12 Things That Delighted Us Last Week: A Home-Organization Hack and Under-$150 Sandals

The risks involved with showing toe in a big city are many (toilet ratsandskyscraper-window glass shards among them), but that doesn’t stop many Strategist staffers from breaking outtheir summer sandals. Among their favorite pairs are these Birkenstocks that follow senior writer Dominique Pariso’s city sandal cardinal rule: “They must have a back strap, no exceptions.” The extra-large hardware, which she calls a tad “less crunchy” than the average Birkenstock, is an added bonus.

If you, like Strategist updates coordinator Najwa Jamal, classify yourself as a “sandal fiend” but don’t want to find yourself in aCarrie Bradshaw situation, you’re in luck: We pulled together every pair ofunder-$150 sandalsthat has ever appeared on our site. Highlights include“the sweatpants of flip flops” from Gap,not-Crocs-looking Crocs, and these rather stylish sandals from Camper one writer describes as “a supremely comfortable shoe that lasts a long time and is heavily on the luxe end of sporty-luxe.”

While everyone was celebrating soccer star Erling Haaland’s two goals against Brazil, Strategist senior writer Dominique Pariso had her eyes on the player’s impressively intact man-bun. It turns out that he has wovenpolyester-rubber-blend hair ties from Norwegian brand Kknekkito thank. “They’re especially great for fine, fragile, or easily broken hair, because the woven fibers are very smooth and soft, so they’re guaranteed to not snag or pull,” she reports.

Strategist contributor Sylvie Florman was enjoying an iced tea at Talea Beer Co. in Cobble Hill when she had a eureka moment: Thestainless-steel globe containerthat the bartender was using to store lemons, limes, and olives would make a great catchall for her apartment. She now has six scattered across her space and appreciates that they work as an object both for display and disguise with some hiding keys and loose bodega change and another putting a collection of matchbooks on display.

Author and illustratorJon Klassenkeeps an open mind when buying toys for his kids. He’s pro video games, at least when it comes toThe Legend of Zelda, but he also makes sure his kids get some fresh air by playing with this ’90s throwing toy. It’s made with a soft leather baseball, which has an attached nylon tail that you use to catch and throw the whole toy. “You don’t have to be very skilled to do it and get a really long throw, so it’s really satisfying,” he says.

As a hater of tan lines, Pariso has been known to go topless at the beach, but she draws the line at cheeky bikini bottoms. Still, her collection offull-coverage suitsdefies the matronly stereotype, and she doesn’t have to worry about accidentally mooning other beachgoers whenever she wears them. She has some pricey picks in the mix, likeSummersalt’s Sidestrokeandan adjustable one from Lands’ End, but one of her favorites is this affordable one from Aerie. “There just aren’t a lot of brands offering two-piece sets for under $50 that are super-comfortable and long-lasting, but Aerie delivers every summer,” she says.

In Strategist senior writer Michael Zhao’s eyes, the merits of a swim brief are abundant: “Besides minimizing visible tan lines, these fast-drying, pelvis-hugging spandex suits are easier to swim in and more sanitary than baggy swim trunks.” But if you’re not comfortable baring your groin in public, don’t worry — he found thissquare-leg swimsuitfrom Speedo that works just as well. It’s made of a nylon-Lycra blend that’s smoother, stretchier, and more durable than the polyester blend fabrics favored by other brands. Plus, he says, “It’s also more mildew-resistant, which I accidentally confirmed by leaving it tied up in a dank plastic bag for several days.”

When the collection of backup shampoo, conditioner, and body wash Strategist writer Bella Druckman was keeping under her sink started behaving like an avalanche, she struggled to find a solution given the bulky pipes jutting through the space. Then, she happened upon theseunder-sink organizersdesigned to make room for the awkward pipe and has maintained an organized cabinet ever since. (Though a word of warning: “If your bathroom or cabinet is tilted, the drawers will slide,” she says.)

When Audrey Gelman and her family moved to Hudson, New York, they gained square footage and a driveway, but she still managed to end up without an office. After quickly learning that working from bed is not a long-term strategy, a vision came to her: “a very tiny farmhouse that you could run a company from.” She landed on thisSwiss-chalet-esque garden shedmade by Outdoor Living Today and joined the ranks of women who have been building sheds for themselves for centuries (Virginia Woolf, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Marie Curie included).

If you, like Strategist beauty writer Krista Bennett DeMaio, pay attention to the ingredients in your skin-care products, you may have noticedectoinhas been popping up in everything from sunscreens to this plumping hydration serum from Prequel. The ingredient, which she says “helps skin defend itself against everyday stressors such as UV exposure, pollution, and dehydration by supporting a healthy skin barrier,” hasn’t reached the household-name status of retinol or vitamin C just yet, but experts she interviewed say it’s just going to get more popular.

Over the years, tech writer Jordan McMahon has testeddigital notebooksfrom the likes of Kindle and Kobo, but he says, “reMarkable’s have come closest to replicating the joy of writing on paper while offering the flexibility of a digital platform.” The latest model in the brand’s lineup, thePaper Pure, is the closest any tablet has gotten to feeling like actual paper, according to McMahon. Paired with thoughtful software integrations, such as the ability to sync your calendar and turn handwritten notes into a shareable document, it’s the best digital notebook you can get, he says.

As someone who works with lots of textured hair, including Zendaya’s, hairstylistUrsula Stephenlikes detangling and prepping hair for a blow-dry or silk press with this multitasking spray beforehand. It’s hydrating, softening, smoothing, and, most important, affordable: “I can go crazy on hair that requires more product without having to worry about spending $50 for more,” she says.

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