7 items in my home that have improved my life – from waking up earlier to quick, healthy dinners, these are the buys that have made a real difference

Like anyone, I'm always on the lookout for *that* home buy that is going to improve my life. Whether that is a clever gadget from Lakeland or a new set of bedding, I'm always filled with high hopes at checkout that this is going to be the thing that is going to magically turn me into the 2.0 version of myself. The version that is healthy, organised and productive, with a stylish home to top it all off.

After writing about countless home appliance and home decor launches over the last seven years, and being disappointed by a number I've bought into my home, I've learnt that nothing will turn me into a new person overnight. However, over the years, I have collected several buys that have genuinely improved my life.

These buys have ranged from solutions that have streamlined my home, made it easier to wake up in the morning, to gadgets that have taken the hard work out of weeknight dinners. These are the 7 things in my home that have improved my life, and I would buy again in a heartbeat.

1. Sunrise alarm clock

I've used a sunrise alarm clock for the last seven years, and I credit it entirely with helping me become a morning person. It is the only thing that gets me out of bed for a 6:00 a.m. gym class. It doesn't make waking up easy, but it's certainly easier as the light gradually starts to wake you up 30 minutes before your alarm goes off. I've traded being wrenched out of sleep by an aggressive beep and fumbling around for the light switch for waking up gradually to a bedroom with a light already on, and a gentle chorus of birds tweeting.

A few years ago, I upgraded to the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 750DAB Wake up to Daylight Table Lamp, £229 at John Lewis. However, before this, I used the Lumie Sunrise Alarm Wake up to Daylight Table Lamp, £49 at John Lewis. While I love my fancy one that has a built-in radio and 20 different wake-up sounds, I'd still recommend the affordable version as a game-changer for early risers. It has a choice of 5 natural sounds to wake you up (my choice has always been the birds), the main difference I noted is that the light is less sunset orange in the cheaper version, but it still does the job.

2. Two-compartment laundry basket

My partner was horrified when he found out I'd spent almost £100 on a laundry basket. But the Joseph Joseph tota laundry separation basket is one of those things that has made my life better by speeding up laundry day. I picked up the Tota 60L Ecru Laundry Separation Basket, £95 at Joseph Joseph during a Black Friday sale, and it's shaved so much time off my weekly chores as my clothes are already divided by colour in a handy bag I can lift out and pour straight into the washing machine.

However, you don't need an expensive laundry basket to feel the benefits. I picked up a second two-compartment laundry basket to use in the spare room for £12 at Primark.

3. Wool duvet

This was an upgrade I made to my bedroom set up two years ago and it has seen me through both freezing winters and the heatwave. Wool is brilliant at temperature regulating, which means it keeps you warm in cold weather and cool in hot weather. It's one of the best duvets for all year-round use.

I have the Deluxe Washable Wool Duvet in Medium, kingside, (was £259, now £194) at Woolroom. It's saved me space in my home as I no longer need to store a winter and a summer duvet. But it's also worked wonders on my sleep. I'm a hot sleeper who suffers from night sweats, but my partner and I have slept so much better since switching to this natural material.

4. Meal planner

Meal planning on a Sunday morning ahead of the weekly shop is a non-negotiable in my household. I plan out the week on a meal planner, before making a shopping list that ensures no food goes to waste, and I'm not stuck wondering what to eat when I'm home late and starving on a Wednesday night.

As a result, I now eat healthier, and I spend alot less on my weekly shop. However, the thing that took my menu planner to the next level was pairing it with a recipe journal filled with all our favourite, tried-and-tested dishes that we like to keep in regular rotation. This has cleared our shelves of all those cookbooks we were keeping for that one recipe, and it means we're not stuck in a rut of repeating the same three recipes every week.

5. Kitchen containers

I spent a very satisfying weekend two years ago measuring my cupboards and taking stock of all the store cupboard essentials I use, before investing in a large set of containers to organise my kitchen cupboards. Now I couldn't fathom the idea of leaving flour or pasta in the bag on a shelf, not in a container.

I have a mix of clear clip-top plastic containers and Kilner jars that keep all the messier ingredients neatly contained. I also never overbuy store cupboard essentials as I can easily see at a glance if we're running low.

For items such as tins, stock cubes, pulses and seeds that I can't decant or don't have space to, I keep them neatly contained in wire baskets and mini crates so I can easily find them.

6. Air fryer

Whilst we're talking kitchens, I can't overlook the kitchen appliance that has most improved my life, my air fryer. I have ALOT of kitchen appliances in my home, including a bean-to-cup coffee machine, which I love. Yet, nothing has had as big an impact on my day-to-day life as the air fryer.

Air fryer dinner has become shorthand in my house for an easy, fast meal. We keep the freezer stocked with sweet potato fries and salmon that can be thrown into the air fryer for a quick, healthy midweek meal.

But it's not just these lazy instant meals; it's made a difference too. My partner and I strategically use the air fryer to speed up other meals, from fajitas to roast dinners. Once you've cooked halloumi or salmon in an air fryer, you'll never go back, trust me.

6. Coat rail

I have a larger collection of coats than most people, and rather than struggle with a coat rack, with many coats getting forgotten about at the bottom, I use a clothes rail to store them on.

Even when I lived in a tiny flat, I sacrificed part of the hallway to be used for a movable clothes rail that held my and my flatmates' coats. In my current flat, I have a version of the IKEA KALLSO hat rack that has hooks and a rail so I can hang up bags behind the rail, and it takes up no additional floor space.

Grabbing the right coat when speeding out the door is infinitely easier when you're not worried about upsetting a mountain of coats on a hook.

7. Storage stools

Storage stools are a godsend for any household if you want it to look neat and tidy with next to no effort. I bought my first one for my dressing table a few years ago from B&Q to hide my hair tools and toiletry bags in, so they weren't cluttering up my bedroom.

I've since added to my collection with a Swyft Storage 03 Ottoman in a Morris & Co pattern. I have one in the bedroom and one in the hallway to store the hoards of umbrellas, handheld fans and shopping bags that would be cluttering up the floor otherwise.

These buys won't turn you into a new person over night, but I can promise that they will help improve it and make some of those trickier tasks a little bit easier.