# BrandonColes.com


## Posts

- [10 Wellness Products, and the Catch With Each](https://brandoncoles.com/wellness-products-and-the-catch-with-each/): Most wellness lists are the same dozen affiliate links passed around.
- [15 Smart Home Gadgets Under $30](https://brandoncoles.com/smart-home-gadgets-under-30/): You don't need a $10,000 system for a smarter home. Plenty of useful upgrades cost less than $30. Here are fifteen worth a look.
- [Starting a Creative Side Project With No Plan](https://brandoncoles.com/starting-a-creative-side-project/): I spend most of my time in terminals and spreadsheets: logical, structured, predictable.
- [Smart Home Devices That Can Pay for Themselves](https://brandoncoles.com/smart-home-devices-that-save-money/): Many smart home gadgets are fun extras and nothing more. A few can pay for themselves, though.
- [How to Build a Smart Home on a Budget](https://brandoncoles.com/build-smart-home-on-a-budget/): Many smart home guides open with a $500 shopping list and a weekend of installs.
- [Set Up a Smart Home in a Weekend](https://brandoncoles.com/turn-home-into-smart-home-weekend/): You don't need a contractor, an electrician or a computer science degree.
- [5 Desk Accessories That Change How You Work](https://brandoncoles.com/desk-accessories-that-change-how-you-work/): A desk either helps you focus or gets in the way. These five accessories are the ones that change how a workspace works, not just how it looks in photos.
- [The Renter-Friendly Smart Home Starter Kit](https://brandoncoles.com/renter-friendly-smart-home-starter-kit/): Most smart home guides assume you own the place. Renters read "install a smart thermostat" and close the tab because they can't touch the wiring.
- [5 Common Smart Home Mistakes and How to Fix Them](https://brandoncoles.com/smart-home-mistakes-to-avoid/): Five mistakes show up again and again in smart home setups. If you're starting out, or you have a setup that feels off, check this list first.
- [Viral Tech Gadgets: Which Are Worth Buying](https://brandoncoles.com/viral-tech-gadgets-worth-buying/): A gadget goes viral, racks up millions of views, and suddenly everyone owns one. A few weeks later, many of them are in a drawer.
- [10 Tech Gifts Under $25 That Don't Look Cheap](https://brandoncoles.com/tech-gifts-under-25/): A tech gift under $25 shouldn't look like it came from the checkout aisle.
- [The Slow Middle: What Helped Me Keep Going](https://brandoncoles.com/the-slow-middle/): A long stretch of rejected applications. Nights spent on a project that wouldn't cooperate. None of it got easier because I found the right quote.
- [A Fitness Routine for an Unpredictable Work Schedule](https://brandoncoles.com/fitness-routine-for-an-unpredictable-schedule/): My job doesn't care what time I went to bed. On-call nights and early starts are normal.

## Pages

- [Affiliate Disclosure](https://brandoncoles.com/affiliate-disclosure/): Last updated: October 12, 2026.
- [Privacy Policy](https://brandoncoles.com/privacy-policy/): Last updated: October 12, 2026.
- [Terms and Conditions](https://brandoncoles.com/terms-and-conditions/): Last updated: October 12, 2026.
- [Contact](https://brandoncoles.com/contact/): Have a question, a correction, or an idea? Send it over.
- [About](https://brandoncoles.com/about/): I’m Brandon. I’ve worked in IT for twenty-five-plus years and I’m still self-taught. It started with a $300 386 computer I bought from a coworker.
- [Home](https://brandoncoles.com/): Twenty-five years in enterprise IT, self-taught from a $300 8086. Essays on mind & body, career, and building things.
- [Blog](https://brandoncoles.com/blog/)

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