As we wrapped up a decade, I decided to look back on 2019’s greatest purchases and discoveries to round up my list of favorite things. I crowdsourced my Facebook friends to see if they had anything to add and have pretty solid lists of things not to miss! I am all about life hacks and anything to make things run a little bit more smoothly, but I have also included some beauty items that I like and other fun things.
Enjoy and get those Amazon Prime boxes shipping!
King Size Weighted Blanket: A few people recommended these to help me sleep, and I was hesitant because I hate being hot when I sleep. I am so glad I gave it a try though. It isn’t hot; rather just a nice comfortable feeling — like a hug. I don’t toss and turn as much, and settle down to sleep much more easily with it. After using it for a week, my husband and I agreed it was one of our top three purchases of 2019. I ordered this one on Amazon.
The Giant Charmin Forever Roll: This is silly, but we ordered the Charmin forever roll starter kit about six months ago and it is a great time saver. Changing the toilet paper roll is just plain annoying and running out is the worst. I haven’t put it in our guest bathroom, but it is great in our personal bathroom.
Kindle Paperwhite: I love to read and I find myself waking up in the middle of the night to read and then end up going down some sort of Facebook rabbit hole reading about someone’s sick great aunt in Idaho who I don’t know and can’t sleep because I’ve gotten sucked into the internet abyss. Now, I grab my Kindle Paperwhite instead and it limits me to just using my device for reading. It’s nice to throw in the beach bag or to take on the plane. I got the idea to buy it from this next favorite discovery, which is an article my friend Tara shared with me….
“How to Configure Your iPhone to Work For You, Not Against You,” written by Coach Tony. I cannot say enough about this article. I read it and adopted so many of its suggestions. It’s not just about your phone, but also about how it affects your life and how you interact with other people and your productivity. It is a long read, but so worth it. If you are a slave to your phone, read this and make the changes suggested. It really has made a difference for me.
Using a coat hanger with clips to close the curtains at hotels: This is another little silly thing that is so dang smart, I don’t know how I didn’t think of it. It looks to have possibly originated from Rick Clau, a Twitter user from California.
EZ Retriever Hook: If you have a truck or SUV with a large trunk area, you’ll want this. It’s one of my husband’s favorite purchases of 2019. He loves that it makes it so much easier to grab things from the bed of his truck rather than climbing in and getting them. I think I might need one for my SUV.
Wash your laundry cup: My husband gets credit for this smart little idea. You know how the cup you use to pour your laundry detergent in gets drippy and gross? Throw it in with the wash and pull it out clean. So smart, right?
Tidy Cup Laundry Detergent Gadget: Along that same vein, my friend Dannis suggested I buy this handy little setup. For around $10, you slip this little gadget over the dispenser for your laundry detergent and it keeps it from dripping all over the place.
Erase Your Face makeup remover cloths: I got one of these in one of my Allure Beauty Box shipments and they really work. Add warm water and makeup wipes right off your face. Thanks Lauren Hawk for this suggestion!
UniQlo Airism Ultra Seamless bikini shorts: Kortne Hou, my friend from Seattle who seems to be a constant source of good finds, swears by these seamless underwear from Uniqlo which are cheaper than Lululemon’s Namastay Put. While we’re on the subject of skivvies, Kortne also recommends this comfy wireless lightly padded bra from Aerie for under t-shirts.
Mixed Chicks Leave in Conditioner: My friend Suzanne highly recommends this leave-in conditioner for curly hair. You can find it at Target or Ulta for around $20. Speaking of curly, thick hair, this transitions nicely to my personal next favorite “discovery” of 2019…
Professional Keratin Treatments: My mom and sister had done this in the past, and I had never found the time until a few months ago to give it a try. It needs to be done by a professional and takes about two hours, but it is a game changer if you have thick, frizzy hair. My hair (which has always been a frizzy mess requiring products and straightening, and a lot of time to get even remotely tamed), suddenly transformed to magical unicorn hair that was straight with just a quick blow dry. It lasted about three months.
Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer: You can find this on sale on Amazon for around $35, and it is awesome. It combines a blow dryer with a round brush and leaves your hair much more tamed and smooth, and it is quick and easy. Even hair challenged people like me can use it. I like to dry my hair first with my Dyson Supersonic hair dryer, which is amazing. The only reason I didn’t list it alone is the price tag. Mine was a gift from my sister-in-law, and it is definitely the gift that keeps on giving. It is amazing.
Dyson Animal Cordless Vacuum: I picked up one of these refurbished for sale at Nordstrom Rack and it is so great. It is lightweight, cordless and just amazing for quick clean ups. I love it. My sister-in-law (who works for Dyson, so she has all the goodies!) also swears by the air purifiers.
Evriholder FURemover Pet Hair Removal Broom: My friend and fellow pet lover, Heather Ward, suggested this broom for pet hair. I just got mine today and am looking forward to trying it out.
Grocery Delivery: You guys, if you haven’t done grocery delivery or pick up in some form or fashion, make 2020 your year. As I am writing this, my groceries are being picked up from Publix by my Shipt delivery person and will arrive momentarily. Check out Instacart, Shipt and anything else available in your area, pick one, and cross grocery shopping off your list. Or do the Walmart or Target pick up. I think I save money because I only pick what I need and don’t make impulse purchases. It’s also a huge time saver. I did in-store pick up for Christmas presents at Target, and it saved SO much time.
Instapots and Air Fryers: Many friends listed their Instapots and air fryers as their favorite purchases in 2019. I haven’t gotten into them yet, but I’m making them a 2020 cooking goal!
Milkies Milk-Savers: For nursing moms, my friends Kortne and Suzanne recommend these milk savers which collect milk from the non-nursing side while breastfeeding because every drop of that liquid gold is precious!
Baby Brezza: My former babysitter and now a mom herself, Lauren, highly recommends the Baby Brezza if you have a baby on formula. I was lucky enough to have this show up on the market for my last baby, and it really is like a Keurig for formula!
Unger Grabber: Another friend recommends this handy grabber to grab those hard to reach items, or maybe your kids! This is one of those things you didn’t really know you needed it until you have it!
Enneagrams: This was an early 2019 find for me, but one that I highly recommend checking out. Take one of the many quizzes available online and figure out your enneagram type. Make your significant other do it too. At the very least, it is interesting to read about your type and see if it lines up with what you think you are like. I thought that it was very helpful in understanding my interactions and emotions when it comes to dealing with other people, like my husband and friends.
Disney Plus: This was one that zipped in right at the end of 2019, and it is a must if you have kids. All the Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel, and National Geographic your heart desires in one streaming place for $6.99 a month. You can add Hulu and ESPN+ to the package for $12.99 a month. I just got this, but it has been a great boredom buster for the holiday break.
Whether it is a great addition to the beauty routine, something to make cooking easier, increase your productivity, or the ability to eliminate some annoying things from your to-do list, this past decade has brought us some pretty great things to make life easier. I’m sure there are many things to add to this list!
