amazon must haves tiktoks are out of control

[@akaihys]

the single oreo in the popcorn bowl is sending me for some reason

[@emily3]

sending me off a ledge 😩

[@kav1218]

@@akaihys Lmao! Your comment is sending me 😂🤣😂🤣😂

[@singingfan]

WHO HAS JUST ONE?!

[@bandanarathore]

She might have eaten up the rest of them before filming 😂😂😂

[@airypersiflage]

same, that is not normal human behaviour

[@WallxFlower]

I think a wedding video would be interesting. It’s definitely an industry that preys on emotions and expectations to get people to spend crazy amounts of money. My husband and I had a tiny little elopement ceremony on our 10 year anniversary of being together with our closest friends and family (there were like 15 guests). We got married in a cute little gazebo in Central Park and then walked to a French restaurant a few minutes away and had a nice meal together in a little private room. We didn’t have brides maids or groomsmen and no bridal shower and rehearsal dinner. Just kept it really intimate and simple and it was so lovely. We wrote all of our guests a personal card telling them how much we appreciate them and gave them out at dinner. We literally wrote our vows the night before the wedding while sitting across our hotel room from one another because we just wanted to speak from the heart and not overthink them! I don’t think you have to go in to debt to make it a special memory!

[@shawnaripari]

Yes the emotional component is huge. Weddings are already expensive as it is, but playing on emotions can make them even more so. Your elopement ceremony sounds so sweet! I totally vibe with this

[@Pippa87]

1:14 that bowl is insultingly small for the amount of snacks I consume when reading.

[@Shetooktothewoods]

First question: where the hell is she putting the rest of the popcorn?!? It’s not like you can save it. Once it’s popped, you’re committed. Also, sprinkling on cheese and tucking an Oreo in… 🤢

[@singingfan]

@@Shetooktothewoods sprinkle cheese and and Oreos have dust and crumbs they leave behind. The cleaning of the bowl and nothing getting onto the fluffy outside should've been shown.

[@IsabelleRSG]

I live in Europe and have never heard of a bridesmaid proposal box. But to be fair, almost each time I watch your videos on overconsumption, I am flabbergasted about the new basket or box or whatever trendy things people try to sell to others. I'm not a monk living cut off from society (I spend way too much time on IG and YT btw) but I don't have tiktok and oh my, tiktok is a strange world!

[@auntlynnie]

I’m in my 50s. I was a bridesmaid in multiple weddings in my 20s, and I can confirm that a “bridesmaid proposal” wasn’t a thing 20-30 years ago. Editing to add: I had never even heard of them until this video. Also, I’m horrified that the 1990s were 30 years ago. *sigh*

[@teresamckeown5594]

I heard of proposal boxes within the last 2 months!!

[@IDontWantThisStupidHandle]

I'm in Canada, and also not a monk but don't have any social media besides YT. I have also never heard of any of these boxes and bags before watching these videos. No one in my life actually does these kinds of things. I guess I just don't have any friends or family that are overly concerned with influencers (thank goodness).

[@Anna_Mirl]

You should have seen my face when I learned about the boo baskets 😂😂😂 that's just ridiculous

[@wildernessisland2573]

@auntlynnie i was in a couple of weddings in the past decade and there were no proposal boxes then, either. Seems like a really new thing 🤔

[@bekahviolet817]

I’d love to see an overconsumption video done about baby products and essentials for babies. I feel like there’s so much stuff and people constantly talk about how they receive so many clothes that they end up not using for the baby.

[@demyitra1704]

Oh my gosh, it's madness what is marketed as necessary; my sister in law bought this foamy thick tube which supposedly keeps the baby safe in place in the cot. I'm pretty sure a rolled up blanket could do the exact same thing without the ridiculous cost and with multi purpose use.

[@shawnaripari]

i'm honestly not sure about this one 😅

[@bekahviolet817]

@@shawnaripari😭 I know it’s a very touchy subject for people! Obviously cover what you’re comfortable with

[@MorganFreeman-w1s]

I'd rather not see that from someone who isn't a parent.... and even then you're gonna get drastically differing opinions. I never had or wanted a wipe warmed. All I of my sisters-in-law insist that having one is essential.

[@darlahays2471]

@bekahviolet817 I love that idea. I have a great nephew that has two walk in closets. He's 17 months old. He has hats, jackets,boots, trainers. It's utterly ridiculous, despite looking cute.

[@wildernessisland2573]

I store my batteries in the package they came in in a desk drawer 😂, this works just fine for me

[@PITTcms27]

Personally have my batteries organized by size in reused Oui containers

[@vvitch-mist20]

The only time I could see a new container necessary is if you use batteries often, and have little children. (Like under 10).

[@marlyd]

Those little button ones tend to slide out of the flat packaging so those go in a tiny cardboard box I kept from something else but the regular cilindrical ones definitely chill in their original boxes

[@rplife]

THIS lol I go through a lot of batteries with my kids toys and other electronics around the house so I buy the jumbo packs and I have a teeny utility closet. My battery organizer holds all my batteries and misc. hardware that would be a nightmare if it was just all in a single tub.

[@DaniiiielaRod]

Jumping on the wedding train - i got married in 2024 and had a low cost and low waste wedding. Got all the decorations second hand, got potted flowers from ikea for the centerpieces and gave most away to guests and kept a few for our house. Resold the rest of the decorations. Got my shoes on vinted and resold them. Got my bridal clothes with 80% discount and have resold them. We did online invites to avoid paper waste and high printing costs. Did not have party favours (i find them useless and wasteful), tapped into our friends talents, so we had a 80people wedding for under £2k :) all was paid before the day, no stress, no debt. Oh we also had a bbq for food and it was lovely!! It might not be for everyone, thats fine. It was 100% us

[@shawnaripari]

this sounds so amazing and glad to hear that you had a lovely time!

