Looking Back at 2022 Through My Best Purchases [32 Items in 5 Categories]

Hello, I'm Haya. I'm a 30-something office worker at an IT company, an interior coordinator and blogger who thinks about ways to create "interiors that look like they're from abroad," and occasionally a ballroom dance dress maker—I'm always a bit lost when it comes to my job title.

To put it mildly, this year was a whirlwind.

My 2022 began with morning sickness after discovering I was pregnant at the gynecologist on December 30th of last year, the final business day of the year. The first trimester was spent working while battling nausea and even accidentally ending up in the hospital. From April to June, I juggled handing over my company work while writing a book. From July to September, I went on maternity leave, published my first interior design book, and immediately dove into childbirth and childcare.

It was so hectic that by October, I was completely burned out...
For a while now, I haven't been looking at the internet much, and I've just been lazing around playing with my baby every day, so my social skills have basically vanished.

Since I need to remember how to connect with the world again, here is the article I wrote last year as well, looking back at the year along with the things I'm glad I bought. Surprisingly, I received a request from note to write this year, so I'm putting even more effort into it!

Continuing from last year, I've listed everything I'm glad I bought, totaling 32 items across 5 categories: interior, baby goods, gadgets, daily necessities, and content. Yeah, it's a lot. Please just look at the parts you're interested in.

Interior Category

Simmons Mattress 6.5 Essential Smart SFAB17S01

If I had to choose one best buy for this year, it would be this without hesitation. It's also the most expensive thing I bought this year. A single and a semi-double, together costing over 400,000 yen!
Still, a good mattress is a good mattress. You should invest in sleep. This is for real.

For the past few years, I had been using two small-sized Muji mattresses with legs pushed together like a queen bed, but perhaps due to lack of exercise from remote work and my age, I wasn't able to recover my energy even after sleeping. I couldn't fall asleep well, and when I woke up, my shoulders and neck would hurt so much. This is aging...

Furthermore, since I had to think about where to put the baby when she arrived in August, I re-examined the layout of the bedroom.

Our home doesn't have the floor plan flexibility to create a separate nursery for now, so the baby will be sleeping in the same room with us for a while. We built the bedroom to the minimum necessary size during our renovation, so there's no room for a crib. So, why not buy a large mattress that spans the entire width of the room and use it like a raised platform? That was the line of thinking.

Since I wanted something that would improve the quality of my sleep, I set my sights on Simmons, went to Shimachu to see them, compared various options, and decided on the spot.
The Simmons mattresses sold at Shimachu have the same springs and functions as the original brand, but only the fabric is a Shimachu original. The comfort is the same, but you can buy it at a lower price, so I recommend the Shimachu version of Simmons.

I'm using a single and a semi-double pushed together, covering almost the entire width of the bedroom.
There's no worry about falling off the side, and I can use cushions to lean against the wall and sit, which is very comfortable. By the way, my daughter sleeps next to us with a compact baby mattress (see the baby category) in the middle.

The only drawback is that making the bed when changing the sheets is difficult, but I can manage that if I try hard enough, so it's working out somehow.

Of course, the comfort is worlds apart from the mattresses with legs. Every day when I get into bed, I'm wrapped in happiness. It's the best.

Panthella Portable (Table Lamp)

"Good indirect lighting is essential for interiors!"
While I kept saying that in various places, I hadn't had lighting in my own home that felt right for a while. I had long admired the Panthella series and found out there was a rechargeable, portable type, so I bought it at the beginning of this year.

It's USB rechargeable and has 3 levels of brightness adjustment. I usually keep it on the piano, but it's convenient to carry around to various places when I need a little light for work.

It's small, so I'm happy that it's affordable for a designer light. I bought it directly from an overseas manufacturer via BUYMA, so I was able to get it even cheaper at the local price. Now, with the weak yen, the prices for buying things from overseas are outrageous, so I'm glad I bought it in the first half of the year.

However, before I knew it, a crack had appeared in the shade... It seems they sell replacement parts for just the shade, so I'll probably end up buying one eventually.

Mirror for the bathroom sink

A mirror for the bathroom sink that had been left undecided for a while after renovating the house.
After searching around, I found one at the American brand Urban Outfitters that was perfect in shape, size, material, and color, and I bought this via BUYMA as well. I love the pink, gold, and black bathroom space.

