Friday, January 5, 2024

Five on Friday - My Top Five Amazon Bestsellers of 2023

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Hey, y’all!  Happy first Friday of 2024!  Typically, I kick off the first Friday of each month with some goals, but since I haven’t recapped my 2023 goals for the year or posted my 2024 goals for the year, I couldn’t really delve into a January goals post just yet.  More to come on all of that next week!

In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to share my top five Amazon bestsellers of 2023!  As an Amazon Creator, they send me a nice little email summary at the end of each year sharing how many times readers clicked my links, how many items readers purchased from my links, my bestsellers from each month, and my overall best sellers from the year (among other stats). 

I LOVE quantifying and recapping all the things, so I thought it would be fun to share some of the stats here… specifically, my top five bestsellers from Amazon all year-long.

Before I get started, I thought I’d let y’all know that four of the five items are links from this blog post from FIVE years ago.  That’s right, my all-time most-viewed post ever is from 2018, and it is still generating a huge chunk of my Amazon income each month.  The last item in the post was a recent discovery, and probably my #1 favorite discovery of 2023.  Here's the summary from Amazon... (they only provided my Top 4 in the email, and I had to pull the data for the fifth item).



O N E – Iris USA 5-Pack Letter & Legal-Size Plastic Storage File Boxes

Coming it at #1 are the best file boxes of all-time.  They’re sturdy, they’re extra-long so you can fit tons of files, and they have a split-lid so you can open just half of it at a time.  They fit letter and legal-sized items making them the perfect boxes for storing old school papers, artwork, report cards, etc.  I have one of these for each child, and I am filling it with snippets of their artwork, schoolwork, report cards, and awards from every single year of their lives, and I’ll give it to them when they graduate.  I know this may not be for everyone (many of you like to trash everything and that’s ok, too!), but if you’re sentimental like we are, this is a great way to save only the best of the best, without getting bogged down and overloaded with too much, and it makes for the perfect keepsake for your child. 

These were, by far, my number one seller of the entire year, and they were literally my number one seller every single month of the entire year of 2023 (well, I don't have the data from December yet, but I'm to assume it was these.).  Look at this recap that Amazon sent to me.  Lol.


 
The price does fluctuate greatly for these depending on supply and demand, and right now they’re on the expensive side which leads me to believe that the supply must be low, (and demand is probably high since everyone is in New Year organization mode!) but I’ll go ahead and tell you that they are worth every single penny!  The reviews (and the fact that they were my number one seller all year) speak for themselves!


 

T W O – Hanging File Folders

If you’re going to organize file boxes, then you’re obviously going to need hanging file folders!  This listing on Amazon is great because you can choose from tons of different colors, and therefore, you can have a different color for each child. 

The folders are super sturdy, and they come in packs of 25 which gives you plenty for your child’s entire school career.  These were my #2 top seller of 2023, probably because people purchased them with the file boxes.  ;o)


 

T H R E E – Manila Folders

In the kids’ keepsake boxes, I divided several of the hanging folders into sections using these manila folders, and many of you decided to follow my method exactly, which means that… these were my #3 bestseller of 2023!


 

F O U R – Vinyl Labels

These vinyl labels were my #4 bestsellers for 2023, and I totally get why… they are PERFECT for labeling storage boxes because they stick on easily and stay on strong, but they can be peeled off cleanly should you decide you no longer need the label.  In addition to that, these are used with chalk markers, and the chalk markers wipe completely clean, so you can label and relabel as much as you need.  The exact labels that I purchased are currently unavailable, but check back frequently, as they are restocked periodically.  And if you want to get your hands on some right away, these are similar.


 

F I V E – Turmeric

I only just started taking this turmeric a few months ago, but it quickly climbed to my #5 bestseller of 2023, probably because of the ringing endorsement I gave it here on the blog.  I cannot say enough incredible things about turmeric.  It has made miraculous differences in my body these last few months and I’ll never go another day without taking it ever again.  Here is my original post about it in case you missed it:

Ohhhhh turmeric.  Where to even begin?  I am totally convinced that this supplement is a gift straight from heaven.  Of all of the supplements that I’ve started taking, turmeric has had the biggest impact on my overall health and wellness.  I’ve been taking it for seven weeks now, and when I say that it has made a huge difference in my life, I mean it.  By taking just one capsule a day, the inflammation in my body has decreased dramatically.

