2015 Favorite (Non-Baby) Buys

Every home requires a lot of things to make it functional. Unfortunately, not all things are winners—there’s a lot of junk out there. When I do come across a product that, not only does what it’s designed to do, but exceeds my expectations, it’s a very satisfying feeling. Here’s a list of some of my favorite purchases of 2015.

1. Simple Human Soap Dispenser

   When it comes to hand/dish soap dispensers, this is the cream of the crop. Not only is it gorgeous, as all Simple Human products are, but it’s convenient, works flawlessly and consistently dispenses the perfect amount of soap each time. I never thought I’d love a soap dispenser but this one gives me a little thrill every time I use it.

2. Nespresso Inissia Espresso Maker

   I’m married to a coffee geek, a predilection I’ve come to appreciate. Aaron takes pride in heating water to the optimal temperature, letting the coffee steep for the ideal amount of time and brewing high quality coffee beans. However, after Max was born we decided to look for a new coffee option that was, above all things, fast. Enter Nespresso. It makes a high quality, perfectly foamed latte that is delicious and easy to make. For fresh Nespresso pods, we subscribe to HiLine.

3. Simple Human Makeup Mirror

   I’ve never owned a makeup mirror because the idea of seeing every pore and imperfection on my face magnified made me cringe. But after years of seeing me lean over the bathroom sink to apply my makeup, Aaron bought this mirror for me as a gift and I love it. And yes, the 5× magnification sometimes reveals more than I want to see but it is also makes precise tasks like applying eyeliner or tweezing eyebrows so much easier.

4. Sugru Moldable Glue

   3M strips are the solution to most of my adhesion needs but they couldn’t support the clips we use to hide the cable behind our desk. We tried a variety of different adhesive options and nothing lasted more than a week or two. Then we tried Sugru. If you aren’t familiar with Sugru, it’s a “moldable glue” that turns into rubber. It is easy to use, surprisingly strong and has held up great for us.

5. AccuPark Garage Parking Guide

   I’ve never been able to consistently gauge how far to pull my car into the garage. As a result, it became routine for me to pull in, jump out while the car was running and adjust my position as needed—–sometimes more than once. Now my car is perfectly parked each time and I never think twice about pulling into the garage.

6. Adidas socks - It is hard to find ped socks that don’t slide under my heel after a few hours. Nothing is worse than having to constantly adjust your socks throughout the day. I don’t know know these Adidas socks stay on so well, but they never slide off my feet.

7. Kai 5210 8-inch Dressmaking Shears

   These are the best everyday scissors I’ve owned. Scissors are probably a product you don’t think about too often but when you have a nice pair, it makes such a difference. For an excellent and detailed review checkout the Sweethome.