THE 10 HOUSEHOLD ITEMS WE USE THE MOST
Narrowing down this list to only ten items was a bit challenging, but as I was walking around the house over the weekend, I kept thinking about our most-used items and why we love them. Everything from things that make the house feel cozy, to functional items we use on a daily basis, to when those two things collide. That said, this is quite the random list of favorites, but nonetheless, the products + brands we swear by and are loyal to.
Watering Can - Oddly enough, I just posted this on instagram stories yesterday, but watering our pots on the front porch and back deck/patio is a big part of my morning routine. With the Carolina heat, we have to be intentional about watering every day (unless it rains) to keep our plants healthy and it's actually one of the more therapeutic parts of my morning. I have two watering cans, a small and a large. The small, I usually use for indoor plants around the house, or when I'm not using it, it doubles as a vase because it's so beautiful. The large one is for outdoor, and sadly my exact one is sold out, but I found this super similar version that's so good. It's even the same moody-green as mine! I usually hang it on the hook by our front door when it's not in use. In my opinion, that's the beauty of finding functional things that are also chic - they double as decor!Walnut Wood Lidded Jar - Again, another functional item that's pretty enough to leave out. One of the first things we do each morning is make a cup of coffee and we store our coffee grounds (and other things in our pantry) in these hand-turned mason jars. I found these at Food52 (if you've never shopped their site before, I apologize in advance - it's all the things you never knew you needed for the kitchen.) and they hold up so well! We use the 16 oz one specifically for our coffee and it sits pretty on our open shelving in the kitchen when we're not using it. The walnut wood just adds a little something extra to whatever you're storing and I'm a sucker for anything handmade. I also found this similar version at Target, and they seem to have a lot of sizes available, too. I can't speak to the quality, but the price point is really good!Apolis Tote - We're constantly loading up groceries to take over to a friends house to cook in, or all of J RUN's 17 ingredients he uses to make a good cocktail, so our Apolis tote is on constant rotation. We have the Clare Viver x Apolis Merci Market Tote that I purchased years ago and it has held up so well. At the time, I felt like it was a lot of money for a tote, but it was too cute not to pull the trigger on. Years later, knowing how much use we've gotten out of it, I would buy it over and over again. (I also love gifting them to newlyweds - such an unexpected, yet functional gift!) I think the collaboration they just did with Madewell is so cute. Another functional, yet pretty thing you can hang by the front door and grab on your way out!The Laundress x Le Labo Detergent - I have probably preached about this product (and everything from The Laundress) about 28247 times now, but it's one of our favorite little luxuries for the house. We have both the Rose and the Santal - they're both equally amazing. People always ask me which is my favorite and it's like asking someone to choose a favorite child, it just can't happen. We only use this detergent on our sheets and towels, mostly because of the price point and they fact that I don't love my clothes to be fragrant when I'm also wearing perfume, but it's a game changer for your linens. We wash our bed sheets every weekend and as soon as we put them back on, the scent fills our entire bedroom. The same goes for our towels - there's nothing better than getting out of a warm bath and drying off with a towel that smells like heaven. I'm telling you, a little luxury that makes a big difference! (Also such a good gift!)Silplat Baking Sheets - I probably need to do a separate post that's solely our most-used kitchen items, but this one is definitely at the top of both lists. Rather than using a ton of foil each time I throw something in the oven, these baking mats are genius. We use them almost daily and they're easy to throw in the dishwasher when you're finished. Plus, who doesn't love a little french flare in your kitchen?Boujee Candles - Another thing I probably talk about far too often, but by far one of my favorite little luxuries. I light a candle every single morning when I wake up. I have for years and I've gotten so many of my friends hooked on the routine. It just feels so calming + peaceful - the perfect way to start the day. I usually light one or two around the house in the evenings, too. It's something that makes our home feel so cozy, smell amazing, and puts my mind at ease - aka, worth every penny. I will say, I'm a bit boujee when it comes to which candles I'll light, and that's something that's developed in me as I've gotten older. However, it's given me the BEST rotation of scents that I always keep on hand. I joke with J that if I ever had to choose one household item to never run out of - let's just say it wouldn't be toilet paper. Mama needs her candles! Here are my ride-or-die favorites:Diptyque 'Baies'Jo Malone 'Blackberry & Bay'Archipelago 'Napa'Anecdote 'Italian Fig'Outdoor Lounge Chair - Because I work from home, I have to get outside multiple times a day. Not only for a little change of scenery, but also for my mental state. The fresh air + sunshine rejuvenates my soul in a way that nothing else can. Most days, I start the morning outside and most evenings, we end the day the same day. Throughout my work day, I like to break for 15-20 every now and then to just sit, get a little vitamin D, and breathe a little deeper. (I think this is something that will be my saving grace once Linen arrives and I need a little break, too!) All of that to say, our outdoor seating is super important for making that time comfortable. We have four adirondack chairs, which I love, around our fire pit, but it's time to update a couple of other spaces. Our farmhouse table on the deck can sit TEN which feels like quite the investment (hence the reason we haven't purchased new ones yet) and our backyard needs a couple of loungers. I'm dying for a set of these from my friend's store, Monika Hibbs Home. They're so classic and look so comfortable, too! She even carries a matching tent or umbrella - I mean COME ON. Whatever the seating situation looks like - we spend a lot of time outdoors!Meyers Surface Spray - There's nothing better than waking up to a clean kitchen. I fully support Jen Aniston on the break-up when she insists on knocking the dishes out right after company leaves - I hate the lingering smells + residue the morning after. Mrs. Meyers surface spray is something we use daily. Oftentimes even multiple times a day! After cleaning up from dinner and before turning the lights off for bed, I always wipe the kitchen countertops down with this spray. (The peony, lavender, and basil are my favorites.) It removes any dirt or germs you might of picked up/missed throughout the day and makes for a clean kitchen that smells amazing each morning. It's a clean cleaning product that won't break the bank!Alexa - Need I say more? Although it kills me that I feel like she's listening to everything, there's nothing better than having something so easy at your fingertips (or voice-command, should I say). We use Alexa most when asking for the daily forecast or playing music throughout the day. Whether it's first thing in the morning to wake us up, a little background music while friends are over, or while we're dancing in the kitchen while cooking, it's just so convenient. We have three - one in our bedroom, one in the kitchen, and a small one we grab to take outside with us often.Terracotta Pots - Probably one of our most asked questions is where we find our terracotta pots. I wish I had a fancier answer, like they're vintage from the early 1900's, but the truth is they're from Home Depot. What everyone loves most about them is how they age. I take it back - that's the most asked question. I don't do anything to them to make them have that green and white, mossy look other than plant in them and make sure that plant gets water. That's all! Terracotta naturally ages from the soil you use, to the shade they're in, etc and it doesn't take very long to get your $8 Home Depot pot to look vintage + right out of a Nancy Meyers movie. Because we have so many plants around the house, indoor and out, we're constantly switching them out as our plants outgrow their pot or we purchase more. We have a constant stash on our gardening table out by the chicken coop (another great tip - just purchase a few and leave them outside to get rained on and weathered! Truthfully, they need soil in them to truly get that aged look, but going ahead and letting the sun fade them and allowing the weather to rough them up a little is half the battle.) and reach for them on a weekly basis. My idea of a perfect yard - plant something beautiful on or beside EVERYTHING and terracotta is a great + inexpensive way to accomplish that!
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Thanks so much for stopping by, X.
Meg