[@haleyspence]

Same! I got married in 2019 and I can still recite my budget from memory "$500 on THE DRESS (I found my dream dress, and it was worth the cost to not have to make it myself lol) $400 on the food $300 on the venue ($100 returnable cleaning deposit) $200 on Photography (I got absurdly lucky), $100 in gas for traveling out of state friends and emergency McDonalds" I didn't have a decor budget so I spent the whole year scavenging around my house, yard sales, thrift stores-I got a bunch of huge embroidery hoops (the most useful score) and secondhand lace, and lace curtains, and I bought some new green foliage and garlands and some fake flowers. For the table decorations I bought a big batch of succulents in little pots so when people took them home it was a lil plant not a useless thing. I still have the greenery hanging up around our apartment, the lace has mostly survived to current-use, a few lace curtains got cycled back into the thrift-store loop -and the fake flowers I got ended up going on my Christmas tree! I think there were two other decor pieces - decorative birdcages for the card-box - are in storage because they're very pretty but very impractical since I've got toddlers running around at the moment lmao I struggle with remembering what I ate for breakfast some-days but I can remember everything about the "stuff" around my wedding and where it went and where it is now and that is exactly what I'd hoped would happen.

[@lindseyhyde8501]

✨BECAUSE HOW DO YOU CLEAN A FLUFFY BOWL?!✨ lmao

[@shawnaripari]

NO SERIOUSLY!!!! HOW DO YOU CLEAN IT 😭

[@wildernessisland2573]

@shawnaripari are we sure it's not removable from the pillow part? But also valid, because inevitably you will spill snacks all over the pillow part anyway. Still not an *essential*!

[@singingfan]

@@wildernessisland2573 Oh c'mon now... you don't wish every time you ate something "i wish my bowl was encapsulated in a fluffy boa"?! 😭🤣

[@wildernessisland2573]

@@singingfan I actually do 😭😂 lol

[@bandanarathore]

​@@wildernessisland2573 won't the oils from food seep into the inner foam/cotton through the outer cover? It seems like a very unhygienic choice to put food directly into it.

[@sabrinaaubin2191]

Imagine getting butter on the pink fur, impossible to wash and it would smell forever

[@LadyCoyKoi]

I was thinking just that. How does one clean that thing?

[@you_____matter]

My sister recently got married and some of her best ideas: -instead of a bridesmaid gift box she wrote special meaningful letters -thrifted decorations like small bud vases and picture frames -my dad constructed the Photo Booth area out of wood he already had -instead of buying matching themed robes for everyone to get ready in she got matching old navy pajamas that we could keep and wear again

[@shawnaripari]

love these ideas!

[@username.not.known2473]

Nice ideas :)

[@celestial-lily]

As someone who is planning a wedding, I feel like it can be easy to buy into the social media hype around wedding trends and “must-haves”, so I think it would be wonderful to have a wedding de-influencing video! I want to be mindful of consumption during my planning, and I don’t want to be convinced to have a wedding that I don’t actually want.

[@shawnaripari]

hopefully one can come in the future!

[@CocoB22]

Good music, great food some decorations and a venue easy to get too. No one else will remember anything else. ❤

[@candleabra1837]

Let me deinfluence you: no one really wants to be a bridesmaid. Especially after age 25. They may want to be ASKED because it shows the bride loves you, but the rest is a pain. Make it as easy on your bridesmaids as you can. Your excitement is not theirs, as much as they may fake that it is. Buy your bridesmaids one nice gift: a necklace or bracelet to wear at the wedding or a beautiful folding mirror for their purse, and take them to lunch. That’s enough. All they need to do is go to your bachelorette night and the wedding. Don’t ask more of them.

[@shealynnmichelle]

The best wedding I’ve ever attended was held in the backyard of the brides family cabin, with just under 50 people in total! It was almost entirely DIY, and was absolutely perfect for who they are as a couple! My fiancé and I are leaning towards renting a large event tent and getting married in my in-laws backyard! We have a 3 year old already, and with the rising cost of living having an instagram worthy wedding is the least of our worries 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@kate9836]

My favourite bowl is plain white and chipped with frilly edges. It looks super dated. My gran gave it to me to take some leftovers back after we spent a day together. I never brought it back and we both forgot about it and now she's no longer with us i think of her every time I use it/see it.

[@shawnaripari]

this is amazing and so sweet!!! I love that the bowl has a memory 😭

[@april1947]

phone boxes and other "good" boxes make such good drawer organizers! I've been preaching this for awhile!

[@Moocow2003]

i love using shoeboxes as underwear drawer organisers

[@emmacolourista7748]

I took apart a luxury advent calendar last year and the boxes have been put to good use, less waste and organised drawers!

[@bandanarathore]

My husband now knows that if something has come in a sturdy box, not to throw it away without consulting with me. 😂

[@username.not.known2473]

Big fan of keeping the 'good' boxes lol. Apple overpackage everything like crazy; I've built sturdy shelving from their boxes.

[@JEnosGore]

“Need” in this context gives me the same vibes as “literally” used for hyperbole. It’s like there are two different meanings for the word “need” now. The traditional one and the social media/consumerism version.

[@andreamiles9325]

Totally agree the difference between want and need has blurred

[@username.not.known2473]

A bit like how 'science' and 'THE science' now have subtle and contextually dependant meanings

[@malyssahinds6046]

I had my wedding 8 years ago and would still be interested in a wedding video from you! I feel secure enough that it was low-key and true to ourselves and had actually VERY little waste; a small afternoon garden wedding catered by a family friend with homemade treats as favors. My twin best friends were my bridesmaids and that consisted of me asking "will you be my bridesmaids?" and them saying "yes" 😆 As for batteries, ours are loose in a desk drawer, yikes! If I did ever feel like organizing them I'm certain I could find a container around the house though.

