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5 useful tools to round out a musician’s setup

By ebell Published February 25, 2022

Whether hobby or a profession, keeping a musical set-up in working order isn’t easy. There are a lot of component parts, regular maintenance, and a necessary investment in tools required to produce the best quality sound. Things also get damaged, go missing, or simply wear out over time. Fortunately, there are affordable, reliable supplies out there to keep your sound going. Whether you’re a passionate drummer who loses their sticks each gig, a horn player who needs to invest in a bit of maintenance, or if you just need help keeping the rhythm while you play, here are five grab bag musical supplies to round out your scene.

Making music is a craft based on passion, but it requires a serious amount of back end stuff. There are products out there that can help the hobby- or working musician keep their sound in tip top shape. And while products like a cleaning kit, metronome, or mouthpiece don’t seem like the jazziest buys on their own, investing in the right equipment ensures you’ll produce the best quality sound, gig to gig.

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Personal development

Growth

5 helpful mattress protectors for uninterrupted sleep

Hands hold a mattress protector and pull it over a matress

Your bed is your special place. It should be peaceful, clean, and as comfortable as can be. You might think about updating your bedsheets, or giving your comforter a good clean, but it won’t matter if you’re dealing with something like dust mites or bed bugs.
Instead of waiting for the problem to happen before buying a mattress protector, invest in one now to prevent anything icky from happening in the first place. They guard against more than mites and bugs, too—neither allergens, bacteria, nor liquids will ever reach your mattress with one of these bad boys on. Talk about a peaceful sleep!

There are several helpful features of mattress protectors: it’s a barrier against liquid, can extend the life of your mattress, and even helps prevent allergies. It’s up to you to decide what’s most important for you, but you’ll be surprised to learn just how many mattress cases will check off all the boxes.
Remember not to be too concerned about how these products look on your bed, either; your normal sheets and decor can go right on top! Your sleeping space will be just as cute and comfy as ever, but you’ll know you're keeping everything clean and tidy, too.

Growth

Elevate your sleep with these pillowcases and protectors

A white bed with pillows and a duvet in front of a white wall

A comfy pillow can be the difference between getting a great night’s sleep or no sleep at all, so it’s important to take good care of high-quality pillows. Whether they’re filled with feathers or foam, they deserve a pillowcase (and maybe even a pillow protector) that’s just as effective as they are.
To save you from wasted time and choice anxiety, we’ve found five awesome pillow accessories that are equally stylish and comfortable. Each has its own look and feel to them though, so make sure you look through them all to find your match made in pillow heaven. You never know what small difference can totally transform how you sleep.

Whether you’re in need of something to make your pillow look nice or something to keep it safe from dirt and grime, Amazon will be the best place to look. You can compare a number of brands and products—including the five we offered here—to find the one that fits perfectly with your lifestyle and sleeping habits. You’ll have a few choices to make, like which material or color to choose, but you can’t go wrong with any of the industry’s top brands. Who knows, maybe your perfect pillowcase is somewhere on this list! There’s only one way to find out, so get to clicking.

Growth

Escape the rat race with smart and affordable outdoor gear

Coworkers high five outdoors after doing a team building exercise

The work week may be a pressure filled blur of meetings and deadlines, but weekends are surely meant for taking a much-needed breather from the rat race. Even die-hard city dwellers need an occasional escape from the clamor of city life, and a jaunt into the great outdoors offers more than a few possibilities for decompressing and recharging. The good news is that communing with nature is easier than ever, thanks to innovative outdoor gear that makes the prospect of ditching daily conveniences something to eagerly embrace—not dread.

Below, we've selected a few pieces of affordable outdoor gear that anyone from the weekend camper to the daily bicyclist will appreciate. Whether gearing up for an annual camping trip or weekly outdoor escapes, these outdoor tools and equipment illustrate that investing in a few well-made products can be the difference between a bad trip and a great escape.