23 Small Things You Should Buy

I prefer smaller things. They take up less space in your pocket or bag. It's why I still have a small phone. Why I carry a slim wallet. Given the choice, I'll almost always take the cappuccino over the latte. With that in mind, here are 21 small things that enhance my life and that I think you might also enjoy. Two quick notes. One, this video is sponsored by Arcade Belts, which I'll talk more about in a bit. And two, this list is subjective. Maybe you don't need any of these things. That's fine. Don't buy stuff just to buy it. Okay, starting with the iPhone 13 mini. By today's standards, this phone is miniature. With a roughly 5 inch long screen, it's tiny compared to like the 16 Pro Max. And I think it's a good thing. It's easier to hold in your hand. It fits better in any pocket. Why do we need bigger screens on phones anyway? This phone is still fast, it has a great camera, it takes good photos. You can do 4K 60 frame per second videos and slow-mo. I've never had a problem with battery life. I'm going to keep this compact little phone until it dies. And I wanted to include it on this list because even though it's discontinued, you can still get it. more affordable than the latest flagship model. So if you're in the market for a new iPhone, I would highly recommend getting an unlocked, maybe even a refurbished 13 mini, but they won't be available forever. So get them while they're hot. I almost never find myself in a situation where I need a large knife outside of the kitchen, of course, and no holds barred street fights, but those only happen like twice a month max. I do, however, need a small knife for little tasks like cutting a loose thread off a jacket actually loose thread right here or like opening a box and that's where this keychain sized folding knife comes in handy this is the Spyderco Bug it's like 20 dollars on amazon i'll link to it down below i've had this one for years i have sharpened it a couple times but otherwise it works just as well as it did when i got it it's the smallest knife i could find from a reputable brand and it fits right alongside your keys it's actually smaller than a key. I think it's the lightest weight solution if you want to add a blade to your everyday carry. Speaking of small upgrades, have you ever asked yourself, self, is there a better belt? I certainly have, and the answer is, yes, it's this one, the Arcade Motion Belt. See, near as I can tell, there are two major problems with the traditional leather belt. First, the holes are just too far apart, so that often results in a belt that's a little too tight or a little too loose. And second, because of the way that they're fastened and unfastened, the leather creases and cracks over time, causing these belts to wear out prematurely. And yes, I know that you can buy those micro-adjustable belts, but they all use the ratchet system, which results in a buckle that's thick and bulky. And in my opinion, it doesn't look good with tucked-in shirts, and if you wear your shirt untucked, the buckle kind of pokes through. The Motion Belt from Arcade is a much more elegant solution. Arcade has been improving on the Humble Belt since 2010, and the Motion Belt is the new flagship model in their lifestyle collection. Its clean, minimal design is perfect for both casual and smarter outfits. The webbing, made from post-industrial plastic, has the perfect amount of stretch built in, and that means once you get this belt to the right length, you don't have to adjust it anymore. You can just put it on. It also has a stretchy keeper loop to hold any excess in place, but my favorite part is the buckle, which is extremely low profile compared to traditional belts and especially ratchet belts. Unbuckling is easy and quick, and it buckles back in with a satisfying click. I'm a poet, and I didn't even know it. This belt is durable, it's machine washable, and in my opinion, priced very reasonably. Arcade does make other belt styles like the Futureweave and Atlas. You can see them all at arcadebelts.com. I really like the motion belt because it fits perfectly with my active dad who still likes to look nice lifestyle. Like, I wear mostly casual outfits these days. Comfort is definitely my number one priority. I want a belt that will do its job without getting in the way and that I can rely on for a long time. Arcade belts, check all of those boxes. Again, go to arcadebelts.com for more info. You can check out their entire lineup and order what will probably become your new favorite belt. Okay, let's get back to the list. Keychain flashlight. Just like the Spyderco Bug keychain knife, this is the smallest flashlight that I could find. I don't think everybody needs this, but it does come in handy in a few specific situations. You could attach it to the inside of a purse or an everyday carry bag. You could keep it on your keychain. You could attach it to a stroller. It could hang in the entryway of a room that doesn't have a light switch nearby, or you could keep it as part of an emergency kit like in your vehicle. And I know that our phones have flashlights. But with this little guy, you don't have to worry about the battery dying, at least not for a very long time. And I like these single-use devices. They give me one less reason to pull out my phone and get distracted by whatever notifications. Plus, doesn't cost very much. Links below. Floss picks. We all know that flossing is important for gum health. Every time you go to the dentist, your dentist asks if you've been flossing. But