My shopping addiction has been well documented over the years on this blog, as were my failed attempts at a no buy. I've succeeded in no buy months but I've never really kicked the shopping habit altogether. 

As I've gotten older, my shopping has definitely improved. I'm less impulsive, I don't feel the need to buy something every single day, and I can let things sit in my cart for a while before I buy them. However, over the past year, I've seen the error of my ways. 

This past year there was an adorable house for sale in my neighborhood. It was literally picture perfect for me and it was a reasonable price. I of course, didn't have the funds for a down payment. It was at that moment, at 31 years old, where I realized how much money I have wasted over the past ten years that I've been working.

I have thrown money away, lit it on fire, for the sake of a dopamine rush that lasted until the shipping box was thrown away. It's embarrassing and it's irritating; I've gotten mad at myself for my shopping problem before but this one lasted a little bit longer than usual.

This year was the year I was going to stop shopping, but of course, that didn't happen. I do think I made some improvements -- I didn't spend as frivolously or impulsively as I have in previous years. I was a little more wise with where my dollar was going and with what was coming into my house. 

This might go down as the year where I came to the realization that I do not need as much as I think I do. It was the year where the big purchases I made, made an impact. 

It sounds so much more poetic and deep than what it actually is but it's true. The items on this list, while not a comprehensive catalog of everything I spent money on in 2024, are items that I loved and truly used on a consistent basis. 

Let's get into it, shall we? 

Happy December! How is it the end of the year? How is 2025 around the corner? This might be the fastest year on record. What's really confusing me is how is it going to be the 5 year anniversary of the beginning of the pandemic? This is so deeply concerning that I can't seem to wrap my head around it. 

November was a great month; I felt super clear, present and empowered. It felt like I was waking up from a very long nap, which is such an interesting feeling that I can't really put it into words.

This month was really focused on getting back to a routine, doing things that made me feel good and finally accomplishing items on my to-do list that I've been putting off for a while. And all of that comes to fruition in my November favorites.

 I've felt like a hot mess for most of this year and I'm not really sure why. If anything, I was more established in my person, in my home, in my job, than ever before and I did a lot this year, so I'm not sure why the past 330 days have felt so chaotic.

It could be that because I was so settled, so sure of myself, and experiencing new things, it felt unsettling. Maybe I wasn't used to feeling so normal that it caused me to feel abnormal.

All of that being said, it got me thinking what do you get the girl who is turning over a new leaf, who is coming into her own and getting her shit together? I present to you now, that gift guide!

Every year Black Friday is starting sooner and sooner; at first it was just the Friday after Thanksgiving, then it was Thanksgiving night, then it was the entire week before and now it seems like the sales started on November 1st, or even before Halloween this year.

However, if you're a savvy shopper you know that sometimes the deals are better on actual Black Friday than before, but I think this year might be the exception because Thanksgiving is so late. The shopping season is cut off by at least a week since Black Friday is November 29th, so most retailers Black Friday sales started last week.

In addition to sales getting earlier and earlier, they've also gotten smaller; the percentage off is not as strong as they have been in the past but if you know the retailer to look at, you might find some gems.

I wanted to round up some of the sales I'm going to be shopping, mostly for gifts, but maybe for one or two items for myself. 

I'll update this post throughout the week with more deals as they come out but wanted to get some picks out there before the shopping really picked up! 

Growing up Catholic, Advent Calendars were a big part of the Christmas season for me. The importance of Advent was always stressed to us and I have so many memories of crossing days off calendars, moving felt pieces from one day to another or opening little cardboard doors and finding a chocolate behind it. 

Once I got older, the magic of Advent dwindled a bit until a few years ago when capitalism popped off and started producing adult advent calendars for every niche interest out there. Now, in 2024 you could count down to Christmas through a variety of ways, whether it's with beauty products, tea, socks, baking supplies or jewelry.

For years I would treat myself to the Sugarfina Advent Calendar and then I upgraded to the Olive & June one, which I still think is one of the best on the market. This year though, I'm looking to change things up a bit. I don't want a super expensive one that is just a bunch of stuff I don't need...I'm really trying to cut down on the unnecessary items in my life. Choosing which Advent Calendar to buy is going to be a real test for me. 

