Lifestyle things are a part of our daily lives, but I feel I don't always give them the respect they deserve. Today, I wanted to talk about a few things I really have been enjoying lately and have improved my quality of life.
I was inspired by the video of Danny Pudi talking with Larry King, stating a cup of coffee and socks are his luxuries. It made me think sometimes you really appreciate things that are just there in your life, and you are grateful that they are there.
We got a fridge with a water filter a few years back, but we don't have a hookup for it. After decades of seeing my hubs reach for any cold beverage in the fridge instead of just getting water, I decided to finally get a Brita. But I didn't want a pitcher, I knew that wasn't for us. So, I got one with a dispenser. It lasts forever between refills (it holds 27 cups of water), and getting a cool beverage whenever we want is easy. The water tastes better, too.
Until we actually get that fridge water dispenser hooked up, this is the one thing in our kitchen I use daily that I really wish I had gotten years ago.
Nespresso
We got a Nespresso Original machine for Christmas 2019, and it saved me during lockdowns. I can make the hubs his straight espresso, and I can make my lattes. They both taste great, and I don't miss Starbucks at all. When it comes to pods, I like Nespresso, but we often get Lavazza or Illy. This past week, we chose to take advantage of a Black Friday deal and get a Vertuo machine using our credit card points. Now, we can also have easily larger cups of coffee on demand that actually taste good.
I feel if you love a fancy coffee but don't have the willpower or energy to use an espresso machine in the mornings or the money for a fancy machine, these are perfect for you. They cost less than $150, and you get fancy coffee with just the press of a button. I gave away a Keurig I got years ago because it made weak and terrible coffee, this is a whole different world.
Heated Blanket
My basement is where we spend most of our time, and it can get chilly. Right now, we're postponing turning on the heat. So a heated blanket is really nice. I often get really cold, so it's a nice little treat to not have cold toes while watching a movie. I also find I get really chilly in the evenings as I settle in for the night, as my body is no longer moving and cooling down. I also really hate having cold feet.
This honestly wasn't something I ever thought I needed, but I truly love using it every evening. I picked mine up at Costco a few years back and use it almost every day.
this one is ridiculous, but I wanted one forever. They are lamps that warm up your candles, so you don't have to worry about lighting them and forgetting about them.
I picked up two at Marshall's, and they've been great. I no longer worry I am going to burn my house down with candles, and my house smells great.
The lesson really is that if you want something for a long time, you probably should just go get it, in my case two.
This one is odd. Last November, I decided I wanted an Ember mug for when I started at home college. I did not want to worry about my tea or coffee getting cold. I almost bought one in the USA at a Best Buy but chose not to. The next day at Costco back home, I saw it on sale for $110. I put it in my cart so fast. It was such a good deal.
This mug has a charging base and uses Bluetooth through a phone app to keep your hot beverage at the right temp for long periods. Now mine is a 414 ml, this year's Costco model has no handle but a lid.
While I love the mug, it isn't big, and I find if I am going to drink my drink fast it isn't necessary. But for my second cup of tea of the day that I sip, it is great.
It does have a limited battery time, and the time it takes to cool the cup to the right temp does come out of that battery life, so maybe don't turn it on right away. For coffee, that is already the right drinking temp, it is probably the ideal mug.
Basically, I love it, but it still has flaws. I also love my Yetti cup for keeping things cold or hot forever! It is usually on my desk with ice and water or iced tea.
Fresh Ground Coffee
I went to Bluesky (hey, follow me there if you are using it) and asked for suggestions. My friend Melissa said fresh ground coffee. I fully agree. I love my Nespresso because they simplify the task with little thought, but nothing beats fresh ground coffee.
Last summer, we went to the Yukon and Alaska, and our gift to ourselves in each place we visited was locally roasted coffee. Now my father once got me a little $15 coffee grinder, and it has done us well over the last 20 years, but getting a burr grinder that ensures a consistent grind is so much better. I am eyeing getting one after the holiday season so that we can start refilling out Nespresso pods and using some fun coffees we have been getting.
On that note, I have been getting coffee at Bean Wise, which has a few locations. Their German Chocolate Cake Coffee makes the whole house smell amazing.
What are your everyday luxuries?
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