For This House
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
Every Season. Every Space. All for Him.
Updated: November 18, 2024 | 6 min read
Originally Posted: November 18, 2023
Lauren Van Woerden, Emily Van Eps, Ally Veldhuisen
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means the creators of For This House may earn a commission if you click on the link and make a purchase.
November 18, 2023 | 6 min read
To keep in a vein of thankfulness, we thought we’d share some of our own favorite things that we’ve been gifted (or, admittedly, have bought for ourselves) that we thoroughly enjoy.
If you are the person who gave one of us one of these things, THANK YOU!
Get to know each of us just a little bit better too, to understand why these favorite things made the list.
A little about me and why these are my favorite things…
I make mostly natural choices and I LOVE a dual-purpose product that can replace two things I already own. Quality is more important than quantity to me, and sustainability is always on my mind, so I buy local whenever possible and thrift or buy used quite often. I like natural colors and beautiful textures. I have more of a sweet tooth than not, and I cannot drink a hot beverage until its just above lukewarm.
I have some friends from South Africa that introduced me to this delicacy. Rooibos tea is naturally caffeine-free, so it makes for a delicious evening treat.
If you haven’t ever had a “red latte” you’ll want to treat yourself to this, or enjoy with a friend:
Anthony’s Organic Red Rooibos Loose Leaf Tea
Find it on Amazon
I work from home 80% of the time, so I don’t need a mug that travels with me every single day. I love that I can use a dishwasher safe mug that’s not made from plastic and still keeps my coffee, tea, or cocoa warm a little longer when I forget about it halfway through the morning. (Anyone else??)
Yeti Rambler Mug with Lid
Find it on Amazon
Our family runs on an analog calendar, much as I love the digital calendar conveniences. We’re not to the stage of needing an entire wall yet for family scheduling, so this 18-month calendar has been a favorite for years now, and I just keep buying the same one!
January 2025 to June 2026, 17″ x 12″ Large Wall Calendar with Hanger
Find it on Amazon
I asked for this as a gift for my birthday a few years ago. My husband and I aren’t naturally intuitive gift givers so we’ve reached an agreement that we’re happy to let each other decide something lasting that would spark joy for us at whatever the given holiday or milestone is. Then we buy it together. This Bible was my choice since I wanted to get better at taking notes in church, and also have a desire to see those notes as those same passages come up. It’s (very) slowly filling up, but it’s a joy to go back through.
ESV Journaling Bible
Find it on Amazon
Having quick access to spices and oil options on your counter or in your cupboard without sifting through all the bottles is the only way to use all your options. Love how beautiful this one is for on the counter and how functional it is for in the cupboard with it’s adjustable height.
Lazy Susan Organizer
Find it on Amazon
Love being cozy warm outside AND inside? This has been my closet essential, and an easy way to add pockets (moms, IYKYK) to any outfit. Eddie Bauer is my go-to for affordable but quality outerwear items.
Eddie Bauer Women’s Microlight Down Vest
Find it on Amazon
I’ve been through a lot of natural mascaras, and this one has stood the test of time. My daily makeup routine is ALWAYS mascara, SOMETIMES the whole works, so having a great mascara that I trust around my precious eyes and that will last all day, AND that won’t break the bank is really important to me.
I’ve recommended it out to a few friends who have been along on the natural mascara journey too, and this brand seems to be the one we’ve all landed on on as a keeper.
ILIA Fullest Volumizing Mascara
Find it on Amazon
This power bank has been a staple for me for some time now. The neighborhood we live in is affected by a lot of power outages in the winter and spring and having this power bank charged up as a backup has been a God-send when our phones are at 7% as the lights go out.
I also find it useful for any sort of travel or on-the-go activities that bring you out of the house (or at least away from an outlet) for an extended period of time.
Anker Portable Charger
Find it on Amazon
I know I’m the one who’s written before about how we all need to be aware of the wifi and bluetooth waves we’re exposing ourselves and out littles to, but this is one risk I’m willing to take. The joy I’ve gotten from listening to audiobooks and even scripture whilst walking, folding laundry, doing dishes, driving with a kid napping in the car, etc is immeasurable.
I love my Airpods. I just have the 2nd generation ones seen here, but they’re all on a big Black Friday sale right now!
Apple Airpods
Find it on Amazon
I actually swear by my Norwex face or body cloths most of the time, but I received one from this brand as a gift and it’s a great backup for my travel bag. The nifty thing here is you don’t actually need any special detergent to care for these, so it’s a much more appropriate gift.
I feel good about the fact that I’m not using disposable wipes and chemicals on my face every day, and the microfiber literally feels so much better against your skin than the alternatives anyway.
Orighty Makeup Removing Cloths, 12-pack
Find it on Amazon
A little about me and why these are my favorite things…
I’m currently a stay-at-home mom with two littles—a 3-year-old and 5 5-month-old. My husband also works from home doing tech sales. Needless to say, our family spends A LOT of time at home, so we love anything that makes that home-life easier or more exciting.
My household is a good mix of natural products and, for lack of a better word, processed products. Ultimately, my budget makes the decisions for me, and in the economy we’re currently living in, that tends to mean whatever is the better bang for my buck.
