15 Things Our Shopping Editors Bought For Themselves In January

"I've been on the hunt for a discreet shoe rack with a low profile for a while now, and finally landed on this one from Yamakazi. It's super lightweight and can easily be tucked away and out of view. I keep it right near the front door so I can slip in and out of my shoes without making a mess of the entryway. I love that it keeps my shoes organized and clean and isn't an eyesore." — Lourdes Uribe, senior shopping writer

"You can argue about your Miracle Whip, Hellmann’s and Duke’s mayonnaise all you want, but for me, Kewpie mayo will always reign supreme. This timeless condiment is a Japanese staple and has a creamier texture than American mayo and a taste that’s slightly eggy, but balanced by a pleasant tang. My favorite way to use this is for preparing an unctuous helping of egg salad or generously spread on bread for a simple tomato sandwich." — Tessa Flores, shopping writer

"In an attempt to maximize the freshness on my rather expensive groceries, I ordered these stainless steel clips for my chips, frozen foods and other snacks. In the past, I used plastic bag clips, which never seemed to be sturdy enough to keep bags of thicker or stiffer material closed all the way. These steel ones are the real deal and provide enough clamping force to keep my food from being exposed to air." — Kristen Adaway, shopping writer

"As a child, my mom instilled the difference a good aromatherapy session can make in my daily routine. There's just something about a good-smelling room that instantly lifts my mood. Setting up my Pura home scent diffuser was one of the best decisions I've made so far this year. I love the variety of fragrance options (my favorite one right now is Nest's pumpkin chai) and how easy it is to program and control from my phone. It also acts as a night light that you can change the colors of." — Adaway

"I like to keep my feet cozy and comfortable while I work from home, and these slippers do just that. They have a plush footbed and have a soft suede upper that's easy to clean. I have the gray ones, but they come in a ton of colors." — Adaway

"It’s incredibly soft, warm with a bit of heaviness to it (so a faux fur, faux weighted blanket?). My cat approves. Biscuits for days." — Greta Geiselman, director of office services

"I used to work at a cool vintage store and we would always stock and sell these 'Rustler' jeans for a lot of money. It took me a while to realize it's literally [a] Walmart brand of men's pants. They are incredible and break in super nicely but don't lose their shape, and they're 100% cotton so you don't have to deal with that annoying jegging feeling. But they're not so rigid that you can't fit in them, and they come in a million sizes." — Griffin Wynne, shopping writer

"I cannot stop talking about my Spam AirPod case. After working at a Hawaiian restaurant, I've become a total Spam lover and I want the world to know. The rectangular shape makes it easy to fish out of my chaotic bag. The bright color makes it easy to spot on my messy coffee table. There's a hole at the bottom that lets you charge your pods easily." — Wynne

"[On social media] I follow a ton of cheese board content (self-care, baby), and love to see a fresh dairy, fruit, honey and cured meat plate. The other day, a cheese board influencer posted about buying this crinkle knife to make cheese and fruit into cool shapes. You can also use it to take the crusts off a sandwich in style or make crinkle fries or veggie slices. It will totally upgrade your finger food game. I have not purchased it yet, but it's sitting in my Amazon cart for sure." — Wynne

"As someone who loves bright colors and fun designs, I was always a little jealous of the cute designs on kids clothes, while adult offerings are typically more muted or subtle. So I was thrilled to discover the brand Baby Cats of California, a company that offers the same adorable graphic styles in both adult and kid sizing. I picked up this Cat and Dog Shirt to add a bit of fun to my spring wardrobe. I am a huge cat lover, so I basically want one of everything, but I'm especially eyeing this amazing bumper sticker and this cheetah sweatshirt." — Jillian Capewell, copy editor

"My mom got me these in my Christmas stocking, and I have to be honest — I wasn’t sure what they were, at first. The toes creeped me out a little, and the idea of putting my feet in 'gel' was equally off putting. However, I have to thank her, because they’ve kept my feet from devolving into their usual sad winter state. I’m an avid runner, so I’m prone to cracked heels in the winter — but after wearing these for 20 to 30 minutes every night before bed, I have yet to crack! The gel isn’t wet like you’d imagine, but it’s more of a silicone feel. Once you wiggle your toes in and have them fully on, it only takes about 10 seconds before you forget they’re even on. And the best part is, I think they’ll last a really, really long time." — Kristen Aiken, head of HuffPost Life

"My brother made a resolution to go camping more in 2023, so I gathered some top-rated camping items for his birthday in early January, including this to-go version of the Tushy bidet, meant for traveling. I figured it could come in handy for him and his kids while they’re in the wild, without the creature comforts of toilet paper. What I did not expect is that he’d love it so much that he’d bring it to his office and use it at work. It’s a winner!" — Aiken

"Why am I buying my children toys when they just received an avalanche of new playthings a little less than a month ago? It’s simply because I have no self-control when it comes to Play-Doh. Given my kids’ ages (18 months and almost 3) it’s kind of the perfect 'creative' toy that lets them flex their imaginations without making too enormous of a mess. Plus, it’s really affordable. This grilling play set saved us on a recent rainy day — it comes with a pretend barbecue (that somehow actually leaves grill marks) and molds to make hamburgers, hot dogs, sausages and kebabs, along with teeny-tiny cavities in the shapes of toppings and sides like pickles, French fries and even a pineapple. Now my older daughter asks every day if we can make kebabs. This was $17 well spent." — Emily Ruane, Shopping managing editor

"While this face lotion was part of a gift set that was intended for my children, I have been using it daily and am pretty obsessed. I’m very low-maintenance when it comes to skin care and prize a good, effective, all-purpose moisturizer. I just slather it all over my face when I get out of the shower and I really like the way it feels on my skin. It absorbs quickly and leaves a velvety smooth and not-at-all greasy finish. It’s infused with avocado perseose — a natural active ingredient — and plant-based glycerin. The brand promises its products are totally safe for babies and kids, but at this rate I may use it all up myself." — Ruane

"I am ever so slowly starting to hang and install things in my 'new' home (we moved, um, eight months ago) and one thing that I'm very eager to get off the floor is a large collection of hanging, trailing plants. Because we have tin ceilings in the room where this greenery will live, I'm reluctant to install a hook in the ceiling. However, I found these neat-o wall-mounted hanging bars on Etsy, available in a variety of wood finishes and lengths and equipped with a notch that will hold your hanging planter’s hook or cord. I chose the longest length the seller offers (12 inches) so that the plants will protrude far enough from the wall to catch a lot of light from the windows." — Ruane