Fixing Up with Amazon: Simple hacks to make household chores a whole lot easier

Plus, a chance to win a full home transformation kit to help minimise your chore list.

Fixing Up With Amazon, home edition

by Eleanor Weaver |
Updated on

We don’t know about you, but the household chore list seems never-ending, even when we manage to tick off some chunky to-do items. Whether it’s the endless washing pile or simply keeping on top of the vacuuming, these mundane tasks can feel like such a burden in the minimal downtime you have around work and childcare. And as much as we love our little ones, they’re experts at being little tornados in the home. Anything that can help us keep on top of the chaos and make life that bit easier is a big win in our eyes.

Thankfully, there are some products out there that can help make the Sunday reset a breeze. Closer’s Editor, Katie Banks, and Lifestyle Editor, Neeru Sharma, have pulled out their favourites from Amazon that’ll serve as a saving grace in the hubbub of everyday life. From storage baskets and laundry must-haves to carpet cleaners and smart bin solutions, you can check out all their recommendations in the video below.

Not to mention, the chores don’t end with general upkeep. There’s always a shelf that could do with some serious re-organisation or a room that looks like a bit of a bombsite. And while these bigger tasks normally end up shuffling down the to-do list, we know they’re exactly what we need to make the home feel, well, more homely and put together. Katie and Neeru’s selection of gorgeous kitchen gadgets and home furnishings for an easy refresh will make transforming your home a doddle.

Interested in winning a bunch of the products featured? Click here to jump down and enter our competition.

SHOP: Our favourite Amazon buys for an easy home reset

Laundry day saviours

Bo Laundry BinBrabantia/ Amazon
Price: £128.99 (was £229)

Dare we say it, but this laundry bin is about to make washing day a lot more fun. Not only does it look super sleek (we’d happily house it in any room) but it comes with two compartments with an easily transportable and washable bag to carry dirty laundry straight to your washing machine. Split your colours, between ‘his’ and ‘hers’ – whatever works for your household!

Philips Steam&Go Plus Handheld Clothes SteamerPhilips/Amazon
Price: £59.99 (was £65)

We’re jumping on any chance to wave goodbye to slaving over a hot iron and this Philips Handheld Clothes Steamer is the answer to our prayers. It heats up in just 45 seconds and will get rid of all the crinkles and wrinkles in your clothes without damaging delicate fabrics. Plus, it removes odours and bacteria, so it really is an all-in-one gadget.

Linn Clothes RackBrabantia/ Amazon
Price: £74.76 (was £89)

With plenty of hanging space for up to 10 items, this clothes rack is a great way of adding clothes storage. It’s compact – so you can slot it into a space in your hallway or bedroom – has a shelf for additional storage and looks chic too thanks to the contrasting bamboo rod and black steel frame.

Linn Steam BoardBrabantia/ Amazon
Price: £49.95

If you do decide steaming will make your life easier, this steam board is designed to mount onto your Brabantia Linn Clothes Rack and will serve as a smooth backdrop to perfectly steamed clothes.

Peg BagBrabantia/Amazon
Price: £11.61

Keep all your pegs safely housed in one place with this smart Brabantia peg bag, ready for those sunnier days when you can peg your washing outside. It can store up to 150 pegs and comes with a handy clip to hang onto your line or even your trouser belt.

Cleaning hacks

Shark CarpetXpert Deep Clean Carpet CleanerShark/ Amazon
Price: £299 (was £359)

Shark’s CarpetXpert is designed to help you wave goodbye to grime and deep-rooted stains on your rugs, upholstery, carpets and everything in between. You can use the machine itself to get an eight times deeper clean than a regular vacuum or the built-in StainStriker handheld tool to target stains all over the home.

