+ (available in 30 designs). A freezable lunch bag with built-in ice packs to keep food fresh and at a safe eating temperature. Just toss it in the freezer the night before to keep food cool all day — because staying home with a kid with food poisoning should not be on your agenda. This is the brand I use for both of my kids, and I absolutely love these bags. They're so easy to store, and there's ice on both sides — ensuring safe food no matter when their lunchtime is. It's nice to be able to send a string cheese without remembering the room-temperature, rubbery-by-mid-day cheese stick of my youth. 🤢Promising review: "These are amazing. I was having to put ice packs in my kids' lunch and was looking for an alternative when I came across these. It has been over 100 for the last two weeks, not counting the heat index, and they have been a lifesaver. They go in the kids' backpacks in the am and come off the bus still cold. This never happened with an ice pack. It actually stays cold and helps my kids to have cold food during the day, I wish I had found these years ago!!!" —BryanGet it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in eight designs). A visual timer to help keep things calm if your kiddo struggles with transitions. With a visual timer, "five more minutes until you need to brush your teeth" actually has some meaning as they watch the rainbow count down. I use this with my oldest on school nights so she knows when to stop reading and go to sleep. Promising review: "The Yunbaoit Upgraded Black Visual Timer with Protective Case has been an absolute lifesaver for managing ADHD in our household. The visual countdown is intuitive and easy to understand, making it perfect for staying on task and managing transitions. The durable protective case adds peace of mind, ensuring it can withstand daily use. Whether it's for homework, chores, or screen time, this timer has helped create structure and minimize distractions. It's simple to use, highly effective, and has quickly become an essential tool in our routine. I can't recommend it enough for anyone looking to improve time management!" —adudethatknowsGet it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in nine colors). A set of personalized labels so you can avoid the hassle of rummaging through the overflowing lost and found. I'm pretty sure my kids forget their lunchbox, water bottle, or sweater every day last school year — labels make things so much easier to find later. Promising review: "I've had these name labels for a while, and they're absolutely amazing. I can stick them on clothes, wash them, and they're still good. They've been an absolute lifesaver when it comes to school — teachers know when it's my child's, and it prevents it from being lost. I've stuck it on sippies, clothes, shoes, the outside of backpacks, it is RESILIENT and honestly, super underpriced for how high quality and the quantity you get. I'd only ever buy from this seller." — 130-pack from Amazon for $9.95 (available in 27 designs). An electric toothbrush that uses an app to keep your kid engaged and brushing for a full two minutes. Electric toothbrushes already keep teeth cleaner, but the addition of the app helps kids work through brushing without getting distracted or hurrying through the process. Honestly just being able to leave them to brushing without having to hover as the tarter police is worth it. Promising review: "We were having some struggles getting our 3.5-year-old to brush his teeth. This toothbrush and the app have been a lifesaver! He now looks forward to brushing his teeth and gets excited to see what 'present' he's going to get. Also, the app is actually way better than I expected." —Amanda P. Get it from Amazon for $29.96+ (available in two colors, two charging styles, and as a bundle). And a toothpaste dispenser and toothbrush holder to save you from trying to get out for the morning and hearing "CAN SOMEONE PASTE MY TOOTHBRUSH??" or the ever-dreaded "uh-oh" during teeth brushing. Promising review: "LOVE, LOVE this!! We previously had a different one similar to this, but did not have a toothpaste dispenser. I decided to try this one out because it matched and was more modern-looking. I am so happy with this! It fit on our wall exactly where the other one went, and we didn't even have to use the sticker. I love the four cops and how hidden and easy they are to access. The toothpaste comes out perfectly every time and does not make a mess!!! My kids love to make messes, so this is a lifesaver. I have already recommended this to all of my friends and family." —Lindsay SnackGet it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in four colors). A day-of-the-week clothing organizer so that choosing clothes for school doesn't become a daily battle in your household. Just check the weather report and choose outfits over the weekend — suddenly a (mostly) stress-free morning! Promising review: "This has been an absolute lifesaver! My kids put all of their clothes for the week in their 'pockets' on Sunday and there's no digging in the mornings anymore!" —CrystalWGet it from Amazon for $25.99. A fan-favorite Skylight calendar for keeping all of your family appointments in plain sight. Not only does it automatically sync to your calendars, you can set up chore charts for your family members and keep lists all in one place — making the school year so much less hectic for you. Promising review: "If you have a busy household, this family calendar is a lifesaver. Now everyone can enter their appointments, work schedules, classes, etc, into their own Google calendar, and it syncs to the family calendar. Everyone is aware of what is happening, and it avoids double booking. App is easy to use, as is the actual device." —NH CustomerGet it from Amazon for $269.99. A shoe organizer to hopefully avoid the every morning battle to find a missing shoe. Not only can you keep everything in one place, you'll