Towellabo Bath Towels & Face Towels

I had been using the bath towels I bought 3-4 years ago for a long time, and they were frayed and tattered, so I replaced everything when I gave birth.
The towels from Towellabo that I bought on Amazon are fluffy and comfortable. New towels are a small, cost-effective luxury, aren't they?

I kept the old towels instead of throwing them away to use as a mat when changing my daughter's diapers. I can use them without hesitation since I can just throw them away if they get dirty.

Doshisha Circulight

Our kitchen is a semi-private type; it doesn't have a door but is partitioned off, so the air conditioning doesn't reach it, making it a bit hot in the summer.
When I was looking for a way to deal with it, I discovered a product that is a light with a built-in circulator that attaches to a socket. I tried buying it, and it was actually quite good. As you can see, it's like a fan with a light attached.

It seems it's originally a product to be used by attaching it to a ceiling socket, but our home had a socket for a task light on the wall, so I tried attaching it there. It fit perfectly, as if it were a socket specifically for this!
If I keep this on, I don't end up drenched in sweat while cooking. It looks a bit unstylish, but it's only for the summer, so I'll turn a blind eye...

Underlay Rug Royal Rug Plus

My husband is always sleeping on the rug, and it's hard and seems like it would hurt his body, and it also seems like I'll be laying the baby down in the living room during the day in the future, so I decided to lay down a pad.
At 1.5cm thick, the fluffy feel underfoot is more comfortable than I expected. You can adjust the size by cutting it with scissors.

My daughter is now over two months old, and she no longer fits in the Moses basket she was sleeping in right after she was born, so I lay a thin blanket on the rug and she just rolls around sleeping there. Yes, yes, just as planned.

Faucet Diverter & Hose Reel

Although I am generally very satisfied with moving into this house after renovating it last year, one of the few drawbacks was watering the plants on the balcony.

The previous house had a faucet on the balcony, but this one doesn't. I had to make many trips with a watering can, and this was already quite a hassle. I was so lazy that I neglected the watering and ended up killing a huge palm tree...

When I was looking for a solution, I learned that I could branch off from the washing machine's water supply to attach a hose reel, so I bought a dedicated product and tried it out.
When watering, I can just pull the hose out and do it all at once, so the stress of carrying water bit by bit is gone, which was a great decision.

I remember installing it busily the day before I was hospitalized for childbirth so that I could ask my husband to water the plants while I was in the hospital. It was easy enough for a woman in her ninth month of pregnancy to install. I should have done it sooner before killing the palm tree.

Leaf Clean

An item that cleans dust and other dirt off leaves just by spraying it, leaving them with a beautiful, shiny, and glossy finish.
When you use this on large-leaf plants like Monsteras or Augustas, they look as if they've been reborn. It cleans them much better than wiping with tissues or a cloth, so if you have houseplants in your room, you should definitely buy this.

west elm Gold Side Table

west elm is an American interior brand, and I use it quite often because they ship directly to Japan from their overseas site.
Among their items, the gold round side table is something I had wanted for a long time and am glad I bought. It has a design you don't often see in Japan, and it adds a nice presence to the room.

It seems the same one is no longer available, but all their other styles are cute too.
However, prices have been soaring recently due to the weak yen, making it a tough situation for fans of overseas interior decor...

Baby Goods Category

Cybex Stroller Melio Carbon

A stroller from the German manufacturer Cybex. It had a reputation for being both easy to maneuver and lightweight, so I went to the Shinjuku Isetan store to try it out before buying.

Just as the reputation suggested, it pushes so smoothly and feels great! And it's light. I mainly travel by bus, and I can lift it on and off without any trouble, even by myself. We've been going for family walks almost every day since the baby turned one month old, so it's an indispensable item.

PUPPAPUPO Moses Basket

The sight of the baby inside is cute. Just so cute. The baby outgrew it by two months old, but I have no regrets.

Even now that the baby can't sleep in it, I use it to toss in toys, changes of clothes, and other small items, so it's still proving useful in one way or another.

farska Compact Bed

I didn't buy this, but borrowed it from a friend, and it was perfect as a place for the baby to sleep. I place it in the middle of the Simmons mattress I introduced earlier to use as a bed-in-bed.

