Retiring? These 20 Essential Products Will Help You Take It Easy at Home

If you’re retiring, congratulations! You’ve worked hard all of your life, and now’s the time to relax and ease into a less stressful pace. To help you enjoy this new phase to the fullest, we’ve gathered a list of must-have items that will enrich your everyday life and help keep you healthy and happy. Even if retirement is still far in the distance, you’ve come to the right place: It’s always a good idea to plan ahead, and in the meantime, these are great gifts to buy your favorite retirees.

Most retirees are seniors, so some of the items below are designed to address the physical changes that come with aging, including diminished eye health and hearing loss. Because it’s important to keep active to preserve muscle strength and bone density, some of our recommendations are intended to enhance fitness. And finally, because the golden years should be fun, this collection is chock-full of products that let you cut down on tedious chores so you can spend more time making these the best years of your life. Keep reading to discover the items retirees need to take it easy at home.

According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, seniors are more likely to experience insomnia, which can include difficulty falling asleep, trouble getting back to sleep after being awakened, and trouble sleeping the recommended 7 to 9 hours each night. A comfortable mattress is one route to a better night’s sleep, and the Chorus Organic Mattress is a good option for getting you there. The mattress is designed to provide a safe and healthy sleep experience, and it’s also on our list of the best eco-friendly home products. Made with organic cotton fabric and fill and organic wool batting to wick away moisture and regulate temperatures, the mattress provides a Goldilocks level of firmness: not too soft and not too firm. Available on Amazon.

Even though you’re no longer working, the National Institute on Aging recommends sticking to a regular bedtime and wake-up time. The NIA also advises against keeping your smartphone or tablet in your bedroom and suggests using low lighting as you prepare to go to bed. The Tribit Alarm Clock ticks all of these boxes. It’s a handy bedside companion that lets you choose to wake up to soothing bird sounds or wind chimes instead of a glaring alarm. As well, it’s equipped with a light that offers seven color choices, including blue, green, yellow, and pink, and four brightness levels. You can use the soft night light for gentle illumination or even cut the light completely off. The clock also incorporates a smart speaker, an FM radio, and charging ports. Available on Amazon.

The retired life is all about avoiding tedious, repetitive tasks—for instance, setting and winding your watch, or trying not to scratch it as you fumble to remove the back so you can replace the battery. A Solios Solar-Powered Watch eliminates both annoyances. It’s powered by the sun, and just 2 hours of sun exposure can provide 6 months of energy reserve. Don’t worry if you’re not outdoors much—the watch can also recharge indoors, in artificial light. The thin, lightweight watch is available in designs for both men and women, and the interchangeable straps come in black, silver, blue, and gold mesh as well as black, green, blue, cream, and brown vegan leather. (And while you’re looking into a new watch, check out these other solar gadgets.) Available from Solios.

You need to keep your home clean, but there’s no need to haul around a heavy vacuum or risk tripping over cords every time you clean the floor. The Dyson V11 Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Cleaner is lightweight (just 6.68 pounds), and because it’s cordless, you never have to worry about plugging it into an outlet or tripping over the cord. The torque drive is powerful enough to remove dirt and dust from both hard floors and carpet without making too much noise, and the vacuum can run for up to an hour before it needs to be recharged. It comes with an assortment of attachments and tools to help you clean your floors as well as furniture, upholstery, and other surfaces. You can even use it as a handheld! It’s no wonder that the V11 Torque Drive is on our list of the best Dyson vacuums. Available on Amazon.

If you would rather not have to mop or vacuum your floors at all, consider the Proscenic M8 Robot Vacuum. It’s equipped with a dust bin and a water tank, so it can not only vacuum your hard floors and carpets, but also mop your hard floors—and it’s so smart that it won’t try to mop your carpets. The robot uses a LiDAR system to scan your home and create a map, which helps it clean efficiently while avoiding objects on the floor. You can control the robotic vacuum via its remote or you can download the Proscenic app to your phone. You can even use Alexa or Google Home to issue voice commands. The vacuum runs for up to 160 minutes, after which it can recharge itself and resume cleaning. Available on Amazon.

