PUSH MY BUTTONS

The holidays are behind us once again and, if you're like me, putting that last ornament away is like saying goodbye to a good friend for a year. I love everything about the holidays. September is probably my favorite month of the year, because I know Halloween and the official beginning of the season is right around the corner. Then, in the blink of an eye, we're in the most depressing part of the year for me when it's all over, the trees come down and are cast aside next to the bags of trash on the street, your favorite ornaments sneak back into their hiding spots in the attic and the last strings of lights dim before heading to a dark coffin-like store bought storage container. This year I have decided to keep one of my favorite gadgets out year-round (just like the neighbors down the street who decided to leave their Christmas tree on the front porch) because it's a great little invention. Before the holidays I headed into Bed Bath & Beyond and found a sea of great ideas, including this one. The Stanley plug system is the perfect gadget if, like me, you have multiple trees or lit objects in your home over the holidays (other than your drunk Aunt, of course!). With a remote control that can power objects from 200 feet away, I lit three trees and two wreaths with this and after they were all put away I plugged lights around our house into the same outlets (do the same for outside lights so you don't have to go out in the cold). Now I carry the remote with me when we leave the house, so when we walk into a dark room we can light it up with the touch of a button!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Three minutes to plug everything in (pack includes transformers that plug into outlets, then item you want remotely operated is plugged into that)
COST: $19.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond
STRESS LEVEL: Lighting up a room with little effort: LOW