[@shawnaripari]

I love what you did for your wedding! This sounds so lovely

[@kellyfuerte]

I organize my batteries and remotes in a ferrero rocher container! You know the plastic box they come in when you buy from costco?

[@malyssahinds6046]

​ @kellyfuerte oh thats a great idea!

[@TheKitsuneko]

Not the "dancing shoes"!! 😅🤣 We've been carrying flip flops in our purses since we were pre-teens when going clubbing. Women KNOW if the shoes they are wearing will last all night and they plan accordingly. SO unnecessary.

[@Lisa-vb3gn]

Besides-how would you determine what sizes to have?

[@singingfan]

@@Lisa-vb3gn my size 9 feet agree! lol

[@faramirbutnothatone]

my favorite part of a dance floor is when my uncle steps on my bare toes because I chose to wear flip flops in an environment where people aren't really paying attention to their feet!

[@killermontana7475]

@@singingfanlol I guess you get every size and ask your guest what size they wear

[@singingfan]

@@killermontana7475 if you’re going for the overconsumption, might as well full send it lol

[@ElenaPNW]

Shawna, I’m completely with you on the bridesmaid proposal boxes! I just learned that it’s a thing. I got married 25 years ago and been to several weddings (including as a bridesmaid) and had never even heard of this. Seems like an influencer thing. 🤷‍♀️

[@Shetooktothewoods]

Same. I learned that bridesmaid proposals and boxes were a thing just now. Used to be a bridal party gift was a small and entirely optional token. Oh, and you paid for their (hideous) dresses or they wore their own. We also didn’t have a dozen mandatory events (parties) before the day. Just a bridal shower because it was a way to give some nice trousseau and other personal items, as opposed to wedding gifts that were meant to help furnish the couple’s new home. (Or fill some wanted gaps like nice dinnerware among my GenX lot who have pretty frequently lived together before marriage.) I’m kind of shocked that a generation for whom owning a home is out of reach will spend shocking amounts of money (amounts that could be a sizable down payment) making a wedding sometimes a months-long, multi-event production.

[@ElenaPNW]

This is one example where this bride literally spent at least $200 on each of these “proposals” 😅 kzbin.infou9FfYQFeqyE?si=577OZTVAcZE3mKpU

[@sarahannh7734]

One piece of advice I took from someone was to ask yourself ‘Does this solve a problem?’ before you purchase something. Asking myself that saved me from so many Amazon purchases I thought were going to ‘help’ me because of these videos. Now I don’t even need to ask myself the question anymore and I know I don’t even need these things - so nice to not be bothered by these things anymore.

[@abrielle13]

My boyfriend uses one of pur mixing bowls for popcorn. Mixing bowls are actually very versatile especially if they have lids!

[@pvrpl313]

Popcorn, mixing, puking....fun for the whole family! Lol jk

[@lauraann7816]

I appreciate how you explained that you don't want to hurt the feelings of those who already had a wedding. I was married in 1989. I had a budget based on what my parents gave me and what we as the couple could handle. We had 224 people there. Our dance floor was just the plain undecorated floor of the modest venue we had. No toys or trinkets were given out to add to the fun. Billy Idol being played was fun enough. No hanging flowers or extra lighting. Everyone had a blast. It was easy to see. Many of those loved ones are gone now. It's a cherished memory. My aunt who is only 10 years older than I am was my Maid of Honor. I just asked. Same with our bridesmaids and groomsmen. We just asked. Granted that's how everyone did it back then. There was no internet social media to influence us to do otherwise. The pjs and slippers seemed like a good idea to me here. I figured they were for the ladies to put on at home the night of the wedding when they were tired from a long day of partying. I didn't expect to see them all together wearing them and dancing around in them. That's when I realized it was an influencer trying to sell them. I think the only thing I would have not done at my wedding was the favors. They were a cute little ceramic couple dressed as a bride and groom with a ribbon stating our names and the date. Just dust collectors I realized over time. We did the matches too. Again everyone did. Matches were definitely a thing. At least they're useful. But I wouldn't even call the knick knacks a regret. My brother and sister-in-law were married at City Hall. There were about 10 of there to witness the ceremony, then my parents took us out to a delicious Italian dinner. Our parents are gone now and we both have cherished memories of them on our special day. To each his own for sure. We just have to be careful that it isn't the will of influencers telling us what it is we want or need.

[@angiemcadam65]

The amount wedding related stuff I see at the thrift stores is crazy. A lot of the wedding favors, decor, etc is just junk that no one, not even the bride, wants to keep afterwards.

[@JillofAllTrades-inMI]

I once saw a bunch of shot glasses that were customized with the bride and groom's name and date at the goodwill store, made me wonder whether they were favors that somebody didn't want or what. Was kinda sad.

