My Favorites
Today I would like to tell you about some of my favorite most essential tools. I use these often on a daily basis. From electronics to pen and paper I will provide pros and cons on these items. I a'm not an expert but believe in these products all the same.
Garmin Vivofit II:
My favorite part of this watch is that I don't have to charge it. My Garmin is water resistant and discrete. I wear this watch at work, in the pool, at home and everywhere in between. Working as a PCA at a world renowned hospital I need to be business presentable and can't wear items that may interfere with my hands on work. I don't have to worry about taking it off or covering it if I need to assist a patient in the shower. The Garment works to help me track my steps and fitness. It is easily connected to the mobile app. I also am able to track my sleep hours with the Vivofit II. Another benefit of this device is that It won't break the bank. I have worn mine for the last 6+ years and have only changed the batteries twice. The only other replacement part is the wristband. The bands come in various colors and are easy to replace and interchange.
Watch: $200.00 - $300.00
Pens
This one is tough. As a stationary lover…. Obsession really. I don't know where to start with pen recommendations. So it needs to be a list.
For daily use of no particular task I recommend the paper mate inkjoy line. They are inky pens that are long lasting and easy to use. The grip experience is fair. I don't use these pens for extended periods. However, notes in a meeting - go for it. These pens come in various colors for decorating or color coding. A fair warning with these pens is that because they are a heavy ink they tend to be prone to smudging or blurring with highlighter use.
$1.00 - 2.00/ pc
Another daily use pen I enjoy is the pilot G2 pen. These pens flow across a page well. Ink dries well and stays usable in the pen for a long period. I do find occasionally I have a dab of ink from my previous writing session on the tip that hinders writing. However, pull this off and the pen works like new. These pens come in various sizes and are consistent across the board. I would recommend these pens for the office or student setting because they are sleek and business looking yet long lasting. They have minor smudging if any. G2s also have a nice grip provided so you can comfortably write for extended periods.
$1.00 - 2.00/ pc
I recommend Staedtler fine liner pens for artistic needs. These pens are ink filled and beautiful to use. The pens are made in a triangular form to make gripping them seamless. They rarely smudge and hold up well over time. I use these pens to write, plan and decorate in my bullet journal and for heavy outlining sessions. The only negative to these wonderful pens is that they can come at a higher price than most due to not often being sold individually. If you can I recommend this investment. These pens come in a rainbow of colors for all needs.
$1.00 - 2.00/ pc
Another pen that seems to be used in arts and crafts more often is gelly rolls. I have a collection of these gelly pens from muji. I like that they are affordable and come in packs of various sizes and colors. I use these for title making in my journals and often pair them with craft paper or washi tape. They write smoothly and stand the test of time. They definitely deserve of a spot on your wish list.
$1.30 - $2.00/ pc
Though these are not pens I use them in tandem often. I am speaking of the zebra mild liner highlighters of course. These vibrantly pigmented highlighters are dual tipped. One side is a flat headed nib for usual highlighting and underlining needs. The other is a fine tip marker of the same pigment. I use these everywhere; in my journal, to emphasize notes, highlighting textbooks and much more. These come in several individually themed packets or a large mixed pack. For this reason the price may vary.
$15.00 - Large pack 15 pc
Journal
I don't keep the traditional calendar or date book. Instead I keep a bullet journal. For this process my favorite notebook to utilize is the dotted A5 Leuchtturm 1917. I love this book because it holds my schedule, all my little notes and scrap papers together. Some benefits of this brand and size of notebook is that I can fit an A5 in my bag easily for on the go projects. I like the dotted version because I can draw relatively straight lines without the obtrusive box grids being visible among my writing. A low point I should mention is that this book does seem to ghost with some pens and is fairly expensive. I personally don't mind ghosting through my pages and love the book quality too much to switch. A well known alternative that is similar would be the Moleskin notebooks.
Leuchtturm 1917 - $20.00 - $35.00 Moleskin - $10.00 - $25.00
To learn more about bluet Journal visit this link.
see my bluet journal at
https://www.instagram.com/bujo_chaos/
Iphone 11
What can I say. Its my cell phone. I track my health using apps installed on it. I can view and edit my work schedule from it. I also have various social media accounts linked to this device. I utilize the photo app and camera on the daily.
I think my favorite part of this device is how much access to the world that it gives me from the palm of my hand. As someone who has loved ones across the globe it is nice to be able to send them a message at any time regardless of time differences. Depending on your storage capacity and service needs the price will vary. You can get a cellular plan with or without data as desired.
I have a monthly cellular and data plan through AT&T.
Iphone 11: $750.00 - $900.00
Foaming Facial Soap - Clinique
I grew up with strange skin. I have always bean prone to breakouts across my body for unknown reasons. I scar easily and take an absurdly long time to lose pigmentation around healed cuts and bruises. However, I was lucky and missed out on the acne train. I can count the pimples I have had in my life on one hand. My mom used Clinique products when I was young and when I needed to wash my face I would use her cleanser. That hasn't changed. I stick with what works.
This wash is gentle and soft without being drying to my skin. It never leaves behind a residue or sticky sensation on the skin. I don't have breakouts after using any product line from Clinique. While pricey I believe this to be worth it. I rinse my face in the mornings and use other products such as moisturizer or toner In the evening when I shower. I use my cleanser and follow up with another Clinique product to moisturize.
Foaming Facial Soap - $22.00 - $30.00
