Things that make my life better

AKA my ultimate 'life favourites' list

Hello, I’m Molly, a full time creator based in the Scottish Highlands. Subscribers can enjoy weekly posts around the themes of slow living, thriving in a creative career, books & nature. Members get access to ALL my content, including video tea times, slow letters and seasonal book reviews.

Curious? Click subscribe and lets get started…

My relationship with ‘things’ has changed drastically throughout my life.

I’ve gone from being a child/teenager who loved to collect things (magnets, gemstones, random nature debris) to a student with constantly overflowing chest of draws (packed out from weekly visits to Primark), to someone who spent a year owning only two pairs of shoes (during my most ‘minimal phase’) to now, being an adult of 32 years old, I’m finally channelling my inner goldilocks, with my number of possessions feeling ‘just right’.

After much trial and error, I’ve learnt to recognise what adds value to my life and be comfortable in owning more items than is strictly necessary.

So, these are a random assortment of things that make my life that little bit better*…

(Links have been added where possible…)

Home

• Bed linen - I treated myself to my first set of fully linen bedclothes from Piglet in Bed when I turned 30 (much helped by generous donations from friends) and I haven’t looked back since. I now feel like I’m sleeping in a hotel every night and, for me, there is nothing that lifts a room quite as much as beautiful bedding.

• Table lamp - admittedly I had hoped this lamp would be bright enough to read by (it wasn’t) but I’ve found that I enjoy this soft lighting over our harsher overhead spotlights, especially if I’m working on a dull morning or getting ready for bed (my office also happens to be my bedroom - Tiny Home life!)

• Beautiful mugs - my collection of mugs brings me an immense amount of joy. As our home has essentially zero ornaments, we’ve chosen to have these on display (hanging on these equally beautiful hooks) and they now act as part of our kitchen décor. I love how much character they bring to the space, and you’d be surprised by how many we go through in a day!

• NutriBullet - after making do with budget blenders (or no blender at all) for years, getting an upgrade really made a massive difference. Having a high-powered blender means that I can easily whip up things like smoothies, but also dressings and sauces, making it far easier for me to pack my diet with yummy wholefoods. (I also love that this one doesn’t take up too much space, which is an essential for our Tiny Kitchen!)

• Bento box - buying this bento box has meant I more likely to make my preferred nourish bowl lunches when on the go, which is far yummier and more nourishing than my typical marmite sandwich.

• Drink thermos - I’m a big Hydroflask fan. Not only do they look pretty but they keep drinks super warm and means that I can make a take-out coffee last for hours (which I often do as I’m easily distracted!).

• Pet hair remover - sharing a Tiny Home with a very fluffy collie means that this has been a lifesaver as its surprisingly effective when it comes to getting hair off our sofa (far better than our hoover anyway).

Wardrobe

• Walking boots - I’m now on my second pair of vegan walking boots from Wills Vegan Store and they are still the best boots I’ve tried (vegan or otherwise). Having comfortable and robust footwear really is essential for me as I’m out walking every day in all weathers!

• Sustainable activewear - I recently stocked my wardrobe with some pieces from Organic Basic’s new activewear collection (part gifted, part bought) and its made working out far more pleasurable. (Discount code MOLLYACTIVE10 should still get you 10% off sitewide).

• Thrifted fleeces - fleeces are realistically the most practical layer for me living in the cold Scottish Highlands. They can be worn about the house, out on dog walks and, with a little bit of dressing up, to a coffee date with a friend. And best of all, they are an ideal item to thrift and I’ve managed to get all of my current collection second hand.

• Cosy slippers -a gift from my partner (this one was on request), I love my Passenger slippers and wear them pretty much all year round!

• High quality make up - I’m privileged to work with the minimalist beauty brand Merit, which now means I have a capsule make up collection (after going essentially without for a long time!), all of which is vegan/cruelty free and wonderful quality. I still go make up free most days, but do love the dopamine hit from applying a touch of lippie now and again.

Hobbies

• Books - despite the fact that I read 50+ books a year, my collection is relatively modest, largely helped by the fact that much of my reading comes from the library. I generally prefer to keep books that I would like to read again, or at least reference, and try and keep my physical TBR (to be read) stack in check! I also use them as part of our décor, especially my more beautiful editions.

• Yoga mat - this is still the best present my partner ever gave me. Having a beautiful and comfortable mat just elevates my practise and means I can more easily move my body at home, which I much prefer to attending gyms.

• Journals - as I wrote in this post, I work best if I have a mix of journals that I can use for different purposes e.g., writing, sketching, painting etc. Many of my current collection have come from my mum, as she makes and sells these on her Etsy store.

Other

• Pacmat - my trusty pacmat is lightweight enough that it can easily be carried in a rucksack and makes outdoor eating/drinking that bit more comfortable. Its also waterproof and easy to wash which is a bonus as Skye also likes it!

• Blackout eye mask - this was my alternative to buying blinds for the Tiny Home loft. Far cheaper and I now take it with me everywhere!

• Teddy bear - I’ve had my current teddy (named ‘Big bear’) since I was born and he’s really the only sentimental item I own. I can’t imagine ever parting with him.

---

Of course, this list will change over time, so only serves as a snapshot of where I am in my life right now.

Until next week,

Molly xx

More from my slow life

My ultimate guide to building a thrifted wardrobe

Tour of my tiny writer’s desk

What frugal living ACTUALLY looks like

(This post contains affiliate links)