These Are a Few of Our Favorite Things: 2024 in Review
2024 has been a YEAR for us! From Kennedi’s new baby and maternity leave (& Colleen and I hustling as a temporary design team of 2!) to dozens of completed projects in the books, it was by far the busiest year Styleberry has had. I’m wrapping up 2024 with a very grateful heart!
‘Tis the season for gifting, but instead of sharing a traditional gift list this year, we opted to change things up and compile a list of all of our favorite things from each month. You won’t find raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens. (Sorry, Julie.) Instead, these are tried & true items that we found really helpful or that delighted us.
After all, what’s better than sharing what you love with the people you love? We hope you find this eclectic list to be inspiring & full of gift ideas to use year round, not just during this busy time!
January: The Softest, Coziest Blankets
Kennedi says that she doesn’t remember much from her first month in the newborn haze. (Does anyone remember details from those first few sleepless weeks?) She does remember spending a lot of time wrapped in cozy blankets – both her and baby Hayden! According to Kennedi, “Barefoot Dreams blankets ARE worth the hype & are by far the comfiest blankets in our house.” This supersoft throw makes a great gift, for an adult or a baby!
February: Credit Card Travel Perks
I finally jumped ship from AMEX & secured the Southwest Credit Card Promo that came with a Companion Pass and gosh, has it been a lifesaver. In this season of heavy sports travel, having a plus-one on Southwest has been a game changer. This promo usually comes out in December, so keep your eyes peeled!
March: All-In-One Wireless Charger
Nothing brings clutter to your life like a new baby & erratic sleep schedules. When Kennedi was sharing her room with baby Hayden, she was always looking at the clock in the middle of the night but there were a million things on her nightstand blocking her view. She purchased this all-in-one wireless charging station & it brought a sense of calm to the chaos.
She says, “It tidies up my nightstand, it’s a practical way to charge my devices, and it makes seeing the time and my baby monitor easy in the middle of the night.”
April: Smart Fragrance Diffuser
Kennedi has been talking up her Pura diffuser since she received it for Christmas last year, & has since purchased more for other rooms in her home. She loves having the ability to control fragrance schedules and intensities from her phone & the convenient auto-shipping. Kennedi says, “My house is always smelling fresh – something I need these days!” That’s a gift anyone can get on board with. Her favorite scents are Santorini & Sea Salt Driftwood.
May: Nespresso Machine
Does your Oat Milk Latte habit have your pocketbook hurting? (Mine did, too!) I finally took Kennedi’s advice and invested in this Nespresso Vertuo Espresso Machine, & let me tell you – it is worth allll the hype. I drop my fave double shot pod into a hot or cold glass of oat milk and put that frother to work.
Need to up your protein game? Try a Fairlife Vanilla shake in the frother, & top it off with a double shot of espresso. Yum! It works great with this decaf option, too! (Pro tip from Kennedi: The decaf makes a mean espresso martini!)
June: The Comfiest Pillow
After a weightlifting injury sent me to Physical Therapy over the summer, my therapist had me seriously contemplating whether my beloved squishy down pillow was offering the support I needed to recover. Spoiler alert: It wasn’t. Turns out, as a side sleeper, I needed something more. I found sleep again on the Coop adjustable pillow, & I haven’t looked back since.
This pillow is customizable – that’s right, you can add or remove filling to create the perfect angle. And fun fact: It can smoosh into a packing cube, making it easy to travel with for restful nights of sleep on the road!
July: Detergent that Gets Allll the Stains Out
Come the end of summer, sports uniforms just stink. Boy moms, IYKYK. I survived as long as I could with my favorite natural laundry detergent, but when those white shorts just wouldn’t wash clean (I mean, WHY are we still wearing white sports uniforms?!), Tide Hygienic Clean came to my rescue. It’s become my new go-to, & I’ve had great luck with it on my Lulu loads as well!
August: A Portable Audio Player for Kids
When her son began to outgrow naps, our Project Manager, Liz, was in search of something to help him transition to Quiet Time. Enter the Yoto Mini Player. It’s essentially a portable audiobook and music player, but there are so many more fun features, too.
Liz says, “My son loves listening to ‘his stories,’ & when we’re not using it specifically for Quiet Time, he’ll turn it on while he plays with Legos. It’s been a huge hit!” & there are SO many cards to choose from – this one comes highly recommended by her little guy.
September: The Best Reheating Appliance
I don’t know about you, but pizza is a staple in my house. Order once, feed many times… you just can’t go wrong. But pizza reheated in the microwave? Yuck. I have the answer, my friends – hands down, it’s the Ninja Flip Air Fryer.
We use it for a lot more than just pizza, and it gets 5 stars in our house for everything from TJ’s waffles to homemade kale chips & more! And I LOVE that I can flip it up and away to save countertop space. Oh, & if you’re looking for some fun pizza recipes to try, this cookbook is perfect for easy weekday dinner ideas.
October: Super Absorbent Hair Towels
Last fall, swim season for my high schooler meant wet hair after practice. We became desperate for something that would help her dry her hair after early morning and late evening practices, & I came upon these microfiber hair wraps.
It did the trick for her, and since they came in a multi-pack, I stole one for myself & I absolutely LOVE it! It’s a huge time saver – after washing my hair and using this absorbing wrap, the dry time is cut in half. It makes a perfect stocking stuffer for your swimmer or water polo playing kiddos. (& seriously, grab one for yourself – you’ll thank me later!)
November: Aesthetically Beautiful Calendars
November is the month to get your calendars! I love the 1canoe2 shop, & I always buy two. I grab the XL Wall Calendar for my home and the smaller Land & Sky for my desk at work. They are both so gorgeous, and they make scheduling just that much more pleasant. These calendars make excellent gifts… & be sure to buy one or two for yourself, too!
December: The Perfect Blender for Small Jobs
Kennedi has sworn by her Vitamix blender for years, but her one complaint was that it’s just too big for single servings or making sauces or dips. She recently got a nutribullet personal blender & loves it as an addition to her kitchen. She says, “I use it often to make small batch homemade pesto, smoothies, and more recently, baby-led weaning recipes like banana pancakes or veggie purees.” A small appliance with big functionality… That’s a win in my book!
Whew, that’s a wrap, my friends. I hope this list has brought you some ideas & inspiration as you check off your shopping list this holiday season. And if you’re planning to give yourself the ultimate gift of a home project in 2025, reach out to us here – we’d love to be part of your team.
From our Styleberry family to yours, wishing you the happiest holidays & time spent with your favorite people.
Xo,
Shawna
