xo

I'm Lisa Kirk, a wife, mama, writer, and founder. Since 2010, Something Pretty has been home to my favorite memories, reflections, and inspirations. Thanks so much for reading!

Six Recent Game-Changers

Lifestyle

I have a bit of a random post to share today! When I realized that Dave and I have almost literally been singing the praises of two new-to-us toddler products (both listed below), it got me thinking about the other things that have made a big, positive difference in my life lately. Let’s jump right in!

The best child locks: Our friends told us about these magnetic child locks, which we finally bought and installed on a few cabinets recently, now that we’ve been letting Charlie be alone in a room more often. We had put traditional child locks on our bathroom cabinets before redoing them, and here’s a little comparison: those took Dave an hour and a half to install, they left holes in our cabinets, and Charlie could still get the doors about an inch open. These locks, on the other hand, took TWO minutes to put on, are installed with Command strips, and keep the doors completely shut. Cannot recommend highly enough!

Studio Tone It Up: Last year, all my exercise revolved around running, which left me a little lost this year once I wanted to get back into strength training and other workouts. We belong to a gym, but honestly, I haven’t exercised there in months…I use it almost exclusively for the childcare when I need to catch up on work! I mentioned this a few Goals posts ago, but in January, I decided to sign up for Studio Tone It Up, and y’all, this is just what works for me. I used their workout videos daily a few years ago and am loving them just as much now, especially since the ability to schedule classes on the app helps keep me accountable. The classes are between 15-30 minutes long, and I have no problem putting on an episode of a show for Charlie if it means I get a workout in–I decided the pros outweigh the cons in that situation :)

Stila All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner – Micro-Tip: I took a little bit of an eyeliner hiatus over the last year or so, but have been using it more often lately. When, no surprise, my old eyeliner was dried up, I opted for this new (or, new since the last time I bought eyeliner!) micro-tip version. Especially if you prefer a more subtle eyeliner look, this micro-tip makes achieving that so much easier.

Hatch Baby Rest: When I asked for okay-to-wake clock recommendations on Instagram, this was the overwhelming favorite, so we decided to go ahead and splurge. It has bought us so much extra sleep, so we’re proclaiming it worth every penny! The biggest difference it has made is that if Charlie wakes up before his “wakeup time” (um, every day), he just rolls around in bed and waits for the clock to change color, instead of immediately calling for us and insisting it’s time to get out of bed.

Woven mules: I saw these mules at Target a few weeks ago and couldn’t get them out of my head, so I ordered my size online. I have worn them almost daily since they arrived! They’re one of those rare pairs of shoes that works with practically any outfit—they make a casual outfit feel more put-together (but not too dressy), but also look great with dresses. They gave me a tiny blister the first day I walked around a lot in them, but since then, have been very comfortable. Plus, you can’t beat the price!

Handy: Every once in a while, outsourcing our house deep cleaning is such a treat. Handy advertised on a podcast I listen to, and I was immediately intrigued. In the past, every time we wanted to get our house cleaned, hunting for the best value was such a headache that I often put it off until we just ended up cleaning ourselves. Handy allows you to book cleanings (as well as other services, like furniture assembly or home improvement projects) any day and time you want, and then they match you with a vetted and background-checked professional. Best of all, we haven’t signed up for a recurring plan (which is an option) in order to use it; instead, I signed up for their email list and keep an eye out for their regular $99 one-time clean sales.

What game-changers have you come across lately? I’d love to hear!

Some affiliate and referral links are used in this post, but nothing is sponsored!

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  1. Mary says:

    I’m very interested in pretty much all of these things…especially clock and the shoes! My feet have been so uncomfortable on days when I’m on my feet a lot. We also recently moved G and J into one room and it’s been a success, just would not mind having more sleep some days! Was there an adjustment period getting him to follow it?

    • Lisa says:

      Honestly, not really! We repeat the “rules” to him (we say “blue means go back to sleep, yellow means wake up”) every night and he has been very into it. There have been a few times, especially after naps, when he has woken up earlier than the timer and started crying. When that happens, if it’s way too early, I’ll go tuck him back in and gently tell him to go back to sleep and call me when the clock turns yellow. If it’s close enough to his wakeup time, I just change the clock’s color manually on my phone (a big perk of this clock versus simpler ones) and then go get him when he notices it and calls me. I think that consistency has helped–I don’t think we have ever gotten him out of bed when the clock was on the “go back to sleep” color.

  2. Mary says:

    Loved this post and the variety of child/beauty/fashion products. Thank you :)

  3. Tricia says:

    Thanks for sharing!! I am in the market for cabinet child locks so this is so helpful!

  4. Em says:

    Not a game-changer, per say, but I have to say I have been loving Nancy’s podcast these last few weeks! Short, sweet, and I’ve had several impactful takeaways.

  5. Shannon says:

    We have the magnetic cabinet locks and they are the absolute best! Just don’t lose the magnet, and especially in the kitchen be careful to always put the magnet back where it goes. One time I set it down on the counter while cooking dinner, didn’t realize it had attached to the cookie sheet I was using and then I accidentally baked it. Melted plastic everywhere ????

  6. Mary says:

    I thought of one real game changer – ordering and picking up groceries. So helpful for me in so many ways! ????

    • Lisa says:

      Oh my gosh, YES! We just started using Shipt and I totally should’ve included that on this list!

  7. Dana says:

    I also could not get those mules out of my head!! I tried them on, put them back, saw them on a girl in Madewell, tried them on, put them back, saw a buy one get one 50% off at Target and finally bought them! I love how I feel like I’m going on a picnic all the time!

    • Lisa says:

      They sat in my cart for weeks and then I bought them during the same sale! We should’ve coordinated…though I just bought another pair to get the 50% off :P

      • Dana says:

        I returned a pair of shoes I had bought the week before and rebought them. Ian thought I was crazy.

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