2019 Purchases in Review (and One Hack)

I've showcased a few favorite purchases this year and wanted to revisit those posts and give an extended review now that I've had a period of time to fully use some of the household products.  I'm not including a review on the personal care items I purchased this year.  It is enough to say that they were all used up, so obviously they worked just fine.





The carpet sweeper.  LOVE this.  We often use it following a meal and it's light enough that the grandchildren love to volunteer to 'clean up' when I take it from the closet.  It's best for low pile rugs and doesn't seem to work as well on the tile floors but it's a whiz at getting the carpet clean.

These have done the job superbly.  I did not buy a 

name brand hermetically sealed bin but I've had zero issues with bugs in my packaged goods.  My only complaint is that in buying some of the larger bins, they have so much room to fill that I tend to overload them and then they are heavy to shift about.  I want to buy one or two more this year to add to my pantry so I can add a few things more to my storage.

These refrigerator drawer liners are awesome.  They wash and dry well and I still have the second packet I bought to use.  I have used everything over the years, from dishtowels to paper towels and even folded newspaper and brown paper bags but I like these best.  They absorb any mess that might occur with spoiled items and provide a barrier to keep other items from getting soaked.    I toss them in the washer and either hang or dry and put them right back in the drawer.  

This is the Warner's Blissful Benefits bra I bought in  January 2019 from Walmart.  I'm still wearing the ones that I purchased and have only  just recently moved  up to the third row of hooks on the band.  I still find them extremely comfortable and feel they are offering me the needed support.  I rotate mine in wearing them so each has time to air and then resume it's previous shape before the next wearing.   They wash well in the washing machine.  I've hung to dry and skipped the dryer.       I'll definitely purchase more of these sometime this spring.

Remember this hack to cut off the crown of African violets when they get the long neck?  I did it.  Result:

Just look at those beautiful blooms!  And this is the third or fourth set of blooms since I cut off it's head and repotted it! (silly picture is upside down)



This is one purchase I wish I hadn't made.  It works just fine but truth is I seldom have asparagus or cucumbers in the house.  I might well have used the $12 elsewhere.  Does it work?  Yes, it does.  It's not that it doesn't work but that I so seldom need to use it and so it wasn't the best bang for my buck on that account only.  2021 note:  I wish I were as smart as I think I am.  This will also work for storing broccoli, green beans, celery, etc.  It just took me a little while to catch on that I could break broccoli down into pieces and yes it works GREAT for storage and does all it ought to do to help extend life of vegetables.



We are still loving these clip on sunglasses.  Mine are still going strong  after 18 months.  You can find them in most any grocery, drugstore, etc.  I got mine at Walmart for about $15 which is a tremendous savings over the quoted price for bi-focal sunglasses.


My counter top toaster oven was one of my BEST ideas for saving energy and decreasing heat indoors over summer.   We use this little oven ALL OF THE TIME even now that it's cooler.  I've used it to bake cakes, make toast, bake casseroles, etc.  A pizza does not fit in the oven, my sole regret but then we seldom bake pizzas anyway.   It really helped reduce heat in the kitchen this summer and I think it's a good reason to NOT replace the toaster when it dies.  I am sure I saved far more than the $32 I spent at Walmart on this within the first month!

This Coir rug, $16 presently on Amazon,  is still bright and beautiful after a summer, fall and now winter on the front porch.  I hate that Coir tends to grab dog hair the way it does but the dogs have all decided that my chair cushions are much more comfortable and you can find River, Rufus and Misu regularly curled up there...sigh.  I admired this rug just yesterday as I came through the front door and thought how nice that it is still so pretty and vibrant.

This Keurig coffeemaker...$59 at Walmart.

And it's in my most favorite color of all.   My old coffeemaker only had the occasional glitch in setting the alarm but John knew I adored this color and he was more than ready for a new coffeemaker.  I was determined to wait until the old coffeemaker was dead but he insisted that this would be part of my Christmas this year and I easily gave in.

I love that one cup at a time is made.  I can't begin to tell you how often I had tossed coffee at the end of a morning or afternoon because what was in the pot was overcooked.  I wasn't sure, even with filling our own filters that the coffee would be less expensive than making a full pot but I can say easily three months later that we have saved money.  There's far less waste, and the coffee we make tastes better.

We bought these reusable filters from Amazon, which are made specifically to fit this model Keurig.  The current price is just over $10.  I think I got mine a little cheaper but not much.  We've used them over and over again and have had no problems with them fitting the Keurig at all.

And my last purchase for 2019, was an item chosen by John for me...

This 8 quart programmable crock pot.  I was researching rather patiently and planning to wait on purchasing but John was antsy for me to replace my crockpot.  I confess I missed it right away.

He chose a Crockpot brand crock pot from Bed Bath and Beyond.  I used a coupon code and sale price combined to purchase it for about $50.    I have been nothing but pleased with it.  I love the programmable timer. I think it cooks just a little bit hot but I do feel safe that food won't overcook or even burn as it did with one of the crockpots I've had in the past.

I love the larger capacity which makes cooking a roasting hen or a turkey breast entirely possible.  On average I use this crockpot three times a week, so it's earned it's place on my kitchen counter,

And that's my year of purchases in review.  I hope you find my review of these products helpful in making decisions about purchases for your own use.