You asked and we answered! Yes, due to popular demand, we have put on our Oprah hats (are they berets? fedoras? what would Oprah wear?), and made a list of our favorite home/life/everything purchases from the past year. These are all items we bought with our own money and loved in 2025… so much so that when we took a look back, they stood out as some of our best buys and favorite additions to our life. So you’re still searching for holiday gifts (or struggling to tell someone what you want), this post might help.
There are already dozens of ideas on our Holiday Gift Guides, but we’re getting extra personal here, including everything from travel and beauty to tools and home organization that we bought in 2025 and liked most of all. If nothing else, it’s a random little peek into what makes us happy (hint: a lot of them are not expensive at all!). We arranged things as “superlatives” like Favorite Splurge, Favorite Sanity Saver, etc – and didn’t pick things with gifting in mind (hence light switches and cord organizers being on there!). Really, our only parameter was that it was something we spent money on in 2025 and when we looked back, it was one of our favorite buys that makes life easier, prettier, simpler, happier, more organized, etc.
Sherry’s Favorite Things
It took me a while to settle on these as my top 18 items of the last 365 days. From items that were surprisingly joy-inducing and nice to use everyday (sometimes it really is the little things!) to one splurge that still makes me feel fancy every time I use it. There are also a few items that help with efficiency & organization (let’s face it, life is busy and little hacks or upgrades can make you feel great).
Let’s get a little closer and break down why I love each item on the list:
1. Favorite Housewarming Gift
Salt & Pepper Shakers: I got these beautiful salt and pepper shakers for myself in early January of 2025 (as part of a small kitchen refresh that was so affordable and so satisfying) and I loved that everyday use of these made me so happy all year long. And when our friends were over they noticed them and complimented them too… so when they bought a new house and moved later this year we gifted them these as a hosewarming gift! They’re lovely and functional and really do show how upgrading some small everyday item can make such a difference!
2. Favorite New Habit
Weighted Vest: Listen, if you’re a perimenopausal woman on this planet, you have heard people extoll the benefits of a weighted vest. I will say, that as someone who doesn’t do any weight training (and I know I should) but who loves to walk… this is just such an easy addition to the same daily walks I’m already taking. Does it make me a muscle-bound beast with 50% denser bones? No it does not. Does it add a little extra challenge to my walk so I return home a little sweatier and work a bit harder than I would without it. For sure. So if you’re looking for added efficiency and already someone who walks, I’d definitely recommend adding one in! I definitely feel my body working harder but I can still talk and listen to audio books or podcasts as I go. Which is just my speed.
3. Favorite Splurge
Smeg Toaster: Here is the aforementioned splurge item that I almost can’t believe I bought. Who spends that much for a toaster?! But then I got to thinking about how many people spend two or three times that much for a fancy coffee maker (and I have a cheap pour-over that lives in a drawer). Suddenly it made sense to spend this much on a toaster that lives on the counter 24/7 and makes me smile every day when I look over at it (or use it to make seriously perfect toast). I’m also happy to report that literally everyone else who has one has told me they’re so well made and last for so many years. So I’m hoping to have it on my counter for a very very long time.
4. Favorite Easy Upgrade
Metallic Switch & Outlets: This might seem random, but I’d literally put this upgrade into my top five of everything here. Mainly because it was so affordable and so easy to switch the outlet covers and switchplates on my tiled backsplash in the kitchen, and they suddenly blend in SO MUCH BETTER! No longer do I see these big white boxes among the shiny tile. Instead these well desiged, clean-lined silver switch and outlet covers just live among the tile like they were always meant to be there. If you have big white outlets among tile in your bathroom or kitchen, this is such an easy upgrade! Highly recommend.
5. Favorite Hair Product
Madison Reed Hair Dye and Root Touch Up: Ok, as a lady who has chopped her hair super short, had it long (and even had it blonde as a teen), I seem to like to keep changing things up when it comes to my hair. So after a few years of fully growing out my grays, I couldn’t resist the siren call of a “fresh look” with this highly recommended dye (it’s definitely more pure than others I’ve used, which cause me varying degrees of eye-swelling allergic reactions). For sure it made my hair texture a lot softer (my gray hairs were much more wiry and textured before the dye) and it was super affordable and very easy to achieve a natural looking color that I love. Over time my gray hairs peek through a bit, which I don’t mind – and when my roots are too different looking as they grow out, the convenient root touch up kit is brilliant and takes literally 10 minutes.
6. Favorite Nail Product:
Olive & June Press-On Nails: I will Stan these $10 press-ons forever, because when I’m out in person and someone says “Oh I love your nails” I am always met with the wildest surprise in their eyes (and out of their mouths) when I tell them they’re press ons. They have come such a long way, with fun effects like luminescence or even cat eye – and you can choose the length and the shape. They take about 10 minutes to apply, and cost just a fraction of a salon visit. I just love everything about them and never want them to stop making these.
