My Favorite Quarantine Purchases

Can you believe we’ve been in quarantine for a year now? It seems like just yesterday that we were all panicked and trying to wrap our heads around staying home for two weeks to slow the spread of Covid. And here we are one year later. This past year has brought a lot of changes and it will forever impact how I live my life. Over the past year my spending has completely changed – I realized what was important and what I could live without, my impulse purchases slowed drastically & I really didn’t do much shopping! On one hand,  it’s easy to stop shopping when you have literally nowhere to go, but on the other hand, it’s part of my job to share latest finds and that’s something that I have really struggled with this year. There were days where I felt like I was failing at my job and had nothing to share, but I never wanted to come across as disingenuous or frivolous during a time when so many of us are struggling. During quarantine I did make a few purchases that I have continued to love, so I thought I would share them with you! I would love to hear if you made any great discoveries or purchases during quarantine!

my favorite quarantine purchases

1. A&F straight jeans | I am a tried-and-true jeans gal. After having Noah I was so ready to get back into my jeans. None of my jeans fit post-baby (my thighs and hips totally changed!) so I went on a hunt for a good pair of jeans and found these straight leg jeans. I had a similar pair pre-pregnancy, so I was happy to have found this pair. They are so comfortable, don’t stretch out, and I love that I can wear them casually or dress them up a bit.
2. books & audiobooks | I am an avid reader but I really leaned into books and audiobooks over the last year for a bit of an escape. There were days where my anxiety was at an all time high and books really helped calm me! You can see some of my favorite books from 2020 in this post.
3. outdoor furniture | When we moved into our home we ordered an outdoor set but didn’t spend a lot of money on it since we were unsure how much time we would spend on our screened in porch. Well, fast forward two years and we spend a LOT of time out there, so we recently purchased a new couch, chairs & outdoor curtains to give out outdoor space a refresh! I’m really looking forward to spending even more time out there now that we have comfortable furniture!
4. travel coffee mug | I have been on the hunt for a good travel mug for a LONG time. Even though I’m not traveling as often in the car right now, I discovered this mug and promptly purchased one for me and Nick. It fits in car cupholders and it keeps your drinks warm/cold for quite a while!
5. essie gel couture nail polish | I used to get SNS on my nails every few weeks. Once quarantine started, my salon closed down for a few months. I was forced to get creative with doing my nails! I tried Essie gel couture polish and love it! There are so many colors to choose from & it lasts about 2 weeks for me. I haven’t gotten my nails done in over a year! I have saved so much money now that I don’t go get them done.
6. electric nail file | Speaking of nails, we got this for Noah’s nails because I am terrified of using nail clippers on his tiny hands and feet. It’s so easy to use and it’s gentle on him. I even use it on my nails too! We use it every few days and it was 100% worth the $20!
7. playroom storage with baskets | I totally get it when people say baby things take over your life. In an effort to keep some semblance to our downstairs we added some cube storage and wicker baskets to our guest room for Noah’s toys! Now he has an extra room to play in and we don’t have to see all the mess downstairs… for now!
8. gold Birkenstocks | I never thought I would be into the Birkenstocks trend. I had some in middle school but thought I had left that trend in the 90s. Well, I bought the gold ones last summer and they are soooo comfortable. The gold feels a little more “me” and I love wearing them. These are definitely sandals I will have for many years to come.
9. paint | I think it’s safe to say everyone did some sort of house project over this past year! We transformed one guest room into Noah’s nursery, painted our guest bathroom, upstairs hallway and my office. It’s a small price for a big change, plus it gave us something to do when we couldn’t leave our house! We have a few more projects we want to do around the house (and outside!) this spring.
10. uppababy vista v2 stroller system | Even though we haven’t taken trips, we have gotten so much use out of this stroller system already. It’s been great to have a nice stroller for long neighborhood walks. We transitioned him from the bassinet to the rumble seat around six months old and he has loved walks even more since then!

what’s been your favorite quarantine purchase?