These past years have been tough, but I believe in the power of retail therapy to cure pandemic madness! I believe in it so much that I am sharing my personal pandemic purchases here in the hope that I can inspire you to treat yourself in 2022! Maybe these products won’t change your life like they did mine, but hopefully some of them will bring you the same joy they brought me.
Come and explore my favorite pandemic impulse buys from over the past two years. No need to stress, think of this as a meditative therapy session with me as your guide.
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The Most Positively Reviewed Earbuds That Don’t Cost As Much As A Car (Looking At You, Apple!)
I didn’t have a million dollars to buy name-brand wireless earbuds, so I had to do some research to find an alternative. All signs pointed to these baddies from TOZO, which I believe can match everything AirPods can do. Plus, they honestly sound great. You really can’t go wrong with these headphones, I know I definitely didn’t!
These Past Couple Years Have Been Stressful, So Get Some Cloud Slime And Chill Out
I had a ton of stress last year, and I’m fairly certain I’m not alone. This stuff came as a recommendation from a friend, but I was definitely hesitant to buy a colorful sludge with absolutely no actual purpose. My instinct was incorrect, however, because this stuff works great to get the stress out. Squeeze, pull, smash; whatever you need to do, Cloud Slime can handle it! It also smells great, unlike the toxic chemical smell Gak and Floam had when we were kids.
Cold Brew Isn’t Hard To Make, You Just Need This Thing
Get cold brew out of your fridge, not the grocery store! It’s so easy to make at home, so I don’t know why you’d voluntarily pay outrageous amounts of money for it. Grab this brewer for $25 and only pay for coffee beans from now on. Cheap, and better than store bought. Nice!
Hunter Is One Of Those “Buy It For Life” Brands, Check Out These Perfect Boots!
Have you ever heard of Hunter brand boots? They are easily one of the best on the market. They’re guaranteed to be completely waterproof, unlike every other boot I’ve ever owned. These may have been an impulse buy for me while it was raining a lot last year, but they have quickly become one of my favorite pieces of footwear. Available in all sizes and many colors!
These Microfiber Cloths Will Give You Exceptional Visual Clarity
Keep those glasses as clean as possible with MagicFiber. I had an issue with touching my glasses a lot while wearing a mask, and I always ended up with fingerprints all over them. Having these MagicFiber cleaning cloths handy at all times has made the process of keeping my eyewear clear of smear incredibly easy.
Get Perfect Buns Every Time Using This Magical Brush
It’s no easy feat to get your hair looking perfect, especially with absolutely no help from your incompetent husband. I like my hair in a bun, and this finishing stick makes it easy to keep all the stray strands together. You’ll look less like you just woke up, and more like you just walked out of the salon with the Hair Finishing Stick from BestLand.
This Magnetic COB LED Flashlight Will Light Up Your Path, Wherever And Whenever!
Are you familiar with COB lights? They’re extremely bright, yet use much less energy than other comparable lights. COB, which means “chip-on-board,” is the latest consumer lighting tech available, and the fact you can get it in a flashlight is awesome. I got one for the nighttime walks with my doggos, but I find myself reaching for it all the time these days. They also have a magnet on one end, so you can stick them to any metal surface!
A Tiny Bluetooth Tracking Device That Keeps Tabs On Your Keys (Or Other Small Items)
You can avoid the time-wasting activity of looking for your missing keys by just attaching a Tile Mate to your keychain. Remember those things where you would clap, and your keys would beep? Well, this is the Bluetooth version of that. Spending days indoors over lockdown made me lose my keys so frequently that I needed help, and this really did what it promised. Never again will I leave my house unprepared because I’m late but couldn’t find my keyring in time (yes, this used to happen to me a lot)!
Need A Daily Planner With Some Daily Affirmations? Bliss Collections Has You Covered
The Bliss Collections Daily Planner is proof that daily planners can be extremely functional if they have the proper layout. Since I switched from my mini notebook to this thing, I noticed a serious uptick in my productivity. If you’re a “visual learner,” you’ll appreciate having this visual planner. As Stewart Smalley would say, ” You’re good enough, you’re smart enough, and gosh darnit, people like you!”
Epsom Salt Is The Best Way To Treat Yourself, Guaranteed
If you haven’t been living your best life (at home) this past 18 months, you haven’t been doing it right. I was CONSTANTLY taking hot baths, and adding Epsom salt to the water was a huge game-changer. I was using just unscented Epsom for a while, but this rosemary and mint stuff from Solimo is otherworldly, literally. I’m serious, when I take baths now I relax so hard that I literally feel like I’m on another planet.
Ever Heard Of An Electric Jellyfish Lamp? You’re Welcome
I actually bought this for my nephew and he loves it so much. He’s only 4, but he becomes fully entranced while looking at these electric jellyfish. I mean, to be honest, I still have no idea how electric jellyfish work. They look so real!
