trying to convince you to not buy things for 30 mins // deinfluencing temu edition

[@theunlicenseddoctor]

The different sized tip pens are used for graphic novels/comics. I’m not saying that one should buy them unnecessarily but they are useful and can run out after a month or two with intense use.

[@shawnaripari]

this is very true! If someone flies through these kinds of pens or does use all these tips it would make sense.

[@SoranovaArt]

@@shawnaripariI flew through those a lot. Art graphics pens dry fast when you use them alot for art so I could buy 6 packs a years or multiple of particular sizes. XD a normal person definitely doesn’t need them unless they practice typography. If you store them wrong they would also stop working.

[@emh.1178]

Yes- Im a comics artist and I do through these pretty quickly, however I still don't know if I would buy them from temu. I'm very picky about my tools and I find cheap markers don't last long and the tips tend to disintegrate on heavy use. I really like the Staedtler and Sakura Pigma Micron brands for heavy use artists, and they are easy to get at most local art stores. Also I really don't use a huge range, I mostly like the thinner sizes

[@theunlicenseddoctor]

@@emh.1178 I have never used Temu and I have no interest (as much as Google likes to advertise it) in doing so. I quite pleased with my local/online craft stores. However I do have quite a collection of different sized tip pens for my drawing needs. The good thing is that I can buy one pen at a time to exchange the ones that are out of ink.

[@CampingforCool41]

@@emh.1178yeah I imagine the ones from temu are really bad quality

[@emilynewell5667]

My parents have had the same set of wooden coasters my entire life. No reason to replace them.

[@shawnaripari]

Mine too! I grew up seeing the same ones.

[@ReineDeLaSeine14]

We still have ours lol

[@DeedsReadz]

So did my grandparents. I just realized the other day that they have had those wooden coasters for 50 years!!

[@squash6497]

I currently don't own coasters, but I do woodburning /pyrography and I'm looking forward to making my own

[@schm1596]

I got my four ceramic coasters at Target for $3 per piece about 8 years ago. They have plants on them and are easily washed, and I’m nowhere near done with them for those two reasons. A good coaster lasts forever and has one of the best value per dollar spent if you do it right - can’t imagine buying a clear plastic one that will be out of trend in 6 months.

[@justwonder1404]

I have three scented candles, and I'm proud to announce I'm responsibly burning the heck out of them.

[@shawnaripari]

love to hear it!

[@lmshanyfelt]

Same! When I'm tempted to buy more of a thing (candles, makeup, pens, whatever), I go organize what I currently have. That typically squashes the urge.

[@emh.1178]

Same! I only allow myself a maximum of three candles at a time, so if I want a new scent I have to finish oneXD

[@sleepymilkbun]

same!! my dad buys tons of candles for every season because our dog stinks and its to cover up his smell and just make everything smell seasonal and cozy lol

[@jocelynsmyth6604]

I have had a rule of 'I'm not allowed to buy another candle until I finish what I have'.... this has been going on for two years now 😅 whoops

[@Iquey]

My conspitacy theory about TEMU is that it's a last ditch play to get factories in China who were not doing well because they created strange things with low demand, a second chance to prosper by convincing people to buy their weird cheap stuff on this platform.

[@maddie8415]

I like this theory, even though I think Temu is being far more exploitative and will stop at nothing to break into Western markets. But I totally agree that any time something is heavily discounted it usually is because demand is very low and it's the only way to sell the product. That should always be in the back of our heads when tempted by very low prices. I always ask myself if I'd be interested at all if the item was priced as expected.

[@mimmikibilly]

My conspiracy theory is that any of these low price, free shipping sites is just to sell data and get rich like that.

[@ladyoftheflowers44]

Unfortunately it’s not this innocent… The US laws that prohibit slave labor don’t include direct to consumer sites like SHEIN and TEMU. Ughyer Muslims are severely persecuted in northern china and satellite imagery has shown factories where 1-2 million Muslims are currently being kept in concentration camps and being forced to produce products for the US market. This is how temu has such low prices. Their workforce is enslaved.

[@flyingbird9633]

@@ladyoftheflowers44 it's same with some fast fashion and lolita fashion brand clothing that use Ughyer Muslims in camps and poor areas for cheap labor.

[@cookiesandpudding8485]

​@@ladyoftheflowers44they also use them for making human hair wigs

[@0lalalini]

Pens are like hair ties, you never finish them, you just keep loosing them😆

[@shawnaripari]

This is so true 😂 WHERE DO ALL MY PENS GO! Maybe there are goblins

[@Cassy-ep1xx]

Throw chapstick in this category too lol

[@belindagritter1572]

I can’t lose them as fast as they accumulate. 😂

[@ah57588]

Unless you only have one, once you have 2+ it's a lie. You have the illusion of 2+ and actual sum of none XD

[@zakourille]

lowkey i be finishing pens despite having very debilitating adhd bc i need to physically write stuff to process it

[@brits.4581]

Artist here. I agree that most of the products are not useful, but I will say I absolutely use the multi-sized markers for my drawings and dry them out due to my excessive use of them. Even then, most people still don't need them. I also wouldn't buy something like that off of Temu. You want water proof markers so you can paint, color without your outline bleeding.

[@thenonfurry]

as an artist, preach.

[@GABEJUM]

I felt so attacked by the pen one, and then I remembered I'm an architecture student, and I make art. I got a set of 10 pens in September, and I've finished 4 of them fully and am about to finish another. I go through a pack of varied-weight pens a year, too. I would defo recommend getting pens from reputable brands and ones that can be reused if you go through them like me. My go-to pens are Muji for this reason (you can buy refills of ink). Yet to find a set of pens with a broad enough weight range to use for architectural drawings so any suggestions are welcome!

[@shawnaripari]

if you're someone who flies through pens the comment certainly doesn't apply! What I've personally seen through watching all the hauls are people buying them because of a perceived value for money or aesthetics. It's a good value if you use them, but as you mentioned as well buying from reputable brands will probably serve someone more who does use and need this kind of quantity. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@emilynordt153]

Can't help you with the varied weight question because we use CAD for our prints. For everyday pens that are refillable I have used zebra pens

[@fancynancy2888]

Have you tried fountain pens? Many artists used them. Don’t know how broad you are considering but there are broad and stub nibs (stubs commonly range from 1.1, 1:5, and 1.9 mm).