[@bethlovesthings]

I am going to be planning my wedding soon & it is something I am trying to keep front of mind tbh

[@brit4536]

I also see people trying to sell their wedding stuff for outrageous prices on Facebook marketplace

[@luckdragongirl]

I have a battery organizer. Let me explain: I have a lot of Christmas decorations that use batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, and AG13). I used to store all the batteries in a basket I had that had a hinged lid. Well, every fall when I started decorating, I would have to buy batteries because the batteries would be dead or nearly dead and some would have exploded in the basket. Turns out when their battery terminals touch, they can drain each other. They can also explode from that. And they can cause a fire. QVC to the rescue. They had a battery organizer as a 1 day value. It is bigger than the one in the video. It's two-sided (the double AA batteries go on the backside). It comes with lights in case there is an emergency (power goes out, you press a button to have the strip of lights turn on). It also came with a battery tester. It is WONDERFUL! I keep it in the laundry room. I can see my batteries easily, I don't have to dig through a basket, I love it. For the AG13's, I had to go to Etsy and buy 3D printed battery holders for them, but it's fine. I also bought one for my dad as a Christmas gift. He loves his too. He said he used to keep them in the junk drawer and would have trouble digging around to find what he needed. Also, those square batteries are 9 volt batteries. They're used in smoke detectors. You should keep 9 volt batteries on hand. You want working smoke detectors. My front door has a keypad instead of a traditional lock, and it requires a 9 volt to keep it operating. I do have use for every slot. But, I'm a special case because of the Christmas decorating thing. Most people don't need that.

[@bethlovesthings]

Thank you for this, because same - absolutely agree it would not be necessary for everyone (it really comes down to personal use). I was really perplexed by the comments section being filled with "I don't bother organising my batteries" though - it was setting off alarm bells in my head. People SHOULD be paying attention to where they store their batteries (even reusable batteries) and as you said, the batteries should be organised for optimal SAFETY and quality assurance (aka not replacing batteries unnecessarily because they weren't stored properly). Batteries should be stored so they are not touching terminals (as you mentioned) and should be kept at room temp / away from sunlight and heat. I certainly wouldn't want my batteries rolling around loose in drawers for peace of mind. It also really helps save time to have them separated - we have game controllers/remotes with standard batteries, smoke detectors, car remotes, lights and retic system (renter). I am genuinely jealous of people who don't need to store or use multiple types of batteries lol.

[@leahbrown9997]

@@luckdragongirl same! I love my battery organizer. We have battery powered puck lights in our kitchen, lots of kid toys that take batteries, our smoke and co detectors, remotes, game controllers...I could keep listing the use for the batteries 😂 but having the tester is a LIFE SAVER. I find a random battery somewhere sometimes (mom brain 😅) and I'm able to test it to see if I should store it or toss it.

[@emilysometimes]

We have one, too- it's one of the best and most-used gifts I've ever given my husband.

[@rishnea]

We also have a battery organizer and its wall mounted which makes it even better because im not using up my limited drawer space. My household has....a lot of various electronics including battery powered holiday decorations. We actively and constantly use batteries and having an easily accessible, at a glance visual amount of batteries does surprisingly lead to less work on our part. But this is an excellent example of asking yourself 'does this fill a need/solve a problem' Batteries in a drawer were 100% a consistent problem for us!

[@luckdragongirl]

@@bethlovesthings I'm a bit jealous of it too. I get aggravated with my keypad, and I'm debating replacing it. It drains the 9 volts really quickly for some reason. I'm using Duracell, not some cheap brand. I don't play around with 9 volts because I want my smoke detectors to have the best. 9 volt is the only battery I don't buy generic batteries for. I could try Energizer and see if that helps, but I really the keypad sometimes. I've been locked out to where I have to go through the fence and get in through the backdoor. I was amazed she didn't realize what a 9 volt is.

[@Bella-bz6fi]

I’m engaged to be married and honestly we just wanna go on holiday after a really short service to make it official - I don’t understand the need for all the crazy expense and planning , it’s about us and we could spend all that money on traveling together rather than feeding and entertaining others

[@carriepinkduck]

I would like your thoughts on crafting, craft supplies, craft storage. The overconsumption can be crazy.

[@citronGXB]

I still want to see something like this, but I think it was somewhat touched on in her hobby overconsumption video some time back. I think especially because it isn't one of Shawna's own hobbies it's a less familiar subject, but her discussing habits for getting into and managing hobbies that cost money had a very realistic approach to it.

[@HeatherStevens-go5ry]

I follow a channel that does free cleanings for people who have hoarding disorder, and he said it's the number one most common thing he sees in excess in the homes he cleans.

[@bethlovesthings]

YESSSSSS, I am getting back into crafting this year (but focusing on using the stuff I already have), would love to see a video on this as the rabbit hole is endless - thousands of craft influencers and trends to explore

[@newcamomile]

IKEA literally sells so many storage boxes for small items like batteries (and the batteries they sell are also really good btw) - even tupperware works fine if you put a label on the lid.

[@itskindofemily]

For #6, I really like that idea for storing Polaroids, but you are right - you can just thrift this. I bet you could thrift an album, too lol

[@alticiaekelley4721]

For sure, the thrift stores near me are always littered with them on the knick knack wall. There's at least 50 at any given time.😂

[@avocadochan123]

I would love a wedding overconsumption video! My partner and I have started thinking and talking about wedding planning and the whole thing, but I keep seeing how people spend SOOOOO much money on things that are so wasteful. Like decorations, things for the party or ceremony, and stuff like that. Being an artist, I just think about how I can DIY everything and maybe even re use it later, for example, decorations for our house, and if there is a chance to rent everything out then we can rent everything out. I feel even overwhelmed when I'm on social media and get bombarded with "you NEED this for your wedding", it's just tiring.

[@justy78]

The popcorn looks like it’s in a fuzzy dog bowl 😂

[@Shetooktothewoods]

An equally horrifying use of a fuzzy bowl.

[@sharonbiggs8061]

The bride probably hoped she would fund her wedding through these videos

[@MH-gc2hr]

It's interesting that when people started caring about microplastics and overconsumption these social media accounts sprung up to glorify buying more plastic crap.

[@DaniiiielaRod]

I got a kindle, a case and a clicker for Christmas. It was my husband's gift to me. I wanted an arm to have the kindle in the air, over me, so i can read in bed. So i got it second hand for £4, instead of brand new for £20. Works just as it should. I wanted the arm and the clicker so i can be snug in bed - was it a need? No!