7. Favorite Makeup
Tubing Mascara: I don’t wear mascara often, but my daughter is in love with this tubing mascara, and I’ve tried it a few times and literally don’t ever want to use any other brand. It’s so lengthening, easy to apply, and easy to get off at the end of the day. Just a perfect update on the waxy clumpy eyelashes of the past. Definitely try it and see the difference!
8. Favorite Skin Product
Collagen Powder: As a person who literally thought I was allergic to collagen (I tried Vital Proteins and a mail order option before and both made my tongue and throat itchy and irritated) I was hesitant to give this a try, but my friend had some and added it to a coffee that she made me… and I had no reaction! So I went all in on a bag of my own (I mix a scoop with my hot coffee and add a splash of coconut creamer) and I’ve been loving it. Not going to tell you my hair grew ten inches overnight and I have no wrinkles, but I definitely think it agrees with me, and I feel like I rarely get it from food, so it’s a nice easy addition to my morning routine.
9. Favorite Sanity Saver:
Family Wall Calendar: This was a whole family upgrade that we made earlier this year, and it has worked so well for our family. We wanted a public paper calendar that everyone could see (and add things to) so the kids could feel fully in the loop about what we all have going on during any given day. We hung it up in the kitchen on the door to the utility closet and it has been awesome to keep us all posted on the goings-on of the family, and also to write things we’re all looking forward to and fun activites that we have coming up. It feels like a nice step towards our kids being more organized about their events because they’re consulting the calendar and contributing notes about their activities. Definitely a great “getting them more ready for the real world” addition.
10. Favorite Necklace
Tennis Necklace: Ok, I wanted to wear this for a while to make sure I still loved it, and it didn’t get weird and turn colors or break and it has surpassed my expectations. As someone who was almost influenced about 45 times to buy the Dorsey tennis necklace (which is $705 dollars!!), I’m so glad I resisted. I actually saw a friend wearing this and assumed it was the spendy Dorsey one, but she said it was $98 and I was like… I literally cannot believe that. Sure enough I ordered my own, and it is so legit! It’s well made, comfortable to wear, doesn’t flip upside down, and looks so good layered with other necklaces that I have (like this 18K gold vermeil paperclip necklace). I had a cheap $24 version from Marshalls that got cloudy over time, but this feels like the absolute best mid-priced option out there. Literally looks exactly the same as the Dorsey one to me!
11. Favorite Fragrance
Gautier Divine: I smelled this on a friend at a Halloween party, asked her what it was, texted myself so I wouldn’t forget, and literally ran out and bought it within 48 hours. It’s expensive for a giant bottle, so I just went with this smaller–sized spray bottle and I basically wear it all the time. Yes, I was 43 when I found my “signature scent.” It’s not overly feminine or masculine, and just feels like nothing else I’ve smelled. Love it, and have already been asked what I’m wearing like I did to my friend – so I’m paying that knowledge forward.
12. Favorite Kitchen Item:
Brass Flatware: Back in May we ordered this to replace the flatware we’ve had since our wedding (some cheap stuff we got back in 2007 that had seen much better days). We were dining at a friend’s house and loved her flatware so much I literally asked her to text me the link to the exact ones she bought. We also had the benefit of asking her how they have held up over the last 3 years that she’s had them, and she reported they’re all still looking great (the ones we all ate with looked like new). So we pulled the ripcord and ordered a set of 12 of them, and LOVE the upgrade. Dumb little activites like buttering bread make me so happy. This is totally one of those everyday upgrades that don’t have to cost an arm and a leg, but elevate basically every meal. The wildest part is the price. We can’t believe we got 12 sets of these for $70!!
13. Favorite Allergy Helper
Quercetin: This is easily the most random thing on the list, but every single day I’m grateful for this supplement that has made my formerly severe cat allergies… completely disappear! I used to use it in combination with a powder you add to the cat’s food called Pacagen (more on that here) but lately I’ve just been using this once a day (two capsules every am) and it is absolutely wild how I’m symptom free. And the cat sleeps on my neck like a scarf! As a person who used to have really bad congestion, itchy eyes, and even welts when she would put her head on my head, it is absolutely bonkers that I’m totally fine as long as I take two of these every morning. I hear they’re great for seasonal allergies too!
14. Favorite Earrings (TIE)
X earrrings and these chunky hoops: Don’t make me pick between these two pairs of earrings because I basically wear one or the other approximatly 85% of the time. The x-earrings are edgy and thin and cool, especially with my other smaller huggies (I have 6 ear piercings) – and the chunky gold hoops are so polished and pretty looking. I feel instantly pulled together whenever I put either of them on, and they definitely are easy on the budget as well as the eyes, yet they don’t irritate my sensitive ears.