Many of you may recognize this product from Christmas time last year–it went somewhat viral on social media around the holidays, touted as THE gift to give your girlies. Ironically I bought this as a gift for one of my sisters-in-law (it was on her list!), thinking it was just another viral beauty product everyone wanted.
Flash forward a few months, and I was searching for any remedy to help my incredibly dry, cracked lips (darn Colorado winters are SO DRY!). I decided to give this product a try, and I haven’t looked back. I put this on just before my head hits the pillow, and I’m able to go the entire following day without needing an ounce of chapstick to supplement. It’s seriously been my saving grace, even now that we’re living in a more humid state.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
Find it on Amazon
Once I became a mom, I started looking for a wallet that was small enough to toss into any bag I needed to take but large enough to hold all the necessary things (cash, cards, ID, etc.) and also had an easy way to carry it for those times when I was out on my own without a diaper bag to carry my wallet.
After working my way through a few different options, this one has been my absolute fave. I drive a keyless start vehicle, so I’m able to clip my key to the keychain on this wallet and just toss it in a bag or straight into the car.
COOLANS Wristlet for Women
Find it on Amazon
I bought this pan somewhat on a whim using a gift card I was given by a coworker, deciding to splurge a little bit on something I knew I would use all the time (usually, I buy the cheap $12 frying pans from HomeGoods and replace them when the coating starts to discolor or chip). But I can truly say that this was worth the splurge. It’s an everyday use for my family, and the fact that it has a lid that fits makes it that much more versatile. I’ve made everything from fried eggs to pasta to soup in this pan, and after a year of heavy use, it’s holding up really well!
Goodful All-in-One Pan
Find it on Amazon
Truly, you cannot go wrong with any of Jo’s cookbooks. I currently own them all, and while I haven’t made my way through all the recipes in each book (I cook, but not THAT much!), a few recipes in each book have become go-tos in my household.
Magnolia Table, Volume 3
Find it on Amazon
In case you’re interested in the first two as well:
Magnolia Table, Volume 2
Magnolia Table, Volume 1
Pretty recently we moved into a new space, and with that always comes the need to figure out new storage solutions (because the ones you bought for the last place somehow never end up working for the new place….). I bought one of these to go in our back coat closet in an attempt to create a sort of pantry space where I could put overflow food. I’ve been really happy so far with the sturdy design—I can put cans of food or other heavy pantry items into it without being concerned about it becoming misshapen or breaking.
ULG 1 Pack Over Door Organizer
Find it on Amazon
This vacuum was a must for my fam—my toddler always has a snack in the cupholder of her car seat, and often those snacks end up flung around the vehicle or smashed underneath her booty. We keep this guy stored in our car so we can periodically do a snack clean-up or car seat clean-out without having to line the car up for a full detailing.
Black+Decker Dustbuster
Find it on Amazon
Being an artsy person, I tend to lose focus in pages and pages of words. I found this kept happening when I was trying to read my Bible, and shortly thereafter, I was gifted this beautiful coloring Bible. Not only is the outside of the book beautifully covered in fabric, but scattered throughout the interior are small graphics meant for you to color mindfully. I love this Bible and am slowly working my way through it, adding color to both the graphics and words.
Beautiful Word Coloring Bible
Find it on Amazon
My child loves to be outside, and living in this new climate of the Pacific Northwest, there is a lot of rain to deal with. My toddler has a rain suit that we often put on, even when it’s not raining, mostly for the purpose of keeping her clothes clean. But she would get so frustrated when I didn’t want to take her outside to play when it was raining, despite the fact that she could put on her rain suit and be completely dry. So I used the money I was given for my birthday to purchase rain pants for myself, and I’m so glad I did. Knowing I have these to put on makes me 1,000% more likely to say yes to going outside to play and also significantly more likely to get down on the ground and play with her outside. Win-win for both of us!
Arctix Women’s River Rain Pant
Find it on Amazon
As a busy mom of two, I often don’t get to sit and drink my coffee from a regular mug while it’s still hot. Then I was gifted an ember mug, and let me tell you, GAME CHANGER. The cup itself comes with an app that you link the mug to, and you can set the temperature you want to keep your coffee heated to. This is something I never would have bought for myself, but I genuinely love it.
Ember Temperature Control Smart Mug
Find it on Amazon
Speaking of coffee….my husband and I splurged and gifted this setup to each other recently so we can make coffee-shop quality coffee at home (and hopefully save ourselves some money!). I knew we would use it a lot, but honestly didn’t realize quite how much of an addiction it would become… Not only do we use it daily, we will often use it multiple times a day. Let’s just say the caffeine intake in our house is a bit high!
Breville Bambino Espresso Machine
Find it on Amazon
Baratza Encore ESP Coffee Grinder
Find it on Amazon
A little about me and why these are my favorite things…
I am a SAHM, and I also work from home part time. My husband recently stepped from teaching into farming. We moved into our work-in-progress 1920’s home in early 2024 with our small but growing family. We are homebodies who work hard, play often, and enjoy life slow and simple.