Some Plants Don’t Require Specific Watering Schedules And You Can Use These Awesome Birds To Make Your Indoor Garden Unique
I love the idea that these beautifully crafted glass birds can be both aesthetically and functionally beneficial to my indoor plants. They last up to two weeks between refills, which is awesome if you want to step out of the house for a while. As the world returns to normal, this will come in handy because I plan on being home never.
Bring Your Laptop Up Off Table And Let It Meet Your Eyes With This Stand
If you work from home, getting your laptop in a comfortable position is important not only for your productivity, but also for your actual overall health. Seriously, why do you want to be hunched over all day? Plus, on top of that, you really want to make sure your computer isn’t overheating. This definitely
Filter Your Own Water BEFORE It Comes Out Of The Tap With Frizzlife
Are you still using a Brita for your drinking water? It’s time to graduate to a real filtration system for under your kitchen sink. The Fizzlife filtration system really takes your clean water game to the next level, and I don’t know how I’d live without this thing now. It may have been an impulse buy, but one that has worked out incredibly well for my family and I.
This Cutting Board Is Both Aesthetically And Practically Brilliant
Part wood, part resin: this cutting board is a sight to behold. I don’t know how they did it, is it some sort of alchemy? No, that’s for gold, right? I don’t know, I’m not very smart. All I know is this cutting board looks GREAT in my kitchen, a place which also happens to have a slight overall ocean theme.
These Invisible Hair Ties Keep Everything In Place With What Appears To Be Nothing
I gave up on my hair months ago, and when I did I felt a giant weight lift off my shoulders — literally. Like, the weight of my hair. Get it? I usually hate colorful hair ties, so these traceless spirals were perfect for me. 10/10
A Trashcan That Moderates It’s Own Stink With An Air Filter, A Piece Of Technology That Should Be Required In All Waste Bins
A smart trash can? I was skeptical, but boy was I surprised with this thing’s usefulness. Seriously, if you want a waste bin that has all sorts of tech attached to it, this is the one. It came 100% as advertised, and they even have a good return policy if you’re unsatisfied with its…trash…handling…ability, or whatever.
Take Your Love Of Bread To The Next Level With This Massive Ultra-Soft Baguette Pillow
How much do you love bread? Like, what is your bread appreciation level? Personally, I love bread so much I’d leave my husband for it — but, I’d rather just buy this beautiful baguette pillow and not ruin my finances with a costly divorce. That’s exactly what I did, and it’s the best bread pillow purchase I’ve ever made. It’s the only, but it’s the best.
This Battery-Powered Handheld Vacuum You Can Use Anywhere
Having a handheld vacuum is way handier than you might think, pun completely intended. My hair has been falling out in what appears to be some sort of mass exodus, and having this little guy in my purse has been a lifesaver when I need to do a on-the-go clean-up. I can suck up my rogue hairs in the bathroom and quickly get back to business. It also works great in my car (for stuff other than hair)!
Maybeline Has Created The Absolute Best Lightweight Concealer, And It’s Super Affordable
I have some visible scars on my face which I am frequently embarrassed by. With typical cheap concealer, I would have tons of trouble hiding anything, but once I found this Instant Age Rewind concealer from Maybelline I was immediately hooked. People can no longer see my scars, and that’s a dream come true. Enough anecdotal information from me, though, because this stuff will work on just about anybody because it comes in a variety of skin tones, too!
I Love My Fruit Hammock!
Hang your fruit from this hammock and stop taking up all the counter space in your kitchen with 17 varieties of apples. Seriously, do you even eat that many apples before they go bad, Mark?
These Metal Furniture Legs Can Turn Virtually Anything Into A Table
Or, if you’re like me, you can replace the crappy legs on your IKEA couch with these luxurious gold legs and truly glam up your whole living room. My couch now looks like some classy Louis XVI furniture that I stole from Versailles (or wherever the heck he lived.)
Grow Your Favorite Herbs And Veggies Inside Your House With The Soil-Free AeroGarden
Once you start growing your own herbs, you’ll wonder why you ever paid for them in the first place. The AeroGarden will easily pay for itself within the first few months, and then it will be essentially free herbs for the rest of your life. Well, you still have to buy the seeds, but imagine unlimited basil at your fingertips? It’s a miracle.
I’m Only Slightly Obsessed With My Weighted Blanket, I Swear!
When the pandemic started, my anxiety went through the roof. I’m not big on anxiety meds, so I decided to try a holistic approach: weighted blankets. Oh. My. God. What a fricking lifesaver! A simple 10lbs weighted blanket is was better than any pill I’ve ever taken because it’s like a big warm hug on the outside instead of the inside. If you’ve never tried one, here’s your chance!