After hunting around the internet, I've rounded up the best Advent Calendars; ones that I think are super fun, a great value, or offer something really special & different.

 October was gone in a flash and I don't know how I feel about it. I was so busy this month that I don't think I was fully able to relish in the best '-ber' month of all. I did some fall things, like watch Hocus Pocus every single day (including when on three plane rides),  I hosted my friends for our annual fall girls night, baked fall cookies and used all my fall themed items, like Pumpkin Spice hand sanitizer and my Hocus Pocus Stoney Clover pouch.

The weather in New York agreed with the calendar changing and we had some decent fall weather. I think only a few days over the last few weeks were hot, making it feel like August instead of October so I'll take it! Before the month is over, I plan to bake some pumpkin bread and indulge in a few more fall scented candles.

October was a fun, busy month as I've mentioned 100 times over the course of the last few blog posts. I started it off in California for a work trip, my sister got engaged, I had countless family parties from birthdays, baptisms, and weddings. I went to Florida, saw Taylor Swift in concert, and had fun with friends. It really was one of the most exciting months I've had in a while and truthfully, it all went swimmingly. 

I didn't have any anxiety freak outs related to travel or being busy; in fact, it was the opposite. I found myself feeling oddly calm with a packed calendar which makes me think that I need to be doing more things to feel calmer. What an odd feeling! 

My shopping was at a minimum in October which is always a positive but that doesn't mean I don't have some new favorites to add to my list.

Let's get into it! 

 September passed by in the blink of an eye as did the entire year. I cannot believe we're in October and weirdly enough, it feels like it's almost over. September was pretty good; it was chaotic and messy, it was busy and fun and I know October is going to be exactly the same...it already is.

Last weekend after I got home from my trip to California for work, I embarked on one of the busiest weekends I've ever had; from engagement dinners to sweet 16s and baptisms, I stayed very busy and it was actually a lot of fun. I didn't have time to think about how tired I was or nervous about having enough down time to decompress. The more I kept moving, the better it felt which is a good lesson for me.

September was a good favorites month too; I had a lot of new items, some rediscovered favorites and I think October will probably be even better. 

Taylor Swift is usually right but she was in her bag when she said 'august slipped away like a bottle of wine..." I cannot believe we're already in September! I'm feeling indifferent about it because I enjoyed this summer and I don't feel like I'm ready to embrace fall just yet. 

That is very unusual for me, which is giving me massive pause. Not being excited for fall is just another way I've realized that I haven't been myself lately. However, the chill in the air, pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks, and the onslaught of fall content I'm getting served on TikTok might just be the ticket to getting me back on board the fall train.

August was interesting; I found my way back to myself a bit, got organized and started falling back into a routine. I think that'll just get better with the change of seasons. This month, I implemented new habits, returned to some old ones and rediscovered some old favorite items.

We're officially nearing the end of summer and I'm feeling some type of way about it. I'm not necessarily excited or sad, I'm indifferent. I've had a decent summer -- lots of fun plans, time outside, some swimming and lots of change in terms of my mom moving. 

She now has a backyard in her new house so it's fun to be able to take the sun, sit outside and just feel like I have somewhere else to go. It really has been a positive change for me and I'm grateful. I've needed some positive change for my mental health and July was a pivot month for me. I've felt lighter, more centered, and just all around better.

In July I tried to do a no-buy month; I didn't necessarily fail or succeed, it was somewhere in the middle. I wanted to do less impulse spending, which I did, and not waste money on things I didn't need, which I did. I bought a few things but for the most part, stayed clear of frivolous spending. 

I'm hoping to keep that promise to myself throughout August as well. We'll see!

As for the month of July, I definitely had some favorite items from beauty to handbags and more.

 I apologize for two sale posts in a row but it's that weird time of the year where there are a lot of sales happening at the same time. I usually only post Amazon Prime Day deals on my Instagram page but after making over 250 Amazon purchases in the past year (that's not just me -- but my sister and my mom too; still, it's a lot!) I feel like I have a stronger grasp on what Amazon products are worth it.

