I’ve always been a sucker for a good gadget so I’m pretty excited about today’s post where I’m sharing five of my favorite home gadgets with you! (post includes some affiliate links – full disclosure statement available {here})
My Laser Level
My laser level is a favorite for so many things but especially for hanging art! Without it, there was no way that I would have been able to get all ten of the art prints around our TV level and lined up with each other:
To hang them, I first worked out the math on the placement of my frames. After determining the height for the top row of frames, I had my husband hold the laser level while I put down painter’s tape along the line of the laser beam. I did the same thing for the top of the pics in the second row and then for the spacing between the frames. After about 15-20 minutes I had the spots for all of the art pieces taped off:
Then I figured out the spot for each picture hanger and hung each art print (without any extra holes to fill – victory!):
It was definitely a huge time saver for this project along with several past projects too! The exact laser level I have is no longer available since I’ve had it for years but {this laser level} receives amazing reviews and would be a great choice while {this laser level} is a great budget-friendly option. And if you want to see more of our family room, you can check out the entire space {here}.
My Guacamole Saver!
Chips and guacamole are one of my all-time favorite foods – actually pretty much anything with guacamole is! So I take browning of my guacamole pretty seriously 🙂 When I first saw this little gadget that keeps guacamole from browning, I knew I had to give it a go since none of the other ways I’ve tried (storing it with the avocado pit, putting a layer of plastic wrap on top, etc.) have worked all that well.
The Guac-lock works by pushing all of the air out of the container (it’s exposure to air that causes the browning) through a hole in the top and then popping down the Guac Lock to seal it shut. Life changing! Ok, life changing might be a little bit dramatic but I do love it! I think that guacamole always tastes better the day after you make it anyway so now I have a way to make it ahead of time without being worried about it being a brown mess when it’s time to be served. You can find the Guac-lock {here} and my favorite homemade guacamole recipe {here}!
My Tool that Makes Clipping Off Long Knob Posts a Snap!
{This inexpensive tool} is made to cut and strip wires but it also makes shortening the posts on knobs and pulls quick and easy too! Simply screw the knob post into the hole that fits it best and squeeze the grips to cut. Just make sure you’re screwing it in the correct side (my tool clearly says “insert screw this side”) and that you wear eye protection because sometime the cut end goes flying. It works well for plain screws too!
My Go-to Strainer for Pasta, Taco Meat, & More!
Pasta is another food high on my family’s list of favorites – definitely a dinnertime staple at our house! This clip-on strainer is perfect for draining pasta without even having to remove the pasta from the pot. And the best part? The strainer is dishwasher safe and takes up a fraction of the space in your dishwasher that a typical strainer or colander does. It’s super simple to use – just clip it on to the sides of the pot:
and you’re ready to go:
It works great for larger pans and skillets too (like for draining fat from taco meat)!
How I Turn Our Outdoor Lights on at Night Without Lifting a Finger!
A few years back a added a programmable timer for the flood lights outside our home and it’s been SO nice to have! We have our lights set to automatically go on at sunset and off at sunrise (you can also specify your own on and off times or put it on random mode which is nice for when you’re on vacation). I love always having our outside lights on at night whether we’re home or not and also love that our lights turn themselves off when not needed during the day (saving money on the electricity bill!).
The timer that we installed is {this Honeywell Programmable Switch} that has amazing ratings, no minimum wattage requirements (so it’s compatible with CFLs and LEDs), and a backlit display that you can see at night. It can be placed on almost any single pole switch that has a neutral wire and the installation is pretty straight forward. Whatever I can do around my house that is fix-it-and-forget-about-it, I’m in!
So there you have it – my five favorite home gadgets and tools! Thank you so much for stopping in! If you’re new here and would like to read my future posts, you can sign up {here} for emails or follow along on Instagram {here}.
