You know me; I’m not a shop-for-sport gal. It takes only a few, simple items to get the job done – whether “the job” is slicing onions or commuting to work. In the grand scheme of things, it’s my hope that the objects I rely on will tell a story – one of experience over convenience. Cheap isn’t always good. Fast isn’t always good.

But sometimes, in a pinch, they’re not bad, either.

I’m continually amused that in a home where I’ve collected original art, handmade items and meaningful-to-me things, it’s the everyday stuff that gets people talking. Where on earth did you get those nail clippers? a girlfriend will shriek, and with a whisper and a wink, the cat’s out of the bag: Amazon.

Here’s the thing: I am not a proponent of filling our carts with inexpensive items simply because they’re inexpensive, or cute, or they’ll look lovely on Instagram. If you’ve read my book, you’ll know my mother’s near-famous saying: It’s not a sale if you don’t need it!

I am, however, a proponent of the marriage between form and function – of allowing beauty to enter into your world, wherever you are. My (one of many) motto? If you’ve gotta have a ruler out on your desk, might as well make it worth looking at.

And so, here it is, a list of 12 items in my home – all from that terribly handy 2-day shipping site – that are forever being praised by visitors and guests alike for their indelible design, smart style or simple function:

Tailor Scissors in Black Carbon ($21)
Black Aluminum Ruler ($6)
Native Union USB Charging Cable ($40)
Concrete Jewelry Box ($25)
Himalayan Salt Soap ($8)
Matte Black Colored Pencils ($7)
Tissue Box Cover ($8)*
Copper Fish Nail Clippers ($10)
BAGGU Reusable Shopping Bag ($10)
Marled Coal Beanie Hat ($22)
Epicurean Slate Cutting Board ($17)
Salt & Pepper Grinder ($20)
Marble Jar ($30)

*Of particular note: I cannot think of anything less necessary than a tissue box to cover a tissue box. And yet, I will stand by this one time and time again, if only for the task of forever-concealing those 80’s teal Vicks patterns.

Tell me: are you an Amazonner? (It’s my go-to for teas.) Anything lovely you’ve purchased as of late? I’m all ears!