24 Life-Changing Gifts People From Nifty Actually Love And Recommend

Useful, decorative, and clever ideas from all of us at Nifty.

Ellie Sunakawa / BuzzFeed

Happy holidays from the Nifty team! We're a bunch of homebodies, so we're kind of obsessed with finding the coolest, most useful, life-changing products for your house.

We compiled our favorites into this list—use it to find the perfect gift for that person who loves cancelled plans, snuggling on the couch and/or the satisfying feeling of a freshly cleaned-out closet.

1. A gorgeous watercolor scratch-off map of the U.S. they can hang on their wall to track their travels to each and every one of the fifty states.

Elizabeth Lilly / BuzzFeed

"Scratch-off maps make for fun wall art additions and serve as constant reminders as to why I should save the money I'm about to blow on takeout nachos for a memorable trip. For my 30th birthday I asked my parents for this watercolor US map from Etsy that I've had my eye on awhile and it now graces my wall as some major travel inspo. It comes on high-quality photo paper that I easily mounted with Command strips and the revealed watercolor design is vibrant.

Traveling is amazing and churns out all sorts of #tbt Instagram posts, but part of the fun is anticipation and deciding just *where* to go. This map keeps it top of mind and because of it I've already planned my next trip!" —Elizabeth Lilly

Get one from KristinDouglasART on Etsy for $29.65 (12x18 inches, thick poster paper. Two title options available.)

2. Or a big scratch-off world map any aspiring international traveler will love to hang in their home base.

Uncommon Goods, Elizabeth Lilly / BuzzFeed / Via instagram.com

"I (obviously) adore an interactive decor op, as does my wonderful friend Courtney who gave me this scratch-off world map a few years ago. It hangs in my bedroom at my parents’ house and every time I go somewhere new I look forward to scratching off a representation of that location (preferably with a coin from said place). Since then, I’ve traveled to England and France (in one week), drove to Montreal for a long weekend, and have racked up several more US states." —Elizabeth Lilly

Get it from Uncommon Goods for $26 or $40 (depending on the size, 23x32 inches or 33x46 inches available).

3. A rechargeable electric screwdriver that can fit in all kinds of nooks and crannies that your bulky traditional drill just plain can't.

Target

"I moved this year and had to install a lot of shelves. Sometimes, they were at a weird angle that made it hard to hold a hand drill. This small, light-weight screwdriver made everything so much easier and didn't give my hands callouses.

This is a great stocking stuffer for anyone, even people who do not consider themselves handy at all. It's especially useful if you know a renter who's moving because it makes disassembling and reassembling Ikea furniture much more pleasant." —Tarn Susumpow

Get it from Target for $14.99 or a similar product on Amazon for $14.99.

4. An adorable tissue cover to give their box of Puffs a home sweet home on their bedside table.

Elizabeth Lilly / BuzzFeed, amazon.com

"I, an adult woman, cannot remember the last time I bought a box of tissues for my home (though I have several purse packs?!). But now that I’m playing house as a grown-ass person in an apartment to myself, I’m trying to be *responsible*. So obviously buying this whimsical tissue box cover is peak adulting.

Perhaps the reason I’ve been so bad at keeping around a box of tissues is because tissues just look...kind of ugly out in the open. But not with this lil’ cover! Now it’s a ~design element~ that I’ll hopefully remember to keep full. For now, it’s filled with a square box of tissues I unearthed from my old apartment’s closet while packing; it's presently neatly housed inside the tissue box cover, providing the "smoke" for the tiny chimney." —Elizabeth Lilly

Get it on Amazon for $7.60.

5. A set of storage containers that actually keep produce incredibly fresh for just about two entire weeks.

Natalie Brown / BuzzFeed

"I've been using these for strawberries and spinach since March 2018, and I promise you, they really, truly work. On March 5th, I put half of my fresh strawberries in the medium-sized container and left the other half in the clamshell container they came in from the store. Ten days later, on March 15th, I compared the two, and, well, the photos above speak for themselves!

