Useful Holiday Gifts That Will Make Someone’s Life A Little Bit Easier

These handy and surprisingly affordable Kasa smart plugs are a favorite among HuffPost editors. They allow users to turn home electronics on and off from anywhere, so your giftee will never have to waste money on their electric bill after forgetting to turn off their fan or lamp again.

An added perk? By being able to turn lights off and on while they're gone, they can make it look like someone is home even while they're on vacation.

These portable pill holders are more useful than you'd think for folks who take daily medications or who like to be prepared in case of a headache or other flare-up. They're convenient, secure and surprisingly chic thanks to their sleek design, and will keep anyone feeling prepared for basically anything while helping ensure that if they forgot to take their morning meds and are already out the door, they won't have to skip a dose.

I don't go anywhere without the anymore, and I've carried them through TSA many a time without an issue. In addition to using these organizers for medication and medicine, reviewers also love them for packing hair ties, earbuds, jewelry, bandaids, prenatal vitamins and more. They also come in two other color sets if you appreciate a pop of color.

Tens of thousands of Amazon reviewers swear by the Chom Chom for getting rid of pet hair, with more than a few reviewers declaring that they were so exasperated before trying this product that they were about to literally shave their cats.

To use it, roll it across furniture like you would a lint roller; its rubberized blade and microfiber surface effectively capture pet hair inside of its handy receptacle, which you can then dump out to keep using it — no sticky-paper waste required.

This can opener was created specifically to help a family member who was having a difficult time in the kitchen due to arthritis in her hands. It's designed to automatically open cans with two taps of a button — completely hands-free — leaving can edges smooth and free of sharp edges. Reviewers with arthritis and difficulties gripping especially love this, calling it a "gem." It requires four AA batteries.

Fireproof document bags are a HuffPost editor favorite for their ability to help keep items safe and secure in case of a crisis, helping spare users from the time and money it would take to recover valuables if lost or damaged.

This version is designed to withstand temperatures up to 2,000 degrees thanks to its double-layered, silicone-coated fiberglass. (The silicone coating also promises to make this item waterproof.) It has a built-in code lock that they can set with a customized combination, and a strong handle so they can easily travel with it. For more options, check out my roundup of fireproof document holders.

This cult-fave robot vacuum will help make your loved one's daily life more manageable by taking vacuuming off their hands, especially if they're already overworked or dealing with stress like so many folks are. It has versatile brushes that pick up everything from dirt and dust to pet hair (including on carpet), and can detect which areas in a home are particularly dirty, like a high-traffic entryway, so it can clean them more thoroughly. When its 90-minute runtime is up, it automatically docks itself to recharge. It can also connect to Alexa or Google Assistant device they you can control it with their voice. Frankly, it’s an investment that just keeps giving back.

I know some people feel that gift cards are impersonal, but some of my favorite gifts have actually been gift cards that allowed me to secure specific items that I had been wanting or needing but didn’t have the budget to spring for. A little help in securing the necessities can go a long way, and by definition will help save your recipient precious money and time. Your loved one may appreciate this gesture more than you realize.

These chic CalPak travel toiletry cases will be a hit for anyone whose beauty products are the most important part of their luggage (like me). They're stylish yet deeply practical, with a transparent body that lets them see their contents super easily, a must for streamlining routines and facilitating quick, easy touch-ups. It'll keep all their products packed compactly and upright so nothing spills — a surprisingly difficult feat to accomplish while traveling.

I love carrying this for everything from longer trips to overnighters. It’s also impressively sturdy thanks to its reinforced edges, so you can be confident it'll be of service for the long haul.

I bought and love the medium size, but the cases are also available in small and large sizes. I own the mauve color but I’m also obsessed with the mocha and lavender ones (which are limited colorways).

This sleek smart mug will keep your loved one's drink at their preferred temperature all day long, so they'll no longer have to choose between drinking lukewarm coffee or microwaving their already-cold cup.

They can opt to control it with an app to customize their drink's heat exactly, or this smart gadget will remember their preferred temperature from their last drink and defer to that. It auto-turns off after two hours without activity and is designed to resist scratches. It's available in two sizes and multiple colors.

Reviewers are obsessed with this dental flosser, which uses water to clean between all the nooks and crevices in teeth while stimulating the gums. According to Waterpik, the water flosser is 50% more effective than dental floss and removes a staggering up to 99.9% of plaque.

As for the time and money they'll save? Well, since this piece does such a good job at cleaning in between teeth and removing plaque, hopefully that'll mean fewer afternoons and less cash spent doing emergency work at the dentist. (Of course, this does not negate the importance of regular dental checkups!)

This splurge-worthy self-cleaning litter box may be pricey, but it's been worth every cent I paid for it. It's designed to automatically scoop litter by rotating its inner shell, shaking clumped litter through a filter and finally depositing it in a sealed drawer-like compartment underneath the box. (Check the process out in action on TikTok or on YouTube.)

The result? A fresh, hygienic bed of litter for their cat every time they go, with the added bonus of ridding cat parents of a chore that I personally dread tremendously.

As a (mildly obsessed) owner of the Litter Robot, I'm convinced that anyone with cats would be over-the-moon for this splurge-y gift, which will save them time, convenience and from having to regularly deal with cat poop.

This popular smart notebook may well change the game for professionals and students. It allows them to take pen-to-paper notes which they can then send to their email, Google Drive or cloud of their choice. Once the notes have been digitized, they can just erase the page with a damp cloth and start over.

It's available in two sizes and various colors.

These highly-rated reusable Stasher silicone bags are great at storing everything from snacks to shoes to a change of clothes. They're designed to be leak-free and safe for the dishwasher, microwave and even the oven up to 425 degrees.

Stasher claims that each reusable bag replaces 260 single-use plastic bags. What's more, your gift recipient will save money by no longer having to buy zip-up storage bags they can only use once or twice (or even just buying them less often).

In terms of gifts that save both time and money, a quality cordless vacuum may well be at the top of the list. This power-hitting cordless Dyson gets the job done quickly and effectively. Its cordless designs allows it to be carried easily while minimizing cleaning fatigue, and it sports three cleaning modes so its suction power can be tailored to the job. (I leaned on this vacuum heavily when my roommate's cat had a particularly bad case of fleas, and I don't know how I would've survived without it.)

It's also an excellent trapper of hair without getting fur or strands tangled in its brush. Its filtration system is also a sight to behold, helping capture a purported 99.99% of dust and other allergens while supposedly expelling cleaner air. I find it perhaps too satisfying to check out all the dirt and dust it sucks up that had been floating around and dirtying up my carpet.

It also comes with seven accessories to better clean your mattress, suck dirt from tight crevices, and even get some dusting in. Anyone would be lucky to be gifted this piece.

This Baby Nessie will brew your loved one's loose tea to perfection and look cute as all get-out while doing it. The creature’s long sea monster neck functions as a steeping spoon and an easy stirring tool, while the body conveniently infuses ground or powdered teas. It’s dishwasher-safe, so when it's done brewing they can just discard their used leaves, rinse it out and pop it in the dishwasher for a deep clean. Baby Nessie is made with BPA-free, food-grade silicone.

This useful yet fun cookbook will help breathe new life into single-household cooking for the likes of new grads and burgeoning home cooks. Its recipes are designed to keep meals interesting — so your recipient won't be eating leftovers of the same meal for days or weeks at a time — while maximizing all the ingredients in their pantry or fridge so little goes to waste. It even features dedicated one-pan dishes so they won't be inundated with dirty dishes to wash after the fact.