While some inflammation can be a good thing (it’s what helps our body heal from injury), too much inflammation can be a terrible thing causing pain in the body, chronic insomnia or fatigue, anxiety, depression, and other mood disorders, swelling, weight gain or weight loss, infections, and stomach irregularities like constipation and diarrhea.  Chronic inflammation in the body can even damage healthy cells, tissues, and organs that can eventually lead to cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases. 

For some reason I have been experiencing symptoms of chronic inflammation in my body for more than a decade, and my recent bloodwork most definitely reflected that.  I haven’t been able to pinpoint the cause, but until then, turmeric has become my best friend.

Some of the symptoms I have from inflammation are major swelling in my feet and ankles every single day, finger swelling (especially after a walk or run) – so bad sometimes that I can’t even twist my wedding bands around on my finger, let alone remove them – and my fingers are SO painful after a run, and the area around my c-section scar has always been puffy and swollen (from nine years ago).   

I also get lots of headaches (typically on the right side of my head), and I have a lot of pain in general, down the back of my head and neck, and also in my SI joint and my sacrum since they were damaged during childbirth 12 years ago.  My SI joint was bothering me so much earlier this summer that I was planning on getting another steroid shot.

Until I started taking the turmeric.

Since starting this magical supplement seven weeks ago, everything has improved… and I actually started seeing the benefits around the four-day mark of taking it.  Here are some of the things that have happened to me since I started taking it…

My feet and ankles no longer swell.  This first picture was taken at 7:36 PM on September 6… two days before I started taking the turmeric.  This is what my feet, toes, and ankles looked like every single day at the end of the day… and sometimes even at the beginning of the day.  So much swelling.  It literally looks like somebody took my ankle and blew it up like a rubber glove.  The skin is all smooth because it’s stretched so tight, and you can’t even see my ankle bone.  This has been my life nearly every single day for years.


This second picture was taken at 5:21 PM on September 21, almost two weeks after I started taking the turmeric.  I’m wearing the same jeans, the same shoes, and I’d had a similar day to the day I’d had when I snapped the picture above.  But look at the difference.  No swelling.  No smooth, tight skin.  And you can see my ankle bone.  It’s an actual normal-looking foot.


Here's the side-by-side so you can really see the difference:


Another benefit I’ve noticed is that my fingers no longer swell when I walk or run, and I now have zero pain in them after a workout.  Before, my fingers would swell so terribly that I couldn’t even twist my wedding rings on my finger, and now I can slip them right off immediately after a run.  In a way, this has actually become a problem.  Haha.  My fingers have shrunk so much that my wedding rings no longer fit… they are HUGE now and I’m going to have to get them resized because I’m worried my engagement ring is going to go flying off one of these days.  That has almost happened several times already.  Haha. 

In addition to that, my wrists have also shrunk.  I never even realized it, but apparently I had swelling there, too.  Since starting the turmeric, I have had to start wearing my Apple Watch band one notch tighter, and I can almost wear it two notches tighter.

My c-section scar is no longer puffy and swollen.  It just looks like a regular scar.

And my stomach has been flatter since I started taking the turmeric, too, so I’m assuming I was experiencing some kind of inflammation in my gut as well.

My SI joint has stopped hurting COMPLETELY (although, in full disclosure I’m also doing some additional stretching, so that could be part of it), but what a Godsend.  I have been able to walk and run with zero pain and I’m so glad that I won’t have to do the steroid shot again.

My headaches have also decreased significantly. 

Sounds too good to be true, I know.  I can barely believe it myself.   

This supplement has truly been a Godsend for me, and in addition to helping reduce inflammation, it has tons of other benefits without any negative side effects.  So, if you have high inflammation in your body, issues with swelling, pain with old injuries, headaches, or just any other random pain in general, I cannot recommend starting turmeric enough!  Turmeric is also supposed to be excellent for arthritis, digestive disorders, allergies, respiratory issues, and depression.  There are also studies that suggest it could help prevent cancer among other things.  It honestly sounds like a miracle supplement!

And if you’re still not convinced, check out this DM I received from a reader when I posted about it the first time…




Love it!