for some reason, it's still a hard habit to stick with. For me, ditching the old string-style floss and going instead with the floss picks did the trick. Now I floss every night, even when I'm traveling. You can go with the classic fork style picks or these soft picks, which are even easier to use. They might not be as effective as the traditional string style floss, but when it comes to flossing, good enough is way better than nothing. USB-C adapter. Most people still use a mix of USB and USB-C devices and ports. MacBook users like myself are intimately familiar with the dongle life, but I prefer these little converters over dongles. They're smaller, they're much easier to stow, and they just feel more solid when you're using them. I always keep an extra one at the office and in my laptop bag, just in case. And since my laptop doesn't have USB-A ports, I like to bring one when I travel. SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. You always need more storage, right? I'm always kicking myself for not getting more storage built into my computer. Of course, it's way cheaper just to buy external drives. And in my experience, these Extreme Portable SSDs from SanDisk are some of the best. They're reliable. They are shockingly small for how much storage they have. This one is a four terabyte. I use it for time machine backups. I've also used it to store Final Cut libraries, which get very large. Since this is so small and portable, it's perfect for on-the-go video editors. You can get cheaper hard drives, but I think this one is worth the money. Casio Digital Watch. I love an affordable, reliable watch, especially one that's durable and waterproof. Casio's F-Series checks all the boxes, not to mention their retro charm. I like the F-105, which is kind of like the legendary F-91W, but with a much better backlight. Although recently I've been wearing this Japanese domestic world timer. It's the LF-20W. My brother-in-law got it for me when he was traveling in Tokyo. I've actually never seen this on Amazon or anything. I've never seen somebody wearing it here in the States. Super cool little watch, very thin and lightweight. It just disappears. It's almost like wearing a bracelet. Any cheap Casio will work. And I think it's so convenient to have the time, the date, a countdown timer, a stopwatch all on your wrist. So again, you don't have to pull out your phone. I mean, even just checking the time, pulling your phone out of your pocket, looking at it, especially if you're with a group of people versus just going like that, a watch is just better. Night Eye Gear Ties. The same brand that makes this little keychain flashlight makes these flexible cord wraps. They're kind of like twist ties, but way better. Unlike twist ties, these aren't disposable. They don't fall apart after you use them a few times. They're also easier and faster to use than the more common Velcro cord wraps that come with a lot of cords these days. You can get these gear ties in all different sizes and colors. The big ones are really strong, like you could actually use them to hang stuff up, but I like using these small and medium-sized ones as cord wraps around the office. Altoids Smalls. A wise monk once said, never refuse a present... A wise monk once said, never refuse a present. And who doesn't love a curiously strong Altoid? The thing is, regular Altoids are kind of big, sort of a commitment, and the tins are too large to want to carry around in your pocket all the time. That's why I prefer Altoids Smalls. These tiny tins fit comfortably in any pocket or bag, and the minuscule mints dissolve quickly. They're still strong, mind you, but much more discreet. You could have one of these in your mouth during a meeting or presentation or a date, and nobody would know. I've eaten like 15 of them since the beginning of this video. Actually, that's a lie. I realized when I started filming B-roll that I was actually out of them. All my tins were empty, so I went to the store to get more, and they didn't have any. I went to the other store. Sold out. A third store. Nothing. I started panicking. Have these been discontinued? Don't worry. You can still order them online. There must be some sort of shortage where I live, and I get it. They're great. Also, once you're done with the tin, you can turn it into a mini storage container. There are a lot of cool ideas on Reddit. You'll be shocked at how much you can fit in these charming little metal containers. Bag clips. No matter how many bag clips we own, I feel like I'm always looking for one. You just can't have too many of these things. They're great, of course, because they keep your food fresh. My favorite clippable snacks? Thanks for asking. Pretzel sticks. And don't serve me Snyder's, because I'm rolled gold guy. But these aren't just for the cupboard. We use them in the freezer too. Bonus points for clips with the magnets built in so you can store them on your fridge or even use them to hang things up. Telling you, it's the little things in life. Earplugs and eye mask. As a father to a baby and a toddler, I try to sleep as much as I can. This means sleeping until 7.15 if possible. Indulgent, I know. But if I wake up early and I can see or hear anything, even a little bit of light coming through from behind the blinds, my brain just starts to wake up. I'm snapped out of my sleep cycle and my slumber is over. The solution is to quickly put on my eye mask and pop in a set of earplugs. I found that this is the only reliable way for me to stay asleep as the world