Setting Up Your Home Office

We may earn a commission from links on this page. In addition to checklists, tips, and tricks that can elevate your tidying game this spring, you're going to need products. It's a good idea to stock up so that once you get going, you know you won't have to take any breaks to gather missing reinforcements. The products can help you do more than clean, though—they can even make cleaning easier and more fun, which is good news for those of us who don't love cleaning up. If you’re like me and find cleaning more monotonous than fulfilling, why not use some tools that can make the endeavor easier? Spring cleaning tools for the kitchen …

Ads are an unavoidable part of modern life. They support both free and discounted services, for better or for worse, and unless you pay for premium services like YouTube Premium or expensive Netflix tiers, it's likely you'll run into these commercials one way or another. But just because ads are deeply entwined in our digital devices, that doesn't mean they get a free pass in all situations. As reported by Ars Technica, it appears Roku is pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable here, experimenting with placing ads when you first boot up your streaming device. Moana 2 ads are rolling on Rokus at launchOne Reddit user noticed the change when they turned on their Roku…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. For many years, I've depended on my phone to get me out of bed in the morning, and I've hated it. I'd easily snooze or catch myself doom scrolling instead of starting my morning routine. That all changed after my brother gifted me perhaps the best Christmas present I've received over the last few years: a Nintendo Sound Clock: Alarmo, which you can now get on Walmart or Target for $99.99. It was previously only available on the Nintendo store. Display: Digital, Power type: Corded Electric, Alarm c…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. If you like to do your own home repairs and improvements, you know that a good tool set is a game changer. Having the right bits, blades, and other miscellaneous tools can save you time and effort, not to mention cutting down on the trips to the hardware store you’ll need to make while working on a project. But these smaller things can add up quickly, exhausting your DIY budget. Here are some good deals on bits, blades, measuring tools, and accessories for all your DIY projects. BitsWith so many different sizes and types of hardware, having the righ…

You may have seen a headline this week imply that OneNote, the extremely popular note-taking application from Microsoft, is shutting down. That's not the case—only a specific version of OneNote, named "OneNote for Windows 10," is shutting down. What's this mean? If you don't use Windows, this news doesn't affect you. If you do use Windows, and your version of OneNote does not say "OneNote for Windows 10" at the top of the window, this news doesn't affect you. If your version of OneNote does say "OneNote for Windows 10" at the top of the window, then this news is relevant: The version of OneNote you're currently using will be discontinued on Oct. 14. You can download the d…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Whether you’re after long-term support, phenomenal cameras, or just an all-around great phone, the Google Pixel 9 lineup has a lot to offer. And with the Amazon Spring Sale on, you can snag any of the three phones in that lineup at a considerable discount. Whether it’s the top-of-the-line Pixel 9 Pro XL or the more modest Pixel 9, you’ll get well over $100 off. Here are the three devices you can choose from: Google Pixel 9: $640 (was $799) at Amazon Google Pixel 9 Pro: $799 (was $999) at Amazon Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: $899 (was $1099) at Amazon The …

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. You know that I love a good running watch, but there’s a soft spot in my heart for the more lifestyle-y Garmin Vivoactive 5. It’s a sleek touchscreen watch with plenty of fitness features, and it’s going for as little as $209 today in Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. The original price of the Vivoactive 5 is $299, and depending on the color you want, you can get it for somewhere between $209 and $219 in today’s sale. It’s available in black, white, navy blue, and orchid purple. Garmin Vivoactive 5 GPS Smartwatch With…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Welcome to “Cookbook of the Week.” This is a series where I highlight cookbooks that are unique, easy to use, or just special to me. While finding a particular recipe online serves a quick purpose, flipping through a truly excellent cookbook has a magic all its own. I love cookbooks that combine comfort food with a smattering of unfamiliar recipes that make me think, “Ooh, I wonder what that's like.” This mingling of brand-new dishes with ones that stir a bit of nostalgia is usually a hit for me. This week, I chose Salt, Sugar, MSG to feature for my cookbook of the week. Not only does it tick those boxes above for this As…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. The Pixel Tablet didn't do too well for Google when it came out in 2023, costing more than the entry-level iPad but not offering a better experience. But with its current price of $279 (originally $399) for the 128GB storage and 8GB RAM version, it's matching its lowest Black Friday price, according to price tracking tools. This makes the tablet perhaps what it should've been in the beginning, a very well-priced Android tablet-smart display hybrid. Google Pixel Tablet 128 GB …

