August 28, 2020
My Favorite Amazon Finds
Note: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon products. As an Amazon Associate I can earn a small fee from qualifying purchases.
With being home way more than I thought I’d be in 2020, I had to figure out a way to be at home and also keep my sanity. With at least 5 trips (including 4 speaking engagements!) scheduled and cancelled so far this year, I knew I wanted to make staying at home as fun as I could.
Food wise, that’s meant ordering fun ingredients in my grocery delivery order each week — from burrata, to a peach box subscription, or even just a fun new sauce to try! But getting business supplies, new projects or house supplies got a little trickier this year.
Over the years, I’ve really paired down what I order off Amazon. I shop local as much as possible. And I buy from small brands online when I can’t find something near me. Especially with books, I’m committed to only purchasing locally (because there’s nothing better than strolling through a cozy bookshop, so I want to preserve that forever.) Before I buy almost anything, I look at how it was sourced, what kind of packaging it comes in, and what the company’s standards are.
My Favorite Amazon Finds
I’m not completely anti-Amazon — but I’m set on trying not to use them whenever possible.
But this year, there have just been some things I can’t do that with. I also try to be realistic — and I know that I’m a human who this year has experienced a pandemic, a terminally ill father, social unrest and a wild election. I need and want some fun things as outlets, too.
The other day I shared a few of my fun Amazon favorite purchases and you guys asked me to share the full list here! I’m so excited to share some of the things I’ve found and loved. And you’ll have to leave a comment below and let me know which one(s) you’re going to order!
So let’s hop in….
PAINT-BY-NUMBER KITS
These Pink Picasso paint-by-number kits are probably my favorite recent Amazon purchase overall! I wanted to get an activity (as much as I love Netflix…) that would take me several hours to complete, got me off my phone, and would produce something in the end.
KITCHEN FINDS
Hydro Flask Tumbler
I’ll admit, I’m the queen of tumblers. I feel like I’m constantly testing and trying new tumblers to find the best one for every scenario: water, coffee, smoothies. You know, the 3 major things that count in life đ
For water, I’m a glass water bottle woman (I love LifeFactory for that). For coffee, I need ceramic or glass because the metal interiors taste metallic to me. And for smoothies, iced tea or pretty much anything else I want to take on the go, this Hydro Flask is now my go-to.
I waited to share about it so I could give it the full-on test drive, but now it’s Sam Vander Wielen LLC approved.
I know I know, I’m particular about this. But I’m telling you, this Hydro Flask is worth a try — no matter what you use it for!
Nut Milk Bag
I make my own almond and cashew milks almost every week. They’re so worth it! Especially for homemade almond milk (recipe) though, you need a nut milk bag to strain out the little gritty almond pieces that sneak through.
I love this 2-pack I found on Amazon. They’re easy to clean and BPA-free. You could use a cheesecloth, but most don’t tend to be reusable. So I wanted something that was a bit more sustainable– and I think these are it!
Bread Pans
Since quarantine/stay at home orders, I’ve made a lot of bread. I haven’t heard any complaints at home yet…. and I don’t think I will! As I got more into baking bread, my friend Chris told me about all of the awesome recipes over on King Arthur’s site.
I’ve been baking this honey oat bread each weekend in these bread pans. They’re PERFECT! The bread is shaped perfectly and it pops right out of there without any oil spray.
BATH / BEAUTY FINDS
Turkish Towel
My prettiest and softest purchase recently was this awesome Turkish towel! I got the mint color. I love the beautiful pattern and tassels. It softens with each wash, but it would even look good just as a decorative piece.
I’m going to use my Turkish towel for beach trips, park visits and any other socially distanced gathering this year.
Face Cloths
I also grabbed these muslin cloths for washing my face in the shower and after a face mask. I got this idea after using my Eve Lom cleaner, where they instruct you to lay a warm muslin cloth over your face several times to open up your pores. And I have no clue if it “works” or not, but it felt so relaxing that I stuck to it.
These muslin cloths are soft enough to gently scrub off a face mask, cleanser, or cleaning oil, too. I keep one in the shower and love how much smoother it makes my skin.
Washable Cotton Pads
I was really excited when I saw this easy environmentally-friendly swap on Amazon for washable “cotton” rounds. You can use them for makeup remover, toner, nail polish, etc. The best part? They’re super, super soft and machine washable. You toss them in the little laundry baggie it comes with and toss it in the wash. So much better than wasting cotton pads daily!
I use the cute container they come in to store clean ones, and toss the dirty ones in the bag for washing! Super easy.
MASSAGER
One of the things I’m missing the most (but that’s literally the least important thing in the world) are my massages. Ever since I had brain surgery, I’ve had to keep on top of constant neck and shoulder tightness.
So I was so excited when my friend Evin told me about this neck and back massager she snagged on Amazon! It heats, does pretty deep massaging, and even has arm straps for you to be able to relax.
I think this is what I got the most DMs about on Instagram when I shared it the other day! Lol
TRIPOD FOR FILMING
I got this new tripod to film updated video lessons for my Ultimate Bundle program and DIY legal templates (each of my templates comes with a How-To Video Tutorial!). I love that it’s a bit sturdier/heavier than the plastic-y feeling one I got early on in my business. And I can also pop my 4K webcam on it (since it has a screw on top) and film videos from anywhere!
With any tripod, you want to check how much weight it can hold, whether it has the 3/4″ screw on top (to screw into your camera or accessories, like a webcam), and whether it also has a phone attachment.
People are always surprised to hear that I film 99% of my Instagram trainings, YouTube videos etc with my phone. But with the right setup, you really can easily get started with video.
So friends, those are my recent Amazon favorite finds! Have you gotten something you loved from Amazon recently? Drop it in the comments below! ?? I’d love to hear!
Tell me in the comments which one of these you’re going to check out! Hope you’ve been on the hunt for something like this. I know I always appreciate buying something more from someone who’s already tried it out ; )
Talk soon!
Note: This post contains affiliate links to Amazon products. As an Amazon Associate I can earn a small fee from qualifying purchases.
So What Do you think?