My favorite home decor purchases of 2021

Break out the Amazon order history, we’re going in! 2021 wasn’t a huge year for me in terms of dropping the Amex card down on new stuff, but I still managed to pick up a few things that have made me happy in my little house.

Amazon Purchases – Indoor

• Chefman fridge – Okay hear me out on this guy. This wasn’t something I purchased myself but was an item that was on my wishlist in an “I wouldn’t buy this for myself but you know, have at it.” and my Aunt got it for me as a thank you gift. Originally I meant it to be a thing that held my face masks and jade roller but it’s evolved into our bedroom quick-access fridge that holds bottles of water (it gets SO dry in our bedroom) and uh, well…little shot bottles of Fireball whiskey. . It’s now one of our most cherished weird little things. Note: I haven’t tried the “heat” portion nor have I tried to carry it around so can’t say how great the portability function is, but if you want a small vanity fridge I’d recommend giving it a go.
• Weighted blanket – I love it, the dog loves it. I’m not sure what it’s doing for either of our anxiety, but there’s just something nice about being weighed down when you’re ready for sleep.
• These dish towels (Kleim infinity pattern) – They’d been on my wishlist for YEARS and never purchased so I decided to finally go for it. The colors really match our kitchen update well and they’re just pretty.
• Microwave popcorn popper – I go back and forth between being obsessed with eating popcorn and terrified about the old news stories how microwaved popcorn gives you cancer. So this is my way of meeting in the middle, though the silicone will probably give me cancer anyhow.
• Sewing machine cover – I rarely (okay never) use my sewing machine though I feel like it’s one of those appliances you really need to have just in case. This cover keeps the dust out and makes me feel less bad since I never have to look directly at my sewing machine in the face (whatever its “face” would be)
• FIRST ALERT Plug-In Carbon Monoxide Detector with Battery Backup, 3-Pack – Picked these up during one of my many “oh god, we’re going to DIE” paranoia moments. They were WAY easy to set up and make me feel so much better.
• Lasko 2511 36″ Oscillating 3-Speed Tower Remote Control Household Fan – Another addition to our fans collection, this one replaced my white Honeywell that died.
• Bonzai tree fairy light – An impulse purchase, but I still love it.
• Ceiling Fan Pull Chain Extender Pull Chains  – This is one of those things you never think about buying and just suffer with poorly-sized chain pulls. I think I found these on a whim and was SO excited to know they existed. They little ornaments with the light or fan surprisingly help reduce decision fatigue for me.
• Blink Mini Indoor Camera Set – I got these as supplemental cameras for our outdoor ones and because we had originally planned to hire a cat sitter while we went on vacation (which didn’t happen).
• 3 Pack Large Under Bed Storage Bags Containers – I seem to destroy a pack of these every year so tried a new brand. So far they’re working fine.
• Stained glass window film – Another impulse buy. I got this for my small window in the office that never looks right with a curtain. It’s cut down on the amount of sunlight in this room but not so much that it’s Megan’s Super Goth Hour everytime I work.
• Marble contact paper – God, I use this everywhere. My desk and office cabinet tops are covered in this. Not only is it waterproof (which is good for the aquarium) but I can also jot notes down on it using a dry erase marker!
• Spicy Shelf Spice Rack and Stackable Organizer  – Another one of those things you suffer without until you get it. My spices are no longer a struggle to sort through!
• These copper wire baskets – They sit on top of my closet shelf, which is exposed, and hold my pashminas and purses. They’re SO pretty and functional.
• Viviland Plush Micro Fleece Bed Sheet Set – It’s like velvet but without the fuzz everywhere.
• Stick-on draft stopper – I don’t know who put the doors on our house but they sucked at it. These work surprisingly well though you’ve got to get them on when the door isn’t cold. Which is difficult because I’m obviously not thinking about drafts until it’s too late. But we got it worked out eventually.
• 3M Indoor Window Insulator Kit – My husband had never actually seen window film like this, so this was a whole new adventure for him. Hopefully we’ll be getting our windows replaced this year and won’t have such an issue with drafts.
• Bic Multi-purpose Lighter, Classic & Flex Wand 4-Pack – Okay, I know I’m getting into the weeds here with all of my purchases but seriously, this set is AMAZING to have, especially when someone in your home celebrates Hanukkah or is just super into candles.
• Drawer Organizer Divider – My attempt to re-organize my underwear drawer has brought these. My top dresser drawer apparently has an unusual height to it so it’s hard to find organizers that will fit but this 2-pack does and holds my underwear and socks nicely. For lingerie, I use these honeycomb organizers (though obviously the bras won’t fit so they’re just loose)
• A new food scale – I haven’t used the bluetooth feature yet because it feels like overkill, but the rest of the scale works nicely.

Amazon Purchases – Outdoor

• Cole’s Flaming Squirrel Seed Sauce – We have a squirrel infestation like you wouldn’t believe in our neighborhood and those fuckers are the WORST. They destroy my plants, terrorize the dog, and inflict suffering on our lawn so we got this sauce to add to our bird seed. It definitely WORKS but I recommend getting some latex gloves and a non-porous bowl to mix the sauce into your seed. Otherwise, you’re going to have a bad time.
• Two pack of Zero Gravity chairs – These replaced another set we used to own. The cupholders are nice but we don’t use them a lot and prefer to stick with the deck railing and umbrella table.
• Matching patio umbrella (9ft beige)– We lost a lot of our shade this year thanks to new neighbors cutting down their trees and have had to adapt. This umbrella works great though it’s hard to relax under it without worrying a strong wind will kill us all.
• Patio umbrella table (Dark brown) – I originally had purchased just a weighted stand for the umbrella but our summer wind gusts were just too much for it so I went for this table as a replacement. So far so good, keep your fingers crossed.
• Tools storage rack – I got this for our shed and should warn you: I like it for what it does, not what it isn’t. Can this better organize our rake and shovels? Yes. Is it the sturdiest structure in the world? Absolutely not. That said it was cheap, thin, and gets the job done.
• Flybuster Fly Trap (Garden size) – Every July we’re just assaulted by cluster flies and fill at least two of these every year.
• Gorilla Carts GCR-4 4 Cu. Ft, 300-pound Capacity, Poly Yard Cart – I finally gave in this year and got a wheelbarrow. I knew I couldn’t fit one in our car so this was a good one to get since it was lightweight and could be shipped. It’s been SO useful. Plus it folds!
• Amazon Basics Recycled Wood Square Garden Planter – Got 2 of these for the two bamboo plants that wouldn’t fit in the troughs we bought.
• New gardening gloves – My beloved Digz gloves have finally disintegrated so I got these as a substitute. They’re not as great but they’ll get the job done and are comfy.
• Terrarium Sphagnum Moss – Good for replacing all the moss the stupid goddamn squirrels pull out when they’re messing with my Venus Fly Traps

Non-Amazon Purchases

These are all part and parcel of separate blog posts I have yet to get on here, so bear with me. But despite there being 0 information about these on the blog so far, they deserve to be recognized for being awesome.

• My new shed
• These planters for our bamboo
• Our bamboo
• The new fish, Zorro!