The thing that irritates me about Prime Day is that not all the deals are always up front. Amazon will jack up some of the prices before Prime Day to make the discount seem better, or the discount will not be as good as you'd expect it to be. 

All of that being said, I still think some of the deals are good and are worth looking into! 

May felt like it was both 5 minutes and 5 months long. I started it off with flying back from my first London trip and ended with a nice, relaxing Memorial Day Weekend. It was a really great month with some hiccups but overall, it was relaxing and felt like a fresh start. There was just something in the air that felt like starting over. 

As we move into June, I'm looking forward to more relaxing, some social events and just overall positive vibes.

For now, let's get into my monthly favorites. I didn't shop too much this month so I've been re-discovering some old favorites from the depths of my belongings.

I've been dreaming of London for as long as I could remember. I grew up in a house that loved Princess Diana and when William & Kate got engaged in 2010, I was hooked. From that moment on my love of England and all things British was solidified in the stars. 

I had never been to Europe but I always knew I wanted my first trip overseas to be to London; there was something pulling me there and I needed to see it. I wasn't sure when my first trip would be but as I got older and started to become more financially stable, I knew it was coming soon. 

Last summer, my sister and her boyfriend started to plan their annual European trip and my sister wanted to go to London, but she didn't want to go without me. I joined them in their planning, they invited her boyfriend's sister as well, and soon enough all of our flights and hotels were booked. 

As every month, week, and day got closer to the trip it didn't even feel real. I had my usual travel anxiety (another post for another day), but it didn't feel like it was happening. It still doesn't feel like it happened. 

We took a red eye from New York to London... left on Friday night and got there Saturday morning and it was as if I had been there a hundred times before. It felt so incredibly natural to be standing in front of Buckingham Palace, to hear British accents, to know the areas of London we were going too. 

It was like I had been there before; it was like an out of body experience that I really can't explain. 

The city is so full of history, so full of life... it was like being in Manhattan just cleaner, prettier and with better traffic. I loved it so much and I want to go back immediately. It's the one place besides New York I could see myself living. 

All of that being said, I wanted to do a little travel guide and point out the things we did, how we did them and any tips I learned along the way. We were only there for five days, four nights, so it was short and there were things we didn't do but we packed a lot into those days. 

 I cannot believe we're already in May. It feels like January was yesterday and time is just going by too quickly. April felt like a pivotal point for me, I don't know why though. There was something about that it was both unsettling and freeing at the same time. 

It was almost like I could feel myself changing; things that I once loved started to no longer bring me joy; things that I used to dislike felt more like me and I could almost feel my DNA changing. Or maybe I'm just depressed? Who knows at this point! It could've been a little bit of both.

April was busy; bridal showers, weddings, birthdays, hectic work schedules, my first European trip, and a few home changes. It was intense, fun, and a little overwhelming. I think May will be better, calmer, and hopefully just as fun and we'll welcome in the summer with open arms. 

My shopping has been off the charts in April thanks to the Sephora sale and my London trip so there were lots of new things to fall in love with and put on this list. 

How in God's name is it April already? March feels like it started off slow but then picked up as soon as the 2nd week hit. Like March 1st feels so long ago but March 11th feels like it was yesterday. Time just moves so fast as I get older and it's very scary.

This month was an off one for me; I had a lot of great days but a lot of bad days too, and I'm working on accepting both of them. I'm working on reminding myself that just because I have a bad day, it doesn't mean I can't have a good day. Progress is still progress. 

Also during March, I feel like I went through a little bit of an identity crisis. I feel like I have so many interests and I don't know where to put all that energy. I've had this blog for almost 12 years, and I think over the years it's gotten more beauty, book, and fashion focused vs personal, career, lifestyle. Because of that, I feel like my creative writing, in terms of personal/think piece format doesn't have a place to go. I started a Substack last year that was centered on pop culture, because that's also a really big interest of mine but how do I combine everything? 

