Technology
by Gabrielle, College Student and
Mommy Blog Expert Intern
Essential Student Tool for New School Year
I don’t think I'm alone with both high school and fellow college students in regularly working on class assignments and projects from my bed or reclining while scrolling through emails or texts on my phone. Likewise, I doubt I'm the only girl or guy in my generation who finds myself faced with that irritating low battery alert, forcing me to begrudgingly interrupt my workflow or recreational time in search of a pesky, out of reach outlet to power up my phone and other devices.
MBE partnered with Squirrel for this story, post contains affiliate links
Introducing the Squirrel
I’m a student, I get it. I know how challenging it can be to claw my way back to motivation in instances like these when you run out of power. In fact, that and all the clutter on the bed can drive a person nuts. The aptly-named Squirrel, invented by Steve Luhrs (a Dad first, Founder second), circumvents these issues. This sleek charger which doubles as a bedside perch is constructed of 100% recycled post-consumer plastic, embodying the Squirrel brand's commitment to sustainability. The handy easily transportable shelf fits between a mattress and box spring, sporting a thin, yet surprisingly strong and sturdy board and quality metallic-feeling poles that hold up its frame.
Pictured below: That's our adorable new puppy who loves chasing squirrels, "helping" me with the Squirrel unboxing and review.
Bedside Storage, Charging Station All-in-One
True to its namesake the Squirrel, who in nature always likes to have his nuts and nesting materials well-organized and easily accessible, all in one convenient place, this dual bedside organizer and charging station sports an assortment of five different sized plastic storage compartment cubbies.
The smaller ones are just right for pencils, drawing tablet pens, wireless earbuds, keys and whatever else you'd like to have at your finger tips. The medium sized nooks are capable of supporting a full-size water bottle, drinks and snacks -- a must when you're in the middle of an intense study session or just chatting with friends or having some non-stop fun online. The unique, flatter compartments are spacious enough to hold things upright, like folders, a Kindle e-reader, an iPad or SurfacePro, and for animation and design students like me, a personal drawing tablet and stylus.
Its front is equipped with dual charging ports (USB - A and C applicable), to which I can easily charge my phone using my own charging cable as well as another device simultaneously. Hidden in the back compactly stored, you'll find a generously elongated 9 foot black cord plug which thankfully is capable of reaching even the more awkwardly placed electric outlets in most bedrooms and dorm rooms. To make this your own, reflecting your unique personality, there's plenty of space on the front of the perch to add things such as the stickers, like I have in the picture below, or to glue on your choice of other decorative items.
Simple to Setup and Use
Squirrel installation is relatively straight forward, quick to setup and easy to use. Opening the modern, lightweight recycled box packaging, you'll see two QR codes, the left for a virtual PDF of the setup instructions and the right to access the brand's website. The former displays extremely clear cut, helpful visuals alongside the instructions for no-nonsense assembly.
To set up next to your bed, simply slip the two sturdy poles into the displayed piece, slide the flat board onto the poles’ end and insert that portion between your mattress and box spring, plug in its super long electric cord and your own personal cable and it’s ready to go.
Keep in mind that the Squirrel charging capability does need to have its own cable plugged in to actively charge your devices. If your nearest outlet is behind your bed, the device's cord may be in the way. Yet, I have found these details to not necessarily be a deal breaker. The ample included power cord is already thankfully long enough to simply drape it off the edge of a bed.
It can be so annoying when you're in mid project or have to awkwardly maneuver yourself into uncomfortable positions just to be able to keep devices alive during both school work and recreation time. Right?
The fact that I no longer need to get up from my bed and interrupt my creative workflow more than outweighs minor worries. While its cord tends to stick out when in use, that does not outweigh the relief of knowing I won't be constantly concerned that my devices will run out of power.
For certain, Squirrel is a product I have definitely benefited from and have enjoyed using. I look forward to having my new study buddy Squirrel beside me for the fall semester and beyond. When I'm at home, whether I'm doing homework or class projects, having some fun smartphone fun online or just enjoying snacks and a drink from the cubbies, I'll never have to fear my devices giving out on me at the worst times from now on.
More About The Squirrel
The eco-friendly Squirrel, is constructed of 100% recycled plastic and is available in your choice of colors on Amazon including Black (as featured in this review) Grey, Blue, Light Blue, Pink and Red. Whatever color you choose to match your room's vibes, this functional perch will help you cut down on bedside clutter while keeping your devices fully charged and is perfect to use as a floating night table organizer and charger for small spaces, students at home, and college dorm rooms.
When you order direct from the brand's Amazon Store, satisfaction is quaranteed and returns are free. There is no cost for shipping if you're an Amazon Prime member. If you're not yet a member yet, you can still get free shipping on this item, by signing up for a FREE 30 Day Trial to Amazon Prime now.
Squirrel is not just for high school and college students. Tweens, adults, parents, and grandparents will also appreciate the many benefits of this innovative bedside storage caddy equipped with two USB - C and A charging ports to charge two devices at once. This would make a great gift for yourself or the student in your life. It also makes a thoughtful present for a child who has gone off to college and is living on campus, it can be shipped directly to the student.
Disclosure: Mommy Blog Expert participates in the Amazon affiliate program and I receive a small bit of compensation, at no extra cost to you, when you click on one of the links in this post and make a purchase.