With more use, I've figured out that if there are bruises or mold on strawberries, sometimes this can encourage them to mold a little faster. But as long as the strawbs are in good shape, they actually will stay pretty much perfect for a full two weeks!" —Natalie Brown

For more, read the full review, which has even more photos.

On Amazon, get a set of three (two large, one medium) for $22.98, one small and one medium for $19.98, a set of four all-mediums for $38.38, or see their full selection of sizes.

6. A minimalist brass key ring because the keys to your home deserve a beautiful home of their own.

amazon.com

"Keyrings are often overlooked! I love the elegant design, but it also seems very functional to get keys on and off compared to your normal round key ring. I added this to my Amazon Christmas shopping list, hoping my husband gets the hint." —Kenah Trusewich

Get it on Amazon for $15 (+$5.95 shipping).

7. A pack of four reusable Keurig cups so they can continue enjoying their favorite easy-to-make coffees in a more earth-friendly way.

amazon.com, amazon.com

"I actually bought these for my mom after she showed me two Costco-size boxes (100 pack) of these pods that just get thrown away. So much trash... it's a little change." —Hitomi Aihara

Get them on Amazon for $9.95.

8. A power scrubber so you can bust through built-up dirt and grime in seconds (especially on grout), kissing hours of exhausting elbow grease goodbye.

amazon.com, Natalie Brown / BuzzFeed

"It's not the sexiest gift but this Rubbermaid Reveal Power Scrubber changed my life and it's the perfect stocking stuffer for neat-freaks! I used to spend HOURS scrubbing the grout lines in my bathroom with a toothbrush and bleach. This electric scrubber gets it done in half the time and cleans deeper than I ever could! A sparkling, fresh bathroom? To me, that's the greatest gift of all! —Erin Phraner

This thing works small miracles! I cleaned about half my bathroom's grout to its original sparkling-clean cream color in 40 minutes, and it took honestly no effort at all. It's like an electric toothbrush, except with a much bigger head, and super stiff bristles. I also use it to scrub off built-up bathtub soap scum in (honestly!) less than a minute. Multiple Amazon reviewers point out that it works wonders on hard water deposits/buildup around faucets and on clear shower doors, too. Your entire bathroom will look brand new!" —Natalie Brown

Get one on Amazon for $15.99 or at Target for $19.99 (which includes the Grout Brush head in the package; they're sold separately on Amazon).

9. A foot rocker for anyone who works at a desk all day, so they have no excuse not to stretch at least a little bit.

amazon.com, amazon.com

"This is such a random item but I've recently been running more and I'm horrible at stretching. I keep this at my desk and throughout the day I randomly use it to stretch. Without this, I probably wouldn't stretch at all." —Ray Pajar

Get it on Amazon for $16.99.

10. A set of six pop containers to keep all their favorite baking or pantry ingredients neat, organized, and extra fresh...AND protected from any creepy-crawly intruders.

amazon.com

"I like having all the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies on hand at all times in case of emergency. But frankly, after spotting a mouse in my apartment, I tossed all my open bags and started fresh. Enter pop containers from OXO (yep, the avocado tool people).

The sleek-looking containers keep food fresh and presentable and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate your various needs. So far I've used them for sugar, flour, cornmeal, Wheat Thins, spaghetti, pretzels, and almonds. Each container has a big button on top that you can press to open or seal the jar. It's so satisfying to pop these things open that I can't imagine using a different container system ever again." —Rebecca O'Connell

Get the three-piece set for $31.15, the five-piece set for $47.99, or the 10-piece set for $99.93, all on Amazon.

11. A durable sponge that transforms the experience of hand-washing dishes: it scrubs so well, lasts for months on end, and never stinks even a little bit.

