03-07-2025
Cleaning and Organizing Supplies Make Unexpectedly Great Gifts. Here's Why.
In this edition of Clean Everything, we dish on six cleaning and organizing tools that make great gifts.
When you imagine a great gift, you might envision something expensive and glittery with a big ol' bow on top. And, yes, those presents are great. But sometimes, it's the quieter, more practical gifts that can make a real difference in your giftee's life. It might not dazzle in the moment or spike any heart rates, but a practical gift pays off in a different way: by quietly making your recipient's life easier or more convenient.
For the right person, a truly great cleaning tool can be a great present for that very reason.
Take, for example, the $10 sink strainer that writer Rose Maura Lorre received as a housewarming gift eight years ago. At first glance, it was nothing special: a flexible, silicone catchall designed to accommodate most kitchen-sink drains. But after eight years of use, Rose calls it superior to a basic metal strainer in every way. It's supremely easy to clean. The holes are sized just right to allow water to flow down the drain, even when the strainer's basket is chock-full of food bits. And in the years since getting it, Rose has never dealt with a clogged kitchen sink.
'As a kitchen helper, the sink strainer is impressively reliable and pleasant to use, even though what you're using it for is a rather unpleasant task,' says Rose. 'As a gift, I like it even more. I love gifts that solve problems and make life a little easier for their recipients.'