[@m3selfs950]

Muji gel pens are refillable? Or is there another type?

[@thenonfurry]

you can what?

[@nullusanxietas2379]

I've gone from buying makeup as "one day I'll wear this!" To pretty much only skin-care and only things I empty. Shopping is a chore, and the fact that I used shopping as a mental health band-aid made my mental health problems worse. I constantly worried about money, and that made me ashamed of my debt. I hid, and I spiralled for a few years.

[@BobaTeaandWobblyKnees]

Honestly coasters are like the easiest things to crochet, takes like 10 minutes, you can customize them however you want, wash them when they get dirty, and once they dry for awhile they're like new. Perfect to use scrap yarn for.

[@SlavoidUkr]

That’s actually pretty neat solution because well that’s also a hobby

[@BobaTeaandWobblyKnees]

@@SlavoidUkr thanks. Honestly you can crochet all kinds of practical things, like scrubbies for doing dishes, plastic grocery bag holder/dispenser, chair socks so the legs don't scratch up your floor, etc. ^w^

[@i.b.640]

I just take the free paper ones you always get in bars or festivals. in my country at least one side is pretty and the other has the advertisment on it.

[@BobaTeaandWobblyKnees]

@@i.b.640 Ah, awesome! My problem is that I can't get free ones often enough to replace the ones destroyed by condensation.

[@i.b.640]

@@BobaTeaandWobblyKnees I want to say pity, but then, you have crochet coasters so ... I can hardly pity something so cool ;)

[@PetCrazzy]

I have to disagree about the decor mood boosting part. Having cute and pleasing surroundings and stationary has actually helped me get through my intense study sessions/schoolwork. I even find myself having fun as I color code endless medical notes. Just as living in a super cluttered and messy environment can harm our mental health, having things that you enjoy or that are pleasing to look at also affects your mindset. It won’t fix everything, but for some of us it’s all we can do to try and manage our stress.

[@ktnguyen4412]

I think that consumables like pens and tape and such is completely fine bc you use them up but cute decor can be thrifted and found in different ways that are more ethical I also think that slowly gathering thrifted things with personality makes it feel like a more homey place anyways no hate!

[@ivybrooks7963]

@@ktnguyen4412yep, I haven’t bought a “new” piece of decor in years. 99.9% of the decor in my house is thrifted, antiqued, or got at an auction

[@kphoria1009]

but then you’re relying on spending money on material items for a serotonin boost, that’s not a healthy way to improve your mindset, it’s only a distraction from the real problems

[@comfortme]

absolutely but we should all try investing in things that wont end up in a land fill, things made to last.

[@PetCrazzy]

@@ktnguyen4412 I absolutely agree! I wasn’t talking about buying from temu (or any other specific store), I was just disagreeing with the statement she made about aesthetically pleasing items not having any significant effect on your productivity and mood.

[@YuniAiko]

"Do you need another candle" listen... At least I use mine as intended 😅

[@shawnaripari]

😂😂 glad you're using your candles

[@lilacbloom5926]

I only use candles when my room is really stinky. 😂

[@Ah_Lu_SC]

Be careful if U use candles regularly your walls will have evaporated wax stick onto them.

[@sarahlizziebethc-k7902]

I dont care lol i live in military housing and they refuse to fix or improve anything​@SeraChylle

[@kalpic11]

@@Ah_Lu_SCso I just looked it up and soy wax does this significantly less than paraffin wax candles just for info.

[@Iquey]

What i think is kinda sad about washi tapes in journals is that we buy stationary to make our own writing books beautiful instead of sending one another cards, because we can just call each other or text each other now.

[@chelseag3365]

Stamps are unfortunately becoming quite pricey, too.

[@MiniMimots]

Not really you could make a pretty card to send too. Making writkng book beautifull is more a joy thing and a memory helper. Like doodling on class notes ^^ But it mean it's better to choose very consciously and maybe pay a lil bit more to get quality decoration that will last and may also be used as regular tape! You don't want tape that dull down or untape themself! And you want some that you will like and use a lot since you will look at them a lot. Minimize consumption, Maximize joy and use! And maybe learn better penmanship and start sending letters to your friends with your pretty tape and decoration :3c (Not gonna lie i've been eyeing aquarelle postcard while i take note of my friends adress)

[@biankabbbb]

i buy postcards everywhere i travel and use my stationery to write pretty letters to my family and friends. writing, sending, and receiving a letter is such a special feeling!

[@xdani_thethinkingneko]

There are pen pal groups. As well as sites dedicated to swaps.

[@quaintlyso]

Shawna, you’re not only saving me from my worst impulses, but you’re an absolute delight. I’m stuck in bed with a broken ankle and I’ve been working my way through your older videos. I’m cackling my head off every time you move your face close to the camera because YOU’RE SO RIGHT LOL

[@21cormorants]

The yellowing of plastic clear products is such a great point; by 2054 maybe we’ll all have little home UV plastic restoring kits or something in our homes, idk. But I’m definitely tired of finding something I love at a shop, only to realise it’s likely to turn yellow in five years. Same with “vegan leather;” they all just explode into plastic dust in about 3 years in my climate; it’s investing in guaranteed obsolescence for me, which means I feel like I’d just be purchasing it directly to the landfill, with a 2-4 year “lease” to use it before it sits in a dump for 100+ years. It’s a no for me.

[@brittasmith4033]

I finally found a vegan leather that is not made of plastic. There are independent artists experimenting with using the outside of cactuses to make leather. It's durable and water proof. I bought a necklace and it's really soft without the gross pleather feeling

[@GoroAkechi_Real]

Huh, makes me curious about your climate. My mom gifted me a vegan leather jacket and 5 years later it's still good as new, even in my climate (extremely humid, 80-90° summers and 10-20° winters)

[@ivybrooks7963]

Me who just bought a clear acrylic easel as my “buy it for life” easel 👁️👄👁️

[@comfortme]

i think i’ve seen things like game console restorations where they had a specific process to fix the yellowing plastic using hydrogen peroxide and UVs. most people don’t know about it though so unfortunately that means people throw it away instead of restoring it. and perhaps they don’t feel like its worth the effort, and dont do it anyways. even if you restore plastic your whole life, when you die its going to be put in a thrift or be thrown away for being “ugly”. i’m sure this is more difficult with larger pieces and sometimes it’s not worth it anyways especially if you don’t see yourself restoring plastic like that. imagine getting a bunch of clear tubs and they start yellowing, that’s a lot of hydrogen peroxide you have to buy. seems like an investment

[@h.j.froehlich326]

@@ivybrooks7963 It's not a problem if you don't care how it looks.

