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If you know me well, you'll know that I'm an aspiring minimalist. It makes me very hard to buy for because I'd much rather get a gift that is functional than something that is not. Experiences are my love language, but every so often I get something that I love and use every day. I wanted to share a list here in case you also have a loved one who is hard to buy for. Here is a short list of my top items:
1) A robotic vacuum: This has been a game-changer at my house. I use it every day and I'm convinced that my floors have never been cleaner. I have the Yeedi basic model. It doesn't self-empty and it has a low battery life. But this comes with some advantages. You see, I set it to clean twice a day. Half of the house in the morning, the other half in the afternoon. In the break at lunchtime, I clean the dustbin and make sure it's charged for the next task. This works well because if it had a longer battery life, the dustbin would be too full to complete the whole house anyways. This model currently has a $40 off coupon so it's total is around $155, and if you ask me that's a bargain!
I tried the Yeedi self-emptying model, and it was never able to completely empty on its own. The wastebin also took up floor space and was unsightly. Another advantage of self-emptying is that I get to see the trash before it's disposed of, just in case it sucked up something it wasn't supposed to. Mapping the house was the hardest part of set-up, but once it's done it's really the easiest to program and so satisfying to see which rooms got cleaned that day. If you have a single-story home like me, it's really a must-have item.
2) A cutting glove:
I'm almost as passionate about my cutting gloves. I use them in the office, in the kitchen, and even when we go fishing. After my incident where I sliced the tip of my index finger with a box cutter last year, I have made a new habit of wearing a cutting glove often. I even take one with us when we go fishing because it's a great way to protect your hands from hooks and sharp fish fins. I love how they feel like cloth and really take the stress out of cutting and fishing!
3) As long as we're talking about using knives, I wanted to mention that the Steven's ACE hardware on Dawson St sharpened my knives for $7 each. This was an AMAZING gift that Liv got me for Christmas. It added up when we have all of our non-serrated knives done, but when you pick them up you get a coupon for a free one. So it's really 2
sharpenings in one price. Sharpening them ourselves just wasn't cutting it (get it?). We fought about the right way to do it, and no matter which technique or tool we used, they just weren't much better. This professional sharpening was a game-changer!
In conclusion, remember that your time is your most precious asset. Think about giving a gift that involves an experience or bonding time that can't be wrapped up and given on Valentine's Day. Happy gifting!