outside begins to stir, or if the world inside won't stop crying in the middle of the night. Pro tip, keep an extra set in your toiletries kit so you'll always have them when you travel. Snap for Lux. So this is a phone grip slash stand. There are many different brands that you can get one of these from. I like Snap because it's extremely low profile. The thing is, even with a smaller phone, it can still be kind of uncomfortable to hold it with one hand and type. This Snap 4 Luxe makes it easier to hold my phone with one hand without really adding any bulk. It also doubles as a stand that can be used in landscape or portrait mode, and it's MagSafe compatible, so you can still use this with a wireless charger. Plus, because it has a magnet built in, you can use this to stick your phone to any metal surface, like the refrigerator or the squat rack at the gym. Pocket tissues. So these are a must for anybody with kids or bad allergies. In my case, both. I've always kept one folded tissue in my back pocket, but these days one is not enough. Of course, you can't just bring a regular size tissue box wherever you go. That would be weird. These compact little travel tissues or pocket tissues are much more discreet and easier to carry. You can keep them in your work bag, your diaper bag, your pocket, in your car, wherever sneezes happen. Travel size deodorant. I always try to have a couple of these handy. They're just easier to pack, they take up like no space in your dop kit, and they last a surprisingly long time. You can get multi-packs online, but I usually just grab a few when I'm in the grocery store, that one weird aisle that has like batteries and craft supplies and for some reason miniature toiletries. While I'm there, I stock up on travel-sized toothpaste as well. It's much more portable compared to your standard tubes. Sometimes I'll go a little crazy and try a new flavor. You know, the exotic stuff where you don't necessarily want to commit to a full tube, but an eighth of an ounce? Yeah, I'll try cinnamon. These are also great if you have guests over at your house and they forgot to bring a toothbrush or toothpaste. Makes your house feel like a little Airbnb. Mini measuring tape. When it comes to tools, good things often come in smaller packages. This is definitely the case for measuring tape. Like that contractor sized aluminum measuring tape that's like 50 feet long. It's just overkill for most measuring related tasks. The scaled down version does the same thing. It's just easier to use, easier to store, it's more portable and cheaper. I always find myself reaching for this small Ikea measuring tape versus the big yellow one. Tailor's tape. I also find myself using this soft measuring tape surprisingly often. This is called tailor's tape because tailors or seamstresses will use this to measure non-rigid things like garments or people. Well, some people are kind of rigid. I used to run a men's fashion blog and I would review a lot of custom clothing brands. So I'd constantly be measuring either myself or my garments, like a jacket or a dress shirt. And to do that, you need soft, flexible measuring tape. You can't use the metal ones. I still find myself sometimes needing it for the same reasons. Now if you don't have one of these, you can just use like a piece of string or like a shoelace and then measure that length with a standard measuring tape. Glass nail file. If you ever get a scraggle nail, as my three-year-old calls them, the best way to deal with it is with a nail file, not nail clippers. And the best nail files are made from glass. These are superior to the more common cardboard slash sandpaper varieties you'll find at the the grocery store. You know the ones that get all bent out of shape after you use them a few times? These glass ones work better and they last way longer, like years. And since they only cost a few dollars, I see no reason not to use them. KeySmart Mini. This is the lightest weight key organizer that I've found. It's really just like a better key ring because it keeps your keys lined up neatly. But unlike the more involved key organizers, you can still use this with one hand. And it doesn't add a lot of bulk to your carry. You can also put it on a carabiner, which is what I do, and that way you can add your car fob or your gym tag to the setup. This has been part of my everyday carry for a few months now, and I think it's a nice affordable upgrade for anybody who still carries a few metal keys. Handheld steamer. I know some people who really enjoy ironing their clothes. Weirdos. For me, it's always felt like a chore, probably because I'm just not very good at it. But the truth is, more often than not, the iron is overkill. A small handheld steamer will loosen up all but the most stubborn wrinkles. These little devices are compact and portable so you can take them with you when you travel. You just fill it with water, turn it on, wait a minute for the steam to start coming out, and then get to work. And the best part is you don't need an ironing board. You can get one just like this for like $25 from Amazon. I will leave a link in a pinned comment below. And that is my list of small but mighty objects that punch way above their weight. Is there anything you would add? Let me know down in the comments. Thank you again to Arcade for sponsoring this video. Definitely go check out their motion belt, which I've been wearing regularly for the past couple of months. Thank you as always for watching, and until next time, stay stylish. We'll be right back.