An air purifier is essential for keeping indoor air clean, and it’s an absolute must-have item for people with allergies. Unfortunately, most air purifiers take up valuable floor or countertop space. The Aura Air Purifier, however, simply hangs on the wall, but it still targets dust, pollen, smoke, and animal hair in addition to bacteria, viruses, and mold spores. It filters and disinfects the air using a pre-filter, patented ray filter, sterionizer, and UVC LED, and the device also functions as a carbon monoxide and smoke detector unit. You can download the Aura Air app to your smartphone and get indoor air quality updates in real time, and even connect the purifier to Alexa or Google Assistant. One device can disinfect up to 600 square feet. Available from Aura Air.

Even as we age, it’s important to keep exercising. Biking is a particularly great option because it’s low impact and lets seniors sit down while they work out. That said, those trendy Peloton bikes can be expensive, and they require special shoes. The MYX II Plus Fitness Bike is not only less expensive, but it can be used with either specialty or regular athletic shoes. It’s like having a gym in your home—but one that doesn’t take up much space, as the bike’s footprint is a sleek 54 by 21 inches. Along with the commercial-grade bike, you also get a touch-screen tablet and access to thousands of workout sessions as well as a heart rate monitor, 6-piece weight set with kettlebell, resistance band, stabilizing mat, and exercise mat. The company sends a team to set up the bike so you don’t have to worry about heavy lifting or figuring out how to get started. There’s also an option to purchase the MYX membership for $29 a month if you want the interactive classes. Available from MYX Fitness.

Now that you finally have time to savor life, the Fluance RT80 Classic High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable will let you enjoy listening to your favorite tunes without breaking the bank. This record player offers a pure analog listening experience, and its diamond-tipped stylus provides precision and accuracy to ensure high-def audio. The aluminum S-type tonearm guarantees a great playback experience every time. The cabinet is made of MDF wood in a high-gloss piano black finish and has isolation feet and an aluminum platter with a felt slip mat so you don’t have to worry about vibrations. There’s also a built-in preamp, and the turntable has a tinted dust cover. Available on Amazon.

Speakers can help you achieve better sound from your record player, monitor, smartphone, and TV, but a good set of speakers can take up a lot of space. Enter the Cambridge Audio SX-50 Compact Speakers, which provide a big sound in a small package. At just 8.9 by 6.3 by 9.4 inches each, they produce a pleasing hi-fi sound whether you’re watching movies or listening to your favorite tunes, and their sleek matte black finish complements almost any decor. Available on Amazon.

Owning a smart speaker with built-in voice control is like having a 24-hour personal assistant. With the Sonos One Gen 2 Smart Speaker, you can not only play music, but with the help of Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, you can also ask it questions and hear helpful information. As well, the speaker can stream music from various services and control your smart-home devices. It’s small (6.36 by 4.69 by 4.69 inches) and wireless, so you can easily move it around the home, and even to the bathroom—it’s humidity-resistant. It’s not surprising that the Sonos One Smart Speaker is on our list of the best bookshelf speakers for the home. Available on Best Buy.

If you played the piano when you were younger, or if you want to take lessons now that you finally have the time, the Roland GO:PIANO Portable Digital Piano is a good place to start. It has a full-size 88-note piano keyboard and is also equipped with built-in Bluetooth speakers. This affordable and compact option doesn’t take up much space: It weighs in at a mere 15.4 pounds and is just 50.56 inches long, which means you can put it on top of a table or on an adjustable keyboard stand that you can fold up and put away. The keyboard comes with free online piano lessons so you can connect wirelessly to your tablet or smartphone to access apps and tutorial videos. If you sound really rusty, don’t worry: Just plug in your headphones and you’ll be the only person who can hear what you’re playing. Available on Amazon.

Even though you’re no longer working at the office, you still need an office setup at home. Mayo Clinic experts warn against sitting at your desk for long periods of time, which can increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease and cancer, and they recommend using an adjustable standing desk. The Fully Remi Adjustable Standing Desk makes it easy to alternate between sitting and standing, and the dual motors allow you to adjust the desk’s height from 27.2 to 46.8 inches with the push of a button. The desk is also sturdy; it has steel feet and can lift up to 250 pounds. It’s available with either a black or white base, and the desk surface comes in black, white, or oak. Available on Amazon.

