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During quarantine, my homemaking skills have definitely been put to the test. It seems like I’ve been in a 24-hour cycle of cooking and cleaning. And before all of this, I couldn’t even boil an egg! So, I was determined to find some affordable products to make life easier and save time. Turns out, having the right tools for the job makes even the most annoying chores way easier!
From products I have fallen in love with these past few months to items my friends swear by and, of course, goodies I can’t wait to try, I teamed up with the Today Show to share some of the cooking and cleaning must-haves I’ve recently been obsessing over. I shared my picks with Hoda and Jenna — trust me, you don’t want to miss these!
This thing is so awesome. I never bought pineapples because they were such a pain to cut and I wasted half the fruit. Not anymore – it takes about 30 seconds to core this pineapple – and the fruit comes out in a perfect spiral.
This nifty tool will make you the go-to watermelon slicer for parties. This gizmo cuts perfect slices with less mess, less waste and way less effort. All the watermelon juice is left behind in the rind, so you won’t have to deal with mopping up your counter.
One thing that drives me crazy is how much space strainers and colanders take up in my cupboard — so I was excited to try this easy-to-clean silicone pot strainer that fits most pots and bowls. It works well and takes up practically no space.
This flexible cutting board is ace at easily transferring chopped ingredients into bowls. The food-grade silicone lends grip and helps protect your countertop. It’s so bendy, and it’s made in the USA!
No need to fiddle around with sharp skewers. These baskets are the ideal size to fit diced veggies and meats, and the rosewood handle makes them easy to flip over.
Cleaning a grill is a boring but necessary chore, and this brush makes it so easy. The self-contained springs tackle burnt-on food and are way more durable than traditional brushes.
No one enjoys cleaning the microwave, and this adorable tool does it for you. Steam emits from Angry Mama’s head, which softens all the dirt and gunk caked on the sides of your microwave. Just add vinegar and water, and watch her (angrily) work her magic.
My friend swears by these – you can use them for cleaning pots and pans, but they’re great all around the house. They're so versatile: Use them to clean the tub and shower, remove dried paint from windows, strip wallpaper, loosen stickers and labels and so much more. Plus, each corner is shaped differently to fit into a variety of nooks and crannies.
Cleaning blinds is not easy, and mine get so dirty. This is a great solution — it can handle the top and bottom of two blinds at the same time. For extra-dirty blinds, use with a cleaning spray.
This adorable mouse gets every last crumb off your kitchen table, countertop or desk. It can tackle small messes, where your regular-size vacuum would be major overkill.
Mopping can be quite a workout. Also, it seemed like I was just pushing dirty water all over my floors — not to mention that it took me forever. So, I made the leap and bought this wet vac. It spits fresh water and cleaning fluid out and then sucks back up the dirty water — my floors actually sparkle!
Get touchless soap at home! You can even fill it with hand sanitizer! This hands-free dispenser actually injects micro-bubbles into your soap to turn it into creamy foam. In four metallic finishes.
Did you know that your phone carries over 18 times more bacteria than a toilet seat? This UV cleaner sanitizes your phone by killing up to 99.9 percent of the bacteria and viruses living on it. It sanitizes in just one minute — 30 seconds per side — and it also works for keys, credit cards, pens, eyeglasses, even your computer mouse.
This portable bag is designed for larger items — think baby toys, hairbrushes, combs and more — and, thanks to UV-C LED lights, destroys up to 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses in less than a minute.
At just under nine pounds, this lightweight vac sucks up deeply embedded dirt from carpets and works on hard floors, too. It’s also ideal for homes with pets.
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