I knew things were not quite right when I had to throw a towel over a broken Ikea lamp to block out its light. How did I get here? I cover fancy and capable tech for a living, and yet, it took me two years to get rid of a pair of old, broken Ikea lamps in my bedroom.

Then my brother bought my mom and me two separate Govee Uplighter Floor Lamps for Christmas, and my Ikea lamp troubles were over. I did not expect to develop an emotional attachment to a lamp. But I did, and now it’s one of my favorite gadgets. The Govee was quick and easy to assemble, and much slimmer, taking up way less space than the old lamps.

Within a week, the old lamp was out of my room. That small shift gave me momentum. I started decluttering other corners that had quietly piled up, things I’d been stepping around for months without really seeing anymore. The bedroom stopped feeling like an unfinished project I was merely surviving and started feeling steadier. Calmer.

Having a room that felt calm, even a little bit, made it easier to wind down at the end of the day instead of carrying that feeling of being “on” all the time into the night. It brought me back to myself, even if only a little. I could relax in a way I hadn’t in a while, without feeling like I should be getting up to do something else.

The Govee didn’t fix everything but it helped me start taking care of my space—and myself—again. It’s an amazing gift, truly, and I am so grateful for it. And somehow, that’s been enough to make it one of my new favorite gadgets.