Natalie Brown / BuzzFeed

"I've used my Jetz-Scrubz for about three months now — and it literally shows no signs of wear or tear. I would have gone through at least two regular cellulose sponges in that time. And I bet it lasts at *least* four months total, if not six...or more. Its secrets: it's synthetic, so it doesn't have any natural fiber that encourage bacteria to thrive. The soft/spongy side makes dishes a sparkling clean, but doesn't have any holes big enough to pick up food particles. And the scrubby side's durable, so it stands up to tough, stuck-on foods.

I know it might be kind of weird to gift a sponge, but I think people appreciate a practical, useful stocking stuffer that'll make life easier and save them money in the long run!" —Natalie Brown

Get a pack of three on Amazon for $17.99 (about $6 each). Or get a pack of three of the same sponge in a smaller, round shape (some people with smaller hands find it more comfortable to hold) for $13.94 (about $4.65 each), also on Amazon.

12. A 100-piece drill and toolkit in a handy carrying case — what problems can't you tackle when equipped with a fully-charged cordless drill and interchangeable screw driver?

amazon.com

"Nothing makes me feel more like a fully-functioning adult than owning a toolkit. It lets me do work around my house without waiting for my landlord to answer my 47th plea to come fix something." —Emily Shwake

Get it on Amazon for $62.79.

13. Fifteen feet of delicate copper-wire string lights to give any twenty-something's apartment a homey, warm glow, no interior design skills necessary.

Sarah Han / BuzzFeed, Urban Outfitters

"String lights are a classic. They add late-night ambiance and ~cozy vibes~, which I, as a night owl, am alllll about. I have these super thin but sturdy (and also bendable!) copper wire string lights looped around my bed frame, and before my roomie and I hosted a housewarming party, we bought two more sets of them to hang in our living room.

We just wanted to add a lil' something to make our place look a bit more inviting (besides its two lovely hostesses armed with awesome snacks and libations, of course). And these totally do the trick: cute and not ostentatious, casual-party-mood-inducing, and just the right amount of brightness. Hashtag interior decorator." —Sarah Han

Get the 15-foot long strand from Urban Outfitters for $24 (and a similar flamingo lamp on Amazon for $33.56).

14. A spill-proof bowl set to save your aunt's floors from the inevitable mess her two beloved dogs (or cats!) always insist on making.

Emmy Favilla / BuzzFeed, amazon.com

"My cat Benny is face-licking, chirp-meowing little furball who loves human attention. But his company comes with the caveat that he also LOVES playing with his water bowl and splashing water everywhere. His hobbies also include pushing around his food and water bowls for sport. So I decided to try the Neater Feeder, and it's been working out great.

First the bowl is elevated, which apparently helps aid in digestion and makes eating more comfortable for your furry loved ones. Secondly, its design renders it spill-proof: It has a bottom tray that catches any spillover from the water bowl, which, along with Benny's food bowl, remains nestled in the top portion, complete with a drain at the front of the product. I haven't seen a drop of water on my floors since I purchased this thing, and emptying out the lower reservoir is as easy as can be. You just snap the top portion off and spill all the excess water into the sink. If you have a messy pet or just want to ensure your floors are always safe from water damage, this feeder is a fantastic investment." —Emmy Favilla

Get one for cats for $21.99+ (six colors) and one for dogs for $34.99+ (three sizes and six colors), both on Amazon.

15. A hand-held mini clothing steamer so your sister can stop leaving the ironing board out in the middle of the living room, but still wear impeccably wrinkle-free clothes every day.

Maitland Quitmeyer / BuzzFeed, amazon.com

"It’s teeny (you can totally bring it when you travel!), and stows neatly away in even the smallest spaces. Personally, I keep mine under the bathroom sink for last minute de-wrinklings. It heats up in 90 seconds, which for my snooze button–hitting ass, is basically a miracle.

It's v lightweight (about one pound), and the water tank is the perfect size to thoroughly steam up to five-ish garments, making it a no-brainer for a quick pass over a blouse OR when steaming a whole bunch of clothes the night before a vacation. IT WORKS!!!" —Maitland Quitmeyer

Get it on Amazon for $24.99.

