Part unboxing video for limited edition Tokyo TN, part buyer's remorse soul searching mission

Ah, this unboxing video hasn’t turned out as joyous as it should have 😬
I was “overwhelmed” by guilt/buyer’s remorse at the end of the video. And I basically couldn’t wait to finish filming.
There’s plenty of noise in the journaling community about overconsumption and the never ending releases of pretty things, FOMO, too many stickers… etc.
I’m aware that filming unboxing videos - heck just creating an account and sharing content in the first place - is contributing to this problem… but at the same time, living vicariously through another person’s excitement of opening/using a product I don’t have brings me great joy, too.
In the end it’s down to us being able to identify overconsumption as an issue in ourselves and if needed exercise self-restraint. Which is why I got upset with myself while filming the video. I know I dislike owning things I don’t use often, so I should’ve definitely, absolutely, 100%-ly stopped myself from ordering the cover!!
The hoarder and minimalist in me are definitely not getting along today! Are you with me in being someone with no willpower and much FOMO? Or are you someone good at budgeting/wishlist buying/saving? Then please give me all the advice you have!!!
PJ 🫰

[@mybibliofiles]

I'm also on a journey to curate meaningful stationery, whilst finding myself wanting all the things. It's hard. I am reining it in by having a no-spend month on stationery once a quarter. So far, I am finding it tests my impulse control, but also - I realize that my wants are fleeting and nothing disappears (typically) in a month. If it's still on my mind, I can always find it later. Take care! You're not alone.

[@thejournalingpotato]

Ah yes, meaningful stationary and curbing impulse I what I need, too! I have plenty of online carts filled with stuff that I let sit for days or weeks. I tend to forget what was put into the baskets. Until I log back onto the site and the cookies have kept all the items in the basket... ahaha and my impulse makes me get them 🫠 I need to implement a no or low spent on stationery items - but I fear the forbidden fruit will be harder to resist still.

[@mybibliofiles]

@@thejournalingpotato It helps to have an accountability partner. I tell my friend my intentions and decide on a clear exception before the month starts. "I am only allowed this if this happens" (usually a restock or new release I know about). You'll be surprised what you don't need or don't care about by the end. Unsubscribe, unfollow, remove your temptations. Good luck! 💪🏼

[@thejournalingpotato]

@@mybibliofiles Ah yes you're so right!! I've unsubscribed from so many marketing emails. Unfortunately, I love this journaling community so I cannot go off-line on you lot, haha. I've started to chat to my stationery friend about no spends and tragically we both fail terribly in staying strong - doesn't help we like the same things! So really, now that I think about it... a person utterly disinterested in stationery is the better accountability partner, right?! Hehe, thanks for taking time to chat with me!

[@ghostyplans]

I was going to get this collection but didn’t get it before they sold out. And… I’m not mad about that. I was most interested in the charms and stickers. But thank you for sharing! ❤ if you do end up using it, I hope you enjoy it! The cover and everything is so beautiful

[@thejournalingpotato]

I was going to wait and see some more previews or unboxing of this cover, too. But FOMO made me sit at my computer and click "checkout" so fast I was embarrassed by my greed*. I'd say if you are someone with more sense and restraint than me and like this collection as a whole, the charms are great small pieces of joy to procure. They are so easily incorporated into most notebooks/TN covers. And I believe there are still shops who have them in stock AND apparently there will be a restock in August. *I think the increase in popularity of TN has made FOMO worse for me...

[@MamaGraciePlans]

To answer your question in the description. I wanted to have the set of all the TC leather colors. In 2018 I purchased them finalizing my olive one with the new release in 2023. The only one I’m keeping is my olive TN that I love for traveling. It is perfect. It keeps everything I need for my travels. I had it customized by Baum Kuchen. The other colors are going to my daughters, husband, and grand children as I journal to them. I have years of journals but nothing specific TO them until the last 5y. I never criticize or vent my frustrations at all. I tell them how much they are loved and what makes them special and what made memories for me when I spent time with them. I include dates and photos. That way buying them doesn’t become like I am consuming this all for myself. They have name cards attached inside and when it’s my time to leave this earth. My husband is instructed to pass them out. I didn’t get the chance to grow up with my sibling, but we’re reconnecting now as adults for the past 7y. I am leaving one for her too. To clarify, I will not have a normal life span and that’s something I had to come to terms with through therapy. (I talk about chronic illness on my channel). The best gift I can give my kids isn’t just my time now, but my written words so they never forget how precious they all are to me. I get candid photos of us together when we’re together. We’re all living in different states due to being a huge military family so it’s hard that we’re not all together every holiday. Ok, after saying all that. Please don’t be hard on yourself. You can dedicate each one to your hobbies or scrapbook journal inserts. Just like books on a shelf that get read one at a time. You can use one at a time at the same time collecting the ones you do like. I don’t have any specialty ones. ❤ oh yes and I’m a new subbie too. I found your channel through a comment. Love your videos