[@thepainteduniverse3648]

Humidifiers are absolutely necessary in cold dry climates like the one where I live. I have a couple of little flame diffusers that are so beautiful and easy to clean, and I use them every day for much of the year. They do not need distilled water at all. I love them, and they bring me joy all the time. But I did get rid of a few others that were harder to clean, and mostly annoyed me. It’s important to pick out the right ones.

[@ktnguyen4412]

Aren't humidifiers and defusers different? I thought diffusers were only for scent

[@thepainteduniverse3648]

@@ktnguyen4412 Many diffusers are basically just small cool mist humidifiers that you can add a few drops of essential oils to. There are also larger ones that you shouldn’t do that with. It depends on the model you get.

[@odduckOasis]

One thing that helps me, is when I find myself perusing and thinking "Ooo, cute!" I add it to cart, and I just keep adding stuff, but then I don't check out- I just leave it there (cuz you can't wishlist things, cuz they push that fomo thing)- and then make myself close the site. Eventually those things go out of stock or something happens and I forget what it was anyways and I've saved money. I know this won't work for those w/ little will power, but I've def trained myself to sort of 'walk around' with it and then put it back once I realize "No, I don't need this."

[@waywardplanet]

I do the same thing but I’m extra about it. If a website doesn’t have a wishlist function, I’ll screenshot things I like and save them in a folder I call “The Hoard”. To me, just knowing the cool or cute thing existed at one point is enough to give me the happy chemicals

[@comajuice]

I do this on tiktok lol. Anytime I see something I want I add it to my wanted collection, but now that collection is so big I can never pick a thing is ACTUALLY end up buying from it. Now I just sometimes use it as inspiration for my birthday or Christmas

[@ivybrooks7963]

I’ve been learning about shopping addiction (because I have one 🤪) and apparently the high you get from shopping comes from the anticipation of finding/buying something, not the act of buying or receiving the item. I’ve avoided spending thousands of dollars by adding things to my cart and then closing it

[@odduckOasis]

@@ivybrooks7963 Oh! That makes so much sense! I have found that when there's an item, esp a more expensive item, if I add to cart and then close the tab or site, that feeling of wanting it goes away. It's just the feeling of 'grabbing' it, and then just not buying it. You do have to force yourself not to buy it, but if you train yourself to do it, it gets easier the more you do it for sure.

[@littleprettyfairy]

ive been doing this for years! i really struggle with a shopping addiction and i have for over a decade and this does tend to help quite a bit. it definitely doesnt prevent me from shopping, but it does stop me from spending unnecessary money a lot of the time.

[@Simile95]

"Pen can last you years" *cries in charting at work*. Wish my Hobonichi liner lasted me that long 😢.

[@phaeriland]

real lmfao i started buying like three pairs of brownish orange miniso pens bc theyre a nice color and i always run out of it!

[@morganwentworth2041]

Re: pens. Those pens are felt tip, and they tend to wear down before they run out of ink. I suspect that the Temu ones will wear down even faster than their counterparts. Agree with the idea that if you get a ton of different nib sizes you're going to use three max unless you're a very specific kind of artist. I use a felt tip pen for journalling that I've been buying in bulk and when I run out I'm switching to fountain pens because there's much less waste. Also, buying so much stuff on Temu takes away oppprtunities for people to get you higher quality versions of that sort of thing for your birthday! Themed coasters are a great gift, for example.

[@shawnaripari]

this is a great point, and perhaps an item where higher-quality stuff matters a bit more

[@MiniMimots]

Just wanted to cheer for fountain pens! I use piston fountain pens, best things!! You could also use a quill and change the nibs for multiple writing type! :D Love ink writing

[@Parfaitcookiestan67]

this actually really opened my eyes. I don’t use temu but I buy a lot of unnecessary stationery. thanks

[@SimplyKatieWalks]

You made my husband laugh when you said, "How many candles do you need?" I have 8 candles, and it drives him nuts that I won't burn them. Why do they make them look so nice?? (I know) One thing I learned in this video is what washi tape is used for. I'm just starting journaling. Again, I love these videos! 🎉

[@shawnaripari]

omg 😂 your husband!! the candles do get me too so I totally feel you! They're so pretty and often smell so nice. It's only really the past 2 years that I began to really focus on using the ones I have up!

[@Cheif_Runs_with_scissors]

Does your husband not realize the candles are ONLY for looking pretty😂 ( or a complete black out)❤

[@21cormorants]

Candles are such a funny one; I stocked up on my all-time favourite scent during a sale, and was saving them and saving them for a rainy day. After Covid, I don’t know what happened since my sense of smell never seemed affected in any other ways, but whenever I burn candles now, I can barely smell the scent, but can mostly smell just a foul, burning scent. No matter what candle, scent, company, the burning smell takes precedence. And the all-time favourite scented candles? Smell okay before I burn them if I just sniff the dry wax, but once they’ve been burned, or if they are lit, I can’t smell what I used to smell from them anymore. So that big stash of favourite candles for a rainy day? Slowly coming to terms that I might need to let it go; I just can’t even imagine them smelling good again. 😢 So if you’re someone reading this and you’re saving yours, this is a sign to enjoy today and treat yourself to those olfactory delights while you can! Otherwise you might just have to donate or rehome them anyway…!

[@rachelmink9675]

@@21cormorantsi wonder if you could repurpose the candle wax into a wax melt type situation! i’ve been seeing candle warmers get pretty popular- they don’t burn the candle and instead heat the whole thing so the wax melts. maybe you could DIY some little wax melts out of the candle wax and avoid both the burning smell and tossing something you enjoyed

[@MlleBambi]

Just letting you know that I save your daily videos for my daily 30min cardio workout and it’s literally perfect, it makes time go by in a blink of an eye !

