Happy New Year, friends! I realize it’s January 6th, but it’s the first Monday of 2025 which in my humble opinion marks the true beginning of the year. Am I right?! Anyhow, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. We jammed a lot into our Christmas break, but it was still really restful and just what my momma’s heart needed after a semester of empty nesting. Having both kids back under our roof sleeping in their beds ’til noon 😉 was gift enough for me. That said, this first Monday of the year has me feeling ready to jump back into a routine! Like I’m sure many of you, the end/start of a year always finds me doing a lot of reflection. What served me well in the last year? What areas do I want to give my focus to this year? I’m still journaling through my thoughts and feelings about the last year and my hopes and dreams for the next. But the list that is always the easiest for me to make is my favorite things list. I just LOVE looking back on the year with gratitude for all the things both tangible and intangible that brought me a ridiculous amount of joy, made life sweeter, or filled a need/want I didn’t even know I had! In no particular order, here are my 10 favorite things of 2024.
1. My New Leopard Sofa
I plan to share a full review of my new leopard sofa very soon, but with zero hesitation I can say this beauty was the best new addition to my home in 2024. I am OBSESSED! But as much as I LOVE it and am thrilled to finally have a full size sofa in my living room (as opposed to the love seat that I brought with us from our old house that was too small for the space), it was also the timing of this purchase that solidified this sofa as my favorite new addition to our home.
I ordered this sofa at the end of July just weeks before we moved our daughter into her college dorm. And while I made the purchase at that time in large part because of a sale I wanted to take advantage of, the timing could not have been more perfect. It was so nice to have the arrival of this new sofa to look forward to while I was adjusting to my newly empty nest.
For any moms who may be entering their empty nesting era in the near future, I highly recommend getting some things on your calendar that give you something to be excited about as those things – big or small – will be a lifeline for your tender heart. This is a bit of a theme as you’ll see represented throughout my list.
2. Seeing The Killers and Shania Twain with My Husband
Speaking of scheduling things to look forward to, the Las Vegas trip my husband and I took a couple of weeks after we drove home from moving our girl into her dorm at Clemson was definitely one of the highlights of my year. We flew there to see The Killers (one of our favorite bands of all time), and randomly decided to get Shania tickets after we landed. And both concerts were exactly what I needed. I may have cried through a couple of songs at The Killers concert as their music reminds me so much of the years I spent driving my kids back and forth to school and just dancing around the house with them when they were little, but I really needed to release those happy, grateful tears. You know?
Taking a trip, just the two of us, was so good for our marriage. It was a good reminder that there is still so much to look forward to especially if/when you’re having a hard time saying goodbye to the things that have already passed.
3. Lumineux Toothbrush & Cocofloss
On a lighter note, who knew a toothbrush could be so amazing?! This is the best electric toothbrush I’ve ever used! And the pink color is just so pretty!
Also, not to be overly dramatic but I discovered Cocofloss in 2024, and I won’t be using any other kind of floss for the rest of my life. Maybe it’s a sign of my 46 years of living that a toothbrush and floss has made my favorite things list, but here we are. And I won’t be apologizing. Taking care of your teeth is SO IMPORTANT!
4. Holiday Coffee Mugs
I was never big on seasonal coffee mugs, but I picked up a few at HomeGoods and Target this year (for both Christmas and Halloween) and this is who I am now. I feel like these mugs make my coffee taste better!
5. Hosting My College Besties for a Weekend
Once a year for the past few years I’ve gone on a long weekend trip with my college besties, and it’s always one of my favorite trips of the year. But for the past two years, I’ve hosted them here in my home. It has been so much fun showing them around Charleston, and this year was extra special as it was such a great reminder to me of all that college has in store for my daughter over these next four years. Being with my college besties in my own home after launching my girl made the bitter part of letting her fly feel a little more sweet.
There is nothing better than spending time with the women that knew you when you were just a girl, before you were a wife and a mom! The ones that remind you of who you were and are so proud of who you’ve become, those friends are such special treasures. In 2025 we’re headed to Savannah!
6. Burl Wood Side Table
The second best new addition to my home this year is this burl wood side table I also added to my living room. I still can’t believe it’s from Walmart!
7. Oliveda Skincare
When Beautycounter unceremoniously closed last year it really through me for a loop. 80% of my skincare routine was Beautycounter, so I really had to go back to the drawing board as I needed to replace so much of what I had been using. I spent months trying a bunch of different skincare brands and products, and finally in November I tried Oliveda. To say I am HOOKED is such an understatement! I plan to share more about my current skincare regimen very soon. Stay tuned!
But if you’re curious about Oliveda, check out their skincare quiz. It’s a great way to figure out which of their products will be best for your skincare needs/concerns. That’s how I got started!
8. Red Adidas
Sort of silly but true, red tennis shoes had been on my wish list for awhile; but I kept talking myself out of purchasing. I don’t need them. I probably won’t even wear them that often. I have plenty of tennis shoes. And also, I don’t need them. Welcome to my brain. I’m constantly trying to talk myself out of buying things for myself. Which is weird because I have no problem buying things for my home. I think because I see those purchases as group purchases; they’re for our home therefore our family (even though I’m pretty sure those things always bring me the most amount of joy ;)).
Anyhow, I decided to stop the noise in my head. Because the heart wants what the heart wants, and sometimes what you really need is what you want. You know? Anyhow, I love my red adidas. I’ve worn them a ton, and they make me smile every time I lace them.
9. Owala Water Bottle
I was never a Stanley girl. But I wanted to up my water intake, and I knew keeping a water bottle with me would be the game changer I needed. My girl turned me onto this Owala water bottle, and it’s perfect! I can throw it in my purse, and it doesn’t leak or spill at all! And I love that it doesn’t have a straw!
10. Mentos Gum
Last but not least, I’ve become a Mentos gum stan. I know. Like what? But listen, Mentos gum doesn’t get all gooey when you leave it in your hot, humid car during a Charleston summer. And for that one reason alone it gets 10 out of 10 stars for me. But I also oddly love the containers, which can be used for a variety of things when the bottle is empty from spare change and hair ties to vitamins and supplements. Did I add one of these to everyone’s stocking this Christmas? Yes, yes I did.
Okay, now it’s your turn! Tell me your favorite things of 2024!
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