Elizabeth’s Best: 5 Little Upgrades That Make Everyday Life Better
I don't believe living your best life means constantly buying more things. In fact, sometimes the opposite is true. Less clutter. Less complication. Less stuff we bought because somebody on the internet convinced us we couldn't possibly live without it.
But every once in a while, I find a product that earns its place.
Maybe it makes the morning a little easier. Maybe it encourages me to drink more water, put down my phone, take a few minutes for myself, or finally enjoy the cup of coffee I poured an hour ago and forgot about. These aren't products that promise to change your life. They're simply things designed to make an ordinary part of life work a little better. That's what I want this version of Elizabeth's Best to be about.
So here are five finds I've chosen because each one addresses something most of us encounter in everyday life: sleep, hydration, reflection, relaxation, and, yes, perpetually cold coffee.
There is something slightly ridiculous about ending the day staring at a phone and then beginning the next one by immediately reaching for it again.
That's why the idea behind the Hatch Restore appeals to me. It's a bedside sleep-and-wake device designed around creating nighttime and morning routines without making your phone the centerpiece of either one. It combines a sunrise-style alarm with light and sound options that can become part of a wind-down and wake-up routine.
I particularly like the sunrise concept. Rather than going from completely asleep to an alarm screaming at you that apparently something terrible has happened at 6:30 in the morning, the light gradually introduces morning.
Why It Makes Life Better: Anything that helps create a little separation between us and our phones gets my attention. I like the idea of making the first and last few minutes of the day feel more intentional rather than immediately handing them over to notifications.
2. Ember Mug 2
This may be the most unnecessary necessary thing on my list.
If you're someone who pours a cup of coffee, gets distracted, comes back 45 minutes later and discovers that your wonderful hot coffee has become something vaguely resembling room-temperature sadness, meet the Ember Mug 2.
The temperature-control mug lets you select your preferred drinking temperature and then works to maintain it. The 14-ounce version can be set between 120°F and 145°F, and it can also sit on its charging coaster for extended use.
Do you need technology in your coffee cup? Probably not.
Do I completely understand why people love this thing? Absolutely.
Why It Makes Life Better: This is exactly what I mean by a little upgrade. It doesn't transform your existence. It fixes one tiny, annoying problem that happens over and over again. And I am very much in favor of hot coffee actually remaining hot.
There are approximately nine million reusable water bottles in the world at this point, so one has to do something pretty useful to make an Elizabeth's Best list.
The Owala FreeSip does.
Its clever feature is right in the name. The lid gives you two ways to drink: you can sip upright through the built-in straw or tilt the bottle and drink through the larger opening. The stainless-steel version is insulated, and the locking lid helps make it practical for carrying around. Current versions are available in several sizes and a frankly dangerous number of colors.
And this is one of those products where the popularity isn't difficult to understand. The 24-ounce FreeSip currently has thousands of reviews and very strong customer ratings across major retailers.
Why It Makes Life Better: Hydration is one of those basic things that's easy to neglect when we're busy. I like products that remove friction from something we already want to do. Fill it. Carry it. Sip it. Done.
We spend an extraordinary amount of time putting information into our heads. Sometimes it's nice to have somewhere to put some of it back out.
That's why I wanted something decidedly low-tech on this list.
The Papier Wellness Journal is an undated guided journal designed around reflection, intentions, habits and routines. I especially like that it's undated. Miss a day? Fine. Miss a week? Also fine. You don't open it to seven blank dated pages silently judging you for abandoning your new life-improvement program on January 11.
The journal uses prompts to encourage reflection and goal setting without requiring you to write your autobiography every evening.
Why It Makes Life Better: There is value in slowing down long enough to notice what's actually happening in your life. Writing something down can help us see patterns, recognize what's going well, identify what isn't, and become more intentional about what comes next. And unlike our phones, a journal isn't going to interrupt us halfway through a thought to tell us someone liked a photo.
This is definitely the splurge of the group.
Therabody's second-generation SmartGoggles combine blackout coverage with heat, compression massage and vibration around the eye and temple area. They're designed as a relaxation tool and for winding down, particularly after long periods spent looking at screens.
And perhaps that's why this product caught my attention. We spend an enormous amount of our lives looking at screens. Computer. Phone. Television. Back to the phone. Back to the computer. Sometimes we need an unmistakable signal that says: We're done now.
Put these on and you're certainly not checking email.
Why It Makes Life Better: I like the ritual as much as the technology. Creating a deliberate transition from doing to resting is something many of us could use more of. You don't need SmartGoggles to do that, of course, but if you love wellness gadgets and want a serious relaxation splurge, these are interesting.
The Best Things Don't Have to Be Life-Changing
That's actually the point of this list. We're surrounded by products promising to transform us. Sleep perfectly. Become more productive. Eliminate stress. Organize your entire existence. Reinvent yourself by Tuesday.
I'm not interested in promising you any of that.
I am interested in the little things that make everyday life more enjoyable, comfortable, intentional, or convenient. A cup of coffee that stays hot. A water bottle you actually carry. A journal that gets you away from a screen for a few minutes. A gentler way to begin the morning. A reason to close your eyes and stop doing for a while.
Our lives are made up of ordinary days. Anything that makes those ordinary days a little better can be worth sharing.
That's what Elizabeth's Best is all about.
Until next time, I'll keep looking for the good stuff so you don't have to.
With gratitude,
Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino
Elizabeth's Best
Five finds to help you live a little better. Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino personally selects products designed to make everyday life easier, calmer, healthier, more comfortable, or simply more enjoyable.
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