"You Bought What?"

It has been a real year. I have genuinely never spent more time aimlessly staring at things on my phone that I want to buy but don’t need while I sit on my couch doing absolutely nothing. And if you’re feeling slightly guilty about the unnecessary items you purchased while scrolling through Instagram for seven hours straight, truly believing they would fill your life with all the joy it had been missing, don’t worry! You’re not alone.

It appears my Instagram algorithm knows me better than I know myself. It can predict something I need before I even know I need it. ("Need" being a relative term.) And if we’re being very honest, I don’t regret buying any of the things I’m about to list. Because they really did bring me ~all the joy~. Plus, it’s really exciting to have something to look forward to in the mail, even if it takes three months to arrive. So, without further ado, here are five impulse buys that brightened my day.

1. A Teddy Bear Pocket Sweatshirt

I was deep into the “quarantine blues” when I stumbled upon this gem of a clothing item. Why would I need a sweatshirt with a literal stuffed teddy bear on it? you ask. I don’t know how to say this without it sounding odd, but it turns out that having a small teddy bear in your breast pocket is incredibly comforting. My boyfriend even steals this sweatshirt from me sometimes, agreeing that the bear contains magical powers that make you happier.

This specific one has gone up in price since I purchased it, but Etsy sellers have their own unique versions, like this one.

2. Monstera Leaf Earrings

My ears aren't pierced, and honestly, this has never really bothered me up until recently. I blame the Instagram Discover section for showing me all that I was missing. This time has given me a very profound admiration for plants, as well as the need to cover myself in cool jewelry even though I never leave the house. Which led to me purchasing these monstera leaf earrings from Klaudia that are clip ons. A definite win.

Earring shopping becomes a bit of a rabbit-hole experience. I loved these handmade clay earrings, which led to me looking for other handmade earrings, which led me to me falling in love with handmade earrings that I can't even wear, yet I bought them anyway.

But I mean, look at them! No regrets. (Plus I can turn them into clip-ons later.)

3. Zipper Pocket Scrunchies

While I bought my scrunchies from Smunchys (say that five times fast), similar scrunchies are popping up all over Etsy at super reasonable prices (like these). I ended up buying at least seven of these in different colors and gave them out as Christmas presents (plus I kept a solid black one for myself). It fits everything from cash to keys, gum to small notes. They were a hit! My boyfriend's sister even fit an entire kitchen spoon in hers, so there's that.

4. A Bloomingtables Side Table

This was definitely my biggest splurge purchase. I even attempted to go through my apartment and find things to sell just to help offset the cost (a spring cleaning incentive!). But we were in need of a side table, and (circling back to my plant addiction) I'd been admiring Bloomingtables for a long time, so this felt like something that I couldn't just not get. It was a more recent purchase so it hasn't arrived yet, but I'm so excited to fill it with colorful plants (although part of me wants to abandon the plant aspect and just fill it with tiny colorful objects to create a search and find. I probably won't though.)

5. Fruit Loop Embroidery Print

This one might be my favorite of them all. Danielle Clough is an AMAZING embroiderer from South Africa (if you haven't heard of her, check out her work). While the original embroidery wasn't available and would have been out of my price range, she made prints of this fruit loop piece (and many very cool others!) that I didn't mind splurging for. It's hanging in my kitchen, looking absolutely delicious, and definitely filling my life with all that joy it had been missing.

I hope some of these items caught your eye too! And remember to occasionally treat yourself to something seemingly unimportant — you deserve it.