[@artesiarastania5998]

I got Kindle, and the case too for Christmas. For my situation, I would argue that this is necessary since I have the tendency to buy a physical copy of the book, and I live in such a small apartment so I am running out of space. Library nearby doesn't have all English books that I want to read, so borrowing is also not an option. This will help in suppressing my "need" to buy more stuff because I can just find it online and read it through Kindle. And I am clumsy too, so having a case is non-negotiable 😅

[@Lisa-vb3gn]

The thing about weddings is that all the little details that are fussed over-but these balloons are the perfect shade of pink, I don’t care if they’re more expensive. These candles are nicer than those candles. I want everyone to remember my special day. Guess what? Almost no one will notice the difference in balloons, candles, table cloths, whatever, because they didn’t see the other ones! Also, people will forget your wedding details faster than you can even imagine. I was volunteering with an older woman 1 week after my wedding. We were chatting while working and I was telling her about my wedding and she was telling me about a wedding she had attended recently. Turns out she was a family friend of my husband’s family. We talked for 15 minutes before we realized we were talking about the same wedding. 😂 If you can’t remember the bride or a guest, you’re probably not going to remember how many flowers were in the centerpiece.

[@lauravampire1276]

Girl, I use ziplock baggies for my batteries. Double A and triple A bags, that’s all lol

[@mountaingarden8823]

Please be cautious in storing batteries loose. Particularly 9volt, since the positive and negative terminals are on the same end, providing an accidental connection (via metal pen, key, another battery, etc) could cause overheating and a fire. Best to store either in the original packaging, or arranged carefully in a container so terminal ends of cylindrical batteries or “button” style don’t touch one another, extra caution with 9v.

[@allybuggyboo]

Yes, they get hot SO FAST

[@dianaaraje4127]

Shawna, I would be interested to hear your thoughts on party decorations in general, which are often purchased for single use only. Streamers, balloons, banners, paper plates and cups, plastic utensils, etc.

[@HeatherStevens-go5ry]

There are some businesses and community groups that lend out party kits with reusable plates, cups, cutlery, bunting etc that helps to cut down on the single use stuff.

[@YulianaWrites]

I love clothes but hate overconsumption. Sometimes, what helps is buying a piece at a thrift store, wearing it until I don’t want it anymore (but it’s still in great shape), and then donating it back to the same thrift store. It really makes life easier when I’m experimenting with clothes and don’t want to commit.

[@Binebear]

What in overconsumption hell is a bridesmaid proposal box 🤯 Like, why??? I live in Europe and I'm often baffled on here

[@juliepenn4327]

I’ve been to a bunch of weddings, at least 15. Only 1 gave out flip flops and people didn’t really use them because dance floors can be slick and flip flops will make it even more slippery. I took a pair home (didn’t use at the wedding) and now, after 8 years, I just opened them to use at the beach. My sister, who has been a bridesmaid twice, has brought Toms to change into after the wedding and photos are over. I’ve found 2 pairs of really comfortable heels that I can wear and dance in; these shoes have collectively been work to 7 weddings and I have only felt the need to take one pair off once.

[@Cakefart420]

“Perfect thrifting opportunity, but we aren’t advocating for that… because you can’t link a thrift store” OUCH, too real 😂

[@Narja23]

My best friend did her whole wedding expenses through thrifting ! Even here, in France, where weddings are not that huge over the top social expectation, the amount of wedding related things in thrift stores is wild 😅

[@kariannszemethy3050]

Can’t get enough of your commentary Shawna! I really liked your comment about the behaviour that these shorts promote, the buying on Amazon or online as your first choice. For me, whenever I find a need or desire in my home my “habit” is putting it on a list to check for when I go to a thrift store, or if I think I could find it on Marketplace I search there. My habit is always to look for a used option because there is already so much stuff in the world that needs to be reused, I just can’t support buying new for most home things. There are exceptions though. As for the wedding section, it makes me so glad I had a small and frugal wedding! Rentals for decor or prop pieces is honestly the best to avoid waste, but the simpler the better in my opinion! I also don’t understand how there are so many bridesmaids in modern wedding parties. I chose not to have bridesmaids and am thankful I did! And for a favour we gave our guests two pints of ice cream with a requested flavour from my husbands aunt’s ice cream business, so consumable and memorable! Keep up the great work!

[@brightknight1965]

Watching your videos has made me be so much more mindful with my spending and has stopped me from trying to buy my way out of my issues. Really appreciate it ❤

[@michellek4543]

So timely! I just ordered a Kobo and had fallen down the rabbit hole of accessories while I was shopping around for a case. Somehow, I had convinced myself I needed a page-turner. I haven't ordered one yet, so you definitely de-influenced me there! Thanks!

[@imiiallen9681]

I live in the UK and have been married for over 10 years, and I am so thankful for that! I've been a bridesmaid/maid of honour about 10 times, and I've been seeing a massive increase in over consumption weddings! I got a bridesmaid box from one of my best friend's weddings. It was beautiful, and I love it, but I know how much money the wedding alone was! It was just like, can you even afford to do this?

[@MerlynBarkhuizen]

This wedding stuff is outrages😮

[@Redwallwarriorgirl89]

My wedding was 10 years ago. I bought my dress for $100 off a prom dress website they just so happened to have the dress I wanted in white. We had a morning wedding so we served donuts and coffee instead of cake and had it outside in a garden. My mom made my flower arrangements with fake flowers then repurposed them to decorate her home (she made them so I figured she had the right to keep the lol, I kept my bouquet though) all in all under $2000 for the whole event. It was beautiful and perfect

[@jessicab5362]

as a millennial who has gone through 2 decades of weddings in the us now, bridesmaids gifts were definitely pretty standard in the weddings i was in in the late 2000s/early 2010s. some were just some kind of jewelry, while others were a gift and matching things to get ready in (usually robes). the proposals on the other hand seem to be post tiktok creations.

