15 ideas for control freaks to ensure 2021 bends to their will
Monica Geller would vouch for this
New year, same old overcritical me. Still sick of Covid 19, I’m judging everyone who believes things will change overnight in 2021. Thankfully, I’m not alone in this Debbie Downer game. Control freaks and persnicketies have learnt it the hard way. Murphy’s Law won 2020 big time. Brains glitched more often than Wi-Fi routers. Compulsive cleaners were drying currency notes instead of their gym clothes to keep their OCD triggers in check. And organising our rapidly growing mask drawer was our new obsession.
With no contingency plans in place, Perfectionist Pammis were wrecked with an overwhelming sensation of losing control.
In 2021, as we still abide by the lockdown/unlock rules and mask protocols, control freaks continue to crave some some semblance of order. And we are here to indulge that urge.
We scoured the internet to find ideas to soothe that throbbing nerve in your control centre. A waterproof notepad to scribble ideas in a shower, a chopping board with scales and grid lines for the immaculate chopper, a label printer (because who doesn’t love them?) — our shopping guide for control freaks will restore some control in every area of your life this year. Now, this is a fresh start; not flouting curfew rules to feel like a roadie.
15 perfect products for control freaks and perfectionists of all kinds
For control freak moms who want to earn brown-ie points
Guilty of being a control freak mom? Your child thinks you don’t give them enough space, and while you want to give them space to unleash their creativity, not at the cost of your immaculate walls. Relatable much?
Relax those nerves, and let your child paint the room red, blue and green, with Crayola Washable Watercolors — the 16-colour set will protect your walls as well as your sanity, and you’ll pass the cool mom test with flying colours.
Hamleys; ₹339
For the fuss-masters who want their totes, organised
What do women carry in their bags? Snacks, safety pins, pepper spray, sleeping bags, air-fryer, alleged cure for Coronavirus and utilitarian objects only known to them. But most of them spend more time digging around for the required object than they spend stuffing them in this black hole.
Save them some stress by gifting this Multi Pocket Handbag Organizer that fits like a dream in any normal handbag (yes, discard that micro bag, please).
This time-saving attachment can be easily placed to store your toiletries, cosmetics and other UFOs.
Amazon; ₹386
For the immaculate gift-er
There are two kinds of gift givers. Those who carefully pick thoughtful gifts, then use whatever leftover wrapping paper is in their stationery drawer/ under the mattress. And those who carefully pick thoughtful gifts and make sure to package it so beautifully, it seems criminal to rip it apart. What’s on the outside matters as much as what’s on the inside, and no, this is not up for discussion.
To help your perfectionist friends during their 2021 calendar of birthdays, anniversaries and festivals, choose this pretty, eco-friendly gift-wrapping paper made with 100% upcycled newspaper and decorated with Indian block printing technique.
Ethico India;₹110
For the perfectionist who needs scales to chop veggies
Gift this wooden geometry box, err… chopping board with grid lines, protractor and scales to the kitchen precisians in your life. The kind who need their sandwich to be cut at a perfect 45 degree angle. Who want an inch-long stick of cinnamon in their biryani, or will throw a fit.
This OCD chopping board is the only accomplice they need in their kitchen. Go ahead, and encourage them to measure the lettuce leaf in their burger or the chopped garlic for chilli chicken.
Ubuy; ₹4,264
For the brainstormer in the shower
Truth time: Our best ideas come to us in the shower. It doesn’t matter whether we are Type A perfectionists or Type B casualists. While the latter will retain some of those ideas, and not kill themselves if they forget the rest, the control freaks will break their head if they lose control of their thoughts and ideas.
Gift them this waterproof notepad to make sure none of their pathbreaking ideas get flushed down the drain.
Amazon; ₹2,159
For the ones who can’t sanitise the countertop enough
A greasy ladle, oil dripping from a spoon, two more saucy tongs, and a whole lot of mess — the crime scene ft. kitchen is incomplete without this ensemble triggering your cleanliness freak friend’s tachycardia.
Relax their pacing heart with Ellementry’s ceramic spoon rest. The spoon rest promises to keep the countertop clean after you’re done with your elaborate culinary experiments. Alternatively, you can also place used tea bags on these spoon rests.
Ellementry; ₹690
For the Type As with a penchant for precision
Calm your inner persnickety with this mammoth book of activities.
Dot the ‘i’s, cross the ‘t’s, paint by numbers and solve over 80 puzzles designed for “perfectionists, control freaks, Type As and others obsessed with order.” Author-creator Gareth Moore knows how fidgety your nerves get at the sight of incomplete mess, and although you can’t fix every mess in the world, in the comforts of this book, you’ll be the key problem solver.
