Gen Z doesn’t mess around when it comes to their everyday stuff. Whether it’s how they wake up or what they carry, they have a bunch of things that they simply can’t skip. And we don’t just mean trends or random fads. Here are 16 everyday essentials Gen Z can’t live without. Or at least they think they can’t.
Bedside LED Strip Lights
Forget boring ceiling lights because a Gen Zer’s room glows in soft purples and pink, whatever mood color they’re into that week. They have sticky LED strips wrapped around headboards and desks. Sometimes, they cover the entire room. To them, turning on a light switch feels outdated, and they’d rather have lights that they can sync to music. They’ll also use apps to control the exact color gradient.
Stanley Quencher Tumblers
Gen Z wouldn’t dare to leave the house without their Stanley tumblers. It’s less of a cup and more of an extension of their own arms, as they refill it all day and drag it from work to the gym. They probably even have a name for it. It fits in car cup holders and holds a full day’s worth of water, while the straw makes sipping easy. Hopefully, they clean it when they’re done.
Digital Journaling Apps With Aesthetics
Nobody’s scribbling in a leather notebook anymore, and instead, Gen Z types their thoughts into pretty little apps that track their moods. These apps come with customizable fonts. It’s kind of like therapy, but cuter, and on their phone, which allows them to log practically everything under the sun. They’ll write about what they ate, how they felt, what annoyed them, or what went well. It’s all easy to use, and they’ll check it way more often than any physical journal.
Phone Grips That Double As Stands
You’ve probably seen one of these little things stuck to the back of a phone, which pop out and help the phone stand up perfectly. Gen Z will use these for FaceTime calls and TikTok scrolling, perhaps even for a makeup tutorial. After all, they’re hands-free and no fuss. That’s the whole point. Most Gen Zers don’t even think about it anymore.
Touchscreen Gloves
Cold fingers or not, Gen Zers get their touchscreen gloves out as soon as there’s a breeze. They have little pads on the fingers so scrolling still works, which is rather important when you’re outside texting or skipping songs. Sure, they look basic. But they’re darn useful. The younger generation keeps them in their jacket pockets or glove compartments year-round. It doesn’t matter if it’s snowing or just kind of chilly because these gloves are coming out.
Fidget Rings or Pop Rings
Whenever they feel nervous, Gen Z has options. They’ll use fidget rings or pop rings, which look like normal rings, but they spin, click, or pop. You’ll see them all the time during meetings and Gen Z uses them without even noticing it anymore. Some even collect them and rotate which one they wear depending on the day, or just how they’re feeling.
Gua Sha Tools
You might think Gua Sha face stones are just for decoration, but they’re so much more than that. Gen Z uses them in the morning while they’re half-awake as part of their daily routine. They’ll slap on some serum, and start scraping their face, which apparently makes them look healthier. These stones are such an essential that some Gen Zers will actually travel with them, just to make sure that their morning doesn’t feel off.
Privacy Screen Protectors
You’ll never see a Gen Zer texting in public without a privacy screen protector on their phone, although it’s not because they’re hiding something. Nope, they just hate the idea of anyone glancing over and seeing their messages. It doesn’t matter where they are, they want their phone’s screen to be unreadable, so they’ll install these protectors the same day that they get a new phone. No privacy screen? No peace.
Custom Phone Cases
Speaking of phones, custom phone cases aren’t simply meant to protect your phone. For Gen Z, custom cases help them show up, and they’ll swap cases like they change playlists. There’s one for each feeling, like one that’s clear with stickers, and one that’s matching with their best friend. These cases are less of an accessory, and more of an outfit. As such, Gen Z will shop for the perfect case on Etsy and Depop, or they may even customize them online.
Pimple Patches
Any pimple patch you see on a Gen Zer’s face is likely there on purpose, as this generation wears them all day and all night. Sometimes, they’ll even wear it layered under makeup. The patches are practically accessories now and they come in a variety of different shapes, like stars and even smiley faces. Some of them will slap one on at the first sign of a breakout and leave it there while they’re out at lunch or scrolling in bed.
Vape Chargers
Have you ever wondered what those little plugs are? Y’know the ones. They’re small and plugged next to practically every Gen Zer’s bed and may even be in their cars or tote bags. They’re vape chargers and they’re as essential as their phone cords. The most addicted Gen Zers keep backup chargers in different places so they’re never without one, and they’ll use them regularly to get their nicotine fix.
CleanTok Products
While Gen Z didn’t invent The Pink Stuff, but they sure did make it cool, and it’s all thanks to CleanTok. They watched a single cleaning video that showed a crusty oven become spotless and were immediately sold. Now you’ll see some of The Pink Stuff under every Gen Z sink. Sure, cleaning’s not fun, but using CleanTok products makes it a little faster, and honestly, more satisfying, too.
Oversized Matte Claw Clips
Hair ties are outdated. For Gen Z, the biggest, baddest claw clip in the pile is the only option. Bonus points if it’s matte and neutral. They don’t just use them for hair either, as Gen Z will clip them to their backpacks or purse straps, too. These clips come in every shade you could want and almost every Gen Zer has a favorite clip that’s been through it, but still holds up.
Scrub Daddy
Almost every member of Gen Z seems to agree that using a Scrub Daddy is efficient and cute. It’s also just practical enough to make dishwashing tolerable. Many of them have the special Scrub Daddy wand, which they’ll make sure matches whatever color scheme’s going on in the kitchen. It’s something they use every day, no matter how many dishes there are.
Clip-On Phone Light
Ring lights are great, but who wants to drag one around all the time? Enter the clip-on light. Gen Z keeps one nearby for daily selfies and vlogs because it’s just so handy. One tap and you have perfect lighting for whatever you want, whether that’s while you’re making content or simply getting ready. This generation keeps them in their bags when they go out and clips them on anytime the lighting looks weird. It’s a quick fix, every time.
Cottagecore Decor Items
Their room isn’t “decorated,” but rather, it’s curated, with ceramic frogs and fake vines. They might even have enamel mugs or a mushroom lamp. These are “cottagecore” items that are an absolute essential for Gen Z, as they want their space to feel like them all the time. And it does. Every single day. They swap things in and out based on mood or season, while some will thrift these items or make their own.
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