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In times of sorrow and boredom, thank god for one-click shopping. I kid, I kid, but only slightly. This year, this COVID-filled, uncertain, anxious year, I got great joy from shopping. The arrival of the delivery man was something I could safely anticipate in a year when everything I was looking forward to suddenly became impossible. Here, then, are the things I have bought and that brought me the most joy.

 

The practical

Welfare of Stray Dogs calendar: Yes, yes, time is an illusion and February was yesterday but we're going to have to go back to the world of dates and times soon enough. I loved my wall calendar for the photographs of rescue animals on each page, accompanied by a little story about how they got adopted. It's mostly dogs—boo—but there are a few cats also. They go up for sale every year around this time and all profits to a good cause.

 

Jockey face masks: At first I experimented with two-ply cotton masks in colourful fabrics, but for my money, the best masks I've seen and own are these. They come in a bag of two in different sizes, washable with adjustable ear pieces, a nose clip and seven layers of filters—including a HEPA layer which makes me feel slightly better about Delhi's polluted air. They're also pretty cheap, making me think it's a company CSR or something. Plus, because they're adjustable, I bought the large size for both my partner and myself and we can both wear them comfortably.

 

For the kitchen

String pull kitchen chopper: I was struck by how many times a day a person has to eat when we started doing all the cooking at home ourselves. I don't think I could've gotten through all that chopping and mincing if it wasn't for this little device, which was highly recommended by all the home cooks on this one Facebook group. Luckily, it was classified as an essential item. Unluckily, if you bang it on a counter or leave the lid immersed in water, it's somewhat fragile. But I still love it.

 

Smart Bin: All that plastic makes me feel guilty. So a couple of years ago, we got into at-home composting which is really easy. It also means we haven't had wet waste come out of our house for almost four years. The Smart Bin comes with instructions and bokashi powder, it's not at all intimidating once you begin.

 

ET by Kayal: An indulgent purchase, but one I use almost every day is this set of cast iron pans. I got the dosa tawa (because like a good South Indian I must have it for breakfast every morning) and also a cast-iron kadai—which we use for everything from pasta sauce to Indian food to popcorn.  

 

For your little furry friends

With three cats in the house, shedding like crazy all over the sofas, it's like I'm permanently covered in fur and dander. I saw a nifty little brush thing online and bought it on impulse, but it's been working out really well for us. It's the Petrice Double Sided Lint and Hair Remover, which comes with one big brush for your sofa and one tiny one for your clothes (which I use on bedsheets). It's like magic, but make sure to clean it out outdoors because it also picks up a lot of dust which will explode in a little cloud when you do the self-cleaning.

 

Related to the shedding, I also bought a little glove brush that fits over my hand and which works both to pet your cats (yay) and also to remove all the loose hair. They can't get enough of it, so that's a review that's endorsed by all three of my (extremely picky) animals.

 

For coziness

Mattress topper: One of our more expensive but most “worth it” purchases was a 3-inch topper for our bed. The five star feels alone make it impossible to leave it. I was waking up every morning feeling like I had been beaten and now that's gone, I sleep in a literal cloud.

 

Uniqlo slippers: I wanted some good looking and comfortable bedroom slippers, and was directed towards these. Mine are fleece lined and made of soft blue corduroy and my feet have never been this warm and snug, like little baby bunnies. (Be warned: the size chart is weird, so you'll have to guess.)

 

For well-being

Medito: At the risk of sounding like some sort of spiritual journey-seeking person, I have only just discovered how fun meditating is in the past month or so. And I try to meditate at least once a day. It really helps sort out my thoughts. I use this free app which is really good, and includes a new daily meditation and all sorts of courses. No ads, because it runs on donations, so it's clutter-free.

 

Phool incense: I bought some lovely incense from here for Diwali. I like them because a) they use recycled temple flowers; b) their smoke doesn't trigger off any of my one billion allergies; and c) for a product so reasonably priced, their packaging is immensely lux and beautiful, which also makes them perfect for gifts. Each box comes with an illustration of the woman who rolled it, which I think is fun. 
 

The World of Shakespeare: And finally, my partner and I have become heavily invested in this 1000 piece puzzle, which means we are no longer binge watching TV at night. Neither of us had done a jigsaw since our childhoods, but we “puzzle” (can that be used as a verb?) for four or five hours straight until our eyes are tired and our necks hurt. This puzzle itself is gorgeous, full of little details and packed with literary references so we have a great time figuring it out. So worth it.

 

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