Amazon; ₹1,338
For the control freaks who swear by labels
On a scale of labelling your spice counter to Deepika Padukone labelling Ranveer Singh as ‘husband’, how obsessed are you with labelling things? Regardless of where you land on that scale, compulsive organisers will dig this mini label printer. This Casio label printer is loaded with five fonts and prints labels in five different sizes.
Generally spotted in office spaces for quick printing of labels for bulk shipping and inventory management, control freaks will keep this handy to even run their household. Because yes, dals and masalas are confusing and there are more medicines in that Covid prevention kit than at the nearest pharmacy.
Amazon; ₹3,320
For the ones who can’t stop purifying water
Everything must go — we aren’t reiterating the year-ender sales manifesto. This is LifeStraw Water Bottle’s filtering motto; it squashes bacteria, parasites, dust, silt, chlorine, microplastics (whoa!) and reduces chemicals.
Make water contamination a thing of past with this durable bacteria fighter. You can also replace filters and accessories. Just one last thing: don’t forget to take a few sips every now and then.
LifeStraw; ₹1,999
For the finance minister of the household
Financially, the last year, for many, has been a debacle. Adapting quickly to changing cash in-flow has been a challenge, and to make things more seamless, we recommend the champion money manager of an app, Money Lover.
It tracks your expenses, analyses your spending patterns, create budgets and monthly plans that you can actually stick to. And no, you don’t need to be a data scientist to understand the graphs on this app.
Money Lover; free with in-app purchases.
For the film buffs who love to plan
Spotted this collectible planner on Zoya Akhtar’s feed last month, and couldn’t resist buying. Author Nasreen Munni Kabir meticulously put together this wholesome diary to commemorate legendary lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi’s birth centenary this year.
The planner is a treasure trove of Sahir’s letters to his friends and colleagues, and his friends (including Naseeruddin Shah, Asha Bhosle, Waheeda Rehman and Jaya Bachchan) reminiscing about him.
Take a trip down memory lane with this biographical planner while you control your present. And when in doubt, ask yourself, “What would Sahir do?” Most probably, he would stare into space and come up with yet another lyrical gem. Conclusion: Take a break to birth some genius.
DC Book Store; ₹424
For the ones who are excessively particular about the writing instruments
So what if most of our writing happens on screens these days? Remember your classmate who had Cello Pointec Gel pens (0.5 nib) in every colour possible with multiple back ups?
These pen nerds grew up, their demands evolved, and now they vehemently refuse to use your pleb ballpoint pens. They are fussy about the make, the texture, the ink flow and so on. Let them customise their own writing instrument with Muji — where they can choose the colours, body, ink and thickness. Watch them gloat and diss your mamuli set of pens after this process.
Muji; ₹90
For the neatness freak who is disappointed by the lint roller
Little fuzz balls on carpet, sweaters and sheets – aam janta takes care of it with a lint roller. But if you have OCD tendencies when it comes to dust and pet hair on your favourite fabrics, you will need something more than the unimpressive lint remover.
This electric fabric defuzzer and lint remover is an efficient step towards preserving your favourite knitwear and carpets. Glide this fabric shaver gently to remove fuzz, lint and pilling without damaging your wardrobe essentials.
The Everything Dukaan; ₹999
For the ones who want to be their own physios
2020 and its offerings have reduced most of us to slouch masters. Many have also mastered the art of WFC – Work from Couch.
Fitness nerds have resolved to take things, errr, an adjustable band into their own hand and stop themselves from becoming the hunchback of their own den. And their partner in this posture correction routine is befittingly called Neckbuddy.
Straighten up from the posture pitfall of the pandemic with this neck traction device that stretches and relaxes the neck and shoulder muscles while improving the spinal posture. The pillow-like , adjustable contraption decompresses the spinal disc, easing the pressure on nerves and aiding blood circulation.
The Everything Dukaan; ₹799
For the one overly attached to drawers
After sifting through a pile of neat and orderly drawer dividers, we figured compulsive closet organisers will really dig this Honeycomb Drawer Divider, solely for its unconventional design. It takes a leaf out of our chemistry textbooks and hydrocarbon structures.
For the control freaks in your life who believe compartmentalisation is key, this hexagonal divider is an ideal option to neatly store anything and everything – from clothing and accessories, to even glassware and cutlery.
Shopper’s Stop; ₹499
