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Fall comes with its own host of problems.

As a deputy editorial director on the BuzzFeed Shopping team with almost a decade in the lifestyle and service journalism sphere, I use my shopping editor eye to find and vet products across a variety of categories, including lifestyle, home, beauty, fashion, pets, cleaning, travel, aging, and more.

If crisp morning air and earlier sunsets mean you're suddenly battling home drafts, stubborn pet stains, or endless yard leaves, you're not alone. Our round-up of somewhat mundane things you’ll be glad you own this fall is packed with everyday problem solvers designed to make the seasonal transition totally seamless. From clever cord bundlers and genius freezer trays to cozy oversized sweatshirts, we found the practical essentials reviewers swear by to keep your home running smoothly all autumn long.

Promising review: "I love WD-40 products and use them for everything. I spray on shovels to keep dirt or snow from sticking, spray around windows and thresholds to deter bugs, clean Sharpies off wood and walls, and, of course, stop squeaky doors. These small direct-point application pens are great. Keep one in the glove box, my kitchen 'junk' drawer, and the house toolbox." —BBP623

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $12.49.

Some reviewers mention that the included Velcro-like adhesive (so you can replace the filters) peeled the finish off their fan during removal. If you’re concerned about that, you can definitely install these filters with Command strips instead!

Promising review: "I wasn't sure what to expect when purchasing these, but now they are a staple in every room of our house. Within three days, the air smelled more crisp and was easier to breathe in our home. So simple and effective!" —Haylee Marez

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $22.99 (also available in a five-pack as well as a "Pet Fresh" and "Ultra Fresh" style).

It also works for non-pet stains like ink, soda, coffee, and more.

Promising review: "Our poor older pup started having some incontinence issues and had several accidents in the house. I was really frustrated until I found these. They work amazingly well. They're small, so if the area was larger, I had to use two or three, but they pulled up stains and saved the house from being smelly. I even used one on an older stain (that I'm pretty sure wasn't pet-related), and it came up after leaving it on for about 24 hours. I make sure to keep a supply of these in the house at all times now." —MC

Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $27.49.

Promising review: "I’ve only used it on a few appliances, but the one getting the most action would be the one on our coffee maker. It can’t be adhered to surfaces that get hot (like a slow cooker), so I was able to find a spot that doesn’t when we use it, and it has held up great so far. I’ve been using it for a few months, and so far, so good. I hate having cords trailing around on the counter, and this helped fix that. Worth the investment." —TravelBuff

Some other great uses for these trays include: freezing ingredients for smoothie prep, quiches, oatmeal, lasagna, and so much more. 

You may remember Souper Cube from Shark Tank (Lori invested in the company!). This small business was started by four friends who loved soup but hated food waste.

Promising review: "So happy that I found these. I’m the only one in my household who enjoys soup year-round. Have you ever tried to make homemade soup for one? I say it’s impossible! But no longer. I can brew up the stock pot with bone broth or my favorite home soup. Fill up my Souper Cubes, freeze, pop out, store my goodies in a freezer bag, and I’m ready for the next batch!" —Debbie R. Texas

Get it from Amazon for $21.99 (available in six colors and in a two-pack).

Check out my colleague's Souper Cubes review!

Promising review: "I saw this product all over TikTok and decided to buy one for myself because I hate using regular lighters. It has a very long battery life and works like a charm. 10/10 would buy again." —Abriana

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in eight colors and multipacks).

Promising review: "These work great for picking up large piles of leaves and dropping them into a bin or bag. They are a good size, and I can pick up a lot of leaves. They are a little flimsy and bend inward easily, so you can't use them to push the leaves into the bin, but I've used them repeatedly for a few weeks, and they have not broken or cracked. For me, they've saved a ton of time and were well worth the price." —Mikey Mo

Promising review: "These are lightweight but sturdy. I bought these bags several years ago and am just replacing them now because I drag the bag on the sidewalk when it's full of leaves, and the bottom was starting to get wear holes. The flat side works great. I just lay it down and rake the leaves directly into the bag." —TCE

Get a pack of two from Amazon for $19.99 (available in two styles).

Promising review: "They don't call this Oh Yuk for no reason. I previously used Jacuzzi's two-part system, and this worked sooo much better. I was totally embarrassed, not to mention grossed out at how much funk came out. It was NASTY! It definitely cleans your tub. You will probably have to clean the sides of your tub after it's finished because of how much stuff might come out. I swear I clean my tub on a regular basis, but I was amazed at how much better this worked. Highly recommend!" —Erica

Promising reviews: "I just received this crewneck, and I absolutely love it! The color was exactly what I was expecting, but the quality was even better! If I want an oversize look for a sweatshirt, I usually buy a 2X, but this brand’s XL fits the exact same. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a cute and soft crewneck for fall and winter!" —KS

"This is a perfect oversize sweatshirt. It is super soft on the inside and not overly hot. It is perfect for fall and snuggling indoors on the couch, relaxing. :) I want to buy more. This is the second one I have bought. I have a green and the gray." —Stephanie

Get it from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in women's sizes XS–XXL and 30 colors).

