Once a year, around my birthday, I do a round-up of the (corresponding to my age) things that made the year great. I try to think about the new stuff I discovered that I really loved. I try to think about the things that in five, ten, twenty years, I might still love or appreciate.
I'm two weeks late, but here's this year's list:
standing desk - Paul has been working at a standing desk for the past few years and always has good things to say about it. They are not cheap so it was a decent investment for our at home office but I'm a convert!
google photos app - I love this because my photos are saved to the cloud and easy to search/access, obviously, but more exciting than that, I can delete photos from my phone now and no longer get that dreaded "your memory is full" notice.
E&e photo book - my favorite paper project this past year for sure.
fitbit flex - I did not discover this last year, but I had to stick it on the list again because I'm convinced that it (and the steps I took because I was wearing it) are why I was gestational diabetes free this time around. I ended up getting this clip and wear it attached to my bra instead of around my wrist. You can read about my first year with the fitbit here.
All the Light We Cannot See - probably my favorite novel this past year.
"marble" tabletop - we've been making small changes to our house and one of them recently was adding a fake marble countertop to our entry console by wrapping a piece of wood in marble contact paper. It was an easy and inexpensive upgrade that finishes off that Ikea cabinet.
pilot G-2 pens - so great.
jigsaw puzzles - THE perfect "keep your hands and mind busy" project that does not involve scrolling.
the park! - this is the year I started to appreciate the park! We found so many great ones in our area.
Carry On, Warrior - right after Piper was born, a friend sent me this and I laughed my way through it.
Zoe Organics Everything Balm - this is a new to me brand that I really loved this year. The stick is great for chapped hands, lips and skin.
Daniel Wellington watch - I started wearing a watch again in November and LOVE that I can see the time without checking my phone as often.
Modern Love podcast - it's hard to listen to this without smiling. I'm so impressed by the stories, the actors they get to read them and the follow up with the original authors. Worth a listen for sure.
giant whiteboard - I bought a whiteboard at Lowe's (they call it "markerboard" and it's in the lumber section), screwed it to my office wall and never looked back. I plan to get about four of them for my new warehouse space.
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying up - I've discussed this at length here, but serious game-changer this past year.
1 Second Every Day app - we are only two months into 2016 but I'm hooked on this documentation method. You can read more about it here.
orange front door - we painted our front door orange on a whim and I smile every time I see it.
Freakanomics podcast - another gem. I learn SO MUCH FROM THIS SHOW.
Pilcro Hyphen Chinos - just picked up a pair of these in Navy and love them.
rainbow quilt - my favorite fabric project this year for sure.
The Dirty Life - by far my favorite memoir of the year. I didn't want it to end.
Burning Love - this Bachelor spoof is hilarious. Probably the best TV I saw all year and I feel like I watched a lot of great TV.
engineer prints - not new by any means, but I recently wanted new photos for our dining room and these turned out so great for so cheap.
Get To Work Book - probably lame to add my own product to the list, but I've used it everyday since July 1st and I love it. I'd love it even if it wasn't my product.
Essentialism - another favorite book this year. I blogged a lot about this here.
#cripetinyreno - around Christmas, I made a big list of everything in our house that drove me crazy and we started making changes. Some were SO SIMPLE like getting silverware drawer organizers that actually fit our drawers and spending $26 on a laundry hamper that didn't collapse under the weight of clothes. Some were a bit more involved like adding legs to our media stand so we could open the doors without pulling up the rug. And some are pretty intense and we are hiring out, like fixing the granite countertop in our kitchen that's coming apart at the seams.
Oh Joy for Target OK vases - by far my favorite impulse purchase this year.
blanqi leggings - I LIVED in these for the first month after Piper was born.
custom packing tape - I cannot imagine the GTWB brand without it! Learn more about my packaging here.
I believe in fresh starts, big dreams and getting your goals down on paper - I changed almost every aspect of my job when I was thirty. Last fall, as I was trying to sum up what the new brand/business was going to look like, I thought of this quote and slapped it all over my new business cards. It seems like the perfect phrase to keep things rolling this decade.