I don't want to lose my blog but I want a place that I can write different things... so I merged my substack to be almost like a second blog. For now, it's spilt up between pop culture and 'thoughts & personal essays' which will be where I share more long winded, personal feelings and thoughts about things happening both in society, and inside my brain. Please go support my writing over there! 

Now, let's dive into my favorite products from March!

After 8 months in my apartment, I finally feel completely settled in. Every part of it feels finished (aside from one corner that I cannot figure out what to do with), and I owe a lot of those finishing touches to Amazon. 

When it comes to home decor, I'm not the most consistent. I like what I like and I sort of just throw everything together. Sometimes things flow, sometimes they don't. I don't know what aesthetic of home decor I love the most. I know what I don't like or what I didn't want: farmhouse, minimalism, all grey everything. I wanted pink, and glam but not overly girl or busy. 

It wasn't until the past month or so that I settled on an aesthetic and it's what I like to call vintage glam. It's gold accents, bows, arches, and tiny details. I don't know what I like until I see it and as I acquired the last few pieces, everything fell into place. 

I did a post a while ago about my apartment and where I got my furniture, etc, and most of it came from Wayfair, but a lot of the smaller details came from Amazon, as well as a few necessities that make things so much better. That's exactly what inspired this post... and at the end, I'll include some decor pieces I have my eye on to really make the vintage glam aesthetic pop. 

In the past few months, I've been obsessed with getting a good night's sleep. One day it just hit me that I am a much better version of myself when I get enough sleep, but also good sleep. Since then it's become my mission to figure out how I can feel recharged and rested overnight. 

I am not the easiest sleeper and it varies from night to night; I toss and turn to fall asleep, I wake up in the middle of the night, and even if I do sleep through the night, it's not always of high quality. Thanks to my Oura Ring, I am able to see my heart rate through the night, and if I was actually getting restful sleep. 

All of this being said, I've been trying many different products and routines to achieve that perfect night's sleep, and I think I cracked the code. This seems incredibly extensive and it is but it works for me. I don't do all of these every night, nor do I always do them together but either way, they improve my quality of sleep on some level. 

February felt like a slow, easy month and I'm so grateful for that. I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to and my habits fell to the wayside, so that was a loss but I'm determined to make March better. 

In February, I wanted to write more, work out more, shop less but none of that happened. I barely wrote, worked out only a few times, and shopped till I dropped. March will be different and since we're three days in, I can hardly tell it'll be better. 

For years I've struggled with consistency; I can't seem to stick to a routine, or follow through on the things I want to accomplish. I feel like I'm constantly going through the motions without actually moving forward on my goals and dreams. I was committed to making 2024 the year I left that all behind and while January was a good push, I need to find that momentum again. 

On the bright side, I loved a lot of things in February so let's get into it!

In December 2023 I decided that 2024 was going to be the year of low buys. I've attempted this in the past and failed miserably at it, but I was determined to make it work this time. I felt a little more in control, a little smarter and a little more serious in my commitment to a no buy because I was kind of already doing it. 

My impulse spending had been on the decrease for at least a year and I had a clearer vision of what I wanted my life to be like. I think what also helped was that when I moved into my own apartment over the summer I was very aware of how much stuff I actually did have. It was overwhelming to look at all my belongings every single day and feel like the walls were closing in on me. I had too much stuff and my urge to shop wasn't as strong as it used to be.

After watching a lot of different videos on TikTok about other people doing no buys, I decided to make a list of rules for myself and then create my own TIkTok about it. I wanted it out in the public, my voice saying those words to hold me accountable. I also told everyone in my life I was doing one so I would be embarrassed if I failed.

January was 400 days long but honestly, I'll take it. Far too often I start these monthly favorite posts saying that the month flew by so I'm really happy that life took it's time over the past 31 days. I have to say, January was pretty good. It was normal, nothing out of the ordinary (which is always welcome) and I started it off on the right foot.

I'll be writing more about this in the coming weeks but I did a no buy January so I did not buy anything frivolous this month. It felt really good but was also really difficult at times; I'll definitely be doing it again and each month I think I'll make a new set of rules for myself to abide by. 

Because January was a no buy month, I was able to be more intentional with the items I already own and discover some new (and old) favorites.