[@shawnaripari]

I love that so much!!

[@razzmatazzirishwrist]

There are so many cute ways to DIY coasters. Crochet, wood cookies, painting or gluing photos to tiles, etc. The possibilities are endless!!

[@emh.1178]

I bought a mini humidifier for my college dorm because I couldn't breathe at night in winter- I took very good care of it using distilled water, cleaning it thoroughly, and changing the little filter every two weeks. It worked great! ....for about three months. Now I have one from the drugstore that is ugly and takes up most of my side table, but it's been working great for like 6 years now (with proper maintenance) it also doesn't need filters so its less trouble

[@witchy90210]

You leave my pen and stationary obsession alone! I dont have a problem! I have several!

[@Almond_baby]

I sense a need for an intervention 👀

[@uatcgfhdhu]

My artist ass buying packs of 50 cheap BIC pens and burning through them in a month: _oh._

[@Username0467]

Refillable pens might be for you

[@uatcgfhdhu]

@@Username0467 Sadly they don't sell those in my area, and my family is a bit too wary of online shopping. So 50 Bics it is.

[@bimbobinman]

right? I do fine line illustrations using either markers/pens, and the cheapest blue BIC pens have the best ink, weight and everything for some reason 🥲 bought more high end stuff, and the disappointment actually hurt my soul

[@changjinius1499]

Im not even an artist but a senior in high school and pens finish up like crazyyyy

[@lulululu28383]

You can easily replace your air humidifier by doing laundry and hanging it inside to dry instead of using the dryer.

[@Almond_baby]

wait I always hang clothes inside and I HATE how they change the air in the room, is that similar to what a humidifier does?? sounds horrible to me- would create mold for sure...

[@lulululu28383]

@milkc9683 I guess a humidifier would allow more fine tuning and not release a ton of humidity all at once. Idk how much humidity is needed for mold to develop but pretty sure it's fine as long as you air your room out and the humidity doesn't stay high all the time.

[@Almond_baby]

@@lulululu28383 oh honey I live in london... here mold appears out of nowhere, everywhere and incredibly easily unfortunatelly... so idk.. but thanks for the info!! Id love to own a humidifier when I move hopefully!

[@lulululu28383]

@@Almond_baby Aww! I feel for ya! Good luck!

[@geekelly000]

If you have the space to do so. I do this but the airer always gets in the way.

[@mjthegray]

I love this video. I’ve avoided temu like the plague and agreed to check it if I am absolutely on the hunt for something specific or if price is a factor. The washi tape rant - you spoke to me hard. Amazon offers a variety of washi assortments for under $10. I refused to buy them thinking about the idea on how I’m going to store all those rolls of washi tape. Instead I went on CuteTape and ordered exactly what I liked and got Japanese washi which I ideally wanted to experience. I saved $ and space in my mind. 😅

[@watan_5913]

I only go on temu and aliexpress when I want something and I know the results I'm getting are just dropshippers. Otherwise I try to stay off shopping apps altogether bc I have a problem.

[@MlleBambi]

I strongly agree with everything you said, the only caveat would be about the fake flowers : I love flowers but buying flowers once a week is not feasible for me, so I started looking for pretty fake flowers to keep forever. I found an amazing bouquet by a beautiful brand, but it was out of stock and also 130e. I considered the purchase for two months and finally decided to buy a big bunch of fake flowers to recreate the 130e bouquet. It was way cheaper and looks the same as the expensive one, and I still love it 5 years later ! I am very guilty about the ceramics though, I always want to beautiful pottery mugs and bowls, and there is an amazing potter right next to my favourite coffee shop… I have never regretted buying one of those bowls or mugs and they’re constantly dirty because I use them on repeat (4 bowls and 3 mugs) but I had to make sure I come to the coffee shop when the store is closed to stop myself for buying new bowls every months… Another technique I found by accident was buying an incredible danish mug shelf. It has a set number of spots for mugs and I can’t stack them or anything. The shelf is full, so I’m never buying another mug or bowl until one breaks!

[@shawnaripari]

this sounds like the fake flowers were a great purchase

[@csistok]

One thing about fake flowers and plants she didn't mention is the dust. Just like with the candles, they get dusty and they are hard to clean. Unless they have ones that you can throw in the wash nowadays. They're gonna look gross after a while. If buying flowers weekly is not feasible for you then how about a potted plant instead and save the fresh flowers purchases for special occasions?

[@MlleBambi]

@@csistok I have potted plants, they also require dusting, which I do, same as with my fake flowers. 😌 I’ve had my fake flowers for 5 years and they still look beautiful.

[@geekelly000]

Fake flowers are difficult to clean and deteriorate. I do have fake plants though bc my living room doesn't get enough sunlight.

[@akapetkus]

Usually when washi tape is sold in packs of multiple the rolls are shorter than the ones sold individually, so even tho you get more designs you don't get that much more tape itself. Also, when washi tape is sold in a set it tends to have some sort of theme, so if someone is journaling in that aesthetic they will probably use all that tape and it won't get wasted.

[@fainepeony7390]

My favorite coasters are old ceramitc painted tiles that used to be in my grandparents’ kitchen wall. They have these old paintings of mushrooms and teapots. Reusable, washable, made to last!

[@BettinaKeck-i1m]

You are so right! I never bought on Temu and am not intending to do so but find myself such a sucker for stationery. And there used to be a time when everybody was bullet journalling and their spreads were so aesthetic! I never brought myself to even start journalling because it seemed too daunting to accomplish anything even remotely as beautiful as what I saw online. Then I watched an influencer, I forget who he/she was, and they showed their journal: no stickers, watercolor, cutouts or beautiful handwriting. Just their thoughts and feelings and brain dump and to do lists, notes and plans. I was so impressed. I now journal, and even though people tell me they like my handwriting, sometimes I cannot be bothered to write neatly and can hardly read my own handwriting and that is okay for me too. Thank you for de-influencing us! We need so much less than we think we do and it's so much more fun to be mindful in what you purchase in the first place and then how you go about using up stuff. Often we think we want the article but we just love the idea of having it and then it ends up collecting dust and never being used or enjoyed in any other way.