Promising reviews: "These socks are my favorite! They’re super soft, comfortable, and the perfect thickness. The neutral colors go with everything, and they look so cute with my Uggs. Definitely a must-have for fall and winter!" —lauren

"I love these socks for under boots or with clogs this fall. They are so comfortable and made of a cotton material that I feel wicks up sweat without making my feet feel too warm. They are really good quality. They are not thin or cheap feeling at all. I will absolutely be purchasing these again soon." —Megan Kuna

Get a six-pack from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in two sizes [women's sizes 5–9 and 9–11] and five color combinations).

When I moved to NYC, the winters absolutely destroyed me, and I dealt with dry, flaky skin and constant nose bleeds. I knew I needed to get a humidifier, so I bought the first one I found on Amazon, and it was...fine...but I hated how hard it was to clean. So I bought another humidifier. And then another humidifier. But every humidifier I bought was just soooo hard to clean. They all had nooks and crannies — or even unreachable surfaces — that got moldy fast and required a lot of contorting of my wrist to wipe down with a sponge. I also hated having to refill the water tank every day. So, I went searching for a humidifier that was easy to clean and had a big water tank. This bad boy ticks all the boxes for me and the app features are fantastic. You can set the target humidity in a space and the humidifier will run until it reaches the threshold, which it will then maintain. It also has schedule and timer features, but I don't use those since I work from home and have the humidifier running basically 24/7. There's even a plant identifier feature that will set the humidity at the optimal level for whatever plants you have.

Get it from Amazon for $69.99 (available in two colors).

Promising review: "Big enough for size large sweaters. I love that it is instant to set up, holds multiple items, the mesh lets most clothes dry overnight, and it doesn't have any loose parts to lose. The layers collapse on each other, then fold up like a car shade, but with three wires to contend with, it takes a bit more force. If car shades are your nemesis, this is probably not for you, but if you've conquered car shade folding, the drying rack is quick and small to store. The storage bag appeared to be flimsy, but it has lasted for over a year of use with no problem." —Costume Shop

Promising review: "I was struggling to find a good comforter that was full and puffy yet cooling, and this is the perfect balance. It is so comfortable to sleep with and looks amazing on my bed!" —Sophia B.

Get it from Brooklinen for $199+ (available in three sizes and three weights).

Promising review: "So thankful for this gel. Was having nosebleeds daily with the dry air and this stopped them! It doesn’t make your nose feel sticky, and it’s not really smelly. Easy to use. It was everything I needed." —Danica

3D Home Solution is a small biz based in Frisco, Texas that makes really genius home organizers.

Promising review: "Just what I didn’t know I needed! My attachments didn’t have a good home. The whisk is too fat for my drawers, but I wanted to keep them together and near the mixer, so they just sat on a shelf. Now they have a home, and they’re not blocking the canisters on the shelf!" —Noora

Get it from 3D Home Solution on Etsy for $12 (available in three colors).

Promising review: "We bought these to cover our outdoor faucets in lieu of the styrofoam option. Not only are they super easy to install, but they worked perfectly and withstood anything the winter weather threw at us." —Carissa Eaton

Promising review: "I love lists. Usually, I don't use paper calendars because the squares are either too small or too 'timed appointment oriented' for my listy lifestyle. Sometimes, I just need to write down a lot of information on a certain day. This calendar is organized just right. I love that you can start it at any time of the year. The paper quality is really heavy and smooth, so pens don't bleed through. Cuz on the back of each calendar page? More space for lists!" —Sonya W

Promising review: "I have trivets. Several of them. But when I need them, they’re never there! I have to dig through my drawer just to locate one. Then I see this. What an amazing concept! They look cute on my counter or table. They’re easy to use! Pull one off the 'tree' and set it on the counter/table. If it gets dirty, just wipe it down and put it back in the tree. Honestly, I love this tree and all its 'branches!'" —Cynthia Lancaster

Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in four colors).

Promising reviews: "I buy this every winter, and it makes a BIG difference! We have super-thin windows, and this works like a charm to stop 80% of the cold drafts. I find I can sit right next to the window without a problem after installing them. It's easy to install and looks invisible after you apply heat with a hair dryer. No one will be able to tell there's a film, and it'll look completely transparent after you apply heat. It was so satisfying to see the wrinkles disappear! It looks great, works great, and will save you energy! Win-win-win!" —Raymond

"My apartment has no insulation and single-pane windows, so I was really hoping these would work. Thankfully, they did!! Rooms are noticeably warmer, and the thermostat shows nearly a 10-degree difference." —wolf3351

Get a 3-window kit from Amazon for $12.99 (also available in a 5- and 10-window kit).

You'll get two seals (totaling 16 feet) that are 9 millimeters thick.

