Cute…But Would I Use It?

There’s a moment that happens when you walk into a stationery store.

Everything is cute. (Why is everything always cute??

Everything is tempting. Everything feels like it could belong in your life.

And for a second, you believe it.

I believe it. I believe it so much that I almost always put everything in my cart. 

But then—

I pause.

Because not everything that’s cute is useful.
And not everything that’s tempting deserves a place in my space.

And real estate is very valuable to a woman like me who loves to craft. 

So instead of asking:

“Do I like this?”

I’ve started asking a different question.

“Would I actually use it?”

This is where things get interesting.

Because the answer isn’t always what I expect.

Some things pass.

Most don’t.

And that’s exactly where the real decisions begin.

Let’s look at a few things from my trip to SM Stationery:

Cat Stapler

I almost squealed when I saw this. Well, actually, I think I did. 😆

Now the question, would I use it? Absolutely! 

But did I buy it? No. Because we still have a perfectly functioning stapler. I might buy this in the future though. 

Gel pens and other pretty pens

Now these are my weakness. I love pens. I’m a writer. I literally write every day..on paper…with a pen. 

But for some reason, I didn’t feel like buying these. I would use them, sure, but I wasn’t feeling it. 

I have a lot of pens because I believe that one can never have enough pens 😏. But this time, I said, “pass.”

Correction tapes

I mentioned in one of my posts that my son went through a phase of hoarding correction tapes. I get it. They’re cute, sometimes pretty, and functional. And very convenient. Remember those days when we used the liquid version of this that comes in a bottle with a brush, like a nail polish? Yeah, that one. Spills, takes a long time to dry, smells. No, thank you. 

Would I use it? Of course. I use mine daily. But I still have a lot at home and so I didn’t buy any.

Cute totes in pastel colors

Just look at those colors! I wanted to get one of each when I saw them. 

But we all know that I already have a lot of totes that I rotate so that they won’t fade quickly. (I wash them after every use.)

And upon closer inspection, I wasn’t very happy with the material. 

But, these are perfect as a gift bag. In fact, and I just realized this now, I would buy one to put my mom’s birthday gifts in! 

So, I guess the answer to our question is, yes! I would definitely use this! 

Clear Jewel Pouches

So, of course after the tote temptation, we face the pouch temptation. 

Again, look at those colors! I love jewel tones! I also wanted to get one of each except the black one. 

But I looked at them closely and I felt like they wouldn’t last a long time. This plastic tends to get brittle and crack. 

Would I use them? Absolutely! But do I want to spend my money on something that I know will not last long? Absolutely not.

With age really comes wisdom. I no longer fall for hype or what’s trending, what’s viral. 

I’ve learned to know, really know, what I want and what I need and that helps me make proper decisions even in a sea of cuteness. 

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'Til my next post,

Stay soft. Stay strong. Stay Glowing.

LET'S GLOW.

With elegance and quiet fire, 

Lady E

Exhibitor and speaker at the Philippine Book Festival 2026

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