Lifestyle

If You're Bored As Hell, These 49 Clever Products Are Lifesavers

by Sharon Brandwein
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

Boredom can mean some serious trouble. From dialing exes to cutting your own hair, extreme boredom can be both scary and hilarious. (Well, maybe except for Shakespeare, who may have written King Lear while under quarantine. That's just impressive.) So if you're looking for something to take a little time off your hands, try these clever items that are real lifesavers if you're bored.

In this list, you'll find a notebook filled with writing prompts which could be the creative spark you need to write your own King Lear and a coloring book filled with drawings based on those iconic happy trees of Bob Ross. And if your boredom reaches a fever pitch and the situation warrants something a bit stronger, this list has something for that too in the form of a DIY hard cider-making kit.

From gardening to at-home manicures, there's a new hobby here that'll suit your mood. So, keep scrolling, you just might find a few things that make spending time alone a bit more enjoyable.

We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.

01A No Fuss, No Muss Tie-Dye Kit That's Mixed & Ready To Use

For a no-mess way to jazz up a boring white tee, try these tie-dye sprays. Simply spritz a tee with the pre-mixed dye, let it air dry, and then toss it in the dryer to heat set the color. There's no mixing and no dipping required. Finished items are machine washable, and each package contains eight bottles of dye, which is enough to color about 20 shirts.

02These Colored Pencils In 50 Vibrant Colors

In the last few years, coloring has become an increasingly popular way for adults to relax and unwind (that's even backed by science). Give it a go with this pack of colored pencils by Crayola. Loaded with 50 vibrant shades, this pack of pencils comes pre-sharpened and ready to use right out of the box.

03This Rollout Mat That Lets You Save & Store Your Unfinished Puzzles

You don't have to reserve an entire table or section of the floor for your unfinished puzzle, thanks to this rollout mat. Just start your puzzle on top of it — and when you want to take a break so you can finish it later, you can insert the inflatable tube and roll all up of the attached pieces. It even comes with a drawstring storage bag with a window for a label.

04These Makeup Brushes To Help You Perfect Your Skills

If you've been watching a lot of YouTube tutorials and are looking for the tools to perfect your makeup, this is an affordable makeup brush set created by a professional makeup artist. Made with high-quality bamboo handles and nylon bristles that won’t shed, this comprehensive set includes 12 brushes for all types of makeup applications and a latex-free blender sponge.

05This Bonsai Starter Kit To Help You Find Your Zen

In addition to all the essentials, you need to get started including reusable pots, seeds, soil discs, moisture meters and more, this bonsai starter kit also comes with an instruction booklet to guide you step by step. With four different tree species including Rocky Mountain Pine, Royal Poinciana, Blue Jacaranda, and Norway Spruce, you'll be finding your zen in no time.

06The Fire TV Stick Lite & Alexa Voice Remote Set

For less than $20 while it's on sale, get the new 2020 Lite version of the fan-favorite Fire TV Stick. If you don't need to control your television with the Fire Stick, this affordable little unit has you covered for effortless streaming you can control with your voice. It doesn't just work for Netflix and Prime video, either. Use it to play music, watch live TV, and more. It has a 4.8-star overall rating after more than 18,000 reviews, so you know it's a tried and true option.

07This Harry Potter Crochet Kit With Everything You Need For The Project

Practice the art of amigurumi dolls by creating cute little versions of Harry Potter and friends. This set comes with a 76-page Harry Potter crochet book that gives you step by step instructions to create more than 10 characters, and it includes everything else you need to get started as well, including the yarn, stuffing, thread, and even a crochet hook that looks like a magic wand.

08A Book Of Writing Prompts To Spark Your Creativity

Supercharge your creativity with this oversized journal that's filled with thought-provoking writing prompts. While intended for young writers, this journal can be by creatives of any age and might even be a great way to connect.

09This Coloring Book With Happy Trees And Friendly Squirrels

Before the internet and smartphones, there was pop culture icon Bob Ross. Channel his happy, happy trees with this coloring book based on the painter's original artwork. Filled with dozens of drawings based off Ross' work and chock full of happy trees and friendly squirrels, this coloring book (and a little Bob Ross) is probably what the world needs right now.

10A DIY Gin-Making Kit To Up Your Bar Game

For a fun science experiment, this hard cider-making kit supplies everything you need to create three batches right at home. It comes with everything you need to brew, excluding apple cider or juice. One customer even wrote, "Love this product. It offers a reliable and easy way to enter the world of brewing."

11A String Art Set That Comes In Lots Of Designs

This popular art form from the 1960s looks to be making a comeback and this set is packed with all the essentials to create your own work of string art, including the hammer, nails, string, and even the frame. The detailed instructions will guide you from start to finish, and you can choose from 10 different patterns from whales to candy canes.