If you missed any of my past posts from our My Five Favorites series, you can check out my five favorite paint colors {here} and a few of my other My Five Favorites posts here:
Cassie Bustamante says
OMG i am getting the guac lock for chris for father’s day! since he works for chipotle he knows their recipe and it’s so good…. but after 1 day it’s brown.
Kris Jarrett says
Oohh… you need to do a blog post on that! I’d love to try that recipe – their guac is awesome!
Lisa | Shine Your Light says
Kris, that guac saver, I need it!!! Isn’t it the worst when you take the guac out of the fridge and it’s that sad shade of brownish green? Blech. Can’t wait to try this! Thanks for all your fun tips. The accuracy with which you hung those 10 pictures is mind boggling!!
Kris Jarrett says
Ha! You do need it! It seriously makes me so happy! Love my guac!
Calypso in the Country says
I seriously need the laser level. It takes us forever to get gallery walls up…which is probably why I haven’t redone mine since we painted! The guac-lock looks great too!
Shelley
Kris Jarrett says
You will find that you end up using the laser level a LOT once you have one. I love ours!
Garden, Home and Party says
Kris,
I purchased the vise grip tool after your review, it’s great and I always wanted something like that. This list has me wanting the guac lock and the pasta strainer. Thanks for the great list of gadgets. I’m going to visit the others to see what they have found.
xo,
Karen
Kris Jarrett says
I hope you enjoyed hopping around to everyone! I got some great gadget ideas from everyone else! 🙂
Design Chic says
I need the laser level in my life after several holes for each picture hung in my gallery wall and love the lights switch! Great tips, Kris and happy Thursday!
Kris Jarrett says
Ha! Yes you do! It definitely makes life easier!
Steffi D says
Great gadgets! We have a laser level, hubby bought one years ago and everything is in perfect level since. I need a light switch!
Kris Jarrett says
I’ve seriously loved having that light switch – before, half the time my outside lights stayed on all day because I’d forget to turn them off. 🙂
Melanie says
Hi Kris, the laser level to hang pictures is an absolute lifesaver! Could have, the better time as I’m looking to hang a few in the living room
Kris Jarrett says
It makes hanging pictures in a grid SOO much easier!
Ivory says
Oh wow, which one i love the most? I love them all. I can see my hubby and I using them all. So cool of you to share, thanks
Elaine says
You picture wall is my inspiration for my long awkward tv wall! What is the distance between each of your frames? Laser level is also in my amazon cart! 🙂
Judy says
Kris, the guac container is going in my shopping basket.
Your plantings look so healthy. The rhodies are blooming, the hydrangeas must add a beautiful touch, and climbing behind them, is that a climbing hydrangea?
I should share a photo with you. Right after Thanksgiving the “girls” drive up to Manchester VT. Our first stop is a furniture consignment shop which has something for everyone. I bought a queen size handmade, heavy, wrought iron headboard. Hubby attached it to the front of the house . Now, you can see it because of the hydrangea climbing, but I enjoy it all through the winter, as it fills up that space between the garage windows.
perfectpiececonsignments.com
Any chance you are living in a seaside town? I’m on the Cape and hydrangeas love the salt air and the sandy soil.
PiPaWallDecor says
Wow!!! So beautiful! I love everything!
Melanie says
It’s really coming together! I’m glad I get to have vicarious house decorating fun through you. Also the curtains make such the room so grand!
Gail says
Thank you for this post. My husband and I just installed three of the Honeywell programmable switches, and they work great! I did have to watch a YouTube video to learn how to program them correctly (ours didn’t come with clear instructions), but it was so easy once I learned how. Thank you again for a wonderful suggestion!
Martha Barreiro says
Love all the ideas and gadgets! I was wondering if maybe you could do a post on your landscaping layout or plant choices? It looks amazing from the photo you posted about the outside lights.
Thank
Kathy Walker says
Hi Kris, I would like to know how you prepared the back of each frame so it hangs level with other framed prints. My minted frames came with two attachments for placing a wire between them to hang the frame. This could mess up levels Also what wall hooks did you use. Thanks. Kathy