Whoa. How has it been almost six months since we’ve moved to Brooklyn. Already, I’ve realized that living in a giant city can make some things way easier and others way more difficult. We have discovered a few things that have helped us get things accomplished. I think the term is “life hack.” I thought I’d save someone else the trouble of learning the hard way and share them with you.

Cleanly – This app has saved me from having to get rolls of quarters and roll my laundry down the street to the laundromat each week. Yes, that’s right. I have an app that does the laundry for me. You log in and select a one hour time window for someone to come and pick up your laundry and then you schedule a drop off time 24 hours later. Your laundry is returned washed and folded and all you have to do is put it away. Brilliant. They also take care of dry cleaning and pressing Justin’s dress shirts. They charge you by the pound and offer discounts and promo codes at least once a month.

If you want to try it, use STEPHG11 to get $10 off your first order. The website is here and you can find the app in the app store. Do it.

Seamless – This is my favorite food delivery app because I think it has the most options. But, if you need more options, you can also download Try Caviar and Doordash. We have tried at least 10 different pizza places since we moved in and there are still about 50 more that are within delivery distance. Some of our favorites in this neighborhood are Thaiholic, Da Nonna Rosa, Maya Taqueria, Black Swan and Castro’s Restaurant.



Amazon Prime – Duh. I use this for everything. During the winter, I like using Prime Fresh for groceries. I make our meal plan for the week and then order the groceries. It saves me money because I’m not seeing good looking food and randomly throwing things in the cart. Plus, they stopped using plastic bags in our deliveries and that makes me love them more. I also order some essentials using Prime because they are cheaper and we order in bulk like dog poop bags and stamps. If you aren’t already a prime member, you get a free 30 day trial by clicking here. Use it.

Smoothpark – If you have a car in NYC or you rent a car while visiting, this app is a life saver. Well, a money saver at least. Every street has different rules on parking and you will get tickets if you don’t know the rules. This app shows you where parking is allowed for any time frame you log. You can mark your parking spot and set reminders when you need to the move the car. We are lucky to be in an area that only does street sweeping one day a week. This app helps us remember where the car is parked and when we need to move it. You can download the app here.

Taskrabbit – Ever buy Ikea furniture and then cry while you put it together? This app/website allows you to find help for random tasks like assembling furniture or hanging pictures. If you live in the city and have zero tools, sometimes you just need a quick hand with this. I haven’t used this app yet, but have lots of friends who swear by it. I thought about having someone wait in line for that cookie dough for me, but then I realized how pathetic that would be… but also awesome. It’s still an internal struggle. Check it out here.

What am I missing from this list? Is there an app or service that you use often to make life easier? Are you rolling your eyes that someone does our laundry for us? I’m pretty sure it will be impossible for me to move out of New York City because I’m spoiled now.