I think this holiday season was our most successful “fewer & better” season yet! We really took our time with gifts and other purchases, and I’ve enjoyed the new things that have been added to our life! Here are five things in particular that I am loving lately.

---

Our new rug

Our old living room rug was significantly damaged when we had to refinish our floors last summer, so we were on the hunt for a new rug for a long time. We finally found this rug* on Etsy and it is absolutely perfect! Most of the rugs are made to order (the shop has a few ready-to-ship options, but be sure to message the shop owner to ensure yours is ready to go if you need it immediately) and we received photo updates as our rug was being handknotted for us. The quality is incredible and this is truly a piece we’ll be able to pass down to our child. It’s thick enough to play on the rug without the wood floor beneath being noticeable, and it’s already been cleaned easily by the next item on my list.

---

Little Green Portable Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner*

The Bissell “Little Green” carpet and upholstery cleaner is a LIFESAVER, especially when you have a preschooler and a white sofa! The steam cleaner is easy to use, easy to clean out, and takes up really limited space. I bought this several years ago and it’s been drafted into service quite often now that we are entertaining and hosting again. I love it!

---

HDMI Cable

Our smart TV kicked the dust towards the end of last year and I’m embarrassed to tell you how long it took me to order an HDMI cable to connect my laptop to our TV. This one* is great because it connects directly to my MacBook Air, and I don’t need any other adapters or, you know, the fifty other things Apple products usually require! I ordered the ten-foot version, so that we can sit on the sofa and select our show without me having to jump up to the television to change episodes.

---

Misfits Market

I signed up for Misfits Market at the start of the pandemic and rarely has a week gone by when we haven’t ordered from them. I find Misfits to be a great place to stock up on reasonably priced organic pantry items, and they do a great job at shipping produce and groceries too! They now offer free shipping if you meet your order minimum of $60. If you’re interested in trying them out, you can save $10 on your first order by using my link.

---

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream

Our local grocery store FINALLY started stocking Van Leeuwen ice cream, which is my all-time favorite ice cream. I missed it so much I even went to the extent of finding a PCP near one of their city locations… it is a true and deep love and I’m glad I don’t have to take a trek into the city (or book a doctor’s appointment!) to get my hands on it any longer.