Philips HomeRun 7000 Series Robot vacuum cleanerPhilips/ Amazon
Price: £499.99 (was £799.99)

Vacuuming is one of those household chores we can’t stand, but thanks to the Philips Robot Vacuum Cleaner, it’ll do the hard work for you. Music to our ears. This handy gadget can be operated from your phone and can clean all your floors – both carpet and hardwood – and can even raise itself over thresholds to go between rooms. It has strong suction for picking up dirt but also has a mop function to remove more fine dust than vacuuming alone. And don’t worry, its sensor will mean it won’t try to vacuum up the family cat.

Shark NeverChange5 Air PurifierShark/ Amazon
Price: £329

But it’s not just the surfaces you can clean, it’s the air itself. Shark’s NeverChange5 Max Air Purifier will not only clean the air inside your home, but it’ll help your house smell lovely too thanks to the anti-odour technology. The HEPA filter will trap 99.9 per cent of allergens, dust and bacteria and the fancy touch-screen makes it oh-so-easy to operate.

Kitchen refresh

Curver Ready to CollectCurver/ Amazon
Price: £24.99

This Curver modular recycling bin is surprisingly classy and investing in multiple is a great way to organise the recycling in your home. They’re lightweight, easy to clean and come with a sticker book so you can label which one is designed for what recycling product, whether that’s plastic, glass or paper waste.

Brabantia 122569 Tasty+ Square CanisterBrabantia/ Amazon
Price: £38.95

If you’ve ever been inspired by the kitchens of Mrs Hinch and Stacey Solomon, you’ll know that storage jars like this are a go-to for a beautifully organised kitchen. These jars in particular are airtight too so you don’t need to worry about your pantry goods going off or soggy.

Nespresso Vertuo Pop Coffee MachineNespresso/ Amazon
Price: £129 (was £199.99)

No Sunday reset is complete without a good cup of coffee, and this is where the Nespresso Barista Bundle comes in. For less than £200, you get the Vertuo Pop machine itself, two glass mugs and spoons, a milk frother, and two sets of coffee pods; the Melozio and Chiaro Nespresso Coffee Pods.

De'Longhi Ballerina Electric KettleDe'Longhi/ Amazon
Price: £49.99

A simple way to bring a new lease of life to your kitchen (without investing in a whole new counter space) is to upgrade your appliances. A kettle is a must-have in every British kitchen and we adore the ballerina-tutu style design of this one. There are three colours to choose from and we think this white option would fit beautifully in a kitchen with more muted tones.

Philips Viva Collection Compact JuicerPhilips/ Amazon
Price: £79.89

Get deliciously fresh juices each morning with the press of a button. The Philips Viva Collection Compact Juicer can deliver yummy juices in minutes for the whole family (even with the school run to contend with) and it’s dishwasher safe too, so no washing up necessary.

Home upkeep

Curver storage basketsCurver/ Amazon
Price: £10+

Available in a choice of stylish colours and sizes, these chic storage baskets are a great way to organise (and keep the abundance of toys/ cables/ general stuff out of sight).

Catherine Lansfield Faux Fur Door Draught ExcluderCatherine Lansfield/ Amazon
Price: £12

A draught excluder is a fantastic hack, especially as we go into autumn and winter. This cute faux fur option will help keep any draughty rooms warm and help minimise the heating bills.

Catherine Lansfield ThrowCatherine Lansfield/ Amazon
Price: £18.99 (was £25)

This seriously soft and fluffy throw is a cheap and easy way to bring cosiness into your living room. Draped across a sofa sounds like a recipe for absolute bliss.

Catherine Lansfield Cosy Ribbed Faux Fur 45x45cm CushionCatherine Lansfield/ Amazon
Price: £15.59

And don’t forget this gorgeous cushion from the same range. We love the neutral cream colour but there are a bunch of colours to choose from to suit your existing décor.

Catherine Lansfield Stab Stitch 43x43cm Cushion CoverCatherine Lansfield/ Amazon
Price: £9.90 (was £18.90)

Another favourite, this cushion cover is an effective way to bring a new lease of life to your lounge or bedroom cushions without getting too many extras.