Data breaches are most often the work of external bad actors, but sometimes the call comes from inside the house. Cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has disclosed that hackers paid off support agents—both employees and contractors located outside the U.S.—who had access to company systems to provide customer data and then demanded a $20 million ransom not to leak the information. Coinbase was notified of the ransom demand on May 11, just a few days before reporting the incident to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The company has said the staff involved were fired and reported to law enforcement when their unauthorized access was detected, but they were still a…

The last time we talked about 23andMe’s bankruptcy sale, we suggested you might want to delete your genetic data from the site, since we didn’t know who would end up owning it. Now, a buyer has been announced, and they’re promising to “prioritize the privacy, security and ethical use” of customer data and to keep offering the company’s services uninterrupted. This is all—probably—good news. I'm feeling cautiously optimistic, anyway. Regeneron will be 23andMe’s new owner23andMe’s new buyer, paying $256 million for the company’s assets, is Regeneron. Regeneron is a biotech company perhaps best known for developing an antibody treatment for COVID early in the pandemic. (Dona…

Smashing Pumpkins' legendary frontman Bill Corgan and confrontational comedian Bill Burr look alike—both have shaved heads, stubbly beards, blue eyes, and similar facial structures. They look so much alike they could be brothers; so much alike that a lot of people think they are brothers. While it's possible, these people are probably wrong. Why people think Bill Corgan and Bill Burr are brothersThe rumor started with Corgan's appearance on Howie Mandel's podcast back in January. On the show, Corgan recounts the following conversation that he said happened a decade prior: My stepmother said to me, "Do you know who Bill Burr is?" Now at that point, I had never heard of Bil…

Getting rid of stuff can be hard, even if you’re not exactly a hoarder. It’s hard enough for so many of us in our consumerist society, in fact, that scientists have studied why that is—and are always coming up with ways to overcome an aversion to decluttering our lives. Just in time for spring cleaning season, look to research published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology that suggests there’s a way to ease yourself into parting with old belongings: Instead of throwing them out all at once, banish them to purgatory first. What it means to put clutter in “purgatory”The researchers, Mathew S. Isaac and Poornima Vinoo, kicked off their paper by explaining that people who s…

I like watching Reels and TikToks about cleaning because in addition to getting some good tips, I find them relatable. Why, yes, Algorithm, I do often find myself in a position where friends are coming over but my home isn't exactly spotless. How did you know? One Instagram user has a suggestion for how to turn that exact situation into a cleaning win: Called the "GFD bin," it's gained some traction on the app as a quick decluttering method worth trying. What is a "GFD bin?"A "GFD bin" is a "guests for dinner" bin, according to its creator, Holly Blakey. The organizing and interior decorating guru shared this video last December explaining the idea: Essentially, befor…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. It's a good time to be shopping for TVs, with many options available right now. The TCL QM7 is a great budget TV currently on sale and its main competitor, Hisense's U7, is also down to its lowest price. If you want a better-quality TV, though, LG's 75-inch QNED80T is $896.99 (originally $1,399.99), is also at the lowest price it has ever been, according to price-tracking tools. Screen Size: 55 Inches, Brand: LG, Display Tec…

Americans spend almost $28 billion on interior decorating every year, and there are good reasons why. Our homes are incredibly personal spaces—they’re where we walk around in our underwear, where we talk to ourselves, where we spend intimate moments with our families. That’s why decorating our homes isn’t frivolous—it’s important that the space we live in feels comfortable, usable, and, maybe most importantly, personal. Making your home beautiful while reflecting your personality can seem daunting, though. Design shows on TV offer an impossible standard of supposed taste, and it’s easy to believe that you need a professional interior designer or your house will look tacky…

