Sometimes finding the motivation to leave the house is hard. Winter sucks, the weather never lines up with what the app says it will be, and with classes and a social life, time is fleeting.

With limited time to shop,  subscription boxes filled with customized goodies and made for all interests, can be delivered right to your doorstep.

For those who didn’t already know, a subscription box is a weekly, monthly or yearly subscription to receive a box filled with an assortment of themed products.

Consumers can buy boxes of assorted nutritional food, makeup samples, clothing, fitness items, jewelry, phone case of the month, or even a box of goodies for your dog. There is even a themed box for “that time of the month” complete with a mix tape and a lot of chocolate.

There are hundreds of subscription boxes; with virtually a box for everyone. A quick Google search led DePaul University student Rachel Plotkin to find her first subscription box from a company called Wantable. Each month an assortment of jewelry items arrives at her door. After subscribing to Wantable, she thought, that she could find better subscription boxes, and continued subscribing to more. She added Birchbox, Glossy Box, Ipsy, Boxy Charm, Naturebox, Kiwi Crate and Five Four Club to her collection.

“[Through receiving the subscription boxes] I’ve been forced to try things I wouldn’t buy on my own,” Plotkin said, “I like that I don’t have to go out and buy them.”    

According to a blog named “My Subscription Addiction,” the box to start the trend was Birchbox in 2010, a monthly subscription filled with a handful of beauty samples for $10. After the success of Birchbox, other companies caught on to this phenomenon. This product boasts many positives including convenience, value and surprise. However, some believe that the sample sizes are too small and the costs are too high for the contents of the box.

“Sample boxes also have the benefit of not shelling out major cash on a full size product unless you love it,” blogger and subscription box reviewer Brandy O’Grady said.  Sample boxes also give you the option to buy the products on their website or guide you to a seller.

Subscription boxes are especially popular with bloggers, such as O’Grady. Bloggers are able to review and recommend their favorite boxes to their readers. There have also been an emergence of blogs that only write about subscription boxes, and many are targeted to different audiences, highlighting different subscription box options. for the different audiences.

Most subscription boxes range from  as cheap as a few dollars to as expensive as $300.

The most expensive boxes generally contain luxury items such as clothing or alcohol. Lower priced boxes are more typically boxes with many small samples. With a subscription, some companies include the option to return unwanted products from the box.

Subscription boxes are also beneficial for college students due to their price, as they are able to receive trendy items for a lower cost.

“I am going to venture to say that the average college woman doesn’t have hundreds to blow on new cosmetics and beauty items every month, but she might have the budget for a monthly beauty box,” O’Grady said.

Subscribers can also customize each subscription to ensure they love each product they receive — Naturebox lets users choose which items they want in their box before shipping. At the same time, subscription boxes also offer a sense of wonder. Subscription box companies bring together many different name-brand products. Therefore, each month offers a new variety and combination. Some companies even throw in surprise gifts when you subscribe that are always an added bonus.

By utilizing hashtags on Instagram and Twitter, subscribers can connect and discuss their experiences after receiving a new package.

Plotkin also says that after she tries out what she received in the mail she is able to talk to other people online about it. “It opens up a forum I otherwise wouldn’t have,” says Plotkin. Many celebrities also utilize social media to review subsciptions such as Fab Fit Fun. Subscription companies also have forums for ideas and product reviews for their subscribers.

DePaul student Christie Lacey has a subscription to Birchbox, which she received as a gift.

“They’re cheap, they’re fun, and they’re a good way to try new products. It’s also a great gift for someone. I think a year subscription is $100,” Lacey said.

She also believes that subscribers get their money’s worth because Birchbox provides the subscriber with more than $10 a month worth of products. Most companies offer the option to give the product as a gift, which Plotkin does for her boyfriend through the company Five Four Club, a clothing box, which she gave him to add to his wardrobe.

“I would say figure out what sort of box you’re interested in, check out the directory, and read reviews,” O’Grady said about finding which box is the best fit. “I strongly recommend a healthy snack box, college is about trying new things while becoming an adult and making sure your diet is healthy is always a good choice.”