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We all have that one thing we’d hate to be without. Maybe it’s tucked into a kitchen drawer or sitting within arm’s reach at all times. It might not look particularly important to anyone else, but to us? Absolutely essential. So we asked our readers to share the things they simply can’t live without, and their answers prove that sometimes the most ordinary objects carry the best stories . The list ahead includes practical picks, sentimental treasures and a few items we didn’t see coming. Some will make perfect sense the second you read them. Others may have you thinking, Wait, that’s what you can’t live without?! And they will definitely all prompt you to consider of your own must-haves. Read on to discover the nostalgic and wonderfully relatable things our readers can’t live without, along with the heartwarming stories that make them so special. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more true stories, fun...

In 2017, Reader’s Digest launched the Nicest Places in America with a single goal: to shine a spotlight on communities that demonstrate what’s possible when people look out for their neighbors. A decade later, our annual search is still going strong, and we couldn’t do it without our readers, who point us in the right direction by nominating the places they think are the “nicest” each year. (Send in a nomination for 2027 below!) This year, we found a very special place to commemorate our 10th Year Special: Liverpool, New York! This tiny village near Syracuse has a heart the size of a city, and its people truly inspire us. Read on for more about Liverpool—along with the rest of 2026’s finalists—and see how we spent 24 hours in the Nicest Place in America. Get  Reader’s Digest ’s  Read Up newsletter for more heartwarming stories, fun facts, humor, cleaning, travel and tech all week long.  Meet Our 2026 Winner A ...

About 10 years ago, my husband and I loaded our kids into the car and drove to what was billed as a destination family resort with an indoor water park . The ads promised a magical, kid-friendly escape worth the drive. We booked it without a second thought. We should have had at least one second thought. When we arrived, the parking lot was empty. Not “offseason quiet” empty— more like “the last guests left under mysterious circumstances and nobody came after them” empty. The lobby carpet was torn up in patches. The hallways were dim and echoey. And the indoor water park, advertised with glistening slides and splashing families, consisted of exactly one broken slide standing in an otherwise empty pool. My kids’ faces broke my heart. The concierge was pleasant enough. She advised us to just wander the halls and pick whatever room looked good to us. So we chose the least creepy option, pushed the bureau in front of the door before bed, and left first th...

Clockwise from top left: Liverpool First Presbyterian Church; a free book-exchange box outside a residence; Heid’s of Liverpool; feeding the geese at Onondaga Lake; columbine flowers at the Liverpool Public Library; sign greeting incoming drivers from the New York State Thruway; Operation Northern Comfort breaks down a ramp; playground at Onondaga Lake Park. To get the best out of a crawfish, you need to work for it: You have to twist and pull to separate the tail from the head, push the meat from the tail with your thumb, then go back and suck the flavor from the head. But getting the best out of Liverpool, New York, isn’t nearly the same squeeze. The village, only a square mile in size and 2,600 strong in population, fits right in neighboring Syracuse’s pocket. Despite its small scale, both charity and volunteerism pour from Liverpool at a disproportionate rate, making it a lily pad and vital leaping-off point for the entire region. The westerly side of town is almo...