Tax season can reduce even the most organized individuals to stressed-out procrastinators. And if you're anything like me, you're not exactly the most organized individual in the first place. The complexity of gathering documents, understanding deductions, and meeting deadlines creates anxiety that many of us dread each year. But with a well-designed tax preparation checklist, I've been able to turn my taxes into a manageable (maybe even even satisfying?) task well before the April 15 deadline. Here's how you can, too. A tax preparation checklist serves as your personalized roadmap through the filing process. Luckily, I've create this template to get you started. It inclu…

At the end of last month, The Google Pixel 4a got a software update that rendered the device nearly unusable for some people, for seemingly unknown reasons. The update included "battery management features" that left some people with phones that couldn't hold a charge for more than 30 minutes. Google explained the problems in a support document and offered a few solutions, but again, it didn't explain the root cause of the issue. But now, there appears to be one possible explanation for the problem—overheating batteries—as mentioned in a Pixel 4a recall issued in Australia, spotted first by Android Authority. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issue…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. As you embark on this year's spring cleaning, take it seriously. Upgrade your supplies and tools so you can do the best possible job. Some of the tools I've featured here save you time, some of these get your stuff even cleaner, and some of them will save you money by reducing the single-use products you rely on. When it's time for spring cleaning, these are a good jumping-off point to get your home in order and keep it in order. Upgraded cleaning tools for the kitchen O-Ce…

If your Mac's close to running out of space, don't ignore the problem. These machines can run into issues when their storage is 100% full: Updates may struggle to install; the machine may slow down; apps might not work well; and you may notice that some stop backing up their data to the cloud, too. To avoid all of these issues, free up space. It's not as daunting as it seems. Use built-in tools to free up space on your Mac Credit: Pranay Parab Apple gives you plenty of easy tools to start clearing unwanted files from your compu…

We may earn a commission from links on this page. The Powerbeats Pro 2 are a new set of headphones with a really interesting feature—Apple says they can measure your heart rate during workouts. Huge if true—imagine if you could leave your watch at home (or not bother to buy one in the first place) and still get a heart rate reading to go with your workout. But that's only going to be a useful feature if the data is reasonably accurate. I was curious how good a reading they can actually get from your ears, so I compared the Powerbeats Pro 2 to a traditional chest strap, and to the Apple Watch for good measure. So how do these headphones stack up against those established m…

If you use the internet, you've probably had at least some personal information go missing. It's just the nature of the web. But this latest discovery, as reported by Wired, is something different. Security researcher Jeremiah Fowler found a public online database housing over 180 million records (184,162,718 to be exact) which amounted to more than 47GB of data. There were no indications about who owned the data or who placed it there, which Fowler says is atypical for these types of online databases. Fowler saw emails, usernames, passwords, and URLs linking to the sites where those credentials belonged. These accounts included major platforms like Microsoft, Facebook, …

The winter sky has some brightly lit star patterns visible this month, including a triangle featuring Mars at one of its points, making it worthwhile to brave the winter temperatures for stargazing. These shapes aren't constellations, but asterisms: groups of stars that form recognizable patterns but that don't have official locations from the International Astronomical Union. The Big and Little Dippers are asterisms, for example, though their stars are part of the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. The Winter Triangle, which is especially visible now, is made up of the stars Sirius, Procyon, and Betelgeuse, which are found within the constellations Canis Major, …

The following content is brought to you by Lifehacker partners. If you buy a product featured here, we may earn an affiliate commission or other compensation. Photoshop has been the industry standard in image-editing software for over 30 years, but up until now, creators have been limited to using it on their computers and tablets. The recent launch of the first Photoshop iPhone app has (finally) changed that. Now you can go to the App Store, search "Photoshop," and download the spanking-new Photoshop iPhone mobile app. It’s available for free with an impressive feature set, but if you’re a savvy Photoshop user, the $7.99 a month/$69.99 a year Photoshop Mobile and Web Pla…