I try to make natural choices, but tend to let the budget win over. A blend of function and fashion is important to me, and I value quality and sustainability. Before committing to a purchase, I often waver for a while – ensuring I’ve done proper research and bargain-hunting. I appreciate keeping my possessions to a minimum, but also love to collect cozy items that bring joy and gezellig to our home.
Funny, but I don’t even know who gifted me this item… if it was you, THANKS! I was sent a package of these by surprise through one of those “send a gift to a stranger” Instagram schemes that went around a few years back. This chapstick is effective, natural, and smells divine! Beauty By Earth has some other wonderful products, also, but this is by far my favorite!
Beauty By Earth Lip Balm
Find it on Amazon
If you’re looking to shop smaller, I also love this lip balm made by Ordinary Joy Mama.
Another water bottle? *insert eye roll here* Ha – who has heard (or felt) this before? I know I have! I can confirm, however, that this Owala bottle will stop your search for the perfect water bottle. My sisters and I all have one (or two) now, and we’ve used them for years! The straw setup is so convenient – no more tipping your bottle back – and the bottle is easy to keep clean, also. The plastic version is a bit lighter for carrying around, but the metal style will keep your water cold for hours and survive all of the times you drop it on the floor (which will be a lot less often because of the handy hook attached).
Owala Water Bottle
Find it on Amazon
These have been trending for a few years now, and I had been skeptical about the hype… but when one of my lovely sister-in-laws gifted me one for Christmas, I was quickly won over. There are so many uses for a 3-tier cart that it took me a month to commit to where it should stay! I use it most in our bathroom, but transferred it to my bedside when I was newly postpartum. A cart like this is such a versatile and functional gift for someone in your life who leans toward practicality.
Sywhitta 3-Tier Plastic Rolling Utility Cart
Find it on Amazon
I’m a huge advocate of Corelle dishes (so durable and easy), but there’s something about having “special” dishes to elevate even the simplest of meals. My sister-in-law gifted us these bowls for our wedding and they have made soup, salad, ice cream, and everything in between feel fancier than my Corelle bowls could ever dream of feeling. They have also been wonderful serving bowls for parties or special occasions, too. Surprisingly, they are just as durable as the rest of our dishware – I wish I had gone with this brand for more of my kitchen products!
Sweese Bowls
Find it on Amazon
In the spirit of minimizing the large countertop appliances in my arsenal when I got married, I opted to use my Instant Pot as my full-time crock pot, instead of buying a separate unit. I was really happy with this decision, but I missed the ambience of seeing the food cook through the glass lid of a slow cooker. Enter: the Instant Pot glass lid! I purchased this gift for myself and absolutely LOVE being able to ditch the bulky Instant Pot lid while using my Instant Pot as a slow cooker.
Instant Pot Tempered Glass Lid – 8 quart
Find it on Amazon
Okay, this one is a bit “niche”… but hands down one of my favorite gifts ever. Novelty cookbooks are something I would never buy for myself, but secretly really want on my shelf. My husband has caught onto this and has gifted me the Official Downton Abbey Cookbooks, complete with historical recipes, cinematic commentary, and more. I swoon over the photos and the recipes are wonderful as well. If you have a Downton fan in your life who enjoys cooking, baking, or reading, this is definitely the gift jackpot!
Downton Abbey Cookbooks
Find it on Amazon – Set | Original | Christmas | Afternoon Tea
I love candles. Who doesn’t? Okay… I’m sure a lot of people don’t. But when it comes to making a space cozy, a candle is the next best thing to a fireplace – especially if you light up a Woodwick Candle! Especially around the holidays, I always light a candle in the afternoon to cozy things up as the light begins to dim and I prepare for another dark, chilly evening. However, if you’re anything like me, you’re not always one to splurge on the candles you love most, which is why these make the best gifts!
Fraser Fir Thymes Candle
Find it on Amazon
Woodwick Candle
Find it on Amazon
Another favorite from the practical girlie in me is this hands-free bag opener. My mom gifted me this when I was still in college and I never used it then… but now I use it 24/7. Some of the best gifts are the ones that you grow into. If you preserve anything in your freezer or meal prep, these are a must have! Just adjust for the size of the bag that you’re filling, tuck the bag into the clips, and fill! The process is seamless – saving you time and mess.
TAO Cicada Baggy Rack
Find it on Amazon
Do you love feeling luxurious? I know I do – although my skincare product lineup would beg to differ. I struggle with finding beauty products and tend to just opt-out altogether, but these face oil samples, which were given to me a few years back, are such a wonderful way to spoil my skin without breaking the bank. It has also taught me more about what my skin needs, helping me seek out products that nourish my skin and help me achieve that “luxurious” relaxation in my normal routines.
iYURA Mini Face Oil Kit
Find it on Amazon
Something cute and versatile for the home that can also double as a great way to package smaller gifts. My sister-in-law gifted this to me and I’ve used it all over my house—to store books, toys, or fake plants and decor. This is a lovely addition to someone’s space, and maybe something they wouldn’t splurge on themselves.
Woven Indoor Planter Basket
Find it on Amazon
Giving thoughtful gifts can be intimidating, so we put this list together to help you identify some already-well-loved items getting used in our homes every day.