[@im7mommy]

I’m GenX and traditionally a gift was given to bridesmaids and groomsmen as a thank you after the wedding. It was usually a simple necklace or something like a money clip. I didn’t because I thought that was only for fancy people.😂

[@ellieamorous4372]

I would love to see a wedding video! I worked at a craft store through the burlap wedding trend era, and even THEN the consumption seemed out of hand. Cant imagine that job now 😂

[@shawnaripari]

ah yes the burlap wedding era! That must have been a time

[@amberdawn868]

I only got married about a decade ago and I had no idea bride proposal boxes were a thing XD I just asked two or three of my friends in person or online. And when my little sister got married a year or two ago she just gave her bridesmaids cute little necklaces and a couple other small things as thank-you gifts, nothing elaborate. I still have the necklace she gave me and I love both wearing it and hanging it up to admire it.

[@Bookgirl9086]

I asked for a battery organizer for Christmas a few years ago, and I love the thing. I have kids, and we use batteries regularly. The organizer eliminates batteries rolling around in a drawer and becoming a fire hazed. The batteries have a home and the kids know where that is. We can easily keep track of what we have and when we need to buy more. No, we don’t fill it up, or buy every battery type. For us, though, it’s a valuable organization tool!

[@Aleatoire9]

You should do a wedding video Shawna! You’re so sweet but it’s a huge overconsumption industry. For me, I have always hated the structure of a typical wedding day so we did a private ceremony with just us, and then a short ceremony in front of our parents, and then a couple days later we did a dinner at a restaurant with about 35 people. We definitely didn’t have wedding favours, rounds of food, etc. but you do have me thinking about the cost of the commute (the ceremony was about 2 hours away from our house by car and ferry, and the dinner was 2 hours away from that by car. We stayed with my aunt and uncle in between). You’re not making me feel bad, don’t worry!! Just thinking about the toll of all that moving around

[@shawnaripari]

thank you for sharing about what you did for your wedding! Glad to know this segment was well received and hopefully one to come in the future

[@afirewasinmyhead]

4:18 I have a favourite bowl! I thrifted it a few years ago. It’s definitely a “children’s” food bowl with images of bunnies in ballet tutus on it. And it’s perfect. 😌

[@beth4107]

one thing that was awesome about my friends wedding decor was how most of it was repurposed or reusable. most of her flower vases were actually pretty glass bottles that were collected from different spirits from either home or work. instead of disposable cameras, there was just an instax camera and some film. she had dried flowers made for the wedding by a friend and a lot of the smaller ones ended up being used to embellish gift wraps and the bigger ones kept as a keepsake. it was also a halloween wedding so cute mini pumpkins were used as decor, and as they were real a bunch of us took them home and they could be eaten! plus it made everything a lot more budget friendly and it felt so much nicer than receptions with loads of single use stuff

[@beth4107]

also i’d definitely be down for more wedding content! i’m lowkey planning mine even though im not engaged yet 😂

[@lajordinimo]

I got most of my wedding stuff second hand and use it in my house as home decor. The rest I made out of paper, so I could recycle it. It not only saved me a ton of money, but I love looking at my wedding decor everyday ❤

[@GenLP73]

For my wedding I made my table center pieces. I recycled mason jars and wine bottles as vases. I spray painted them and rolled them in glitter and put fake flowers in them. When I was done with the fake flowers I made a wreath and kept some in a vase that I still have as home decor. My MIL helped me build and paint an arch way for us to get married under. My parents had a tree in their front yard they were going to cut down and get rid of so I took a bunch of wood slices from that tree which is special because it had been there when my parents moved in so I grew up with the tree.

[@elsh332]

With those coat-hangers: I use velvet coated hangers. I take the ring pulls from canned drinks and slip them over the hanger hooks. Then I hook another hanger through the other hole in ring pull so it's hanging from that first hanger and connected by the ring pull. (I hope this makes sense! It's a lot easier to show than to explain 😂) I put my newly cleaned items at the top and take the bottom items to wear next. If I don't want the bottom items but something further up behind it, I then consider whether I need to give away the items that are "in the way." This helps save space in my tiny wardrobe AND cycles my clothes in a way that uses them all - or helps me see what I don't use or want any more. It's a cheap and effective method and it upcycles ring pulls ❤❤❤

[@sandysandor6052]

Actually answering the question about my favourite bowl, because I DO have one! Apart from my favourite cereal bowl, I also have a small, shallow wooden bowl I got handed down by my grandma, which just fits the perfect amount of snacks like a generous serving of chips especially :)

[@ooshiikurai]

I actually store all my socks in an old bath bomb box I got for Xmas that fits in my drawer. I was suggested that life hack from a roommate and it has saved me from buying so many drawer organizers. I just recycle old cute boxes that I usually hate to throw away anyway. Also because it was a bath bomb box it makes my socks smell great!

[@airypersiflage]

same!!! i have owned sock drawer dividers but they have not actually been practical to me

[@shawnaripari]

oh, this is lovely!

[@noodle106]

I would love to see an entire video dedicated to wedding overconsumption

[@epayne]

Anything with a grid blade, like the butter container in the last example or a french fry cutters, is a massive pain in the ass to clean.

[@battledamageprincess]

babe wake up new amazon landfill dropped

[@emilymcculley824]

thanks for including that some items are utilized by people with disabilities. Some products seem silly to the average person but are really helpful to people with limited strength, etc. Thanks for thinking it through and mentioning it!!