[@angelaarnold4255]

Talking about your Counter Space Thief…. We’re talking Temu here. Even though Temu gives us the dementions in inches and in centimeters, when it gets to your home, they are ALWAYS smaller!! Lol. I saw a post from someone out camping. The guy is laying in a sleeping bag with a “tent” just over his head. The caption says “A one man tent from Temu.” I couldn’t stop laughing because it’s so true. Lol.

[@shawnaripari]

I didn't talk about it in this video or my previous Temu video but the product info on Temu is usually pretty bad. Little information or instructions or just inaccurate info as you've pointed out 😂

[@thepopslice]

Oh my gosh, those blossom coasters are what someone got me for my birthday last year and I don’t use them for cups because of how easily dirty they become.

[@saaraswain8741]

You're the friend every over-shopper needs

[@kat_thefruitbat]

This should be called “Deinfluencing - Trash talking ridiculous things you don’t need” 😂 Loved it! 😂 I always enjoy every video you create, so every day May is such a treat! 😻❤️

[@mycomnithegreat434]

2:35 this is most evident with light colored translucent eletronics fron the 90s-early '00s. Most of them are visbly yellowing bc of their age.

[@suzienothing9855]

This is the first video I'm seeing from you and have subscribed instantly. I've been 'decluttering' and trying to only buy meaningful/useful items, but along the way I tricked myself into thinking that decoration is also a use for an item. Watching your video, I fall into the 'lights overconsumer' category and I feel so busted lol. I thought: well I love lights but even if I don't use it, it is just so cute, so I'll love looking at it either way. But now I'm realising it kinda does make me feel bad that I don't have a use for these 'cute' lights and I'm still cluttering up my space... Love the concept of this video so much!! Very refreshing

[@PrincessNinja007]

I'm a lights consumer but in my defense I want a specific amount of light and being able to hit tap lights works for me

[@el0invOid]

I just found your channel and love it here! There's quite a lot of KZbinrs who touch on the topic of overconsumption, but I feel like your input is so personal and like nothing I've heard before. Videos about minimalism/ decluttering have been feeling all the same to me lately, and your take is like a breath of fresh air.

[@shawnaripari]

I'm so glad to hear this!! I've found some inspo from other channels who are doing amazing things and have their own vibe. I've been trying to figure out my own as I produce new content so this means a lot

[@moffy1611]

I’ve only just recently been on Temu and this video couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m not usually as encouraged to buy most things in these types of videos but a lot of these really hit home for me. Thank you so much for the great video!!

[@thr0w.0ut]

thanks for the sock idea for the wrist things! i have been wanting them forever because i hate the feeling of water dripping down my arms when i wash my face, but never could justify buying them

[@bookshelf5277]

This video is so relaxing and such a refreshing change from all the other videos i get recommended on my fyp, pushing me to buy products

[@shawnaripari]

I'm glad you enjoyed but surprised to hear it's relaxing. Either way I'll take it!

[@haileycampe1495]

I may or may not have a mug collection, so yes you very much did know. I’ve just recently found your vids and just from the few I’ve watched you’ve already started to make me think more about my consumption. I know I’m an over consumer, my ADHD makes me hyperfixate on certain categories of things. This makes me collect many things relating to said stuff. But I’ve started to really look at what I value and what I truly need verse just want right now. I want to reduce the amount I’m consuming and just use what I need.

[@citronGXB]

Ooooh! Those micron sets! I use them often and have used a few of those pens up in a really short span - the fine liners do not enjoy being used as frequently as I was using them! I pick them up individually, but I can see why buying a 12 pack with different thicknesses isn't ideal unless you're like myself or the illustrators/comic artists in the comments who've burned through those fast.

[@lelouchvibritannia4235]

For the ink pens, I bought a basic pack with 10 different sizes as a starter, and as I used it, I found out which ones I use the most, and replace those individually. I love my ink pens! But you don’t need expensive materials to draw and enjoy drawing! I still love my ink pens, but I absolutely love drawing with regular ballpoint pens now! It’s so fun for doodling!

[@CierraRoberts]

I love this video concept! My KZbin is so often filled with videos influencing me to buy things. This is a nice change.

[@aprilroses17]

The amount of money people spend to impress others they probably don't even know astounds me

[@reinl7]

I also am put off by the "aesthetic" decorative lights because they often use batteries and these batteries don't last long - so you have to keep replacing them if you actually use the things. I have some fairy lights and decorative lamps but they are all plug-in/mains powered.

[@kphoria1009]

i could listen to you explain why i shouldn’t buy these products for hours even though i never planned to buy them in the first place

[@sliceofmini]

#4 I kinda disagree .. and that’s coming from someone is minimalist but then you could argue that I’m just into Washi/sticker sets in general. I have quite a few and they’re sets of 100 as well. I do use them everywhere so that might also be a thing to consider. And I’ve been using 2 of those “100 sticker sheet sets” simultaneously and it took me about a year to finish ( I do use them often but I don’t always have the time.. so that’s with the slow rate ) I just draw a lot and decorate my sketchbooks plus I also use them in my journals ( that’s how I get to use all of them in case you are wondering For someone is interested and would eventually use up all of it in few years they’re a good bargain. But I do agree that you do barter your space or time for them when you won’t use them. If I were “normal” I’d probably agree with everything you said.

[@shawnaripari]

This sounds like this kind of purchase would make sense for you and would be quite thoughtful!

[@ronjab4586]

I also had to immediately disagree with number 4 but for a different reason. Tape and sticker for kids are so expensive. These sets of 20 washi tapes or 200 stickers are amazing for toddlers doing "arts". Ever had a toddler doing an art project with tape? They go through one roll at a time 😂 years, lol. Ever had a toddler practice with stickers? They love to stick them on top of each other until it creates some kind of 3D art - which of course means plenty of stickers. Actually, just last month my toddler found my stash of washi tape that I keep in their arts and crafts bin and used the entire 8 rolls of tape that I had left in less than 15 minutes (that's how long she was alone with it). She built an entire street system with it and when I found her with the empty rolls was just starting to build with blocks around it to create a city. It was really cute and I was glad how cheap I got that tape or instead of focusing on her creativity, I would have only seen the wasted $. I think no purchase is wrong if something gest actually used. Most things people buy do not get much use and end up in a bin and then eventually decluttered. This is why this video is great - know yourself and what makes sense for you to buy without being wasteful. Never bought anything on temu though. I try to avoid online shopping in general - I know my impulse buy weakness isn't in store but those online shopping carts. While putting things in the cart and have it sit there for a while helps others not to impulse buy, this strategy makes me remember what I looked at and with every passing day I feel I need it more. In store, I forget about something the moment I walk away from it.

