5 Modern Conveniences They’ll Have to Pry Out of My Cold Dead Hands
We talk a lot about all the things we have at home that we don’t need, and can easily get rid of without a second glance. But what about those things to which we are irrevocably attached? Let’s leave off the obvious off the list: I don’t want to revert back to the days of outhouses. Nor do I, or will I ever, take electricity for granted. I’m talking about new-ish inventions that aren’t vital in the grand scheme of life, but have nonetheless become an entrenched part of our lives. Almost like family members. Family members that I actually want to live with.
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Here are five of my favorites:
Space Heater: I have really high ceilings and large windows which are great for letting in light and making my home feel open and airy. You know what they aren’t great for? Heat. Which rises. We have ceiling fans which help to push the warm air down to human level, but it never quite feels as toasty as I like it to be in winter. Enter my personal space heater, which I keep at my feet while I work at my desk. When I get cold, I turn it on. When I inevitably get too warm 10 minutes later, I shut it off. It’s like my own little temperature regulator, and I love it.
eBooks: I am not an early adopter of technology, nor do I need to have the latest and fastest device. I am however a very fast reader and can easily read a book a day or every few days. The fact that I can access digital books from my public library is such a life altering development, I’m getting teary just thinking about it right now. So I’ll move on.
Humidifier: When given the choice between smooth baby soft skin, and that of a reptile, I choose the former. Which means that during the winter months, I sleep right next to a humidifier. So, until there are elves that come in the night and rub lotion all over my body while I’m sleeping, the humidifier stays right where it is.
Rice Cooker: Single use appliances are controversial in these here parts, and I understand. I don’t get Keurig machines for example — they just seem wasteful with all that packaging. But I would seriously miss my rice cooker. Not only does it cook perfect rice every time, but it keeps it warm for days after it’s made. Maybe we eat too much rice in our household, but it’s not going anywhere, anytime soon. Even if we never progress to the point where we use it as a slow cooker, steamer, or a humidifier.
→ Single-Use Kitchen Appliances: Awesome or Awful?
Fridge Water Dispenser: I drink a lot of water. Like a lot of water. I also have a little button inside the door of my fridge that deposits fresh, cool water directly into my glass. Full disclosure. It isn’t even filtered water – we let that run out years ago. But for some reason it feels and tastes so much better than what comes directly from the tap. I don’t know if I’d drink less water if I didn’t have this thing, but I’m not willing to test the theory.
Now if you want to read about the really valuable things that readers couldn’t live without, like actual family members, then you might prefer this post instead: