Top Ten Investments for 2024

 

Back in 2016, I started doing a “Top Ten Investments for the Year” post each November. I liked to pick out things we purchased throughout the year that turned out to be great additions to our home, and I share the links with you in case you also want to purchase them for yourself or for gifts for others. I try to do this post ahead of Black Friday sales in case you also can save a dollar or two in the process. Here are this year’s favorite finds. Enjoy!

Air mattress – At the end of last year, we made the decision to sell the bed in our guest room, because we use the space much more often as an office than as a guest room. It no longer seemed a good use of space and resources to keep a bed in the small room every day, when we probably only have overnight guests a maximum of two weeks out of the whole year. (If that!) So we purchased this air mattress, which stores away nicely in a closet when not in use! We chose this one because it stands a bit taller off the ground than others. Our guests who have slept on it say it’s pretty comfortable; the only complaint was that it felt cold in the winter, so we started adding a mattress topper to it before putting on the sheet, and that seems to do the trick! It has been a good change in our home, and we are pleased with this choice! Note: it does come with an electric pump to inflate it, and when we have guests for multiple nights, we do give it a fresh burst of air each day to replace anything that escaped with use the previous night.

Fan Vent – The air vent in our bedroom is on the floor, and while it isn’t directly obstructed by anything, the placement of our furniture does create a bit of an obstacle in easy air flow. Our room, as a result, always feels hotter to us than any other room, and that’s really frustrating in the summer when we want to sleep without sweating! Ryan found this fan that fits into the vent and helps propel cool air around the room. It’s not terribly noisy (which isn’t a big deal to us – we use a sound machine AND a fan in our bedroom – but might matter to someone else! We have seen improved air flow since starting to use it, so it is a good choice!

Yogurt Strainer – I’ve started making my own Greek Yogurt, and with the exception of one SOLID disaster, it’s gone pretty well since I started experimenting. Part of what makes yogurt Greek is straining off the whey, which requires a very fine strainer. I tried using actual strainers lined with paper towel, and though it worked, it was really messy. Ryan found this strainer created for the very purpose of making yogurt, and it’s so much easier to use! It doesn’t take up a ton of space, so when I’m not using it, I store it in our pantry, and it’s out of the way. So much better than the paper towel method!

Giant Patio Umbrella – We love sitting on our back patio, but the giant downside to this is how hot the sun can feel in the afternoon and evening. The view is lovely. The heat is not. We don’t have enough of an overhang or any kind of awning to shield people (and food, when eating meals) from the unrelenting sun. We had an umbrella for our picnic table – you know, the kind the sticks down in the center of the table? But then Ryan found this giant, double umbrella that fastens into a stand held firm by sandbags, and this was a game-changer for us. When we line up the table umbrella and this huge one, we have a good amount of shade for the patio, and it makes it so much more enjoyable out there! We do take this all the way down in heavy winds/storms just to make sure it doesn’t come crashing down, but it’s stable on its own the majority of the time! I’m so glad we got it! (It also helps bring some color to the patio. We have the turquoise one.)

Standing Desk – When we made the changes to our guest room/overflow office, we also purchased this adjustable desk from IKEA. It can sit low enough to use a regular chair, but it also raises to standing height if I want to stand or sit on a tall stool to work. Though I primarily work from my desk in the kitchen, I do enjoy working at this desk and REALLY enjoy the flexibility for standing to work! This desk is manual, so it doesn’t rely on electricity to raise and lower. Note: some manual adjustable desks have a crank that sticks out on the side. This one just has a lever that you push in and then pull up or push down on the desk. You have to get used to how it works, but I like it better than having something sticking out on the side. I’d run into that in no time and have a giant bruise.

Dry Shampoo – I mentioned not long ago that I’ve started experimenting with Kristen Ess hair products, and my first item to purchase was the dry shampoo. I try to only wash my hair once a week (to preserve color) and toward the end of that week, it always gets a little crazy. Lexi is WILDLY offended by the sound it makes when I press the button, but her offense aside, I like how it works on my hair. I have heard of dry shampoo leaving powder residue on hair, and I have not noticed that on mine. It also really does help bring some volume back to my roots when it’s all gone flat! I can get it at Walmart, too, which I also like.

Phone Tripod - I have a couple of “big” tripods I inherited from Nita a few years ago, and they really are fancy and nice and better than anything I ever would have invested in for myself. But anymore, we often use our phone more than big cameras, and these tripods don’t have any kind of adapter to hold a phone. We have a much smaller tripod for a phone, and it works okay, but it’s a little flimsy – and it also doesn’t stand very tall. We either have to put it at a distance or crouch down to be in the picture. So this year Ryan found this tripod that is small enough to be really portable, but stands taller. YES!!!

Magnetic Push-Pins – I found these at the gym, of all places! They have a couple of metal boards there that are just like some I have at home, and they have these magnets that look like push pins! I think I told you about them earlier this year, but they truly have been one of my favorite purchases all year! I love how small they are, because they don’t cover up everything I’m hanging on the board!

Hand Sanitizer – For many years now, we have used Thieves hand sanitizer from Young Living, and we have really liked it. We always try to pick products that aren’t so chemical-laden if possible. It was time for a refill, and when I tried to order, I was just overwhelmed by how expensive that sanitizer is if you’re not a member of the company, which I no longer am. I couldn’t justify the price, so I ended up purchasing this sanitizer, and we love it. It has a coconut smell, which I know not everyone loves, but we do. It does dispense in a spray, not through pouring, but once we got used to that, it worked great. We purchased a multi-pack, so I keep one in my purse, we keep some in our vehicles, and I feel good about the ingredients and price.

The Thrill of the Thrift – As I thought through this list, I found myself frustrated that some of my favorite finds from this year aren’t linkable, because I found them at thrift stores. And then I realized that is a great thing to share with you! Sure, there is a time and place for purchasing something brand new. But there is so much good life in things from thrift stores if you’re willing to hunt. This year we’ve found practically new baskets that we’ve used for plant covers and storage, little pieces of décor to tuck around the house, an ice cream maker and salad spinner, all manner of clothing, some flawless books, and more. I’m excited to give new life to things discarded by others, and I highly recommend giving it a try! (The thrill of the chase is a gift in and of itself.)

And if you want to keep shopping, here are links to previous years’ posts!

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016