12This Vegan Lip Balm-Making Kit With A Replacement Guarantee If Things Go Wrong

Make five vegan lip balms at home with this lip balm-making kit that contains candelilla wax, cocoa butter, grapeseed oil, tubes, labels, and more, along with a step-by-step instructional guide for what to do with it all. And as a bonus, if anything goes wrong, Urban Kangaroo will send you a free replacement kit at no charge.

13An Indoor Herb Garden Starter Kit That Will Make Your Food So Flavorful

With compostable peat pots, potting soil discs, wood burned plant markers, and organic seeds, this indoor herb garden starter kit will have you elbow deep in delicious herbs in no time. Basil, coriander, parsley, sage, and thyme are included in this starter kit, and a 26-page growing guide helps you get it all thriving.

14This DIY Mani Prep Kit That's Tough Enough To Handle Gel Polish

There's no need to forgo your manicure with this DIY kit. With OPI’s manicure kit, you can remove old nail lacquer, tackle any rough cuticles, and buff and shine your way to healthier-looking nails all from the comfort of your own home. It even comes with instructions on removing gel polish safely.

15These Nail Polishes That Wears Like Gel But Come Off Quickly

This nail polish wears like gel and dries to a high shine finish, yet it comes off in minutes. Choose from six different color sets ranging from rose and lavender shades to high-impact deep metallics. Each set comes with six shades.

16These Chic Fidget Rings For Some Quiet Stress Relief

These scratch-resistant spinner rings are made of durable stainless steel and offer a quiet and non-distracting way to work out a little stress. “Love these rings,” one reviewer wrote. “For the price they are awesome. They are stylish and very nice looking.” You can choose your ring size and between rose gold and black.

17A Mini Waffle Maker That Also Makes Paninis

This super-compact mini waffle maker is ideal for small apartments, dorms, and kitchens with limited counter space. Not only does it make waffles, but it’s also great for paninis, hash browns, and more. The four-inch cooking plates heat evenly for great results every time, and users can choose from 11 fun colors.

18This Phone Tripod To Up Your Video Call Game

To make all those hours of video calls even better, add a phone tripod to your arsenal. The flexible and wrappable tripod legs don’t limit you to flat surfaces, and a Bluetooth remote control with a 30-foot wireless range ensures that you’re always in the frame. You can also use it for selfies, shooting videos, and more.

19A Milk Frother So Can Make Lattes And Dalgona Coffee At Home

Did anyone say dalgona coffee? Make delicious foamy drinks from the comfort of your own home with this elegant milk frother that is super easy to use. It also works for lattes, matcha, protein shakes, and more. It also comes with a handy stand. Choose from 13 colors.

20This Foot Soak For A Spa-Like Moment

Made with a blend of epsom salt, sea salt, eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, lavender, and tea tree oil, this foot soak is perfect to take the stress off and soothe tired feet. A soak will also soften tough heels and toes, and with a 4.7-star rating and best-seller status, it's a definite customer favorite.

21These LED Grow Lights To Give Your Plants A Hand

To up your houseplant game, this LED grow light could be the boost they need. Three timer settings give you control over how much light they get, and with a built-in memory function, you won’t have to think about it every day. Five dimming levels, four lighting modes, and 360-degree rotatable gooseneck bulbs offer plants adjustable light for every stage of their lives.

22This Mini Cornhole Game That's Perfect For Small Spaces

Corn hole is a time-honored game that’s fun for all ages. This collapsible corn hole game assembles within minutes with no difficult setup or tools required. And measuring only two feet in length, it's great for small balconies or indoor spaces.

23The Amazon Echo Flex That Plugs Into Your Outlet

Expand your Alexa throughout your home with the Echo Flex, which has 36,000 reviews and a 4.4-star rating. It plugs into any open outlet so you can control your smart electronics, manage your day, and ask for instant information — plus it has a built-in USB port for your phone charger or an add-on night light.

24A Ladder Toss Game For Some Friendly Competition

Made with durable PVC pipes, this ring toss game offers a nice break from monotony with a little friendly competition. The ladder toss game set includes two targets, six rubber bolos (for tossing), and it even comes with a built-in scorekeeper, so there are no questions about who’s the champ.

25This Roulette Drinking Game That's A Shot Of Fun

This roulette drinking game is sure to get any party started. Like a real roulette wheel, this one spins. However, if the ball lands on your number, it’s bottoms up. Each set comes with a roulette wheel, 16 shot glasses, and 2 metal balls.

26The Cult-Favorite Game For "Horrible People"

Cards Against Humanity is super popular, and with over 40,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, this one has a cult following. The rules are also super easy: One player presents a prompt from a black card, and the other players must respond with their funniest white card. Be aware though, this game is recommended for ages 17 and up.

