Life Life Strategies Nesting Glass Storage Jars—and More Clever Items to Simplify Your Life If you’re planning on doing some summer entertaining, we’ve got you covered. Stock up on space-saving storage jars (they nest!) for transporting food for a picnic, a splatter guard that keeps your microwave clean and safe from flying sauce, and a product that makes cleaning up frying oil a breeze. By Erica Finamore Erica Finamore Erica Finamore is Real Simple's home director, sharing her knowledge on decorating, organizing, cleaning and DIYing. She has over 10 years' experience and favors statement sofas, gallery walls and organizing books in rainbow order. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 16, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Target 01 of 06 Space-Saving Jars target.com Ball Nesting Pint Jars, $13, target.com Mason jars are cute and useful, but the one thing not so adorable about them is how much room they take up in a cupboard. This set of four glass storage jars nests to save 30 percent more space than your average Ball jar. They also double as drinking glasses! 02 of 06 Self-Drying Umbrella uncommongoods.com Umbrella and Terry Cloth Case, $35, uncommongoods.com When you've been caught in a real summer shower, no amount of shaking out your umbrella can get it totally drip-free before you get inside. But not with this umbrella! It comes with a terry cloth case, so once the umbrella is zipped up, you can keep moving without creating puddles. The umbrella itself is made of bamboo, recycled aluminum, and recycled bottles. 03 of 06 Microwave Splatter Guard amazon.com ZFITEI Microwave Platter Cover, $15, amazon.com Cleaning the microwave has to be one of the least fun chores around the house. After all, who really wants to revisit every overheating mistake they've made recently? This microwave splatter guard serves as a cover for your dishes, so that any sauce or soup explosions hit the guard and not your microwave. When you're not using it, magnets at the top of the splatter guard attach right to the microwave's ceiling for easy storage. 04 of 06 Sunscreen Stickers target.com SPOTMYUV UV Detection Stickers, $10, target.com These stickers help you determine when to reapply sunblock. Just remove one of the tabs from the backing paper and apply to a sun-exposed area (like your upper arm). Put sunscreen all over your body like usual, and as you apply, the purple sticker will become clear, letting you know that you've applied enough. As the day goes on, the sticker will gradually turn purple, again telling you it's time for a second application. 05 of 06 Paint Pens slobproof.com Touch-Up Paint Pen, $23, slobproof.com Wall paint can be easily nicked by everyday activities like moving furniture around. This touch-up pen has an airtight seal that keeps paint fresh and can save you from having to lug out a gallon of paint every time you catch a scratch. Just use the plastic syringe provided to fill the pen with latex paint, and then draw over any areas that need to be touched up. 06 of 06 Cooking Oil Cleaner amazon.com Cooking Oil Solidifying Powder, $10, amazon.com Frying can be messy, but the added annoyance is what to do with all the cooking oil after you're done. This powder makes for quicker (and more eco-friendly) cleanup. After you're finished frying, sprinkle the powder onto hot oil, wait for it to cool down and harden, then toss it into the trash. The powder is 100 percent plant-based! Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit