New home Amazon shopping list
So back in January Arvid and I moved into a new, much bigger apartment. Once we got in and had all our stuff unpacked I realised I was going to need a few new toys and gadgets to make life a little easier. Check my Amazon Store Front for links to everything mentioned in this post and others! *The links included are affiliate links, so I may receive a small % in commission on any purchases, at no extra cost to you. *
Cleaning items you NEED right now
Now we were in a bigger apartment I wanted to find a way to make housework less physically taxing. I still enjoy cleaning and like the workout that a big clean gives you but when you spend your whole weekend cleaning and aching, it isn’t so enjoyable any more. And I’m worried about getting a cleaner as I don’t really trust anyone around Kinnie- it’s so easy to forget to close a door and she is gone! So, I treated myself to some Grown Up Purchases.
Dyson wireless handheld vacuum cleaner: approx €300
I know, I KNOW, it’s expensive. But this thing is life changing. I knew I wanted a wireless vacuum cleaner as the apartment is super long, like most apartments in Malta, so unplugging and moving sockets every 3 minutes would have doubled the work. I had tried a cheaper brand of wireless vacuum but the suction couldn’t handle the dust here in Malta and it was insanely heavy. This one I managed to find in PINK, so I love looking at it.
It’s lightweight, has great suction and it lasts long enough to run around the apartment and clean the whole floor. Many wireless vacuums only last a few minutes before they need charging but this lasts me at least 15 minutes. It doesn’t sound like much but with the Dyson V7 it only takes me half that to run around the apartment and keep it free of dust and cat hair and cat litter. I run this around the whole place once a week and the rest of the time it’s on charge in it’s super sleek wall mount keeping it out of the way.
iRobot i7156 Roomba robot vacuum cleaner: approx €650
OK so THIS one is expensive, but you don’t have to spend this much,. Explore some different brands and models, but know that this makes life x1000 easier. I set it to run at the same time every day and let it run around, doing it’s thing. It’s not as good as the Dyson but it’s a great way to keep the apartment clean day to day, then do a quick deep hoover at the weekend. It cuts my housework time in half.
To be honest, I looked at a few Roombas then ended up opting for the highest spec one just as a treat. Again, I’m currently using a much cheaper brand and it’s good enough that I see that this item can be a huge help, but not quite good enough to BE that much of a help. This cheaper brand tends to throw dirt around a bit before picking it up, it doesn’t go in any sensible route and doesn’t know what areas it has covered and what it hasn’t, so it ends up missing half the apartment.
Whereas, this particular Roomba stores your floor plans (yes, I’m sure this info will eventually be sold to profit off me) and lets you set room names, it knows where it has cleaned and where it hasn’t. It has a lot more suction and it connects to Google Home and Alexa etc. It’s on it’s way in the mail right now but I can’t wait to set it up and shout “Hey Google, clean the bathroom!”.
I’m not really loyal to any brand yet, but there are plenty of options out there. The normal sponge or scourers you get from the supermarket are just awful for the environment and we can get through so many each year. Switch them out for these more eco-friendly alternatives and feel a bit better about yourself every time you clean.
Get yourself organised
These bits and bobs will help you organise your home, new or not!
Vacuum seal storage bags: approx €20
I love summer time, as I can get out all my little shorts and flowy dresses but finding a good way to store my coats, chunky knits and Christmas cushions is the bane of my life. They take up so much space! I got some vacuum seal bags last year but they all tore the first time it came to reopening them. I’m hoping this new order will be a little more sturdy and the reviews look good. Bulky items you don’t need right now will drastically reduce in size, meaning you can organise your shelves and drawers to hold soo much more as these things wont take up as much space.
Shoe racks for storage: approx €30
I know it says shoe rack and they are great as they are intended, but they are also so great for adding additional shelf space in places where you don’t want to drill the walls. We keep ours on our kitchen counter. One layer stores spices, one layer holds jars of jams and spreads and the top layer holds the toaster. This makes a small counter space x3 as useful and they have some really nice bamboo styles that fit into most kitchen aesthetics.
Kitchen cupboard organiser - storage shelf: approx €20
This is amazing in its simplicity. We have huge kitchen cupboards but they are really high and you end up with a lot of wasted space. These wire racks basically add in a shelf, meaning you can store twice as much in each cupboard. I bought a few and can now store a lot more and find it all much easier when I need it.
There are many different brands, shapes and sizes to choose from, so take a look around Amazon and see what fits your needs. I have some cereal dispensers that I use for the cats dry food and then loads of airtight containers for things like flour, pasta, sugar, nuts and so much more. They are stackable and pack in well together so you can get a lot more in your cupboards, it keeps them tidy and well organised and you can see everything inside really easily, so you can instantly find whatever you need.
Home improvement items to improve your life
I spoke about this in more detail in my post all about improving air quality at home, but do yourself a favour and get yourself an air purifier.
small air purifier: approx €100
large air purifier: approx €200
No matter where in the world you are, your air can always be cleaner, but especially in such polluted places like Malta it’s so important. It’ll be a huge help to anyone with allergies and asthma, or anyone who just misses fresh, clean air.