[@zarzee8925]

Because how do you clean the fluffy bowl! 😂

[@shawnaripari]

it would drive me insane!!!

[@darksunnygirl]

The best impulse purchase I've ever made were a couple hot pink snack bowls I bought at dollar tree for $1.25 each 😂 one I use for holding yarn for knitting projects and the other is the best snack bowl

[@april1947]

bridesmaid gifts were common when I got married in 2006 but mine were pretty simple. even my friend who had an expensive wedding had fairly simple bridesmaid gifts. We were so lucky to have squeaked in before the proposal boxes became a thing

[@reginacastro1325]

Hi Shawna, I’m from Mexico and I’ve seen several bridesmaid proposal boxes from my friends and acquaintances on social media lately. It kinda blows my mind 😅

[@Marina080]

I am amazed how much is pushed to us as a "necessity". And for batteries - take out containers. Works wonderfully and if one breaks, there are plenty more that wait to be reused.

[@SamisSweetLife]

I would love to see a full separate wedding overconsumption video. As someone who wanted (and had) a teeny tiny wedding, the over the top, one-upsmanship of wedding social medias is so interesting to me! Great video as always!

[@citronGXB]

😵‍💫 Right out the gate with the pillow bowl...? (I have a favorite bowl. It's shaped like a lemon, it's a medium sized bowl, and it holds jussssst the right amount of food. I don't usually buy for themes but I picked this up when I moved and I don't regret it.)

[@citronGXB]

Ohhhhh no I got to 24:30 and you know what's just as helpful as having hexagon dividers for your underwear and socks? Drawers and baskets. I have 3 separate baskets for socks, underwear and sports bras (which is probably still cheaper than the divider + storage situation suggested here) and it makes it pretty easy to manage things with "weird shapes" that are "difficult to store". If I had a dresser, I would probably just have the one basket for socks, but the little fabric bins for cube storage at Target haven't done me wrong in the years I've organized like this.

[@shawnaripari]

damn, a lemon bowl sounds awesome

[@hoflandmm]

Thank you for being a voice of reason

[@kimikeiki1687]

favorite bowl? yes absolutely! it's this small, imported hello kitty bowl I got as a set for Christmas one year from my Nana. Love it to bits!

[@cassandra.5231]

omg the wedding video pleaseeee!! I think it is so fascinating how much people do for their weddings nowadays

[@JillofAllTrades-inMI]

We always just put a wad of paper plates right on top of the stack of regular plates. You do have to lift them to pull out a regular plate though, but I swear your hand does NOT fall off as a result. Somehow I managed to grow into adulthood with this method. Never heard of proposal boxes and I'm in the US. I'm so glad we're doing a courthouse wedding with just an informal barbecue at a later date. My butter lives in a vintage fire king jadeite dish I got in a second hand store, I love it so very very much!

[@madiashh]

Shawna calling me out about my phone boxes 😂 it's so real, I cannot get rid of them

[@shawnaripari]

I also have phone boxes 😅

[@localchangeling]

I love watching your videos on these “Amazon must-haves”! I would definitely be interested in hearing your thoughts on wedding spending and overconsumption 😁

[@MrJeromeRN]

The only "must haves" on my list are the love and support of my husband, our cats, money for the mortgage and groceries and maybe a little left over for fun.

[@donadf4597]

A big yes to a full video on wedding overconsumption!

[@marieevelc789]

I got my bridesmaid some personalized mugs filled with candy as a little gift/souvenir ! It was a little thought that didnt broke the bank :) and I did everything DIY for my wedding, it was a bug wedding and so fun ! I’m happy about what we spend on it which was pretty minimal (for a wedding with 150+ guests).

[@jennig3862]

I love reading when my baby naps. I only need a good old regular book and a cup of coffee. My arthritic fingers ache just from the tought of having to constantly click a remote to change lines and paiges. And I just cannot get over how tedious and cumbersome using a device like that would be

[@Iquey]

Eating FOOD out of a pink fluffy bowl is the stuff of nightmares. 😱 I thought that would be like, a hat or a decor item that you put non-food items into 😮

[@Ryanneey]

Turning the page is one of the best parts of reading. It's wild to me that people want to skip it. 😊

[@allybuggyboo]

People with mobility issues can really benefit from the page turner, I actually have one because I have shoulder issues and even though I love turning the pages sometimes I am in a lot of pain and can't do that repetitive motion all the time. But I do agree that maybe not everyone needs it!

[@itskaybe6348]

My wedding favors were sunglasses and home baked cookies. There are amazing pictures of everyone in our sunglasses and the quality of them was actually great, so many people told us they used them for years. Im actually pretty proud of that. I also used them and any leftovers.

[@TheKelseyRosie]

I got married almost 16 years ago. I wrote my bridesmaids cards to ask them. Easy and cheap. I’m glad I got married before Instagram and Pinterest and all of the things were around. 😂

[@julieroyce8945]

I have had a battery box luke that for about 7-8 years and that's one storage solution I actually use. We use rechargeable batteries, and we have teens in the house, so as they burn through them, I recharge them and place them in the storage box. All sizes available all the time. This is actually useful for us.

[@UrbanAves]

We had the drawer dividers growing up, but we shared them across a whole family! I can't imagine anyone needing 8 for a single person. I had one and my sister had 1-2 for our sock/underwear/pajama drawers. But as Marie Kondo suggests, you can use a box you already have to break up space in a drawer (or you could cut some cardboard you have the right length for the drawer to make a divider)! Nowadays, I use one of those wire shelving units that you might use in a garage for all my clothes so they're always out and visible for my brain :)

[@maddiesakioka7950]

Shawna, I’d love to see a video on wedding overconsumption. As a bride to be, watching tiktoks under the search “backyard engagement party” and “wedding DIYs on a budget” has been shocking! I’ve seen so many people refer to their weddings as “budget” weddings, only to reveal they dropped anywhere from 40K to 90K!!

