edition no. 10 - unnecessary necessities

replacements for the mundane to spark joy

it’s all about going beyond pure utility

1. metal shoe horn ($8 or $120) — standing in the store trying on a pair of real adult work shoes, i was kindly offered a shoe horn by a saleslady. the stiff loafers required the tool to slip them on and she let me know i could easily find a plastic one on amazon. walking out the store, i decided the simple shoe horn — a staple from my childhood that I remember my dad using every morning before work — is the perfect opportunity to bring a small moment of joy to my simple, rushed weekday mornings.

2. freja matching toiletry pouches (small, $98) (large, $108) — while technically a ziplock could just as easily and effectively carry my makeup and skincare back and forth between home and the gym, fresh toiletry pouches make getting ready fun. a hundred different pouches could satisfy this but I have specifically been drawn to these by freja, a new on the scene leather goods brand designed by jenny lei, one of my recent fav new follows.

3. studio lemstrom toilet paper holder ($69)— this effortless upgrade instantly transforms a basic bathroom while remaining completely renter-friendly. i’m also obsessed with studio lemstrom’s colorful hooks and paper towel holders — of course the dutch do it best

4. wooden pill organizer ($55) — elevating the mundane and sometimes dreary task of taking pills and vitamins, this wooden pill organizer from etsy even looks pretty sitting on your bedside table. you can even get it engraved!

5. striped italian toothbrush ($14) (i have it in blue) — probably not dentist approved, but i think we all need this, right? choosing design over utility in the purest sense

6. kinto water bottle ($17) — the first thing to truly inspire me to drink more water because i want to carry it around like an accessory. i love this lightweight, minimal, and brandies bottle by kinto, a chic homeware brand that i’d love to fully fill my kitchen one day. it comes in a variety of colors and sizes, but i personally love the 500ml in amber (i’ve repurchased it twice already)