16. A smart Nest smoke detector perfect for anyone whose current kitchen detector's irritatingly oversensitive, because they'll be able to easily mute it from their phone.

Elena Garcia / BuzzFeed, amazon.com

"My Nest Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector is legit the best home purchase I’ve ever made. It has an industrial-grade smoke sensor, works with your phone, connects to your Wi-Fi, will test itself automatically, lasts up to 10 years, alerts your smartphone of any activity it senses, can be programmed based on the room it’s in (and work alongside any additional Nest detectors in the house), and sends you monthly digests of what has occurred. Before any annoying beeping alarms begin to sound a really lovely lady makes herself heard and says, “Heads up! There is smoke in the hallway. The alarm will sound; the alarm is loud.”

If the smoke is just coming from your lack of culinary skills, you can hush it from your phone so that it turns itself off. Meaning YOU NEVER HAVE TO STAND ON A CHAIR FANNING A SMOKE DETECTOR AGAIN!!!! Hallelujah! This thing is a true game-changer. Seriously, it's the best money I’ve ever spent!" —Elena Garcia

Get it from Amazon for $119 (two versions available: one powered by batteries, and one you can directly wire into your house, if you're set up for that.)

17. A Kodak photo printer that makes it easy to swap out pictures in their gallery wall with their latest phone photography masterpieces — or just make their own photo albums.

Emmy Favilla / BuzzFeed, amazon.com

"If you, like me, have a soft spot for old school photo albums, you know that there's something about scrolling through old images on Instagram or Facebook that doesn't quite fill you with that same sense of warmth the way flipping through paper photos does.

That's where this printer comes into play: It's compatible with iOS and Android, and prints photos directly from your phone's camera roll. (It can also print from your iPad, USB stick, and digital camera.) Once you've set up the printer with the photo cartridge and paper, which is super easy, all do is download the free app. Plug your phone, then via the app choose what you'd like to print, and watch it do its magic. The photo passes through four times, laying down different colors, until the image is compete. I was seriously impressed with the quality!

The printer comes with a cartridge and 10 sheets of paper; you can get 40-, 80-, or 120-pack refills. At $19.99 for a 40-pack through $46.99 for a 120-pack, you're basically paying 40 to 50 cents per photo, which isn't too shabby for a professional-looking print. If you're in the market for quality photos you can print right at home, I highly recommend this fab little printer!" —Emmy Favilla

Get the printer on Amazon for $139.99.

18. A milk heater, steamer, and frother because sometimes it's nice to give coffee at home an easy upgrade.

amazon.com, amazon.com

"I have this and love it so much. This is such a good gift because it's something you don't really need and might not buy for yourself, but it's nice to have! It makes my morning coffee that much more special and has saved me so much money. It's super easy to use and clean, and I'm way more excited to make coffee at home now!" —Deanna Govea

Get it on Amazon for $41.99.

19. A multifunctional kitchen cart if your S.O.'s been wishing for a Pinterest-worthy coffee and tea cart, or even just a little bit more counter space to chop veggies for dinner.

Adrianna Licitra / BuzzFeed

"Our kitchen is so tiny that I can touch either end without even fully extending my arms. I knew we’d need some savvy solutions, so I bought this kitchen cart and it’s been nothing short of a lifesaver. Putting the cart against the wall right outside of the kitchen effectively extends the kitchen into the more spacious living room, making it feel much bigger.

The cart gives us a couple extra feet of counter space where we can prep food and display items we frequently use, a wide drawer for utensils and gadgets, a spacious shelf we use as a minibar, and a cabinet that’s perfect for storing little appliances like our toaster and electric tea kettle. It's made of sturdy wood and granite with sleek metal pulls and manages to be a substantial piece of furniture without being bulky or cumbersome. The wheels make it easy to move around if necessary, but they also lock to keep it in place while we use it. I still wish our kitchen was 10 times bigger, but at least with this cart, it’s 10 times more functional. I definitely recommend this product to anyone living in a small space or just someone looking for a cute bar or coffee cart." —Adrianna Licitra

Get it from World Market for $179.99.