27This Set Of Coloring Books With Three Difficulty Levels

This set of three coloring books features designs in basic, intermediate, and advanced skill levels. Jam-packed with more than 120 images of animals, scenery, and mandalas, these coloring books are an ideal way to build focus and relieve stress at the same time. Printed on quality paper, reviewers report no bleed-through, and each purchase includes a bonus image emailed weekly.

28These Sheet Masks That Hydrate And Brighten Skin

The bamboo fibers of these sheet masks are soaked in all-natural ingredients like tea tree oil, vitamin C, and pineapple and orange extracts. The masks comfortably fit to your face to hydrate, brighten, and purify. These masks are suitable for all skin types and each pack comes with 20 masks.

29This Amazon Echo Auto That'll Upgrade Your Car

Add Alexa to your car with the Echo Auto, which syncs to your phone and plays directly through your car’s speakers. Use it to check traffic and weather, stream music, listen to books on Audible, and more — all hands free.

30These Silicone Mats That Let You Make Perfect Macarons Every Time

Macarons are a delicious treat, and getting them just right is part of the fun — and also part of the challenge. These silicone baking mats offer a nice assist with templates for perfect macarons every time. Oven safe up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit, there’s no need for cooking sprays or parchment paper because they're super nonstick.

31This Cheap Gadget For Perfect Mini Cake Pops

While this mini cake pop maker may only take five minutes to make nine cake pops, you can take all the time you want to decorate and enjoy them. Nonstick plates bake your cake pops to sweet perfection, and cleanup is as easy as wiping the unit clean.

32This Amazingly Nonstick Silicone Baking Set

Packed with loaf pans, donut molds, and muffin pans, this 31-piece silicone baking set makes baking so much easier. And when purchased as a set, you have everything you need for a fraction of the cost of buying them separately. Made with food-grade silicone, these baking dishes are oven safe up to 446 degrees Fahrenheit, and they’re microwave, freezer, and dishwasher safe as well.

33This New & Improved Echo Dot

The all-new Echo Dot is back with a new design, and is seriously discounted while sales last. With all the same features that made the Echo Dot a best-seller, this smart speaker has Alexa built in, can be used as a hub for your smart home devices, can play music, tell you the weather, and so much more. Get it for less than $30 if you act fast.

34This Proofing Bowl And Scraper Set For Perfect Bread

Made with natural rattan cane, the proofing bowl in this bread-making set is high-quality and releases easily. And since each order comes with a bowl, a bread scraper, and a proofing cloth liner, it offers plenty of basics for perfect homemade bread. "I have always had a difficult time getting my bread to rise properly in my drafty old house, this proofing basket has increased my proper proofing to 100% success," one user wrote.

35A Card Game That's Involves Throwing Burritos At Each Other

Tired of the standard card games you're used to playing from time to time? If so, add Throw Throw Burrito to your collection. Players compete to match three of the same cards — but if someone plays a burrito card, a dodgeball-like game starts and players throw the foam burritos at one another (they're super soft and made of foam). If you get tapped with one, you loose points.

36A Cookbook For Creating Chinese Takeout At Home

Chris Toy has been teaching Asian cooking for over 30 years, and now he brings more than 85 delicious recipes together in his Easy Chinese Cookbook. With easy step-by-step instructions, home chefs can create takeout classics like General Tso’s chicken, crab rangoon, and five-spice chicken in the comfort of their own kitchen. Beyond the recipes, Toy recommends ingredient substitutions and walks readers through the basics of a Chinese-American pantry as well.

37This Cookbook Filled With Artisan Bread Recipes

Freshly baked bread is one of the greatest pleasures in life, in my humble opinion at least. In his popular book, Ken Forkish shares gorgeous recipes to help both beginners and seasoned chefs create perfect loaves at home — it even includes recipes for pizza dough.

38This Bath Soak That's So Relaxing

With magnesium chloride that is sourced from the Zechstein Seabed, this is not your run-of-the-mill bath soak. These magnesium bath flakes are great for a stress-relieving soak, relieving sore muscles, and improving sleep quality. To use, simply dissolve flakes into a warm water bath, slip in, and relax. One reviewer commented: "If you haven't tried magnesium flakes in a bath yet, you will be AMAZED by the muscle-relaxing, pain-relieving power of this stuff. I have chronic severe muscle spasms, and a magnesium bath before bed makes the difference between tossing and turning all night in pain and a night of restful, relaxed sleep."

39This Bathtub Caddy For All Your Essentials

Equipped with a book or tablet holder, a candle slot, a phone slot, and even a wine glass slot this bamboo bath caddy lets you take all the entertainment and relaxation essentials with you for your next bath. The sliding handles expand to 43 inches to fit most tubs, and users can choose from 5 color options.