[@sliceofmini]

@@ronjab4586 I don't have kids but I keep seeing reviews to products I buy and they're mostly from parents like you.. I definitely can see it useful, especially when you don't have to ration them on their creativity when the supplies are dirt cheap. I do think the video focuses more on the usual target audience of temu who wouldn't use most of it and declutter it later

[@slavbarbie]

Look into the environmental impact of stickers

[@M0tt0ri]

I was having a terrible day, but your soothing voice and responsible thoughts just healed my morning.

[@alainad6364]

Honestly, it's kind of amazing how much stuff you have in your home that can just be repurposed to be adorable--plus you get the bonus of all the sweet memories associated with it

[@Iquey]

The candles do make me nervous. They're stores are full of candles and it's more fun to make your own. Also there very low education on fire safety these days. People are gonna end up burning their apartment down if they aren't careful.

[@Azaelris]

I totally agree. Another point is that most if not all of these temu candles are made with parrafin wax, which is known to release carcinogenic chemicals. So burning them a lot could have long term effects. There are safer alternatives like soy wax which don't release these harmful chemicals :D

[@Feverm00n]

26:16 I made my own face washing wrist cuffs out of a pair of old tube sock tops like you said. Cut em off, fold em up and they feel just like sweat bands. I’ve been using them every time I wash my face for a few years now, it’s great. It helps me wash my face more. I can’t imagine specifically buying ones tho.

[@bluberrii2579]

Totally understand how easy it is to get influenced by all the stationery sets- personally I LOVEE buying different papers, stickers, and washi tapes- but also, I genuinely use them. I have a drawer full of them but I'm CONSTANTLY writing people letters whenever I give them gifts, and use all the stationery to decorate them based on different themes (their fav colour, animal, themed season etc.). I'm also in the process of writing at least one letter a week for this entire year, so I'm using up a lot of the supplies I have and unfortunately have had to buy more. I think if you're someone who genuinely journals all the time, writes a lot of penpal letters / letters in general, or has some way to use these supplies- go ham!! But I've definitely seen some people get into the whole aesthetic idea of this hobby and are buying tons of washi tapes when they're not much of a letter-writer, gift-giver, journaler, or anything else, and are really never going to use these and are scrambling to figure out what part of their life they can aestheticize with some washi tape haha. As someone who was really big into aesthetic notes and whatnot, I found that I never managed to have the time to make my school notes pretty. When you're taking 6+ classes, it's easy to think "oh i'll just sit down after school and rewrite my notes" or whatever, but then you come home with 12 new pages of notes and like, let's be totally honest, you're not going to spend all that time trying to make them aesthetic when you also have other homework, exams to study for, etc. I think some coloured pens and a couple different coloured sticky notes for annotating/blocking off certain areas of your page is truly truly all you need if you're only going to be buying stationery for school. If you have another hobby where you need it, feel free to go ham!

[@akapetkus]

exactly! I think that if someone knows that they are actually going to use that stuff it is perfectly okay to buy it in larger quantities

[@ninin117]

i think with the fake flowers it kind of shows how society is so obsessed with convenience that we'll sacrifice the opportunity to learn or do something new. imagine how rewarding it would be to grow your own flowers and give it to someone or display them? plus, they look better, smell better, is wonderful for the pollinators hanging around and theres no negative effect on the earth. its literally a plant. not to mention you may find yourself a new community of people with the same hobby as you. but we're willing to give that up for the sake of convenience :/

[@elan825]

But how many people have a garden in this economy? I think a more reasonable alternative is plucking and arranging wild flowers, bit that also causes mess as the water gets dirty and the flowers shed. But it brings one more joy than cheap fake flowers

[@Sha-1]

We may all have same 24 hours a day on a physical level, but we certainly don't have the same amount of free time and energy, *especially* to learn something new. Not to mention some people just don't like gardening...

[@Sevensimian]

I would love real flowers and plants, but my allergies sadly get in the way :( Having at least a semblence to nature at my workspace keeps me a little more sane since i'm stuck there for a while. And i'm too forgetful to properly care for plants 😅. But it dfinitely would be the more fulfilling alternative if everyone had ideal circumstances/shared the same thoughts towards plants and had dandy lungs n nasal passages

[@torhildsagenghansen6074]

For coasters I mostly use random saucers, picked up at flea markets or thrift shops. Works fine! I had some in wood, they were rather not practical; hard to keep cleen. I donated them.

[@emkdraws]

i am ALL here for the deinfluencing videos

[@Sora-hq7pw]

As an artist, who is more used to drawing in traditional, I can confirm that you ACTUALLY have preferences in your pen and ink grades. But, 10 pens is a crazy among. I used to use the same 5 pens (0.05, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 & 0,8) for about 4 years (they never ran out of ink cuz they were stolen before that even happened, yikes) and I didn't even really use all of them most of the time (0.4 & 0.6 I got for a homework cuz my teacher asks for those exact grades). A big elephant in the room is the overconsuming of Art supplies that no one is prepared to talk about yet.

[@r1naberry]

I’m only a few minutes in and I already love this, the soft speaking compated to BIG LOUD ATTENTION!!! KZbin voice is so refreshing

[@LaurieKenzel]

So glad I saw your video! TEMU definitely sucks you in! I have recently bought different things from them and will not do it anymore! I donated 4 pairs of brand new shoes….never worn because they didn’t fit right, bought something else that part of it was broken but I can still use the other part and I bought some kind of a net that I have no idea why I bought it, and nothing comes with any directions so now what!! It’s mostly wasted money that I spent! Got to be much smarter with my $$. Thanks for all your videos ❤

[@TheMichelleBooth]

This is great! I love the points you made to make us think more critically about an item and how it will last/get dirty/function.

