I’ve been thinking about Christmas pressies and the like, and while I don’t have to think about what people can get me (I already got my pressie on the weekend a new lens for my camera thanks Rob) I have been thinking about over the past year what has been the BEST things I have purchased. Might help you think about buying for others…and I’d love to hear about what has been your best buys of the year…based on ratio of joy to use. I narrowed it down to three things:
1. Topper!
Dead set each and every time I have hopped into bed since I got this I have thanked the sleeping gods that be for the invention of the TOPPER! Best thing EVER. I got mine from I Love Linen.
2. Leather Jacket
This just may be the most expensive item of clothing I have EVER purchased myself but boy am I glad I did get it. I purchased this bad boy on a summery Saturday afternoon in LONDON, shopping by myself in Chelsea. It was love at first sight and each and every time I put it on, it make me happy. And warm! I’m so glad I didn’t talk myself out of it (as I often do) I know I will have this for approximately EVER. I got this from All Saints.
3. Bose portable speaker
This may technically be from last year as I gave it to Rob for Christmas LAST year, but it’s been one of the best presents I have ever given. It’s been used SO much – from everyday being moved around the house to wherever we are: kitchen, lounge room, dining room or mostly outside when entertaining, it’s also been on holidays lots of times with us too. It has been flogged and it’s fabulous. Just connect your phone to it through bluetooth and you have your entire music selection with you with GREAT sound quality. I got this at JBHiFi.
I also wrote this post at the start of the year with some other game changers in it that you might want a look at.
So tell me what has been your number 1 (or so) purchases for the year? Got anything that you rave about that you would recommend to others? Spill the beans!
I too love a topper. My MIL introduced me to them and they transformed our bed. We then decided to go to a king size on account of the various small visitors we get through the night and Michael decided all on his own to buy a memory foam mattress. Oh my stars! If it was more portable we’d take it with us on holidays. Best night sleep I’ve ever had. We go Ergoflex king size and it is AMAZING.
Instead of getting a nice cot and fancy pram and all that jazz this time around I was thinking that we should just get a king size bed instead knowing the years of sleep deprivation we have ahead of us. Makes sense right?
That’s what we did and it was a game changer. I will never go back from a good king-size bed. DO it, Beth.
When I decided to have number three, it was knowing that getting through the first year would be with gritted teeth as I am hopeless without sleep. But I also knew this would be my last baby and I wanted to enjoy it all. I co slept with him for 9 months (in a snuggle bed), getting out a boob whenever he woke up. We ALL slept every night and it was one of the happiest periods in my life!
That’s so lovely!
I think we just might!
My Dyson Stick vacuum cleaner (on your recommendation). I have dark polished timber floor and a cockatiel so it has transformed my cleaning. And saved my back. I invested in a mattress topper for our king sized mattress a couple of years ago but unfortunately it is starting to have large depressions where we sleep and a ridge in the middle. Rotating and fluffing it up hasn’t worked. May have to have it dry-cleaned to see if I can even it out again.
Maggie! How could I forget my beloved DYSON?! So true. Actually, I think I love (and use that) most of all x
Go the Dyson! Three years (and a dodgy back later) I am grateful for it every day.
Me too!
I think I need a topper and Marcus would love that speaker so I think I may just save up for that too!! best present I have bought this year was our hammock… LURVE it x
Nothing better than a good hammock!
I think you must have to have a firm mattress to use a topper as ours has been taken off the bed because it just forms a hollow where you lay and bunches around you! So disappointed.
I think you might be right Janice…ours was definitely on the firm/harder side.
We are still raving over the brilliance of packing cells – my husband texted me a moment ago from the US to comment on their game-changer status again. My daughter recently went camping and eagerly borrowed mine – her bag came back so neat!! I know, not glamorous – but they might go somewhere glamorous, right?
Packing cells! Yes! They were a total game changer.
I love my linen sheets…I swear I have been cooler sleeping this summer because of them. I don’t think I could go back to cotton.
Also…this is a big one…my Thermomix. I love it anyway but I seriously would not have survived this renovation and not having a kitchen for six weeks without it. Total game changer.
