Most of us have been confined to our homes for nearly a year now. Before lockdown, I usually would spend the majority of my time out and about either at work, meeting people, or going out to restaurants. And I would mainly use my flat as somewhere I sleep and shower and occasionally social and hang out in. Living in lockdown has radically changed my lifestyle. I had to dynamically change how I work, socialised, fed myself, and take care of myself.
Thanks to the Bezos Mart (Amazon), I have found some great finds that have helped me adjust to living under lockdown. I will continue to add more if I find more.
1. Adjustable, Lightweight Laptop Stand
I used to be that freak that sat in the office just working from their computer without a laptop stand. I also realised how being that freak without a laptop stand will slowly erode my posture. When shopping for a laptop stand, I wanted something that I can still continue to use when I am on the go post-pandemic (whenever that will be). I also wanted one that was adjustable and usable on different devices, like a Macbook and iPad. This is the one that I got. Subsequently, I recommended it to 3 people who purchased it and love it.
2. Fog Wipes for Glasses
Skip this one if you don’t wear glasses. But if you wear glasses, you will know the pain of wearing a mask with your glasses on – foggy glasses! These wipes really do work. No more foggy glasses!
3. Hario Cold Brew Coffee Pot
Because I am from North America, I know how to appreciate an iced coffee 365 days a year, whether it’s winter or summer. Having cold brew pre-made is one of the best things to wake up to in the morning. This pot makes enough coffee for ~5 cups!
4. Microsoft Surface Pro 7 with Surface Pen and Surface Cover
I have always been an Apple gal for nearly over a decade. When I was deciding on a new tablet to purchase, it was a major toss up between getting an iPad Pro or a Surface. For months, my friends and my mom didn’t hear the end of my ramblings when I was deciding which one to get. It was leaning towards an iPad Pro for a while because I love the unified experience you get from using solely Apple devices. But iPads lack actually functionality when you want to do anything productive. I already have an older version iPad that I literally use to just watch Netflix and FaceTime.
So I decided on a Surface and am so happy with the choice I made! Primarily, I am impressed with the fact that the Surface is an actual computer, it runs Windows 10. It’s particularly so good for productivity. I used to use good ol’ Moleskine notebooks to write everything down. Now I fully use my Surface and trusty Surface Pen to write things down in OneNote.
5. Ravioli Stamps
I may not have been travelling much in 2020. But I did embark on many culinary experiments of different international cuisines. One of the goals that I set out to achieve in 2020 even before the pandemic is that I wanted to be a better cook. Thankfully, before things got locked down, I had the opportunity to go to evening classes at Cordon Bleu. In one of my classes, I learned how to make pasta. So I decided to put what I learned into practice during lockdown. These are the ravioli stamps I used to make my spinach and ricotta ravioli. I can’t wait to experiment more with these ravioli stamps.
6. Phone Stand with Ring Light
Socialising during the pandemic means being on FaceTime and Zoom calls for long periods of time. Perhaps the pandemic made me lazy but I needed a phone stand to hold my phone so I don’t strain my arm while on long calls. This is where this phone stand comes in handy. I also decided to get one with a ring light for many purposes that this light can fulfil. Yes, the first being the obvious purpose of the ring light is that it makes you look more attractive. The ring light is also useful for lighting when I shoot food pictures or cooking videos. And the lesser important purpose that it serves is that it can be a reading light.
7. Cosy Slippers
If you are at home all day, you are likely not wearing your outdoor shoes at all. Walking around without footwear with a sole for prolonged periods of time is surely not healthy and would drive a podiatrist (a foot doctor) crazy. A nice pair of slippers is a nice luxury that helps you feel cosier in your own home. These are the extremely comfortable pair that I got. They are pretty minimalist just like my aesthetic.
