December is a popular time for bloggers to share favorites from the year. Today, I thought I’d get in on the action and gush about a few products I’ve found to be especially life-changing. I think any of these would make a fantastic gift, if you’re still looking for ideas, but they also get the Beth Berger stamp of approval as a doodad that has added value to my life in some way. Here we go…
1. Tom Bihn Synapse 19
I’ve talked about this backpack a lot on this blog, and for good reason. The design is absolutely genius and will keep everything you need to carry organized. It doesn’t matter if you’re flying somewhere for a weekend away or just heading to class, this bag is super fun to pack!
2. Staedtler Triplus Fineliner pens
Fine-tipped marker pens are my key to writing neat and fast. Plus, with all the colors these pens come in, it is super easy to create color-coded systems in my notebooks and planners.
3. Tangle Teezer hairbrush
Ok, seeing is believing with this bad boy. And I certainly didn’t trust the fuss before trying this hairbrush out for myself. I have long, fairly tangle-prone hair and with just a few swipes of the Tangle Teezer all my knots are taken care of. Witchcraft? Probably.
4. Instant Pot
I thought the crock-pot was a thing of beauty and convenience until I cooked beans…FROM DRY…in a matter of minutes with the instant pot.
- and steaming basket and silicone cover, too
If you really want to up your IP game, this steaming basket is how we make a protein and a veggie side in one fell swoop, and the cover is great for saving leftovers to reheat the next day!
5. 8-days-a-week planner
A to-do list is only half the battle for me. Once I’ve planned out everything I need to do for the day, I like to take it one step further and plug those to-do’s into a schedule. This planner has the whole day laid out in half hour increments which allows me to see where things can go. I love this puzzle approach.
6. Nomatic compression cube
I’ve tried a ton of packing cubes and this one is by far my favorite! Not only does it slot perfectly down into my Tom Bihn backpack, but the fact that it is two-sided gives me an extra level of organization.
7. Whirly board
This has been SUCH A FUN addition to my workouts over the last couple months. Not to mention a really fun way to get in an active break in the midst of my work day. I just peel myself away from my desk, hop on the board for a few minutes, and PLAY. Bonus: Makes me feel like a badass skater/snowboarder chick.
8. Mask brushes
I try to do a mask every Monday evening. (Set it and forget it self-care FTW!) When I started this ritual, I was just using my fingers to gloop on the masks…which is fine. But then I discovered mask brushes and it was a total game changer!
9. Minimalist wallet
Sometimes I just don’t have a need for a huge billfold and I want to slap a few cards together, throw them in my back pocket and GO. This is the wallet I use for those times. Plus, it even comes with a little spot to tuck a key! Love it.
Do you have any life-changing products you think I should check out? Leave ’em below!
Finding delight. 
Uhm, mask brushes?! Sold!!