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James von der Lieth
Millennial, Personal Development Addict

33 Life Changing Tools For Under $99 That Every Millennial Should Have

24 is a strange age. At 24, many of your habits have successfully transitioned into adulthood, but a few stubborn old ones cling to the tempting existence of being an irresponsible kid.

The items in the list have one thing in common: They are all tools I’ve bought on Amazon over the last 3 years in the attempt to develop and practice the habits of successful adults. The inconvenient truth that being a successful adult means going to sleep before midnight and having energy in the morning has been tough to deal with after a decade of “just showing up” in the mornings.

Being an adult means being able to effectively store and generate energy when you need to. Whether its ensuring you’re sleeping in perfect condition, taking proper care of your body, or drinking a strong coffee as a last resort, your habits need to support your ability to summon physical and creative energy regularly. In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need to rely on tools to be a successful adult, but at 24 its next to impossible to be an adult without the help of tools. I can imagine its not much different at age 50.

When it comes to purchasing ANY belongings, my values are not unlike most millennials — I care most about Necessity (I ask myself “Is this clutter? What is its value-add to my life?). Next on the list of priorities, I care about Functionality (Does it efficiently accomplish what I need it to?), Quality (Will it last a long time), and Aesthetics (Will it look good with the other select few nice things I’ve chosen to let into my life?). Despite a seemingly long list of 33 belongings bought over a 3 year period, I consider myself a minimalist. In the ongoing process of becoming an adult, I have done countless hours of research on the BEST products to buy. Like most millennials, I believe in paying a little bit more for the BEST, and that for the most part, price is largely irrelevant, if the product is the most functional, highest quality, and has the best aesthetics.

Bedtime/Morning Rituals

Aromatherapy Machine
Alaska Bear Sleep Mask
  • Waterpik Aquarius Water Flosser (WP-660C) ($71)
    This machine will forever change your oral hygiene game. Strangely enough, it makes cleaning your mouth enjoyable. There are a few different water flossers on Amazon but this one is by far the best. The handheld ones without the water receptacles are cheaper, but they run out quickly and are more trouble than they’re worth.
  • Memory Foam Mattress Pad Bed Topper ($94.99)
    I had a problem. I like to make sure my guests are comfortable, but I didn’t have a guest bedroom at my apartment. Easy Solution: I bought this memory foam to go on my bed, and when I have a guest I take the memory foam off the bed and sleep on the ground. Its super comfortable, and way better than sleeping on the living room couch or making the guest sleep there.
  • Acupressure Mat and Pillow Set ($44.97)
    Helps you fall asleep faster and have deeper sleeps. Great for back/neck pain too.
  • Philips Wake-Up Light With Colored Sunrise Simulation ($99.99)
    A gentle way to feel like you are waking up in nature.
  • F.lux App (FREE!)
    Being up late on your computer causes you to be exposed to a lot of blue light, which destroys your melatonin levels. This app makes the color of your computer’s display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day.

Work/Office

Modern Desk Lamp, 5 Color Modes for Task Work
  • AmazonBasics 8–1/2 by 11–3/4 Legal Pads, 12 pack ($10.81)
    I love writing random things and doodles on Legal Pads. I go through about one pad a month, and always have one in my nightstand, on my desk, and in my work bag.
  • Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station ($179.99)
    I used to think that the internet would slow down “because of comcast”. It turns out that most of the time the internet slows down because of a crappy router. This solution by Apple has boosted my productivity BIG TIME.

Misc

  • Quarto ($28.75)
    Awesome two person strategy game that I got addicted to playing with strangers in Barcelona. The best part is the games only take 20–30 minutes so its not a huge commitment to start a game.
Quarto, A Fun Board Game That Only Takes 20 Minutes To Play
  • Luxury Men’s Nappa Leather Gloves with Cashmere Lining ($33.99)
    High quality winter gloves for a fraction of what a comparable set would cost at a department store.
  • Drop Stop — The Original Patented Car Seat Gap Filler ($19.99)
    Dropping my keys and cell phone down the seat gap really started to drive me nuts. I finally got this thing that was featured on Shark Tank, and I’m now slightly less annoyed on a daily basis. As a bonus, it also comes with a sticky pad to put your “smart keys” so you don’t have to fumble around for them when you park.
  • Nutri Ninja Pro (BL450) ($76.99)
    This product will revolutionize your health if you make using it into a daily habit. This “one cup” smoothie is much easier to clean than an old-school blender. Buying a Ninja Pro and committing to drinking a green smoothie everyday was the catalyst for a lot of positive lifestyle changes I made.
  • Philips Hue White and Color Personal Wireless Lighting, Starter Pack ($149.99)
    You’ve probably seen the Hue lights at the Apple store, but if not, check them out! The ability to set the mood of a room with different colored lights is really neat.
  • Amazon Echo ($179.99)
    I use this thing to eliminate the need to bring my phone into my bedroom. At nighttime I use it to turn on/off my hue lights, play/turn off music on Spotify, ask the weather for tomorrow, create calendar events, turn on/off the fan, add to Evernote to-do lists, set up alarm clocks/timers . Basically anything that your phone can do, Alexa can do, so that you can selectively take control of the incoming stimuli (calls, texts, emails) without losing the ability to make technology work for