Promising review: "As a queer household, we usually embrace anything not straight; we are highly open-minded and accepting. HOWEVER, our crooked doorframes are the exception. Seeing our house is older than the concept of building codes and built by someone who apparently didn't believe in 'measure twice, cut once,' we were happy to find a cheap solution to the straight-up breezes in our kitchen! Severely cut down on the amount of wind coming through and improved the temperature in the mudroom in a matter of minutes!" —bitandbridle

Get it from Amazon for $5.97+ (available in four colors).

Promising review: "I’m renting an apartment, and my front door doesn’t brush up against the floor. There was about an inch gap, which was annoying because it meant light, noise, and bugs could get in. Ever since I installed this, I’ve had almost no bugs, no light, and so much less sound! It’s great. The sound blocking is especially amazing because my bedroom is near the front door, and I hated hearing my neighbor's conversations clear as day in the stairwell. It’s not totally noise cancelling, but it’s so much better." —airazedy

Get it from Amazon for $7.98+ (available in four colors).

Promising review: "I love this vest! It is super warm, so it’s perfect for our winter days in Texas. You really don’t need anything else. The colors are great, and I love this neutral tan. Reminds me of Burberry but without the price tag. Zipper works great, as well as the ties. It is true to size." —MEL

Get it from Amazon for $36.97+ (available in women's sizes XS–XXL and 18 colors).

Promising review: "These lights were easy to install and look great on our deck. We just had a pool built and needed some light on the steps of the deck so we could see walking up the steps at night. They're beautiful without too much light." —BJ

Get 16 from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in 3 colors and a pack of 20 and 24).

It securely attaches to the countertop, so all you do is turn the crank while the machine does the rest. When your apple is naked, it slides right off the core.

Promising review: "It’s super easy. Used it to slice apples for an apple pie. It worked wonderfully. My kids have pulled it out to serve themselves apples for a snack. And I’ve also used it to peel potatoes and to make curly fries (I just removed the coring blade). It worked great for all of the above. I truly highly recommend this product." —Camila Irwin

Get it on Amazon for $22.99+ (available in three styles).

Promising review: "I got tired of cleaning the bottom of my oven out after every drip and spill or running the 'oven clean' option, which uses up so much energy and makes my house HOT during the process. I used to have foil on the bottom of the oven to help with spills, and that improved things greatly — but then you have to replace the foil after a while. I had to cut them to size, which was easy to do with a simple pair of household scissors. Then I placed them in the oven (they look nice!), and I waited for them to get messy. I cooked something super messy and finally needed to clean the liner. It was SO easy; I put it in the sink and used my sink sprayer, and everything immediately slid right off the liner. No problem! I have a double oven, so I was glad this pack came with more than one. I have one in each oven and one on standby in case I need it. I know that having a dirty oven isn't the worst thing in the world, but if it matters to you, try these!" —Hpg

Get a set of three from Amazon for $12.99.

Doap was created by Joshua Grange, a musician whose love for breadmaking led to the creation of a tool that would solve the problem of perpetually sticky dough hands.

Get it from Doap for $24.99 (available in seven colors).

Promising review: "Purchased these for my family to use at the food and wine festival. Personalized them with my Cricut, and they came out so cute. Packed perfectly in a bag and then used them all day to hold drinks and small bites." —kristine

Get a four-pack from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in seven colors).

Promising review: "I recently purchased the Hatch Restore 3, and I couldn’t be happier with it. This device has truly transformed my morning and nighttime routines. The sunrise alarm feature is a game changer — it wakes me up gently with gradual light, which feels much more natural and less jarring than a traditional alarm. I actually wake up feeling refreshed! The sound machine offers a wide variety of soothing options, and I love being able to customize my wind-down routine with calming sounds and ambient lighting. The app is user-friendly, and setting up different sleep and wake routines was simple and intuitive. Overall, the Hatch Restore 3 is sleek, modern, and packed with features that genuinely support better sleep and more peaceful mornings. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their sleep hygiene or simply enjoy a more relaxing start and end to their day." —Ceciley

Get it from Amazon for $169.99 (available in five colors).

Read more about sunlamps and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) at Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic.

Promising review: "I've been using my Happy Light for a month, and I can honestly say that I do notice a difference in my morning outlook and energy. I have it on my vanity table and sit with it for at least half an hour while drinking coffee, scrolling TikTok, answering emails, catching up on the overnight news, and solving Wordle. It also serves as a supplemental makeup light while I do my makeup and morning skincare routine! Like many of you, I go to work in the dark/come home in the dark during this time of year. I know I need at least some artificial sunshine in my life to ward off the winter blues." —Virginia

Let it sit for up to 30 minutes or two hours if your hair is feeling especially damaged.

Promising review: "I just can't believe the difference in my hair!!! I'm in my 60s, and my hair was dry and dull because of my medications. I just hated my hair. I bought this not expecting too much, but was I wrong!!!! I left it on for 30 minutes because I wanted the best result possible. Wow!! My hair feels wonderful, it's fuller and thicker looking, body galore, and I just can't quit looking at my hair. I will NEVER quit using this!!!" —lucymae

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.