I cannot believe this is the first Little Things of 2026. In very on-brand January fashion, this month somehow managed to feel like it lasted an entire year. But because of that, I’ve had plenty of time to really notice the small stuff that’s been keeping me going lately. These are the little things I’ve been genuinely loving, leaning on, and reaching for on repeat, and I’m excited to share them with you.

1. Emotional Support Beverage

If you had told 30-year-old me, or even early-nutrition practice me, that I’d be fully in my Diet Coke era, I would have side-eyed you hard. There was a solid stretch of my life, probably seven years, where I didn’t touch a single sip of soda. Regular or diet. I was deep in orthorexia-adjacent thinking, very dogmatic about what was “allowed”, and convinced that anything with bubbles and artificial sweetener was basically a moral failing. I’ve grown since then. I’m allowed to grow. We are all allowed to learn more, soften our edges, and change our opinions when new information and real life experiences show up.

These days, my emotional support beverages are doing the absolute most for me. A caffeine-free Diet Coke, diet A&W root beer, or diet ginger ale in the afternoon is my little pick-me-up. I don’t do caffeine past noon, so this is my version of an afternoon treat. Some people have a glass of wine. I crack a can of Diet Coke and get a nice little dopamine hit that carries me through the rest of the day. It keeps me from mindlessly snacking while I’m cooking dinner, helps me stay at maintenance or in a deficit when that’s my goal, and makes life feel more enjoyable. No, I’m not pounding a 12-pack a day. And no, the fear-mongering around artificial sweeteners really doesn’t hold up the way we were told it did. My health is built on what I do consistently, and 99.99% of the time that looks like nourishing food, movement, sleep, and stress support. Emotional support beverages get an honorary seat at the table, because balance matters, and they’re a very underrated tool if you love food and also love feeling good in your body.

2. Faux Flowers from Contempee

I was restyling our mantle after Christmas and realized the faux flowers I had on the right side just were not it. I have a real plant on the left, and I wanted something on the other side to balance it out without committing to another living thing I’d forget to water. I kept getting served ads from Contempee on Instagram, so I waited until one popped up that actually looked like it would work in our space and finally ordered it. Holy cow. These are hands down the highest quality faux flowers I’ve ever owned. They look shockingly real and instantly made the whole fireplace setup feel more polished.

Then when we redid the office and added a new bookshelf, I knew exactly what I wanted for it. I ordered another arrangement from Contempee, these little powder-puff-looking flowers that I cannot for the life of me remember the name of, but they are so cute. They add just enough softness and texture to the space without overwhelming it, and the quality is just as good as the first order. I’m genuinely so pleased with both purchases. If you’re someone who wants your space to feel styled and cozy without the pressure of keeping everything alive, these faux flowers are absolutely worth it.

3. Space Saver Storage Bags

These were a total last-minute, impulsive purchase before our Winter Park, CO trip and ended up being such a win. We only paid for two checked bags, and I did not think through how much space snow pants, bulky coats, fluffy sweaters, and all the winter gear were going to take up. Add in snow boots and suddenly it felt like we were going to need an entire suitcase just for jackets. I saw an influencer I actually trust share these space saver storage bags for a Europe trip and panic-bought them hoping they’d help.

They worked shockingly well. These aren’t the kind you have to hook up to a vacuum, which made them even more practical. You just pack them, seal them, and then sit on them or press the air out. We fit all of our clothes, including the big fuzzy stuff, into two checked bags and still had room to spare. I haven’t used them for off-season storage yet, but they are absolutely coming with us on any future winter trips where bulky gear is involved. If you travel somewhere cold even once a year, these are 100% worth it.

4. Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray

While working on repairing years of bleaching damage and generally taking better care of my hair, I found this through a hair influencer on Instagram. It was one of many products she recommended, but this one quickly became a standout. I kind of think it might be magic in a bottle. Anytime I want more volume or just a little bit of wave, I spray it all over, scrunch or tousle with my hands, and suddenly my hair looks like it has doubled in volume. It’s actually wild.

I have very fine hair, and if I’m being honest, it’s probably the one thing about my body I’ve always wished I could change. I want thicker hair, and this is the closest I’ve ever come to feeling like I have it. Paired with dry shampoo, it’s perfection. I can easily wear my hair down three or even four days without washing because it stays lifted, textured, and not oily. If you ever notice my hair looking extra puffed up in Instagram videos, there’s a very good chance this stuff is doing the heavy lifting. Highly, highly recommend if you want volume without having to actually have thick hair.

5. Stok Decaf Cold Brew

If you’ve watched any of my “What I Eat in a Day” videos lately, you may have noticed I’m back on a cold brew kick. That’s because when we were in Winter Park over Christmas break, we stumbled across a decaf version of premade cold brew from STōK, which felt like spotting a unicorn in the wild. Truly. Decaf coffee options are already limited, and decaf cold brew is even harder to find. Mike and I both keep a close eye on our caffeine intake, so I’m almost always mixing decaf with regular coffee anyway. Before this, we were making our own cold brew at home, which is not hard, but it is just…another thing.

Now, I keep the decaf version and the regular version in the fridge and do mostly decaf with a splash of regular, plus almond milk and a little creamer. It scratches the cold brew itch without wrecking my nervous system, and it tastes really good. Like actually good, not sad decaf good. You can drink it straight if you want zero caffeine, or mix it with regular to control how much you’re getting. If you can find it in stores, I highly recommend grabbing it. It’s such a nice, low-effort option to have on hand, especially if you love coffee but don’t want to be vibrating all day.

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That’s it for this month’s Little Things. Nothing groundbreaking, just a handful of practical finds that have been genuinely useful and enjoyable lately. January felt long, and these are the kinds of things that made the days feel a little easier and more pleasant without requiring extra effort. Hopefully one or two of these end up being helpful for you too, or at least give you something new to try.