Tired women need efficient home products, and we found 12 that work

Who wants some minimum-effort, homemade banana chips?

When we danced like Poo in front of our mirrors as kids, we imagined our lives would unfold like a great Bollywood film. It’s only as adults that we realise it’s not a slice-of-life comedy but rather a melodrama, complete with all the song-and-dance routines of getting proposals approved at work, the never-ending quest to add some masala to your sex life, rehearsing Bhaag Milkha Bhaag scenes while chasing a toddler with a household that feels stuffed to the brim with responsibilities.

Our creative jugaads get us by when we’re in a crunch, but when you’re a working mom, young professional or someone who feels like every week comes with a new plot twist, leaving you with little energy, you wish life came with a pause button, or at the very least, a skip intro button so you can get straight to the problem and deal with it.

Since there is no way to get a quick preview of the next day before you drift off to sleep, we’re focusing our energies on making life simpler in whatever way we can because we’re tired – all the time. Tired women need efficient home products that will check off some of the items on what seems to be a task list on the ‘infinite scroll’ setting.

At first, it may not feel like these efficient home products have revolutionised your daily life, but as time goes by, you’ll realise how these smart appliances and tools have streamlined your chores, taken some of the unsavoury items off your plate and allowed you to regain control over your time.

Investing in these home products can make life a little easier

Tata Power EZ Home Wifi Smart Plug, ₹1,599 (approx.)

If you’re someone who has often rushed to the office and then panicked as soon as you stepped into the elevator, “Did I leave the hair straightener on?” then this efficient home product should be added to your cart.

This smart plug acts as a switch and lets you turn the attached appliance on and off using your phone through an app and AI assistants like Alexa. If you’re ever stuck out of town and are worried about things left on back home running up the electricity bill, this would be an easy way to shut things down – especially if you live alone.

Coffeeza Frothimo milk frother and heater, ₹4,999

Standing in the PG kitchen and staring into space while going tak-tak-tak with a spoon in a cup to make phenti hui coffee was fine in college, but now, we say, let yourself indulge in an electric milk frother. This one takes the hand-held frothers to the next level, doing the frothing and heating of milk simultaneously.

Save money on the cappuccinos you order as treats with this device, which has different settings for cappuccinos and lattes, fluffing up the milk to just the right consistency.

Litter-trapping cat mat, ₹2,944

As a cat owner, you will still have 99 problems with late-night zoomies and missing hair ties, but a trail of litter strewn around the litter box won’t be one.

Litter-trapping mats are unexpectedly efficient home products that’ll save you extra sweeping of your fur baby’s mess every time they decide to take out their rage of not getting enough treats out in the litter box.

The water-proof, double-layer mat collects debris that may be stuck onto your cat’s paws, and you can easily pour it out into the trash.

About Space vacuum storage bags, ₹635 (pack of five)

You’ve been planning on purging your wardrobe of extra, unworn clothes and sifting them into piles of donate and turn-into-pochha-or-pillow-covers for months. But every time you stare at the laddoos of clothes you have balled up, you can’t muster the energy to go through it all, especially after a day full of meetings that could have been emails and organising play dates.

You moved on to looking at DIY projects for home storage solutions to put away some of the clothes for another day (or temporarily forget about), but the space issue came up. These bags can’t help you decide what to keep and what to junk but will help you save some space while preserving the integrity of the materials. They come in various sizes, so be sure to check what fits your needs the best.

Wonderchef Nutri-Cup portable blender, ₹1,395

You promised yourself that you would break through that weight loss plateau and stick to the nutrition plan your doctor helped create to deal with your cholesterol problem. But after getting everyone in the house up, ready and packing their dabbas, you realise you’re already running late and skipping breakfast.

Smoothies and mixed juices are a great way to start the day, keep you full and give your body all the nutrients it needs. With a portable blender, you can get that morning meal – even if it’s in liquid form – and keep your health journey on track.

