Modern Home Accessories I Can’t Live Without

One of my favourite parts of being an adult is making my house into a home. I’m using the word house here a bit loosely since I live in an apartment but creating the feeling of home is all the same right? It doesn’t matter where you live, with a few tweaks and personal touches your home can become the perfect sanctuary for you to enjoy.

And no sanctuary is complete without practical accessories that make life easier, is it? If you have fun buying blankets and pillows as I do, you’ll love these modern home accessories I can’t live without.

Dimmable light bulbs

I must first admit that this was my husband’s idea. I wanted the ambience and he bought it. It gives us the opportunity to prepare ourselves for bed.

According to the Sleep Foundation, “light exposure at night can hinder transitions between sleep cycles, reducing the quality of sleep. Too much light can cause repeated awakenings, interrupting the sleep cycle and reducing time spent in deeper, more restorative sleep stages.”

In the era of work from home, setting clear boundaries between work and bedtime is important. Thankfully, smart dimmable bulbs like this one from Phillips allow for the smooth transition from work mode to bedtime through lighting. For example, when I’m done writing in the evenings and I’m ready to relax into watching a movie, I can dim the lights or set them to turn off at a specific time.

Dimmable lights help you sleep better but also provide the following benefits:

They are energy efficient
There are lighting controls
They last longer
Can be used to create mood lighting
Can be used to repurpose space ( a brightly lit reading room can become a movie room)
Can increase productivity, prevent eye strain and fatigue

Another great perk to smart bulbs/ dimmable light bulbs is the ability to control the light with your home voice assistant or via the google home app.

round grey speaker on brown board — **Google Home Mini**
Photo by John Tekeridis on Pexels.com

Home voice assistant

At some point or another, we’ve all wished we had an assistant to take some of our responsibilities off our plate. When you’re busy multitasking and need to set a reminder or make a note of an idea, having an assistant comes in handy. Luckily having an assistant isn’t as far fetched anymore. We can all do so much more with a home voice assistant. Simply tell it what you need and it will try to help.

For example, you can check what the traffic is like before your trip to the store or get weather updates before you decide to leave the umbrella at home.

In my home, I have a Google Home mini which sets reminders, timers and controls our smart appliances. I love it. It also acts as a great speaker for that grand surround sound feel.

Magnetic Dry Erase White Board Sheet

Unlike the rest of the items on this list, this is not a gadget. This magnetic dry erase whiteboard is a simple way to keep track of the food items you run out of. It’s also a quick way to jot down a list of items you’ll need all without leaving the kitchen. When you’ve made the list, take a picture of it and you’re good to go.

I like the convenience of it being posted to the refrigerator so I don’t need to scurry to another room and to talk to google or grab a pen and notepad. Sometimes I forget what I wanted when I enter a room. Is that just me or does that happen to you too? Having a shopping list right there in the kitchen helps me avoid that lapse in memory so I never forget to buy the things I need.

Strip lights/ Under Cabinet Kitchen Lighting

Lights have the power to transform a space. My husband gifted me a set of string lights for me to create a sort of vanity space for my makeup but after receiving the product I noticed it wouldn’t have been the best fit for that purpose. So we agreed to repurpose it for the kitchen as under cabinet lighting.

I’ll admit that these lights are almost completely superficial but it’s great for setting the mood. Like the Phillips smart bulb, they are dimmable and if your dining space shares close proximity to the kitchen like mine, it’s great for candlelit dinners. Just set the lights to the lowest setting for a dull glow and light your candles for the table and voila! You’ve created a romantic ambience at home.

All these modern home accessories cost less than $50 USD each. Those are a few of my favourite things in my home right now. What’s one thing you’re currently loving about your space? Let me know in the comments.

Get Social With Me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplycandinicole/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_7R4xfZN5g050EI7f7UlYg