You spotted it out of the corner of your eye: a solitary charger on the coffee table, completely out of place. The alarm bells go off. This is the making of…clutter. You find the charger a home immediately, because all items should have a place they belong. If this scenario sounds familiar, you’re probably a neat freak. And there’s nothing a neat freak loves more than a clean and tidy space. Below, find ten random-but-useful items that will keep your inner-neat freak at peace.
10 Random-but-Useful Things Every Neat Freak Needs
•
Published Jul 21, 2022
PureWow editors select every item that appears on this page, and some items may be gifted to us. Additionally, PureWow may earn compensation through affiliate links within the story. All prices are accurate upon date of publish. You can learn more about the affiliate process here.
Force of Nature
1. Force Of Nature
Who’s up for a little science experiment? Turn water, salt and vinegar into a nontoxic multi-purpose cleaner, deodorizer and disinfectant that’s even strong enough to kill COVID-19, but not your cat. Here’s how it works: Add an activator capsule (composed of the brand’s salt-vinegar blend) to the device, fill it with water, and watch as the mixture bubbles and fizzes into hypochlorous acid—a gentle disinfectant that’s known to kill 99.9 percent of germs. According to editor Candace Davison’s PureWow100 review, this stuff also comes in handy when cleaning a burnt pan: “I sprayed Force of Nature on [a scorched skillet], let it sit for about 20 minutes, then wiped it down…I poured an inch of water into the pan and brought it to a boil for a few minutes…When the pot dried, the scorched food had curled away from the pan, leaving a slight outline of salt from the Force of Nature spray. It easily wiped away in one swipe.” One might just call this mini laboratory random…but oh-so useful.
FOOD52
2. Food52 Five Two Over-the-sink Drying Rack
“Even my teenage son, who by my estimation has averaged washing one dish for every 18 months he’s been on this earth, stopped me to say how cool he thinks the rack is,” writes editor Dana Dickey. Indeed this $45 dish drying rack was awarded 95-points out of 100 in a PureWow100 review for its sturdy, innovative silicone and steel design, which also happens to look great on your countertops. Dickey writes: “The [retractable screen] fits over half my sink, so I can quickly wash a few items, then place them immediately to my left to rinse and drip-dry—without getting my counters wet…[It] even includes a slender utensils holder and it easily doubles as a veggie rinsing rack for my salad fixins. Also, since it’s heat-safe to 550 degrees, you can use the rack on your countertop as a trivet for scalding pots.”
Ruggable
3. Ruggable X Jonathan Adler Tiger Emerald Rug
Enter Ruggable: a non-toxic, machine-washable rug brand that’s known for its chic, durable designs. “The biggest selling point of Ruggable is that you can toss it into the washing machine (instead of shelling out to get it professionally cleaned). But the reason this works is because every rug comes with two pieces: 1. A nonslip pad with a grippy bottom and 2. A lightweight cover featuring the design…My favorite part was that it’s totally a-OK to tumble dry on low. It came out good as new, and I reattached it to the nonslip rug pad,” explains editor Rachel Bowie in a PureWow100 review. What’s more, the brand recently launched a collaboration with Jonathan Adler—and we’re obsessing over this emerald, tiger-sprawled design. And if the show-stopping design wasn’t enough, this guy is finished in a soft, needlepoint texture that’s crafted with water- and stain-resistant Chenille fabric (which, of course, is machine washable as well). Our two cents? You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more functional piece of designer decor.
Amazon
4. Acacia Wood Kitchen Turntable
If you’re looking for a countertop organizer that’s not an eyesore, four different professional organizers mentioned this tip to us: Invest in a turntable to place on countertop corners or deep shelves so that nothing’s out of reach. You can use them to store heavier items—like oil and sauce—and they’re great for organizing kids’ snacks so they can easily grab them and go.
Blueland
5. Blueland Toilet Cleaner Tablets
A neat freak’s mortal enemy: the toilet. Thankfully, Blueland’s toilet cleaner features a two-in-one solution that keeps your porcelain throne hygienic and your bathroom clutter-free. The package includes 14 lemon-cedar-scented tablets—which are 100 percent bio-based, and free of bleach, hydrochloric acid or dyes—and a reusable tin to store them in (plus any refills down the way). “I’m not joking about ‘light scrub’—it requires very little elbow grease,” explains Davison in a PureWow100 review. “The fizzing tablet dissolves completely, leaving a gleaming bowl behind in most cases…It’s so easy to use that I found myself cleaning the toilet more often—when it’s as simple as tossing a tablet in the bowl, how can you not?—just because I enjoyed the scent so much.”
LARQ
6. Larq Self-cleaning Water Bottle
Behold: a self-cleaning water bottle that can clean itself and purify your drinking water—all at the touch of a button. This sleek little “smart bottle” uses UV-C LED technology—specifically, a UV-C light—to eradicate bacteria and viruses on inner surfaces (and purify drinking water at the same time). You simply fill the bottle with water, tap the button on the cap and wait for a deep-cleaning photochemical reaction to occur. Not to mention that it comes in five ultra-chic colorways, including himalayan pink, monaco blue, obsidian black, seaside mint and granite white.
Bed Bath and Beyond
7. Shark Wandvac Cord-free Handheld Vacuum
“I received this sleek little vacuum as a housewarming gift, and I'm actually confused how I lived without it before,” says editor Dara Katz. The vacuum in question? This cordless handheld model by Shark, which includes a lightweight charging doc, filtration technology and a tapered nozzle that can capture even the smallest dust and debris particles. “Since it's so slim, we keep it in the kitchen to collect crumbs from hard-to-reach corners. It's small, but mighty. This thing does not mess around. I want one for every room in my house,” Katz adds.
Amazon
8. D-line Cable Management Box
There’s nothing that irks us neat freaks more than a cluster of miscellaneous chargers and cables. Rid yourself of any odious distractions with this handy box, which conceals a power strip and everything that plugs into it. And it’s not just for looks—the box also makes it harder for kids and pets to mess with the outlets.
Amazon
9. Killer's Instinct Outdoors Pot Strainer
A kitchen gadget for anyone who loves cooking pasta but hates the messy cleanup that follows. The crescent-shaped strainer can be easily placed over pots and pans (up to 10-inches in diameter) where it catches at the rim and allows you to expel hot water into the sink—no colander clean up required. “This has changed my life—from all the mac and cheese I make for my son, but also pasta in general,” writes Senior Editor of Special Projects Rachel Bowie. Oh, and did we mention that it’s dishwasher safe?
CRATE AND BARREL
10. Russell + Hazel Acrylic Weekly Dry-erase Calendar
Show me a neat freak who doesn’t love a minimalist planner solution. This transparent dry-erase board won’t clutter up your walls, but its weathered gold hardware will spruce up your space with an elegant accent. Oh, and while you’re at it, why not move your pens, keys and notebooks to the wall with the full set? Your desk could always use a face lift, right?
Want to know which buzzy products are *really* worth buying? Sign up for our shopping newsletter to uncover our favorite finds.
