It’s easy to forget how we managed to get through our days before apps became a thing.
With just a few taps, a growing number of on-demand services can turn your day around without you having to even pull off your much-deserved sweats and leave the house, as they bring their expert services to your front door.
All hailed as “the Uber of” their respective service, these are some of our favourite apps for on-demand at-home services in Toronto.
beGlammed
Think of beGlammed as your personal beauty team, who will arrive at your doorstep armed with all the makeup, product and beauty tools you could imagine to get you ready for a photo-filled night on the town. Canada’s first on-demand beauty service hails from L.A. (naturally) and is a favourite of famous faces like Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus and Rosario Dawson. It sends professional hair and makeup artists to your door so you can get a taste of the celebrity life (you may want to pour yourself a glass of bubbly as well). The app offers flexible pricing, delivering three options to fit most budgets. All you have to do is find an outfit.
Citizen Bloom
Who doesn’t love a flower delivery? Since its launch in August, floral startup Citizen Bloom has been “blooming” up in colourful Instagram shots posted by grateful recipients throughout Toronto. The company offers on-demand bloom delivery and weekly bloom subscriptions. At 9:30 each weekday morning (by the time you’re nicely settled at your desk with a coffee), a fresh new #BLOOMOFTHEDAY product offering is posted across Citizen Bloom’s digital channels (Instagram, Facebook and their website). Two sizes of the stunning hand-tied and designed blooms are available: little ($45) and big ($75) with prices including downtown delivery (see delivery zones).
Massago
Dealing with maddening Toronto traffic or the ever-frustrating TTC on the way home from a relaxing massage can really kill the zen vibe you finally found. When you’re having one of those days and need a massage immediately, you can order one from Massago, the app that brings the massage therapist to your home. The registered massage therapists (RMTs) offer Swedish, deep tissue, sports or prenatal massages. You can either enjoy the massage solo or with another person (perfect for date night-in). Though we tend to book sessions weeks ahead of time, the idea of getting a professional massage without even leaving the house sounds like a serious upgrade.
Eden
If you’re looking to take care of that blanket of fall leaves, on-demand lawn care and snow removal app Eden can help with that. And, as much as we hate to think about it, we could wake up to sidewalks filled with snow within weeks (well, almost). As great of a workout as it is, snow shovelling can be a major pain in the ass. Hiring a snow removal company for the season can also be a total waste of money if we experience an exceptionally snow-free winter. With the on-demand app Eden, homeowners who are looking for immediate snow removal have access to licensed and insured snowplow drivers at their fingertips when they need help the most.
Jiffy
Jiffy is basically your handyman in an app when it comes to all things home repair-related – even assembling Ikea furniture (a gift not many of us have). The company researches and hand-selects home maintenance and service people in 22 different categories, which range from appliance repair and plumbing, to furniture assembly, painting, and carpentry. Should you require a quick fix, they will arrive in less than three hours. You can also select a specific date in the future and book a window in terms of morning, afternoon, or evening.
Ubery
Especially if you don’t have a car and the grocery store is blocks away, grocery shopping can be a major commitment for Toronto’s young professional set. With Ubery, you can get groceries delivered to your door along with – wait for it – alcohol from the LCBO. In addition to the usual suspects like Longos and Loblaws, you can even shop grocery stores like Whole Foods as well. There is no minimal amount for delivery, and delivery is free for orders over $65. Otherwise, the higher your grocery bill the lower your delivery cost. But delivery is free for any order above $99. Groceries will arrive within 3 hours.