20. A lightweight but super cozy down-alternative comforter they'll never guess was $43, because it's just so good at its job — keeping them warm without overheating.

amazon.com, Kayla Suazo / BuzzFeed

"Yes — you read that correctly! This pretty white bedding (which is HYPOALLERGENIC *and* CRUELTY-FREE!) is only $43. It sounds fancy because it is, people. Other comforters — specifically down ones — can be too poofy and cause me to bake during the night, but not with this! This comforter has an airy, lightweight quality, so you won't feel like you're drowning in heat. It also has loops in each corner, so it's easy to tie in a duvet during the colder months and keep it in place, or to just add some pizzazz.

It's machine-friendly making it easy to wash. I just wash on gentle in colder water, and tumble dry on low. I bought a striped cover ($80; available in queen/king and four colors) from Target (pictured above right) for the winter, and it adds just enough warmth to not freeze." —Kayla Suazo

Get it on Amazon for $40.80+ (available in Twin, Queen, and King).

21. An incredibly soft and fuzzy throw blanket they can cuddle up with every night while re-reading Harry Potter for the 14th time.

Katy Herman / BuzzFeed

"When I moved into my first apartment, I needed to replicate the coziness of my favorite throw blanket from home, preferably for not a lot of moola. This Threshold blanket from Target fits the bill perfectly. It's under $15 (!!!) and fuzzy as hell. Honestly, it feels like one of those luxury stuffed animals, so when I envelop myself in it, I basically become one of those luxury stuffed animals. When I'm home, I pretty much live on my couch, and this blanket is the number one reason I never want to leave.

The texture also looks nice as an accent in my living room, so it's NBD that I never put it away (what would be the point, when I use it for hours every day?). Plus, it's machine-washable, which is a must for someone like me who has a tendency to snack on the sofa. This throw enables my laziness in the best way possible, and I love it so very much." —Katy Herman

Get it from Target for $14.99 (available in seven colors).

22. A Google Home Mini and a ~Dot Genie~, so they can conveniently mount the speaker wherever works best for their home.

amazon.com, amazon.com

"This simple Google assistant wall mount is a great way to hold up a Google home Mini. I got one originally to hold up the Mini in my bedroom. It did such a good job that I bought a second Home Mini and mount to have in my bathroom." —Ray Pajar

Get the Google Home Mini from Walmart or Target for $49. And get the Dot Genie outlet wall mount on Amazon for $14.99 (three colors).

23. A laptop desk that will transform part of their bed into a table, so they can be comfy and get work done (or, y'know, just watch Netflix) at the exact same time.

amazon.com

"This laptop desk is the best thing I own. I knew I was wrecking my computer by keeping it on my lap in bed so I ordered this laptop desk and my, oh my. You mean I can have a snack and use my computer and watch TV while being fully horizontal all at the same time?! Mother may I." —Emily Shwake

Get it on Amazon for $19.29.

24. And a 10-piece ceramic cookware set that basically has everything they need to bring their culinary fantasies to life.

Macy's

Promising review: "This cookware is not only gorgeous, but it is also flawlessly non-stick. All I do is rinse it off in my sink and the food residue just slides right off the pan. In addition, the ceramic coating is safe for me to use at home, and as a mom of a young son, I’m super concerned about the coatings I use for my cookware. The set has all the pieces I need and I’m excited to use them for years to come. Definitely a great purchase." —BoyMom

Get it from BuzzFeed's Goodful line, exclusively at Macy's for $149.99 (through 11/28/18; regularly $214.99).

Whether you're shopping for yourself or someone else, check out more gift recommendations:

25 Life-Changing Gifts The Goodful Team Actually Loves And Recommends

The Official 2018 Tasty Gift Guide

33 Gifts Parents And Their Families Will Want According To Playfull

Looking for the perfect gift for any occasion? Check out all of BuzzFeed’s gift guides!

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