15. Favorite Travel Item:
Carry-On Suitcase: You know those purchases that make you feel like a full grown adult? Matching hard cased suitcase was what did that for us, and we were 43 years old when we finally hit that milestone and bought three of these. The hype is real. They’re THE BEST! We love that they’re such a good carry on size (no issues, even on international flights) and they roll well, I never have to wrestle the handle to get it to pop up or down, and they look so good too!
16. Favorite Re-Buy
Affordable Headphones: We got our teen these $22 wirleless headphones so we wouldn’t worry about more expensive models getting lost or broken and they were so great and held up perfectly until she finally lost one of them. So we happily rebought them (two pairs a year are much less than the name brand alternative) and we’re so grateful that something that’s so much cheaper is really comparable when it comes to the functionality. She also loves that they’re rose gold.
17. Favorite Organizing Item
Cord Clips: At just about $1 a piece, this 8-pack of charging cord clips has been the cheapest, easiest life improvement. Literally if you have cords snaking all over your nightstands or your desk at home (or at work) these just stick to the back of the nighstand or the desk or wherever else you need them, and they can completely tame all the cluttered knotted cords everywhere. We have them on our night stands at home as well as in our laundry closet (where we charge alllll the kids devices) and they’re such an easy and affordable update.
18. Favorite Art & Craft:
Frisket Masking Liquid: When it comes to having a novel craft item around for our two creative kids, this has been so much fun for both of them. This is essentially a masking glue-like product. It’s a thin white rubbery “paint” – and everywhere you paint it, will be masked from watercolor paint. Meaning when you watercolor over the paper you used this on, and let it all dry, you can rub off the masking “paint” and reveal clean white paper below it. So the effect is super cool and graphic – plus it’s really fun for kids to rub it off when it’s dry! Think: when you coated your hands with Elmer’s glue, waited for it to dry, and peeled it off.
And now I’m going to hand this post over to John so he can give you his picks.
John’s Favorite Things
Hey there! John here now to take you through my top purchases of 2025. I don’t tend to buy much stuff unless something needs replacing, so this list was a little hard for me at first. But the more I thought about it, the things below really stood out as MVPs of the past year for me.
Here’s a closer look at why each is my favorite:
1. Favorite New Clothes
Quilted Half-Zip Sweater: I don’t love shopping for clothes, so a lot of my closet is quite old (I’m talking 10 or even 20 years old). But I recently dedicated some time to updating some wardrobe staples and this pullover sweater was an immediately favorite. Soft, comfortable, and works equally good in casual or dressy situations. Ladies and gentlemen, he’s a fashionista.
2. Favorite New Shoes
Slip-On Sneaker: These have quickly replaced my “dad shoes” as my everyday, go-to pair of sneakers. They slip on with ease, are great to walk in, and can be worn with everything from shorts to jeans to dress pants.
3. Favorite Splurge:
Insta360 Camera: I finally treated myself to this 360-degree camera so I could capture better footage when I paddleboard. I bought a kit with an “invisible seflie stick” (the software automatically erases it from your footage!). I wish I had bought it sooner, and even influenced a dad up the street to get one for his nature runs and real-estate business.
4. Favorite Sunglasses
Goodr: As a chronic sunglasses-misplacer, I love an affordable durable pair of specs. Which is why I finally jumped on the Goodr bandwagon this year! I’ve got a pair in the car, one in the junk drawer, one in my workout drawer, and a couple of back-ups in my closet. They have a boatload of styles and colors, but this type and this type are my favorites.
5. Favorite Kitchen Item
Roll-Up Drying Rack: Call it a simple pleasure, but this compact drying rack has been a game-changer for our evening kitchen clean-up. It frees up counter space, keeps water in the sink, and rolls up and fits neatly under the sink when not in use.
6. Favorite Rainy Day Activity:
299 Dogs & A Cat Puzzle: We didn’t think a 300-piece puzzle sounded like much fun, but I’m so glad we bought this animal-shaped one. The illustrations are charming and it’s honestly the first puzzle my kids have been excited to help with in a while. Instead of having the traditional puzzle piece shapes, it literally features a dog for each piece – so it’s harder to see how they fit together (especially if you don’t look at the box, which makes it an extra hard challenge). We loved it so much, we also did the 299 Fish puzzle, but have (shockingly) not attempted 299 Cats yet! That’s definitely on the agenda for 2026…
7. Favorite Tech Toy
Pairable Bluetooth Speaker: I could easily put all of our outdoor movie equipment on this list, but the “breakout star” of that group are these 2 bluetooth speakers. They’re the first Bluetooth speakers we’ve ever owned that easily pair together, allowing you to quickly create a surround-sound effect (seriously we have had a Bose speaker and like these more). I originally planned to only use them with our projector, but they’ve been too good not to use anytime we need music outside by the pool or firepit.
