We asked our colleagues: what's an affordable product that significantly improved your life?

We asked our colleagues: what's an affordable product that significantly improved your life? Writer Sarah Gannett The Target Brightroom Over The Door 26 Shelf Mesh Shoe Organizer is just remarkable. Every other organizer like this I've encountered is dinky and lets things slide out, but this is basically a surprisingly roomy extra set of shelves. Editor Amy Kravetz I got the OXO Good Grips Cherry & Olive Pitter last summer, and it's ridiculous how much I like using it. I definitely eat cherries more than I ever did before getting this thing. It's so easy and neat to prep. Writer Mel Plaut A slow-closing toilet seat. We moved from our own house to an apartment rental. I kept slamming my non-soft-closing toilet lid until I bought one for $23. Editor Rory Evans I have a pair of $3 reading glasses every few feet in my home. I NEVER have to leave the room to find readers. Conservative estimate, I have 15 pairs across my home, clothes, and car. Worth every cent. Editor Hannah Rimm This little case from Muji is technically for hairpins, but it has been a game changer for me as a pill case. I can keep upwards of 25 pills in here, and it fits in literally every bag, from my work bag to a tiny clutch at weddings. I'll even pop it in my pocket when I'm going to a concert or stadium where there are bag restrictions. Also it's less than $2. Projects editor Phillip Zminda I love the Craighill Helix Keyring (that I asked for a gift after seeing it in one of our gift guides). I feel soooooooo adult having a legitimate and suave thing to hang my many, many keys on. HUGE upgrade over my $.50 lanyard. Editorial assistant Kit Iyer Whenever I go thrifting I always keep an eye out for small baskets. I use them for holding literally anything and everything. Any time I notice a corner of my apartment feeling cluttered, I just toss a basket there, and everything feels cleaner and less chaotic. Logistics coordinator Leslie Grisdale The Hightide Metal Book Stand from our guide to the best cookbooks! I have a microscopic kitchen and any stands I had before were too big, didn't hold the book right, or would fall over. Also it stores flat so I can hang it inside my cabinet doors. Writer Kaitlyn Wells Our apartment has deep closets that are great for storage, but it's nearly impossible to find anything because it's so dark inside. I purchased rechargeable motion-activated lights for the closet ceilings. They're large, lightweight, and effective.