Greetings, friends! And welcome to Caroline Finds It: my new weekly newsletter where I reply to submissions from YOU for objects and products you need recommendations for.
From Emma in NYC, this week’s request has to do with finding the right piece of furniture, which is something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately as I am re-imagining my living room. Not only are we faced with a BAJILLION new direct-to-consumer furniture brands in addition to the old standbys, but lead times are insane and prices are all over the board. Fortunately, Emma has given me really specific parameters for work with:
“I'm in desperate need of your finding super-skills: I am, delightfully, expecting a baby August 2. It was hard getting here, has been hard staying here, and I'm grateful and excited to finally have the chance to build this baby a sweet nest in which to land. We've squared away a crib, and a changing table will go on top of our dresser, and that's about all we can really fit into our one-bedroom NYC apartment, save one indulgence: We would love to find the perfect glider or other nursery chair for nursing and snugglin' with this baby. Our requirements: I'm realizing that the price range for most such chairs is realistically $300-$700; we can't really go any higher than that. I'd love something that looks modern, or at least has a clean, unfussy design. A smaller footprint would be amazing. And, if possible, we'd need it to ship in time to get here in early August.”
Dear Emma,
I love a challenge and you’ve given me a great one! To break it down simply, this is the criteria:
Budget: $300-$700
Must be in-stock or ready to ship within the next month or two
Apartment-friendly (comfy but with a small footprint)
Clean, modern design
Not from Amazon and responsibly manufactured (I added this one :))
One thing I’ve noticed about pretty much ALL nursery chairs is that they look like they belong in a hospital. It’s the bottom part that hides the mechanisms that makes it look so frumpy, and for that reason, I love this option because it has a little skirt and could be in your living room without screaming “GENERIC NURSERY CHAIR”. The Crawford Chair from Million Dollar Baby is ready to ship and is towards the high end of your budget at $599, but has a classic design that would work anywhere in your home even when you no longer need it for baby purposes:
While doing my research, the one website that kept coming up as highly recommended was Babyletto. From a point of style, their Sleepytime Rocker is FAB, but as far as comfy, functional gliders go, they have a lot of options that are a little more modern. I think the Cali Swivel Glider ($499) looks like a great option, and also appears to ready-to-ship:
And for any maximalists out there: this this wild plaid thing from Delta Children is so fun and affordable (under $400):
Babyletto and Million Dollar Baby do seem to be your best bets with regards to ready-to-ship stock. In my opinion, it’s NEVER worth the risk when something is time sensitive to trust that the estimated delivery time is accurate, even if it seems like it’ll be fine. My hometown BFF is also a new NYC mom and loves utilizing local mom groups on Facebook — it might be worth snooping around there to see if someone is selling something nice that you can just pick up locally!
Wishing you all of the joy in the world with this next chapter in your life. May your home be oozing with love and comfort as your new lil baby settles into their new world <3
QUICK ANSWER
Karen in Cleveland (a.k.a MY MOM): “I need a non-plastic lunch container that I can put in the bottom of my backpack to take to work.”
In my opinion, lunch containers fall into two categories: microwavable and non-microwavable. And since you’re putting it in a backpack, it’s important that it’s not round. From my experience as a bike commuter, round containers flip around weird and risk leaking.
If you are okay with something non-microwavable, this is hand-down your best option: a 3-piece metal bento box (I like this one from Hive but this style is pretty easy to find). I had one of these years ago but forgot to clean it out once, and it got so nasty and moldy I threw it away (don’t @ me! I’m human!).
For a microwavable option, a glass container with a lid that seals REALLY WELL is great. I use containers from Pyrex for my lunch and prefer their products for food storage because you can buy replacement lids directly from the website, so in theory you should NEVER have to replace them. How about the MealBox, which is rectangular and has a lid that snaps shut on the sides? Bonus points: Pyrex is made in Pennsylvania! Read a fun little history here.
FAVORITE THING OF THE WEEK
Many years ago I was doing my weekly farmer’s market shopping and someone handed me a tote bag full of free stuff that was sponsored by some sort of health food organization. One of the things inside was American Health Chewable Super Papaya Enzyme Plus tablets, which I left ignored in my vitamin drawer for months before giving them a try after eating a steak one day. Ever since then, I’ve been hooked and am sure to have them nearby whenever I’m eating something that I know my digestive system isn’t used to. Pop a couple after dinner and they’ll help mitigate the pain of over-indulging. Lately, I’ve been on a spree of special events and have been grateful to have their help. Find them at your local health foods store (I get mine at LifeThyme on 6th Ave).
Is there a product you’re looking for? Submit your request here. See you next Friday for fresh recommendations! xo Caroline
Loved reading this! Just bought a bed; whew, tough!!!