Angry mama microwave cleaner, ₹219

This angry mama is one of the most efficient home products we’ve ever come across. This cute figurine serves as a microwave pre-cleanse to save you the sweat of scrubbing grime, food spills and stains.

Fill angry mama with water and vinegar and send her for a spin in the microwave for 5-7 minutes (stick to what’s directed on the label to be safe). Watch the steam blast out of mama’s head and loosen up all the grime stuck inside for an easy wipe-down after. This is one mama you will really like when she’s angry.

It won’t completely clear out the heavy-duty damage from that one time you over-heated dal, and your microwave turned into a haldi crime scene. But with consistent use, it’ll do the job of microwave maintenance in the long run.

Silicone drain covers, ₹199 (pack of two)

Surakshit kale baal is the mantra Vasmol put in our heads a long time ago, and we’re still chasing the dream of long, lustrous locks. But given our stress levels, environmental pollution and lifestyle, we’re losing hair faster (these serums could help) than lip balms, and our shower drain often pays the price.

If you’re tired of repeatedly buying Drainex to unclog your pipes or gag at the thought of pulling out hair clumps, then this silicone cover will serve you well. Not only hair, you can pop this onto the sink when you’re washing and cutting veggies, even washing the dishes to save your pipes from any potential blockers or damage. We all know how tedious it can be to get landlords to agree to housework.

The Faraway Tree scented wax tablets, ₹499

These wax tablets are lifesavers when you’re living in cramped apartments that attract musty smells like ants to the aloo bhujjia crumbs in your bed from your late-night snack.

These are especially handy in the monsoon or if you live in a coastal, humid city. There’s only so many times you can run the washing machine without your electricity bill popping off the charts.

Hang the mogra and neroli tablet up in your wardrobe, or pop the orange vanilla-scented one into the shoe cabinet, making your morning footwear selection a pleasure rather than triggering your gag reflex.

Keep the tablet in the provided case with the drawstring untied for your more delicate fabrics. The tablet will still do its magic.

Philips digital air fryer, ₹13,995 – ₹17,995

An air fryer will become the new unsung hero of your kitchen, turning meal prep into a breeze.

You can put pretty much anything into an air fryer. Whip up delicious, crispy dishes with less oil and cooking time. No more waiting for the oven to preheat or dealing with messy deep frying that spits oil like an angry teenager throwing a hissy fit.

Just pop your food into the air fryer, set the temperature and timer, and voilà – you’re on your way to a quick, healthy meal. Whether you’re a kitchen novice or a seasoned chef, air fryers are your trusty sidekick; ensure you check for the right size if buying it online.

IKEA waterproof mattress protector, ₹899

Under every beautiful bedcover from FabIndia is a mattress covered in curry stains, spilt chai, and maybe even some baby spit-up. There are only so many times you can flip or rotate a mattress before realising you have a problem.

You can’t control all the clumsy Kavitas in your house, but you can save yourself from getting into a wrestling match with a mattress with a waterproof mattress cover. Remember to measure your mattress, pick the right size for snug fit, and stay in place even if you loto-poto all night.

Self-adhesive chalkboard stickers, ₹144 (pack of 80)

We won’t tell anyone if you still struggle distinguishing between sabja, kalonji and jeera. These stick-on labels will be a godsend. You can always wipe it off and write something else when the time comes.

Slap them onto your jars, and never mix up curry spices mid-stir again. You may also have to fight the urge to label everything in your apartment. To be fair, you can put these multi-purpose labels on anything that needs organising.

You can finally shed the tag of being the person who put salt instead of sugar in everyone’s chai at the last family meet-up.

Nykd by Nykaa bra extender, ₹399 (pack of two)

This is not a home product, but it is one that is handy to have at home. They aren’t only for people who have outgrown their bra straps but have a perfect cup fit, but also for people with in-between sizes who struggle to find a comfortable and supportive bra.

These little strips of fabric have hooks and eyes like your regular bra clasp and hook on easily for you to adjust it. They come in two-hook and three-hook variants, so double-check which one you want before entering your debit card details.