[@Pusheenmybuttons]

I did a lot of diy for my wedding. I bought new lanterns about 6 of them and put tulle and string lights in them. I kept one and put on Nextdoor for really cheap all of the extra stuff. Better option than goodwill because crafters wanted it. I sold the lantern to a lady that made memorial lanterns for people so it also made me feel good that I could help her out.

[@EFW93]

So I actually did thrift a ton of vases as centerpieces and candle holders for my wedding. I had little cards in front of them saying to take them home if you'd like a vase. Out of the 60 vases I had, I maybe brought home 15? And I made sure the colors fit with my home themes as well, so I use them in my home! Other ways I saved and repurposed: -discounted fall decor from thrift or craft stores: offered extras to family and friends and incorporated the rest into my fall decor collection. -my mom made table runners out of discounted fabric, and I used the pieces to make a quilt (which is absolutely stunning), -did not have bridesmaids (my friends were thankful lol) -did not have wedding favors. Instead opted for individual mini breads like pumpkin, banana, and lemon blueberry. No unnecessary waste and they were a huge hit.

[@unresolved_trauma]

Just hello from Ukraine and a wedding story ☺️ I got married in 2023 and we didn’t buy ANY decor. I am not sure if it’s like common practice but the agency that decorated our wedding allow to rent everything from them (even blankets, ring box, we also had carpet for our wedding arch etc) except of live flowers obviously. And yeah I was today years old when I found out that there’s such thing as bridesmaid proposal. I just chatted my friend and that’s it😅

[@Katemio]

Hey Shawna! I'd looove if you could make a video on Cleantok. The overobsession with "The pink stuff", the endless plugging of cleaning tools, the immense reuse of clips that makes it feel like they clean all day every day and as such may induce guilt for not being that clean... If you have time, maybe you can include the dangers of mixing chemicals, the environmental effects of excess use of harsh cleaners and lastly the use of exposure to bacteria for the immune system and the relation of allergy development in relation to extreme cleanliness. Thank you if you consider this idea! ❤

[@themagicknightress7132]

I got married last year and I bought my bridesmaids their dresses. They had to choose the same color, but they could choose the design they liked. I also offered to 50% comp their optional hair/make up service if they wanted since not all of my friends are good at doing their own hair/makeup

[@aprilroses17]

The butter dish was one of the more extra items for me, i mean there are usually measurements on the wrapper that make it helpful to cut evenly

[@jobeautytime]

Hi! Thanks for your videos- today I am on day 11 of “no impulse purchases”. It means anything I buy (besides food) must be discussed with my partner. It has been incredibly positive- and would never have happened if I hadn’t started watching your videos months ago.

[@teamarie123]

I love reading on my kindle because my hubby can’t fall asleep with the little book lights I was using at one point. Only accessory it has is a case with the flippy top so I can stand it up and protect it in my purse though.

[@mackenziezeckowski5663]

I think it's an excellent idea to do a whole episode about overconsumption in the wedding industry. I was planning on getting married on Halloween of 2020 (lol that did not happen) but we ended up going to the courthouse and getting legally married with only our parents in the officiant in the room. I am so happy that we did this as opposed to spending thousands even 100's of thousands for one day. We were not planning on doing the typical things anyway but when you are elbow deep in planning your wedding everyone around you is telling you to get the biggest and most extra thing. I mean even when you think about the before wedding events like the engagement party bridal party and the bachelor parties ( I always thought those were weird like why are you celebrating the last night of what you view freedom from your partner? Like hello don't you love then and want to be with them?). The overconsumption of your wedding is severely pushed by all cultures and can cause people to be in severe financial debt for just one day of their life. I think it's a really good idea to bring a different perspective of what a wedding can be and that a celebration with your friends and family to celebrate your love can be just as valid if not every single member of your party is on the dance floor in a silver cowboy hat.

[@Layerslikecroissant]

At a friend's wedding, her mom bought a TON of flip flops, probably from Temu but I could be wrong. People took them, but they were immediately SO uncomfortable that they were unwearable. It was such a waste, people went barefoot.

[@juliepenn4327]

A wedding I went to in the 2010s had a basket of GAP flip flops. I can’t even image how much that cost. I didn’t use them at the wedding, but I took a pair home and opened them in summer 2024 to wear to the beach. They function fine and are reasonably comfortable, but so not necessary

[@mistycuz2011]

99% of the kitchen/cooking things I can only think about how much of a pain it would be to clean. Majority of the time it looks awful. 😂

[@TheInfiniteLambLegs]

In terms of the organizational items towards the end of the video: you really don’t have to get fancy with organizing! I’ve definitely used shoe boxes/gift boxes to store items. Doesn’t need to look nice if it’s out of the way and not being used decoratively! I don’t feel nearly as precious about labeling those with sharpies either.

[@kentishbellecrochetandcrafting]

We have rechargeable batteries and I either store them in the charging unit (off of course), or an open jam jar in the cupboard! A really good way to personalise things is to have some cute labels which are wipeable in different shapes, colours etc. Or get you craft on and decorate what you’ve already got to make it cuter and more to your taste. YT is full of amazing crafters you can watch for inspo! Upcycling is really fun ❤

[@bethlovesthings]

I would LOVE a wedding video. I got engaged in 2024 - & I want to stick to a budget & don't want it to be full of unnecessary *stuff*. So I think a video about the wedding industry and the absolute levels of excess that it tends to come with. The rabbit hole is very deep and probably one of the reasons planning a wedding feels so overwhelming to me.