Hi, I’m Alicia, and I’m a binger.
There’s a binger in all of us, though, and some are more extreme than others. You might be the post-work type, consuming three or four episodes of Sex and the City before calling it a night. Or you might be me, watching the last 12 episodes of Jessica Jones back-to-back -- and yes, there are 13 episodes.
No matter what sort of devout Netflix/Hulu/HBO/bootleg streamer you are, binging requires some preparation.
So let's introduce the "Binge Kit," a list of essentials, tips and tech you need so you never have to leave the house or interrupt your flow by getting off the couch. You'll be on your way to hours (and hours and hours) of screen time.
Hit play after breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right? It keeps you full, gives you energy and keeps you focused -- and you can use that energy to keep your eyes open and glued to the screen. Hitting play after breakfast also gives you the ENTIRE day to watch more than five episodes. On the flip side, starting at 3 a.m. means you either won't make it through, or you'll be a zombie the next day.
A super long, sturdy lightning cable to charge your phone
If you’re a live-tweeter when watching shows or you just like to check your phone a lot, it’s important to have your phone charger close by. We recommend the
">MOS Spring Lightning Cable, which is heavy duty and also 10 feet long. You can switch to any position on your couch or bed and your phone will still reach the outlet.
Extra remote batteries
Keep a spare pack of AA or AAA batteries for your remote nearby, just in case of emergency. And if you’re using a game console to stream, keep your spare controllers plugged in and charge so you’re never out of juice.
Use your phone as a remote
You can use your phone as a second remote if you have the Netflix iOS or Android app. The iOS app syncs to some TVs, the PS3 and Xbox 360, and the Android app syncs to the PS3. Make sure your phone and the device you’re streaming are on the same Wi-Fi network. Once synced, you can browse, play, rewind and pause right from your phone. The Netflix help center outlines how to sync your phone using things like Airplay and Chromecast.
A reaching aid
Getting off your bum is overrated. You need an extra set of long arms so you can easily fetch your food, drink, extra pillow, etc. The grabber shown above from VIVE is 32” and has suction cups, which means it can grip pretty much anything, including an iPad.
The perfect back pillow
Binging is hard work. It can put a strain on your neck or back. What you need is a super soft, super shaggy backrest pillow with arms, especially if you’re watching via your laptop on your bed. If you need to get up and stretch, do some
yoga poses or show-specific workouts.
The Postmates app
Postmates is 24/7 on-demand delivery for groceries and goods. You can browse through tons of stores and restaurants, and you can track your Postmate driver in real time. We recommend using Postmates to get toilet paper because we wouldn’t want you running out in the middle of the last episode of Breaking Bad.
A portable urinal…
...Because, hey, when you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go. Stadium Pal, female version shown above, is a pouch originally made for sports fans, but the company says it’s found other purposes, like Mardi Gras, Oktoberfest, New Year’s Eve … and now, Netflix and pee.
Chrome extensions
There are several Netflix-related Chrome extensions that will maximize your viewing experience. NEnhancer shows movie trailers and IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes ratings. Binge! gets rid of the “Continue playing” window that pops up to make sure you’re still watching. Who are they kidding, though? You’re definitely still watching. Showgoers lets you sync content with someone else so you and your loved one can watch a show or movie together. Perfect for long-distance partners. There are a ton more here.
Change your Netflix subtitle appearance
You can change the font style and size, color and drop shadow of your subtitles so it's legible. Just head to Your Account and click Subtitle Appearance.
The Minibar app
Binging isn’t just about Netflix. The Minibar app delivers wine, beer and liquor to your door in less than an hour. You can also search with various filters from type to price and pay for it right in the app.
Seamless
This is an obvious one. But we recommend setting up your credit card information before you start streaming so you don’t have to worry about it mid-show.
Domino’s AnyWare
There are a ton of ways to order pizza from Domino’s, like texting the pizza emoji, tweeting it in 140 characters or less or using your smart watch. You can see all the options here and make sure your pizza profile is updated ahead of time, so you can order quick and easy.
Flycleaners
Hygiene can become a problem with multi-day binges. If your load of laundry is still sitting in the corner of your room, and you need to change out of your pizza-stained T-shirt, download a laundry app. Flycleaners picks up your clothes and washes them based on your preference. They’ll return your stuff whenever you want, and it’s open 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to midnight. You can even track your clothes’ process right in the app.