It has guards on the sides, so I can let the baby sleep safely even as a small newborn, and it's convenient because you can remove the guards to co-sleep as the baby gets bigger.

Cubo Ai Plus Baby Monitor

I bought this baby monitor because it was significantly discounted during the Prime Sale.
I use it to check on the baby from outside when one of us is out, or to keep an eye on the baby while working in a different room at night. It notifies my smartphone if the baby cries, so I can notice it immediately.

Furthermore, it records the past 24 hours of footage, which is helpful for looking back at care records, like 'Wait, how long ago was the last feeding?' or 'When did the baby fall asleep?' (By the way, I use PiyoLog to share care records. This has also become an essential childcare necessity.)

It also has a feature where AI analyzes the baby's sleep, but the installation requirements are quite strict, so I haven't been able to use that feature much yet... Still, it's a very useful item.

Tripp Trapp Oak Black & Newborn Set

The Tripp Trapp is a classic choice for a baby chair. Among them, I had my parents buy me the "Oak" version, which uses slightly nicer wood, as a gift. The standard version is beech, which is also lovely enough, but the oak has a more matte finish compared to the beech and feels more luxurious.

While it can be used as a chair from about six months after birth when they can sit up, you can use it from right after birth by attaching the Newborn Set here.

Since you can lay the baby down at about the height of a dining table, it's useful as a place for the baby to be, such as bringing them along when eating or having them temporarily stay there when cleaning. Also, maybe it's comfortable to sit in, but I feel like they often fall asleep when I lay them down here.

Water Server FRECIOUS dewo mini

During my morning sickness, it was hard to even prepare drinks, so I bought this because I wanted a water server where I could quickly get water. It's useful for making baby formula, and I can easily brew tea and coffee, so it turned out to be a great decision.

Since large ones are hard to find a place for, I chose a tabletop size. The water packs are 4.7L each, which is a good size, and they aren't too heavy to replace, which is nice.
I consume about one box of 4 packs per month, and the running cost is about 4,000 yen for the water.

Gadget Category

MacBook Air 2022 M2 Starlight

This is my first MacBook Air in eight years, as I am replacing my 11-inch Early 2014 model. That said, I had been using a MacBook Pro as a company-issued PC the whole time, so my old personal PC didn't get much use, and I just missed the timing to replace it.
I returned my company PC when I went on maternity leave, and the M2 MacBook Air came out at almost the same time, so I bought it at the perfect opportunity.

As rumored, the speed of the M2 is wonderful, and it feels definitely faster than the Pro I had been using at work for several years. And it's light and thin! I also prefer the Starlight white-gold color over the previous pink-gold, and I like the angular design with uniform thickness.

Roomba i3

This was also a gift for the birth of my child.

Our home has a lot of interior goods and rugs on the floor, so I thought a Roomba wouldn't be a good fit and hadn't tried one. But when I received it and used it, it navigated quite skillfully around narrow spaces and places with items, so it was surprisingly usable without any issues.
Since dust tends to accumulate when there are many things, it's really great to be able to clean diligently even if I leave it alone. I'm grateful.

Daily Necessities & Beauty Category

YOLU Calm Night Repair Shampoo & Treatment

Maybe it's because the baby takes all the nutrients, but my hair gets really dry around the time of childbirth...
To pamper it even a little, I changed my shampoo and treatment to this one, which I saw somewhere had a good reputation. It feels smooth to the touch after washing and drying, so it's nice.

Plus eau Hydro Mist & Mellow Luxe Mask

Along with the shampoo and treatment mentioned above, I use this mask once or twice a week. The effect is truly amazing, and after using it, my hair becomes so smooth and silky that I can't even keep it held with a hair clip. This might be the first hair care product where I've felt the effects from home care.

MAGNET Hair Pro Curling Iron 26mm

I had been using a very cheap Salonia iron I bought a long time ago, but I was finally concerned about the damage and considered replacing it.

I asked my stylist at the salon I go to what they were using, and since they said this one, I simply bought the same one. It's easy to use, and the damage is significantly reduced compared to my previous one.

NARS Pure Radiant Protection Aquatic Glow Cushion Foundation

I've liked NARS cushion foundations and have used them before, but this new version feels lighter—so light that I forget I'm wearing it—yet it still has a decent amount of coverage and a nice, dewy glow, which is why I love it.