I use this Nature’s Bounty brand because it’s non-GMO and it’s free from artificial colors, flavors, artificial sweeteners, sugar, starch, milk, lactose, gluten, wheat, yeast, fish, and sodium.  I only take one capsule every morning with breakfast and that’s it.  It’s super affordable, and worth every single penny.  I will be taking this for the rest of my life.


 


Honorable Mentions

These pre-lit entryway Christmas trees came in at #6.

This viral car cleaning gel at #7.

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss at #8 (because of this blog post).

My favorite liquid eyeliner of all-time that I've been wearing for, probably, 15-20 years at #9 (because of this post).  It's only $3, y'all!!!!

And finally, this toilet pumice stone at #10.  Because it's amazing.


Friday Funnies






On the Blog This Week

 Happy New Year!

Our Week – The One with Christmas, Sleepovers, and New Year's Eve

What I Ordered from Amazon in December 2023

 

Happy Friday, y’all!  Our kids are still out of school through Monday, but we'll be back to regularly scheduled programming on Tuesday!

Happy Friday, y’all!  

*Linking up with A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites.


Wednesday, January 3, 2024

What I Ordered from Amazon in December 2023

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

December was yet another heavy month for Amazon orders because we wrapped up all of our Christmas shopping, and I also had to purchase items for the class basket for our school auction.


 

Heart Hands Taylor Swift Bracelet Holder

This was a purchase for Olivia for Christmas, and it was SUCH a success because she loves it!!  This sculpture is substantial, beautiful, and well-made, and it’s perfect for holding Olivia’s Taylor Swift friendship bracelets.  She is obsessed and so am I! 


 

Cheers Y’all Cocktail Napkins

These were purchased for the bar cart auction basket that I put together for seventh grade.  The words are gold foil, so they look extra fancy, and they’re so cute! 

 


Star Napkins

These were purchased for New Year’s Eve, and then I didn’t use them because I’d forgotten that I had a different style leftover from last year.  I’m keeping them on hand for future use, though… they’re gold foil as well, so they’re beautiful in person and they are the perfect addition to any bar cart, party, or gathering.

 


Flonase Sensimist

I use this every day because of my allergies, and it helps keep my nasal passages clear.  I haven’t had a stuffy nose since I started using this years ago.

 


String Light Replacement Bulbs

Incandescent bulbs are slowly getting phased out and replaced with LED lights (which I hate), so I wanted to make sure that I have tons of replacements for my string lights before they’re phased out, too.

 


The Bartender’s Manifesto

This was another purchase for the bar cart auction basket, and I couldn’t love it more!  This book is beautiful, well done, well organized, and it is filled with great cocktail recipe ideas.  It looks beautiful with the bar cart and accessories I chose.

 


Gold Bartender Set

Ok, y’all, of all of the things I purchased last month, I think this was my favorite.  This was another purchase for the bar cart auction basket, and it. is. stunning.  If you’re looking for a bartender kit, look no further than this one!!  It has every single thing you could need to mix up any cocktail – it’s 19 pieces – and the gold finish is such a showstopper.  The stand that comes with it holds every single item, and it spins 360 degrees making it easy to access all items.  This would be a wonderful gift for anyone who loves to mix drinks.  And if you’re not into gold, it comes in a couple of other finishes as well.

 


Amazon Gift Card

This was another Christmas gift purchase, and I chose this cute little Christmas envelope design.

 


Xyzal

This Xyzal is something else that I take every single day for my allergies, and I’ve found that it works better than all of the other daily allergy medications.  I’ve been taking it for years, and it was time for a refill!

 


Musical Light-Up Dance Mat

This was a purchase for my niece for Christmas.  It has five interactive modes, and it plays three different songs, and kids can dance along to the music.  It comes in three different colors, and it has excellent ratings.

 


Smarty Pants Women’s Multi-Vitamins

I’ve talked about these for years – I take them every single day – and it was time for a refill!  These are in my Amazon recaps pretty much every month since I take them daily!

 


Sussed Card Game

This was a last-minute purchase to put in Jacob’s stocking.  It’s a “What would I do?” card game for kids that’s thought-provoking and funny, and you can play it in just 15 minutes.  There are 110 cards, 200 questions, and 650 answers in each pack, and there are several different packs with different themes.  We chose the “hilarious everyday events” pack and I’ll have to get back to y’all after we’ve played it to let you know what we think.  The reviews are great, so I have high hopes!

