A Few of My Favorite Things

While 2008 was a year of big changes for me, it was also a year of small changes - the kinds of things that you incorporate into your day and soon it’s hard to think about not having them. Some are pretty common but others, that seem ordinary to me now, still seem odd to a lot of my friends and family. So, I thought I’d highlight some of the ones that I found to have the biggest impact on my day-to-day.

Jen’s Top Ten Favorite Small Things with Big Impact from 2008

in no particular order, here are the first 5…

1. Vitamix
Ok, maybe this one isn’t that small in terms of the cost, but I bought mine used on eBay and now I can’t imagine living without it. I make fresh veggie/fruit drinks with it everyday and it’s become an essential tool for my health and well being.

2. Hot Water Bottle
I’m one of those people who gets cold hands and feet no matter what - even if I exercise daily, wear wool socks, whatever. I’m not into electric blankets so I went for the good old fashioned hot water bottle solution. Just fill it up with hot water, stick between your feet under the covers and ahhh. Such a simple solution. You can find them at your local drug store.

3. Tongue Scraper
Gross? Get over it. It’s another simple and cheap solution that really works. I’m not going to go in-depth, but tongues collect a lot of bad stuff that even brushing doesn’t remove. If you can remember to use the scraper morning and night it can make a world of difference to your breath. Buy two - one for you and your partner ;)

4. Sleep
Maybe this doesn’t count as a “thing” but for me, it’s everything. If I don’t get enough sleep, my diet gets out of whack, my skin rebels and my focus goes out the window - all of which then makes me cranky and a general pain-in-the-ass to be around. It’s probably my biggest challenge, but it’s free and when I do it (or don’t do it!) it has the biggest impact on my daily life.

5. Stainless and Glass Water Bottles
I know - so trendy. But I honestly hate buying water and drinking out of plastic. I never knew what was in it and then felt guilty every time I threw one away. For a while I was amassing this huge collection of plastic water bottles in my kitchen, trying to figure out how to clean and re-use them, but I finally caved. Now I have a couple of small stainless and glass containers I use daily and a fresh, new filter for my fridge.

I’ll post the rest of my list tomorrow!