8. Favorite Workout Item
Sport Cap: I’ve already raved about these affordable lightweight hats on our email newsletter but I had to have them on this list because I really really like them. I bought three different colors to replace all of my falling-apart workout hats earlier this year (back when they were $16 each) and even though they’re currently $20, I think they’re totally worth it.
9. Favorite Travel Item:
Cord Organizer: Looks like Sherry and I are both crushing on cord organizers this year (#17 on her list). Hashtag soul mates. We bought this zippered pouch to wrangle all of the chargers that we keep with our suitcase, and it makes things so much easier. Sure, it requires a little more tidyness than just throwing cables into your suitcase all willy nilly, but it has kept us sane knowing each family member has a charger packed and is ready to go whenever we travel.
10. Favorite Grooming Item
Beard Trimmer: My who-knows-how-old beard trimmer finally bit the dust this year. I had loved how compact & straightforward it was (no mess of cords or extra guards) so I was glad to find one that met my same keep-it-simple criteria.
11. Favorite Tool
Small Laser Level: I loaned my nearly 20-year-old laser level to a neighbor earlier this year and, well, it lives with him now. So I treated myself to a newer, smaller, and less annoying version that – unlike my old one – doesn’t constantly come apart or stab me with its pin.
12. Favorite Family Game
Qwirkle: We’ve played a lot of new games this year, and when Sherry challenged me to pick my #1, I landed on this colorful tile game that’s always a crowd-pleaser and scratches my brain just right. The whole family loves how graphic and visual it is – and you really can use a fair amount of strategy, so it feels like you’re a smartie pants when you win, which is satisfying for all of us every time. This card game was a very close 2nd, btw.
13. Favorite Lifesaver
Wireless Charger: As our family gradually updated to devices with USB-C charging ports this year, we were quick to buy compatible versions of our favorite wireless chargers. We’ve actually purchased 3 of these in 3 different colors and they often save the day on trips, at school, and those oh-crap-I-forgot-to-charge-overnight days. They recharge a phone pretty fast, aren’t too big or unweildy, and you can even use the phone while you charge (so they work if you’re trying to navigate google maps while walking around an unfamiliar city as your battery threatens to die, for example).
14. Favorite Chore Helper
Plant Food: We finally incorporated plant food into our plant watering routine and it has been so easy and all of our plants look like 80’s hair band rockstars now. We just scoop this powder into our watering can and water as normal. It’s been such a simple way to feel like we’re being good plant parents, and literally leaves all of our plants perkier and happier.
15. Favorite Book
Sunrise on the Reaping: Sherry and I have talked at length about our mutual favorite book of the year (she loves talking about it on Instagram). But when I tried to name a different personal favorite from this year, it was this next prequel in The Hunger Games series. The book is not without its faults, but it was a lot of fun seeing Suzanne Collins piece together the origin story of Haymitch and connect it to the 4 other books.
16. Favorite Beverage
LMNT: A podcast ad convinced me (hashtag influenced) to try these electrolyte packets and now they’re my go-to when I want some flavor in my drink without the sugar. I promise this is not sponsored – none of these are. I just dump one packet in my 24oz Owala. Citrus and Orange are my faves because they remind me of yellow and orange Gatorade. They’re very salty, so it may take some getting used to (or diluting) but now I crave them and have at least five a week. They’re epecially refreshing after I work out or go for a run.
17. Favorite Re-Buy
Compact Sound Machine: The sound machines in our bedrooms are almost 8 years old and the buttons on our daughter’s finally wore out. When we went to reorder, we saw there’s a new model – same price, same small size, but now more sounds – and it connect to your phone via Bluetooth! Very happy with them, both the old ones we have had for almost a decade, and the new one we recently got.
18. Favorite Didn’t Need To Re-Buy
Leather Key Ring: Okay, maybe this last one is a cop out because I didn’t actually buy it in 2025. But given how many of my picks are items I had to replace, I wanted to shout out one item that is still going strong. I spent $20 on it in 2018 (!!!) and after years of going in-and-out of pockets & drawers, it has been absolutely awesome and still works as well as the day I got it. And in 2025 dollars you can still get it for just $5 more! Definitely still affordable for something that works so well and lasts.
More Gift Ideas
If you’re still on the lookout for extra ideas, you can check out the guides below that we’ve put together (many things on our guides from previous years are still sold):
- 2025 Holiday Gift Guides
- 2024 Holiday Gift Guides
- 2023 Holiday Gift Guides
- 2022 Holiday Gift Guides
- 2021 Holiday Gift Guides
- 2020 Holiday Gift Guides
- 2019 Holiday Gift Guides
- 2018 Holiday Gift Guides
- Black-Owned Businesses
- Our Favorite Family Board Games
*This post contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.