The right chair is crucial for creating optimal ergonomics in a home office environment. The Flexispot Soutien Office Chair provides 3D lumbar support, a curved backrest, and a headrest—all designed to help prevent backaches and support the neck and spine. You can tilt the chair back 135 degrees to take a nap, and the cushioned armrests adjust backward and forward and up and down, and can even be tilted and rotated to find the perfect spot. The chair’s back is made of mesh, so it’s breathable and won’t snag your clothing. The seat’s thick foam padding is covered with upholstery, and its height and depth is adjustable. The chair holds up to 299 pounds and is available in either gray or black. Available from Flexispot.

Even though you’re no longer actually working from home, there are plenty of reasons to use the computer, and you’re still subject to digital eye strain, headaches, and fatigue when working on your devices. According to the NIA, as you age, you may lose the ability to see objects close up and have difficulty distinguishing colors. That’s where the right monitor can help out. The Ben Q EX3203R 32-inch Monitor is great for personal use, and even gaming. The large, curved screen uses Brightness Intelligence Plus to automatically detect the screen’s content and adjust the brightness levels and color temperature. In addition, the height-adjustable stand lets you raise or lower the monitor and tilt it at a customized, comfortable angle. Available on Amazon.

When you’re outside, even if you’re just sitting in your own backyard, it’s important to protect your eyes from UV rays. With the Fauna Spiro Transparent Brown Audio Smart Sunglasses, you can relax outside and in style while listening to music and even taking phone calls through your sunglasses. That’s because tiny little microphones, speakers, woofers, and microspeakers are built into both arms of the sunglasses; just touch the pads on the outside of either temple to control the audio. The glasses can connect via Bluetooth from 30 feet away, they’re water- and dust-resistant, and they come with a charging case. Available on Amazon.

Now that you’re retired, this is your opportunity to travel more. Whether you’re going to see the grandkids or just exploring new places, the Kabuto Extend Smart Biometric Finger Sensor Cabin Luggage Carry-On can make traveling a lot easier. It has a TSA-approved fingerprint biometric sensor so you don’t have to worry about losing the key (although one is provided). You can just use your finger to lock and unlock the suitcase, and it holds up to 10 fingerprints so family members can travel with it as well. You can also use the suitcase to charge up to four smartphones or partially charge a laptop via its three USB ports. Two separate compartments hold your laptop and shoes, and you can even choose to have your name laser engraved on the rod of the suitcase handle. Available on Amazon.

If you love ice cream and smoothies, you’ll have so much fun with the Ninja CREAMi. It can turn almost anything into ice cream, smoothies, milkshakes, or sorbet, and it’s super easy to use: Just pour your favorite ingredients into the provided container, freeze it for 24 hours, and insert the container into the machine (much as you would insert a carafe into a coffee maker). Then, press one of the presets: ice cream, sorbet, lite ice cream, smoothie bowl, gelato, or milkshake. In just a few minutes, you’ll be enjoying your favorite treat. You can also select the mix-in feature to add nuts, Reese’s peanut butter cups, and other custom items. Available from Best Buy.

Nothing helps you take it easy at home like massaging heat. The TruMedic Shiatsu Neck, Back, and Shoulder Massager With Heat is so lightweight and portable that you can even take it with you when traveling. It’s versatile enough to be used on your neck, back, shoulder, calves, and other body parts. A simple power button turns it on and off, and a reverse button lets you massage in a different direction. There are four massage modes, and you can also activate the infrared heat setting for a deeper, more relaxing experience. Available on Amazon.

When you’re relaxing at home, you don’t want to be bothered by salespeople at the door, but you also don’t want to miss important deliveries. The Arlo Essential Video Doorbell provides HD video and two-way audio so you can see who is at the door and decide if you want to get up and answer it or not. Simply download the Arlo app to your smartphone and you’ll be able to see your visitors while you’re lounging on the sofa. The image is crystal clear in any weather, and the camera even has night vision. You can also choose to connect it with Alexa. The doorbell comes in a wired and a wire-free version, and you can select between two colors: black and white. Thanks to its many features, the Arlo made it onto our list of the best doorbells. Available on Amazon.

If you receive a lot of junk mail, it’s tempting to just toss it into the trash, but you have no idea where that trash may end up. Keep your personal information out of the wrong hands with the GBC Paper Shredder. This cross-cut shredder can handle 12 sheets at a time and can also shred credit cards, CDs, staples, and paper clips. The bin’s 5-gallon capacity means you don’t have to keep stopping to empty it. The 16-by-19-by-17-inch shredder fits comfortably under or next to a desk. Available on Amazon.