Willow Tree with Love FigurineWillow Tree/ Amazon
Price: £24.95 (was £25.99)

Lovingly carved and downright adorable, this little figurine will make for a lovely addition to any sad-looking shelves. It's those little touches that make a house a home.

Willow Tree Angel of The Kitchen FigurineWillow Tree/ Amazon
Price: £26

Pair with this equally adorable ‘Angel of The Kitchen’ figurine or spread throughout your home to share the love.

Enter to win

Competition terms and conditions

These terms and conditions (the “Specific Terms”) for the Competition should be read alongside our general competition terms and conditions at: Competition General Terms and Conditions 2023-07-11 — Bauer Media Group: Legal (the “General Terms”) which will also apply to this Competition. Where there is any conflict between these Specific Terms and the General Terms, the Specific Terms shall prevail.

Entries are restricted to one entry per person.

Entry to the Competition is available via the following routes:

Online at https://closeronline.co.uk/family/money/fixing-up-with-amazon-home/

There will be one winner of the Competition. All valid entries will be pooled and the winner will be chosen by electronic random draw on 01/11/2024.

Entries must be submitted during the following entry period:

From 15:00PM BST 26/09/2024 to 23:59PM GMT 31/10/2024.

Entries received before the Start Time or after the End Time will be invalid.

However if the winner cannot be contacted within 7 days from the date of the initial attempt to contact them then we will re-draw until we draw a winner that we are satisfied (in our sole discretion) fulfils all the eligibility criteria and is in compliance with these Terms.

  • Open to UK residents aged 18 years or over on date of entry.

  • Our employees (and their family members) or employees of any company involved in the Competition, including any Prize Provider, are not permitted to enter.

  • We reserve the right to disqualify any entrant or winner who does not comply with any of the eligibility criteria and/or is in breach of these Terms. We reserve the right to repeat the competition mechanic or any stage of it in order to draw a winner that fulfils all of the eligibility criteria and is in compliance with these Terms.

1 winner will receive the following prize (the “Prize”):

  • Willow Tree with Love Figurine

  • Willow Tree Angel of the Kitchen Figurine

  • Catherine Lansfield Cosy Ribbed Cream Throw

  • Catherine Lansfield Cosy Ribbed Cream Cushion

  • Catherine Lansfield Stab Stitch Cushion

  • Catherine Lansfield Faux Fur Door Draught Excluder

  • Philips Steam&Go Handheld Clothes Steamer

  • Philips Robot Vacuum Cleaner

  • Philips Viva Collection Compact Juicer

  • Brabantia Linn Clothes Rack

  • Nespresso Coffee Machine Barista Bundle

  • De’Longhi White Ballerina Kettle

  • De’Longhi White Ballerina Toaster

The Prize is provided by Amazon EU S.àr.l.( (the “Prize Provider”). We are not responsible for any aspect of the Prize, including unsatisfactory quality or late delivery or a prize winner being unable to take up any aspect, or the entirety of the prize due to their own circumstances or restrictions.

Prizes are non-transferable, non-refundable and no cash alternative will be offered.

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  • As far as it is lawful to do so we exclude our liability for any losses suffered in connection with the Competition or any element of the Prize.

We may cancel, end or suspend the Competition where we are required to do so in circumstances outside our control. We reserve the right to amend these Terms at any stage during the Competition if such amendment is necessary to facilitate the administration of the Competition.

Contact Details. Any concerns? Please email: projectmanagement@bauermedia.co.uk. Correspondence will not be entered into regarding any competition which has closed more than 14 days prior to correspondence being received.

The promoter of this Competition, H Bauer Publishing, with company number LP003328 and whose registered address is The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PL

Eleanor Weaver is the Commercial Content Editor for Closer, specialising in home décor, furnishings and appliances. In her spare time, Ellie enjoys going to gigs in London, reading a good thriller and finding homeware inspiration online.

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