Five Tools That Make My Life Better—& May Make Your’s Better Too!

When we got married, Tony had these two identical kitchen knives. As they cut better than any knives I owned, they became our go-to for making dinner. We both love to cook, especially together. So after nine years of marriage, these knives have become well-worn.

Recently, after some frustrating incidents of trying to cut steak or even normal raw potatoes, it became clear that we needed some new knives. Tony found some online, and they were delivered to our door. Then about a week later, I went to make a meal that involved chopping a lot of vegetables. As I walked to the fridge to get the veggies, I began to dread what lay before me. For someone who loves to cook, I was not feeling it.

I opened the fridge, and took out carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, and two peppers. I washed them in the sink and laid them on a clean towel beside the cutting board. I opened the drawer and pulled out my new knife. Then I took a deep breath, grabbed the zucchini, and sliced off the ends. Immediately, my dread seemed to lift away.

Without realizing it, over time our old knives had made cooking stressful. They had taken away the fun of being in the kitchen. But my new knife cut beautifully. It made my work faster and easier. Soon, the most tedious part of making dinner was through, and I could focus on the fun part of putting it all together.

Life is better when we have good tools.

There is something to be said for having the right tools for the things we do everyday. Whether it is having a sharp knife to make dinner, or a calendar to keep track of all our commitments, life is better when we have good tools. Tools that lessen our work, free us to do what is most important, and even, alleviate some of our stress.

For this reason, today I am sharing some of my favorite tools that help my life go smoothly. Some are going be simple and seem obvious. But the point of a tool is not that it is new and shiny, but rather that it does its job well. Here are my favorite tools, in hopes of helping you discover or name your own:

Planner

Confession: I am a paper girl in a digital world. I love writing things out, especially in the calendar of a planner. It’s tactile. It helps me visualize my month. And it feels easier to change. I just use pencil, and I pull out a big eraser every time I need to fix something. For planning this blog and our meals, I use my traditional paper planner.

Calendar App

But for coordinating my schedule with Tony, I use the Calendar App that comes on our phones. That way every time either of us schedule something, the other person can see it, and we never double book. (I’ve heard Google calendar is also great for this as well)

White Noise App*

This has saved me on more than a few airplane rides. But recently, it has become a way to block out noise when I am working too. With settings that vary from fans blowing to ocean waves crashing, there are enough options to suit both falling a sleep on a plane, or working undistracted. It is great for drowning out the sound of construction outside or people working around me in a coffee shop.

A Good Omelet Pan

Making a really good breakfast has become a key part of my mornings. It literally fuels me until lunch. And many mornings, breakfast for me, looks like using a small omelet pan to make scrambled eggs. But, similar to the knives, an omelet pan can be a real pain when it stops doing its job. When more egg sticks to its sides than lands on your plate. The good news is decent ones don’t have to be expensive—in fact it’s better to buy an inexpensive one, and just plan on replacing it almost yearly if you make eggs as much as I do.

TMAC Fitness*

For fifteen dollars a month, Tony and I get a whole catalogue of twenty-minute workouts that we can stream in our living room. TMAC offers HIIT and beginner workouts, as well as yoga. For the two of us, they are more affordable than the gym, and save us time as we can do them at home. And as they are so short, there is no excuse not to get a work out in.