[@ralphisxamida8533]

8:27 As an hobby artist: Yes I do need it. For different outlines for example. If you would see my art stuff you would also say "you don't need it." But I like to switch, so I have fake copics (alcohol markers), different pencils, markers water based, different inks with feather, stamps, washy tape etc. etc.

[@fenflies]

Love your channel. It’s relaxing content I can put on in the background while also being more of a healthy influence. It’s funny I don’t have really any excess of things because I’m literally just poor (and have had to start over in life a few times) but even when I’m very poor treating myself to nonsense when I can still happens. It also in a way makes my perception of how my life when I do get more income a *bit* less of a fantasy appeal. Really when I get more income the only major thing I’m looking forward to spending money on is being able to afford to take dance classes (besides of course simply not worrying about basic needs). It’s interesting how in the US, even the poor have some access to consumption in certain ways. Not that the poor make even a tiny dent in the real problem environment wise (hello companies and top like 10% of people) but you get what I mean I’m sure. A culture of buying plenty of cheap nonsense crap when you still can’t afford to go to the doctor lol.

[@LaynaCastro]

I love to watch your videos and to see that I actually use all of these things I buy. And the things I throw out is because they’re actually bad, not for aesthetic reasons

[@ik4lgo]

i agree with everything besides the wrist cuffs !! they have helped me not be annoyed with washing my face, and if i forget to put them on i cringe and put them on immediately !! mini cuffs ftw !

[@brittnye2865]

It’s the close up for me 😂❤

[@shawnaripari]

I was decending into madness 😂😂😂

[@brittnye2865]

@@shawnaripariI was making the face too cause the drinking glasses/mug gets me into a tizzy 😂

[@simplelittle]

I bought a bunch of scrub caps off Temu, and I rotate through them constantly. Best purchases ever. I also got a couple cute pair of sunglasses that are surprisingly good quality. And a few really decent sets of pan watercolors. It’s very easy to add stuff to my cart, but I don’t hit the purchase button that often. I wait and think and think before I actually purchase anything. It may be cheap, but I’m also picky.

[@sarahlizziebethc-k7902]

I don't have Temu, I have Shein. But I do the same.

[@ahsokatano4444]

Just an fyi about sunglasses: be reeeeally careful with cheap sunglasses, you can’t judge with your eyes if they have the proper light filters that actually protect your eyes from certain rays. Enough people have lost their eyesight from thinking they were protected, but they were not.

[@thesleepydot]

woah… I hadnt thought about some of the reasons you mentioned for not buying something… I never really wanted to buy them anyway, but now I will be able to keep your arguments in mind if I ever change my mind and suddenly want an air purifier or something… GREAT DEINFLUENCING VIDEO! hand down

[@moonjellygirl]

i bought a cherry blossom coaster in 2020, same design but in pink. ive used it every single day since, for 4 years now, and i still love the design. i wash it every day to make sure its clean and hygienic. it can last long if you take care of it and not let it go dirty.

[@withyoctopus]

Since overhead light stabs my eyes, I absolutely use several smaller lights. I have three lights for the living room.

[@xRiriRebel]

Same, multiple smaller lights are so much more sensory-issue-friendly

[@bananahunna]

i love your videos about overconsumption sm! im getting into reusing and repairing my stuff and not buying things just to "treat" myself and stuff. id like to keep this up

[@ameliakeel6339]

You can take the money you would have spent on TEMU and make a donation to your favorite charity. They will send you a free calendar every year!

[@chronicallydrew]

your voice is so soothing I put these on to sleep and brainwash myself into no consumerism

[@chrazzl]

I've walked out of many stores because I knew I didn't need anything that I had picked up, it becomes very hard to do that when it's not going to make a massive dent in my wallet. Great video!!

[@GlassRevenant]

I'm glad you're demonstrating how to talk yourself down from an impulse purchase. Too many silly little objects really feels choking and then there's so much waste. I always remind myself that anything I buy will likely persist long after my bones are dust. (edited because I bean souped about the candles-how embarassing-I cut that part out of my comment)

[@matitabu]

I've had the same wooden coasters since the 90s and they're still looking brand new almost. Love them.

[@cameliaminculeasa8288]

As an avid journaler who has like 200 washi tapes at home because I don't like getting to the end and having to buy more...20 isn't that much 😂😂 I really love to decorate, and I just went through a 100 washi tape set I bought second hand in like a few months

[@isabellamorris7902]

But if you actually use them, that's fine! As long as you know you reliably get through them, I don't think she's really talking to you when she discourages you from buying it. I will say though... I also journal a lot (keep a commonplace book and a digital diary) and I used to bullet journal. I remember the desire to have the "right" stationery and spent hours making my journal look nice -- more time than i actually spent using it. Which is not at all a knock on journalling as a hobby (I still do it!) but wonder if taking a break from journalling accounts on social media would mean you spent less on stationery if that was something you wanted to do

[@cameliaminculeasa8288]

@@isabellamorris7902 I don't really follow journaling accounts anymore, since it makes me get very obsessed with it looking perfect. I just have fun now, and I try to buy big sets of washi tape second hand if I find them, because they last longer and they're pretty cheap. There's always someone who bought more than they can use. I just tape down things I print, or I buy scrapbook paper (or similar stuff, like origami paper) to cut down and use to decorate. It's not expensive, because I do use whatever I can find. My mom had an IKEA catalog, and I just cut down cute pictures to tape down for decoration 🤣🤣 I just journaled so much that I don't really care that much about perfection

[@vvitchhhh]

Well, I like this video and your reasoning! Except probably the one about cosmetic storage box. Mine is such a good purchase, now I really see what I have and everything is in order. That is calming. I take it as I am not wasting surface I have, but create extra others.

[@jacquiking]

Only thing I disagree with are the wristbands for face washing… 😂 Life changing for me!!

[@izabelasiczek3547]

I watch a European girl KZbin channel who lives in China and she does videos about these things and said that it's normal there that these companies are prepared for LOSS for up to 5 years just to kill completion, they do that in every industry in many coutries. Check what theyve done in African countries. Also check USA postal service rules and why temu etc postage from china is so cheap, it's kind blowing !