I thought I wouldn't wear much makeup after giving birth, but I've actually been going out more than when I was working, whether for walks or meeting people, so it gets a lot of use.

KATE Lash Former Clear Black Mascara

This is another item I saw on Twitter or somewhere and decided to buy, and it turned out to be great.

It's not pitch black, but rather a mascara that adds presence to your lashes while keeping them looking natural.

My lashes aren't naturally very thick or long, and when I use a heavy-duty mascara, it ends up looking like I'm clearly wearing makeup, so this subtle mascara was the right choice. I'm also happy that it has great curl-holding power.

KATE Lip Monster

Lip Monster is rumored to be sold out everywhere. Being a bit of a follower, I wondered if it was really that good, so I bought it when I found it.

It's true that it moisturizes immediately upon application, and if you let it sit for a little while, it barely transfers to your mask, making it a lipstick I find myself reaching for often.

I'm the type who doesn't want to spend much time on makeup but looks washed out if I don't wear anything, so items like this that look decent quickly and are hassle-free are very valuable.

T-fal Access Steam Pocket (Garment Steamer)

I love white shirts, but they get all wrinkled when I use the drum dryer, and ironing them every time is a pain. I often hesitated to wear them, but buying this solved that problem.

Since I can remove wrinkles while they're hanging on a hanger, I no longer need to take out the ironing board and iron.

It might take a bit of time, so in total, ironing might actually be faster, but having fewer tools to set up lowers the mental hurdle. The process of removing wrinkles is actually kind of fun, so I find myself wanting to do it.

Microplane Zester Grater

Since I've been spending a lot of time at home on maternity and childcare leave, I've been cooking the recipes from Ryuji's "Supreme Recipes" book in order. This grater was recommended in that book, which insists that you absolutely must use fresh garlic and ginger instead of the tube versions. You can quickly grate them directly over the frying pan while cooking, and cleanup is easy since you can just toss it in the dishwasher. The aroma is definitely completely different between the tube and fresh versions, so since buying this, I've only been using fresh ingredients.

Ryuji's Supreme Recipes: The Most Delicious Dishes of My Life! 100 Basic Recipes

Everything is truly delicious, so I've repeated these recipes many times. Napolitan, twice-cooked pork, chicken and burdock mixed rice, and simmered chicken and vegetables have become staples in our home.

Congratulations on winning the Recipe Book Award.

Reporting, Writing, and Polishing: A Textbook for Writers

As I wrote in my previous article, it is no exaggeration to say that I was able to finish writing my book because of this one...!

The Rules of Nordic Interior Styling

This is also a book that was incredibly helpful for organizing my thoughts while writing my manuscript. If I had to choose just one interior design book to recommend, this would be it without hesitation.

ONE PIECE Volumes 1-104

I was relatively active during my second trimester, but once I reached my final month of pregnancy, it became difficult to get out and about, leaving me with plenty of spare time. So, I achieved my goal of reading through the entire One Piece series, which I had stopped reading after middle school.

My memory had faded around the Skypiea arc, so I wondered why I hadn't kept reading given how interesting the subsequent developments were. Still, it takes time and determination to read 100 volumes all at once.
Since finding space for physical copies would be a nightmare, I read them on Jump+ and the Kindle version.

I'm starting to want to see the movie FILM RED, which is currently in theaters. Maybe I'll go see a late-night showing after my daughter is asleep...

Since my year was almost entirely about pregnancy, childbirth, and writing my book, it seems that's all I did. Well, doing just that is enough. Why those two massive events overlapped in the same year... it's a mystery.

I plan to spend time relaxing with my daughter and husband until the end of the year to recover my energy and strength, and then do my best within my limits for 2023.
Returning from maternity leave and other things, next year looks like it will be packed too.

See you later!

Book Now on Sale

How do you create a colorful, stylish room filled with things you love, like something from abroad? My book, which compiles the know-how I found through trial and error after moving 7 times in 10 years, is now on sale.

"How to Create a Stylish Room Like Abroad: Colorful & Modern Pop" (Daiwa Shobo)

Started a Newsletter

I'll be sending out interior design tips via email once a week!

Find my social media here

Twitter @sakihaya515
Instagram @sakihaya515