As for this Christmas, I have all the usual wants like a massage and a few books but I think I might also need some sort of dust buster or small vacuum as the crumb situation is getting out of hand!
I have long wondered about the merits of linen sheets…I think it might be time. I LOVE my dyson stick thing…I actually can’t believe that I didn’t add it into this post!
I just purchased myself a robot vacuum cleaner (iRobot Roomba) & OMG, game changer! I mean it may not sound like an overly exciting gift because, you know, vacuum cleaner. But seriously, I love it hard. No more sweeping up freaking crumbs eleventy billion times per day. I may have even kissed it the first time it effortlessly cleaned up while I couldn’t be stuffed.
I have heard similar reactions from people with these things…you are not alone!
Oh. My. Gosh. Beth! I recently bought a topper because you rated it so highly, and it is a game changer! My GOD! Every time my hubby and I get into bed we thank the heavens for our topper…actually I just have to walk past the bed and look at it and I get all thankful. THANK-YOU 🙂
That’s great! Thank the topper gods for their toppery goodness!
i bought a topper it’s nice,my dyson vaccum cleaner I love my headless dog vase and I am waiting on sandals from Greece I’m sure they will be awesome!
Yay!
I just got really excited when I saw the ‘topper’…… we bought one about two weeks ago after months of wry necks and sore backs. It truly is a game changer and soooo luxe!!!
I’m investigating the Bose speaker next. I think I need that.
Love your blog and congratulations on the little one!
Thanks Christine 🙂
I absolutely LOVE my memory foam pillow. Didn’t know you could get a memory foam mattress until GailV mentioned it above. I am SO going to look into that. I also have a topper. Super comfy but a pain in the butt to wash. What do people do? Did I miss the memo?
Shauna, I have a mattress protector over the topper. I’m hoping I’ll just have to wash the protector and air out the topper (:
Might try that. Thanks Christine. Because wrestling my topper into the machine…..well it’s not pretty. And there might have been some minor flooding….and my machine may have struggled to cope. But I am sure the Lorraine Lea Linen lady told me I could! Lol. That’s my excuse and I am sticking to it hehe.
I just chuck it in the washing machine
I dream of Bose…I hope Santa gets the hint this year!
It’s really great! I’m listening to Christmas carols in the kitchen as I make my Christmas cook now!
Oh! AllSaints! Fell in LOVE with this store whilst in NYC last week with Kimmi! Omg. But, well, I bought nothing 🙁
Still perusing the website though….
Beautiful clothes. X
You SHOULD have! I have so much OS shopping regrets…thank goodness for online shopping!
The topper & Bose speakers are indeed game changers! Love your allsaints jacket ~ what model is it? Thanks
I’m not sure it’s there anymore (well it wasn’t when I went looking for it a little while back) all I know it was the most expensive!
I suspect that speaker may be under the tree for Phil this year…..!
It’s so good PLUS you get to enjoy it too – Rob always seems to get those kind of pressies 😉
Can we talk about the Dyson thingy? Is it the stick one that’s handheld and can be big/can be little? I’ve been thinking about getting one, or a robot…but husband dearest thinks ridiculous as isn’t it just the same as our regular Dyson? Interesting… I’ve also heard a robot won’t even get up and over rug edges? Perhaps it depends on which one you get, pay for what you get and all that. Oh the thrilling stuff that takes up my brain space…
It is the BEST. You know I would tell you straight up…it’s changed my cleaning. I actually haven’t got the proper vac out since we got it…I use it every morning before we head out the door and I feel completely in control of cleaning and like I’m nailing it. 10 mins of joy…who knew? People also swear by those robot things. This shit IS my life!
My mother in law would agree with you, Beth. She has an upright Dyson vacuum cleaner, but after having a try of her sister in laws dyson stick thing, she promptly went and bought one. Uses it EVERY day and now only uses the original dyson once a week.
Best thing EVER!
Go the Bose! Best buy ever. Ours gets used almost daily.
Same!
Your jacket is hot! Love All Saints! Wondering about sizing – how’d you find it?
Pretty good. I got the biggest size (am a 12/14 on top thanks to my enormous jugs) and it’s been good. Stretched out a fair bit.