[@deadliftsfordays5364]

Having cute pens and cute notebooks and cute highlighters with my Bluetooth speaker playing calm music in the background has 1000% changed my study habits I swear some of your advice literally just feels like you want us to just suck the fun & joy out of our own lives

[@shawnaripari]

there's a big difference between having some cute stuff, or buying some things for the aesthetics, and owning drawers full of pens. If that latter isn't you then you're probably fine.

[@LavenderTea-lr3hc]

for you it's having fun but for other people it's buying a shitload of things you don't need, wont use, and will just sit there until they're thrown out. some people have genuine problems with this and they should not be encouraged!!!

[@SilverDragonJay]

Thanks for reminding me that I have those liner markers in my drawer. I got them for an art class, then forgot them after the class. I drew a little thing during this video! I did really enjoy that part of the class, I should do this more often. They're primarily for illustration, as I understand, not journaling (but I mean, you can use them for whatever; I'm not a cop). I will say, my pack only has four different widths, and from what I remember from that class I mostly only used one or two widths.

[@dinygoesglam]

Havent watched the video yet but had a thought, what do you think of dollarama/dollar stores? Are they in-store temu? Do you support buying from them? What are your thoughts, pls? Thx

[@restingsadface]

this video is SO GOOD!!! i could use 10 more of these videos if you could 😅 i’m pretty good at spotting cheap bs i’ll never use and i’ve never thought of most things you mentioned! EVERYONE needs these!

[@PlumHorizon]

What are your thoughts on small businesses / handmade products ? Because most of it is made to be cute and aesthetic too

[@Mimikyu007]

8:10, welp, I as an artist can telly you that having too many pens is really never an issue 😂😂 Im always running out of pens! And girl, I can assure you that having different pen nib sizes in your pen collection does WONDERS to the workflow!! It really helps with lineweight and makes the job easier and helps you achieve better lineart results, for example. I think you were maybe a bit too focused on just one functionality of pens

[@FranticYak]

I personally use the wristbands almost daily when I wash my face. I bought a four pack and I can see it lasting me until the end of time so I think it was worth the $8 for the quality and duration I can use each pair for! 🙂

[@ShemsuHor1403]

With the pens- i love pentel and just buy refills. I love it. Doesn't dry out and lasts for years.

[@sarahlizziebethc-k7902]

I buy clothes from Shein because it's really the only way I can find clothing in my size (285 lbs, 5'9") for a reasonable price that I can actually afford. I only really use them for clothes and I try to be mindful not to buy anything that isn't a necessity.

[@alazarth2985]

17:10 im to much of a candle defender, as a Autstic we bought the candle as I wanted to look and it and hold it as it brings me joy, we also like to keep them to sniff them as it also brings me joy, I have 2 the I never burn as they are for aesthetics and to smell, have had them for 2 years now and they still make me happy every time I look at them and sniff them, so for me its more of a sensory thing, I do have candles I burn but just not those two.

[@emmafoley8987]

I thrifted a pair of those terrycloth wrist thingies for face washing and am glad I put in the effort to find them second hand.

[@ClaireDKatze]

I’ve had the same coasters for a decade. I completely agree with that assessment

[@thecaptain291]

7:35 I'm neurodivergent, so I tend to cling to things, like writing with the same type of pen for a really long while (went on 1.5 or 2 years last time) *AND* I've been at a really heavily lecture focused college these past two years (dropped out due to said neurodivergence, heavy anemia and lack of ANY accomodations), which made me write like 20-50 pages a day depending on what subject it was and who was teaching it ("just take some notes, i don't really care" or "Write. Down. My. Every. Word. For the next 90 minutes."). By hand. SIX days a week, so +/- 150-300 pages a week, with variables. Sometimes it would be less, sometimes it would be more. 1) My hands were so sore by the only weekend day, oh my freaking god, I actually got a weak sort of tunnel syndrome. The semester I spend in pedagogy faculty I had to go for ink pens and later for my late uncles fountain pen because I literally could NOT handle regular pens. 2) Having a different pen made me extremely uncomfortable (both mentally and physically), especially if I had to switch from gel to oil or whatnot. Gel or genuine ink pens, especially 0.7 or 1.0, were the easiest to deal with when the teach was someone who spoke Really. Fast. And I'm a slow writer. 3) I bought those pens in packs, yeah. I probably burned through 4 or 5 packs of 10/12pcs in 9 months, most likely even MORE! I remember having to buy _some_ pens before the pack got delivered, because I had to replace them weekly sometime in winter, right before the exams. It was horrible. Some people - not only artists or designers who need variety liners, - NEED those stacks of same pens for cheap. Be it students, office workers, or activists/other kinds of signature collectors /pos. If I hadn't had those packs, I would've been in debt for two years by my drop out day. Not just right now.

[@honeyslice1970]

I journal consistently and use up pens. The key is to just use one at a time, instead of a ton at once and barely using them. I do go through pens consistently and it's so satisfying to finish one 🖤

[@pinktea3221]

Love your delivery ❤

[@whiteradish1539]

I have that type cosmetics organizer in my cart but on a different shopping site. I've never bought it cause of the size reason. I imagine it on my vanity and it will just block the view of my mirror. Thank you for this. Now I can remove it off my cart and find a better alternative for organization. ❤ Also the micron pens are a need to me cause art is my main hobby so I buy them often. More people should do deinfluencing content to decrease consumerism. Only thing I disagree on is that a fun or pretty workspace does actually help in productivity. But still a great video!

[@ghostreyn]

I agree with those cute mini humidifiers. I got one of those once and eventually it mildewed because i had no idea how to clean it and i had to trash it.

[@ronda9317]

New sub and this is the video for me, I am not doing trendy, just what I like or love, I love cute, but i am open and here you change my mind, number one is a great start.❤❤ Love from Washington State

[@Jay__Cee]

Thanks for this video. I’ve recently stopped buying on temu because I’m trying to support small businesses instead and this actually helps so much

[@MTA3]

I realize I’m an outlier here, but I never thought about sourcing my pens from temu, but that may be more cost effective for me. I work as an interpreter so I do note taking most of my work day so I go through pens like no other. As for most of the other items you made v good points! I’m thinking about the crusty dusty candles that never get used.

[@ckee8437]

Please consider not using Temu, it's basically skave labor. Pay a bit more to not support them.