40This Bathtub Spa Pillow

Made with breathable 3-D mesh fabric, this comfy bath pillow is as good after the bath as it is during it because it dries quickly to prevent mold and mildew. A handy hook allows for air drying, and four suction cups keep the pillow securely in place. This bath pillow is generously sized to cover your head, neck, and shoulder, and it is even machine washable.

41This Jewelry-Making Kit That Comes With Tons Of Tools

For a craft experience that will also amp up your style, this jewelry-making kit has it all. Six tools, four rolls of wire, more than 700 beads, and tons of findings are packed into a three-tiered storage box that also serves as a carrying case so you can keep it all contained.

42This Alarm Clock That Projects The Time Onto The Ceiling

Thanks to this cool alarm clock, you'll be able to see the time with ease — wherever you are in the room — because it projects the time onto the ceiling or wall. The device itself also showcases the temperature and day of the week. It even doubles as a phone charger, thanks to the built-in USB connection.

43These Lightsaber Chopsticks That Make Eating More Fun

Add a little fun to your meals and try dinner on the dark side. These LED chopsticks have a slide-open battery compartment that allows for battery changes without tools, and users can choose between two color combinations. Get two in a pack.

44A Friendship Bracelet-Making Kit That Comes With String

Friendship bracelets are a fun way to pass the time and show others how much they mean to you. This friendship bracelet-making kit includes a slide-out drawer with 20 pre-cut threads (in 10 different colors), numbered slots to keep threads organized, and easy step-by-step instructions. A free smartphone app lets you access patterns, tips, and tricks.

45This Embroidery Starter Kit With Everything You Need To Get Started

Packed with embroidery hoops, 100 color threads, bobbins, and a whole lot more, this embroidery kit is perfect for beginners who are testing the creative waters and want to make sure they start prepared. “I’m very new to cross stitching and this kit was exactly as it is in the pictures, no gimmicks! It even came with more sheets of aida cloth than listed (which was awesome) [...] Definitely worth the buy, especially at such a great price!" one user raved.

46A Deep Tissue Massager Hundreds Of Customers Love

With eight massage nodes, three speeds, and even adjustable massage directions, this neck massager offers up a relaxing massage from the comfort of home. The soothing heat function dials up the comfort, and to prevent overheating, the unit shuts off after 15 minutes. While this massager is ideally shaped for your neck, it can easily be used on other parts of the body such as your lower back, shoulders, thighs, and calves. Users can choose between black or white.

47This Smartphone Lens Kit For Instantly better Pictures

Sharpen your smartphone photography instantly with this lens kit. It comes with a wide-angle and a macro lens as well an adjustable LED light, all of which are so easy to use. Simply clip the lens over your phone (it even fits over cases) and get ready for an instant upgrade to your photos.

48A DIY Hot Sauce Kit That Even Has Ghost Peppers

This DIY hot sauce kit includes multiple kinds of peppers (including the super spicy ghost pepper), a spice blend, seven bottles, custom label stickers, a bottling funnel, recipes, and more. And just in case the instructions fail to mention, don’t rub your eyes. You’re welcome.

49A Hilarious Card Game That Only Takes 20 Minutes To Play

With Bears Versus Babies, gameplay is all about creating monsters that eat more babies than the other players. If that sounds hilarious to you, this game from the creators of Exploding Kittens is recommended for ages 10 and up, making it fun for the whole family. It's good for two to five players, and since it only takes about 20 minutes per game, it won't get boring.

50This French Press That Keeps Your Coffee Warm

This French press coffee maker produces delicious results and keeps them warm thanks to the double-wall insulation. A cool-touch handle protects your hands while the fine mesh filter keeps sediment out of your coffee. It's made of durable stainless steel, and each order comes with a mini canister for coffee storage.

51 50. This Jam-Packed Cake Decorating Kit

This comprehensive cake decorating kit is loaded with everything you need (and then some) for creating your next baking masterpiece. Equipped with piping tips, frosting bags, and couplers, you won't run out of equipment anytime soon. The icing nozzles in this set are rust-resistant and dishwasher safe. Plus, each order includes an awesome user guide filled with delicious recipes as well as instructions for creating designs.

52This Giant Tumbling Tower Game That's 5 Feet Of Fun

For another game that’s fun for all ages, try this giant version of Jenga. With 54 wooden pieces, the fun begins with a tumbling tower stacked two feet tall, and gameplay can build it up to five feet. This game is great for both kids and adults, and it can be played indoors or out.

53 52. A 3-D Puzzle That Turns Into A Music Box

Made with laser-cut wood pieces, this 3-D puzzle is a great way to shift your focus and de-stress. Each order comes with everything you need to put the puzzle together, including glue and the music gears, and when it's all finished, you have a dancing figure that plays "Auld Lang Syne."

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