The World At Your Doorstep
The past year has proven that there really are few things you need to leave the house for. Sure, there is novelty in heading to a brick-and-mortar store, but if you don’t have the time or the interest to head out into the world, the world can come to you. In fact, you might be surprised by the variety of things that come to your doorstep these days.
DAILY NEEDS
As big of fans as we are of wholesale stores like Costco, you no longer need to buy things in bulk to have them on hand. Delivery is so fast these days that even something you use on a daily basis can be delivered within hours.
“Life’s too short to drink bad coffee” isn’t just a kitschy sign your mom bought from Pottery Barn. It’s true. You may be familiar with coffee subscription services like Trade, but if you’re really serious about your coffee, Atlas may be worth the money. You can purchase three months for $50, six months for $99, or a year for $189.
Getting food delivered to your home may be nothing new, but getting home-cooked food delivered certainly is. Through DishDivvy, you can browse through local home cooks in your neighborhood and see what they’re cooking tonight. If you like it, you can order pickup or delivery (almost always for less than what a restaurant would cost) in certain pre-set time periods (most last the whole day). Depending on the dish or the cook, you can control the portion size you order. Say you just want dinner tonight or you want a weeks’ worth of blueberry muffins from Susan down the block. Both are available via DishDivvy.
You know Bob Hope got a massage every day of his life and he lived to be almost 90, so who says a massage isn’t a daily requirement. Think you don’ have time for a massage every day? Think again. With Sooth, massages can come to you! Even if you aren’t at home, a Sooth masseuse can meet you in a variety of locations. You’ll never realize how tight your shoulders are until they’re forced to move from out in front of your laptop. A 60-minute massage cost $99, a 90-minute massage cost $139, and a 120-minute massage costs $169 for
HOME IS THE NEW OFFICE
As a freelancer you are running a business out of your home, so you’ll need to get any number of supplies delivered to your front door that many wouldn’t think of.
While some people are more particular about what they write with than others, there’s just something that feels great about having a good pen. If you aren’t already taking your notes by hand, and science says you should be, this box is a great way to get started. With notebooks, pens, pencils, and general office supplies sent to you monthly, you’ll soon understand just how valuable a good pen (and the paper to go with it) really is. You can get Scribe for $29/month or $300/year.
SUCCESS CRATE
A life coach is expensive (and horribly cheesy), but a monthly subscription can take all the hassle out of paying for a mentor. If you’re looking for a collection of curated books, personal development tips, and goal-setting tools but don’t know where to start, Success Crate is that place. One box costs $39.95, but you can buy three in advance for $109.95 or six in advance for $209.95.
Whether you live on the cutting edge of technology or you live in fear of it, Gadget Discovery Club has items that can improve your productivity. For those who are constantly browsing tech websites or reading about the latest iPhone rumors, having a chance to get the newest gadgets first is a dream come true. If you aren’t as technologically inclined but would like to learn without intimidation, Gadget Discovery Club makes it easy to get your feet wet. There are three different levels you can pick (all at the same price) based on your level of comfort with technology. A subscription costs $33 to $40 per month, depending on the length of your subscription.
GIFTS FOR OTHERS (OR YOURSELF, WE WON’T JUDGE)
You can’t only get unique shit sent to your door, you can get it sent to any door you want (maybe not a door in Antarctica but you get the point).
It’s no secret that pet adoptions went through the roof during the pandemic. There is a good chance that if a friend of yours doesn’t have a dog, they do by now! If you aren’t sure what to get them, pet owners tend to spend maybe more than they should on their pets. You can save them some dough with presents for their pups and a BarkBox subscription would make a fitting gift for any canine. If you’re friends with one of those cat people, there’s also Meowbox. Both boxes cost between $23/month and $35/month depending on the length of your subscription.
If your friends love escape rooms (or are just nerds) but haven’t been able to get to one lately, you can be the hero and bring the escape room to them. Escape the Crate is a subscription service that delivers an Escape Room experience bi-monthly (to ensure quality control in the scenarios). If your friends need something to tide them over in the off month, Escape the Crate has online games that aren’t a part of the subscription service. A subscription costs $30/box plus shipping.
The convenience of getting stuff delivered can sometimes keep us cooped up too long. That’s why it’s nice when your deliveries make you want to get out. Unsurprisingly, another industry that experienced a boom during the pandemic is the hiking industry. Whether your friends are seasoned backpackers or took to the trails to escape isolation, Cairn is a subscription service aimed at outdoor enthusiasts. They provide you a box of gear to make sure you’re prepared for your next adventure, and offer two different subscriptions: The Cairn Collection for $35/month which contains pretty basic items like tote bags and snack bars, as well as the Obsidian Collection for $250/quarter which delivers four boxes a year full of pricier products like jackets and tents.
While it’s probably good to leave the house every once in a while, know that you can get literally (literally) anything delivered these days.