[@Sypeth]

FOMO is real ! 😉 I got it because of the hype and because it’s a limited edition but I don’t use black stationery and I bought a superb camel 2021 limited edition that I love and use everyday so the Tokyo one is on a shelf for the time being. But it is beautiful and I don’t regret buying it ! We are weak ! 😂

[@thejournalingpotato]

Haha, yes, I for sure am weak!! I feel I may start using this cover next year? Because I'm not one for collecting something for the sake of its value appreciating. In which case I may as well use it and enjoy sniffing the leather than just have it on a shelf? Oh who knows... Maybe some new cover comes out before the end of the year and I get that one too 😬 Is your 2021 camel a standard size? I love the camel colour and textures - which, don't you think, this Tokyo one comes close to? Usually the black and blue covers are quite smooth.

[@emkaydee6033]

We talked on IG 😂 I absolutely love the iridescent foiling on the black cover but I think it clashes too much with the brass charms 🤷🏻‍♀️ I will use my charms on my blue pocket TN (with the mustard elastic) 😊 Thanks for the video

[@joannewalker6257]

Yes I totally agree. I think it should have had a silver or tin charm

[@thejournalingpotato]

Ah I'm glad the video was helpful. And I think you're making the right decision to just get the charms and use on you blue TN - they'll look adorbs!

[@thejournalingpotato]

Yeah right?! I wonder why they didn't...

[@fatdandelions]

When you are in a bad mood it reflects in your video. Perhaps wait a few days before you film. Or make a script what you want to say : certain the points you want to elaborate. Your voice is trembling, besides the uhm is too much. Never mind, practice makes perfect or makes you seem more comfortable when speaking ofte. 🙆 Its never a waste when you purchase somethings earlier than you plan to travel someday. Just set aside for that particular moment. You will enjoy once you set foot in Japan and your adventures start. I think you are for sure looking for more journal paper cos Japan has a lot of subjects to write about. 🙇 As a fellow Crafter you are bound to buy things becos its shiny in your head. We are all crows loving beautiful things 🤣🤣🤣. 💁 For the love of paper we exist 🥰❤️. And we are supportive in the crafting community. ❤❤❤ with kind regards, Mildred

[@thejournalingpotato]

Hi Mildred! Thanks so much for watching and taking time to leave a comment. I didn't know I was going to feel as annoyed with myself as I did when filming. With that being said, I don't have a problem for that to come through in the video. My initial worry about posting this video was that I worried about my less than enthusiastic reaction may damped someone else's excitement for the items I was unboxing. It's nice to hear (only) positive things about something you may have already bought and waiting for it to arrive. You don't want to hear someone saying they wished they didn't get it, whatever the reason... However, there are plenty "happy" unboxing videos around that I think my unfiltered video (not only about the product but also) about topics rarely discussed on social media is a refreshing change. I agree that we're all magpies in one way or another :) Happy weekend!

[@fatdandelions]

@@thejournalingpotato I like watching your videos. Nevertheless I dont want you afterwards dislike that video. Ofcourse you can feel uncomfortable some way, you cannot be always be happy all the time. I want you to be content with your video in the end of the day. Try to filter out negative feelings. I have those days too. When I am not content with my own video, I wont post it. Even when I did that video already 3 times anew. Then I stop knowingly its never going to happen. Just breathe, doing something else and film another day, something else, another topic. Please continu these unboxing videos. I enjoy them immensely. I started to subscribe your channel from this video now on. I have never noticed you before. I see you started recently. I started to bingewatch your other videos. I love watching your videos 🥰❤️ !!!

[@thejournalingpotato]

Ah yeah. I didn't really think about that - the potential lasting negative vibe of posting a not-so-happy video! Hopefully my emotions won't surprise me in the future as much as they did this time round, ha! I'm planning on expanding on the FOMO in a future video - that one will be more analysed and "calmer", one hopes :) Thank you for finding me and subscribing. It makes me happy to hear that you like my videos!

[@fatdandelions]

@@thejournalingpotato YES, keep on making videos you enjoy making, and I enjoy watching all the crafting supplies I have never seen or noticed before. I love purchasing unique findings. 🥰❤️