 


Car Cleaning Gel

I had to buy this car cleaning gel for Brian’s stocking since everyone was raving about it so much these last few months.  We haven’t tried it out yet, but I’m hoping to soon… my Telluride needs a good cleaning inside and out!


 

Men’s Depends

My friend has been helping an elderly gentleman out recently since she found out he wasn’t receiving the care that he needed at the nursing home where he was living.  She asked if anyone was willing to provide some necessities to help him out, so I grabbed a pack of Depends and some jeans for him.

 


Do Not Disturb I’m Gaming Socks

This was a purchase for Jacob’s stocking, and he thought they were cool! 

 


Men’s Jeans

These are the jeans that I purchased for the elderly gentleman that my friend has been helping.  They are really good quality and extremely affordable. 

 


Women’s No-Show Socks

I’ve been in desperate need for some white no-show socks as all of mine are black.  I love my black ones from Amazon soooo much, but unfortunately, they are no longer listed, so I had to search for some new ones.  I purchased these and I’m hoping they’re as good as my other ones.  We’ll see soon!  They haven’t delivered yet because I chose the “slow shipping” option so I could get a $3 digital credit.  ;o)

 


One: Simple One-Pan Wonders by Jamie Oliver

This was a Christmas gift purchase for a friend who loves to cook and loves cookbooks.  This book provides over 120 recipes for tasty, easy, one-pan meals.  Each recipe has eight ingredients or fewer making cooking quick and easy, and since each meal only uses one pan, it makes cleanup a breeze.  I loved this book so much I’ve added it to my wish list, too!  It would make a great gift for a newly wedded couple or a busy family who needs quick and easy weeknight meals!

 


Do Not Disturb I’m Gaming Socks

These were another purchase for Jacob’s stocking.  He wears socks most of the time at home during the winter, so I thought he could use a couple of new pairs.


 


Marble Run

This purchase was for my nephew for Christmas, and I’m hoping he loves it as much as our kids do.  This is one of the top five played with toys of all-time for our kids.  They’ve had theirs for years and they still pull it out and build and play with it to this day.

 


Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney

In 2024, I’m really delving into my faith, and a friend highly recommended this book.  From Amazon: “God commands Christians to actively be holy, but what does that look like in daily life?  Don Whitley’s convicting insight on spiritual disciplines will challenge you to grow in new ways as a Christian…regardless of where you are in your Christian walk, this anniversary edition provides refreshing and profound encouragement for your spirit.”  I will, of course, report back and let y’all know what I think after I read it, but I’m convinced it’s going to be great based on the reviews on Amazon alone!

 


Turmeric

I’ve been raving about the benefits of turmeric for months now and it was time for a refill.  I will legit never go a day without taking this ever again, y’all.  If you want to see why, you can see my post about it here.

 


Gold Glitter Watch Band

This is my favorite watch band I’ve ever had, and I wear it 80% of the year.  My original one is starting to show a little bit of wear after several years, so I bought a backup to have when this one bites the dust.  It’s so affordable, too… just $6.99!

 




A Mess Made of Magic by Jessica Garvin

I absolutely adore Jessica Garvin… she is the very first influencer I ever followed on Instagram, and that was technically before she was even an influencer… really, it was before influencers even existed.  She recently wrote this children’s book, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen something made for Olivia more than this book is!  Olivia is our care-free, spontaneous child, and she doesn’t have an organized or tidy bone in her body.  But boy, is she joyful and whimsical and magical and all the other fun things that I am not.  Therefore, she and I are constantly butting heads about what is and is not acceptable when it comes to picking up after ourselves.  This book is about a little girl who has a messy room and a mom who is asking her to tidy up… literally Olivia’s and my life every. single. day.  And I’m hoping that this book will encourage her to learn to enjoy keeping her things a little more in order while also encouraging me to loosen up and find the magic in the mess.  <3   

 


Ed Sheeran Piano Sheet Music

This was another purchase for Jacob for Christmas, and he was so excited to receive it.  He sat down on Christmas day and learned the main chords for Shape of You almost immediately, and he also started tinkering with Supermarket Flowers.  *tear*  He and I both love Ed Sheeran so I’m looking forward to the day that he can play the songs in this book.

 


Happy Wednesday, y’all!

And if you want to see everything that I ordered in previous months, just check out the posts below!


*Linking up with The Other Side of the Road for Prime Purchases.