The 5 best things I've bought for around the house

Spring means it's time for cleaning and planting. And if you're vaccinated or planning to be, it may also be time to do all the small jobs you've been putting off around the house before you safely have people over. In other words, it's maintenance season. Here are a few of the good buys I've been loving while doing odd jobs and projects at home:

Flower pot hole mesh pad, $5.99. The only drawback of indoor plants is getting dirt in the house, but I used these stiff mesh pads to cover drainage holes when repotting and voila! No more dirt leaking out the bottom of my pots when I water.

DeWalt Xtreme 12V max cordless drill/driver kit, $104.99. When my trusty 15-year-old drill died mid-furniture assembly last month, I was distrustful of all the recommendations for this smaller-sized replacement. But whew, the power! I now find myself coming up with excuses to drill things around the house.

Butane torch, $13.99. If you're an expert home chef, you'll probably want something else. But I bought this inexpensive torch to melt cheese on my sandwiches and light candles, and it's definitely doing the job.

Neatmaster ultrasonic plug-in pest repeller, $25.99. Google this type of device, and you'll find a lot of pest control companies saying it doesn't work -- and maybe it doesn't, as a permanent solution. But I have only seen one roach since I plugged one into my kitchen, and that's a very considerable reduction (thanks, old condo building).

Gorilla Ladders 2-step pro-grade steel step stool, $39.99. I never thought I would nerd out over a new stepladder, but this affordable folding superstar is both lightweight and incredibly stable and sturdy (it's rated for a capacity of 300 pounds). I had forgotten what it was like to do small jobs around the house without feeling like I was taking my life in my hands.

Here's The Deal

The trauma, anxiety and fear experienced by people in Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities right now carries over into the workplace, too. If you want to be a better workplace ally, that means doing your own work before you reach out, so that your support of your Asian colleagues is meaningful instead of invalidating. Here are best practices to keep in mind:

Pro Tip:

When the job you want is in a different city or state than the one you currently live in, you have to be strategic in explaining your situation to an employer. Don’t think you can just get away with leaving your current address off of the job application, which is definitely something I've done before. Here's advice for addressing relocation on your resume and in interviews.

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