also free up your entryway from a sea of mismatched shoes. Promising review: "With three small kids and a husband with lots of shoes, this shoe cabinet has been a lifesaver. I built it on my own in just a few hours. I love it." —KatieGet it from Amazon for $125.99+ (available with two, three, four, or six drawers and 10 colors). A car seat unbuckling tool so they can unbuckle themselves at in the morning, ensuring that you're not burying your face at drop-off as you hold up the line to unbuckle your kid. The car seat buckle desperately needs to be one less thing you fight with. Promising review: "We purchased two of these, one for each car, and it has been great for dropping off our Kindergarten student at school. We are not allowed to get out of the car, so I was worried how to get him unbuckled from his car seat/harness, but this has been a lifesaver. It took him only two practices to get it, but he really picked it up quick and now he really enjoys unbuckling himself once we get in car line. We love this product!" —Alicia RosenbauerGet it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in seven colors). A rolling backpack because backpacks are just SO HEAVY. These are great for littles and bigs alike, especially if you walk to school. Nothing like saving them a few extra years before back pain sets in. Promising review: "My kids have quite a walk after they get off the bus. so this has been a lifesaver!" —C. it from Amazon for $27.99+ (available in different colors). A wobble cushion if you have a kid who JUST. NEEDS. TO. WIGGLE. Desk seats were not made with wiggly kids in mind, so wobble cushions offer some much needed movement without leaving the seat and disrupting class. My ADHD kiddo pretty much lives on this cushion during the school year — LIFESAVER. Promising review: "My son has ADHD, and this was a lifesaver. Lucky for u,s the school approved it for use in the classroom. It's nice because it's lightweight and he can grab it and take it with him wherever he goes. The little nub-like fingers on it work wonders for him. It gives him something to keep his body busy and his little hands. Awesome find!" —LaKeishaGet it from Amazon for $23.74+ (available in six colors and in multipacks). A zipper binder to keep everything in place and zipped up so papers don't go flying. It even has a carrying strap in case their backpack is too small. Say good-bye to papers shoved down at the bottom of the backpack — they've finally thought of everything. Promising review: "This binder was a lifesaver for my middle schooler. The first binder we tried was NOT one of these. It was impossible to carry around, and papers were frequently lost. Then I found this. This binder changed everything and even eased my students' anxiety because it's so much easier to stay organized. The ring itself is sturdy and easy to open and close. There's room in here for work from different classes, and storage for pencils and pens, etc. There is a bonus section of accordion storage, which is excellent for take-home papers or other loose items. Then, it zips closed! This zipper is tough, and it seems to move with ease no matter what. And the icing on the cake is the handle on the spine. This makes it easy to grab the binder and stuff it in a backpack or walk between classes without having to cradle the binder in your arms. We never used the optional shoulder strap, but options are nice. This binder gets an A+." —Rachel WGet it from Amazon for $28.99+ (available in 20 designs and in multipacks). A pair of noise-cancelling headphones for your sensory-sensitive kid. These headphones are powerful enough to dull ambient classroom noise, but still allow them to hear the teacher. Even kids without sensory sensitivities love wearing these! Every teacher my kids have had has a basket for communal use. As the parent of a kid with sensory challenges, these are an absolute school-year must-have. Promising review: "Purchased this back in 2021 when my child was 5 years of age. He's now 9 and they still fit perfectly on him. This has been a lifesaver for him and the bus driver, recently, since there are other kiddos on the bus that scream throughout the bus ride and it frustrates my child. So it's one less kiddo to be frustrated about." —NRDGet it from Amazon for $15.27+ (available in 19 colors and patterns). A set of clothing labels to help you find your kid's Bluey sweater in a veritable OCEAN of Bluey sweaters. These labels are machine washable and cost-effective — two of my favorite words. Promising review: "These are great. I use a regular Sharpie to write my kid's name on the label and put it on every article of clothing he can take off at school. I have washed them several times, and they still look brand new. These labels are a lifesaver for kids who cannot remember to bring home their jacket, hat, and gloves." —Kaitlyn SwoapeGet a pack of 54 Amazon for $5.99 (available in five sizes and various pack sizes). A pencil sharpener for at-home use because there's nothing quite as humbling as realizing you have absolutely zero tools to help them do their homework, you know, at home. Promising review: "I am 5-star satisfied with this pencil sharpener that is for different-sized pencils. We use this at home as I have a daughter in Kindergarten, so this has been a lifesaver. Sharpens a pencil easily and quickly within ten seconds. Love it." —Brittany AnnGet it from Amazon for $27.99. A saline spray because your kids are going to be bringing home literally all of the germs. All of them. EVERY LAST FORSAKEN GERM. Saline spray can help clear nasal passages, making colds pass a little quicker. Anything for some relief from the onslaught of fall viruses. Promising review: "Kids always fought me in spraying their noses (we live in the desert) and this spray is so healing, they actually ASK me for it in the morning!!! A lifesaver!" —D DGet it from Amazon for $6.99+ (also available in multipacks).
