The impulse purchases that have made my life better

Congratulations, it's our lockdown anniversary. We did it-ish. And as we approach the actual date when ~it all began~ (March 14th is my anniversary of leaving NYC and ceasing all nonessential activities) my hoard of useless impulse buys creeps ever more conspicuously out of the corners of my Austin rental. Look right: a set of books on style I was inspired to buy after interviewing Frank Everett for InStyle’s March issue. Look left: some Sculpey I purchased last April, believing I had finally found my medium and would become a polymer clay sculptor. Underneath my desk: ankle weights whose growing layer of fuzzy dust taunts me daily.

These sure why not buys feel, at the time, insignificant financially, and are loaded with the hope that they’ll transform me somehow. Those style books? I cracked them open exactly one time, believing a better, more certain me was hiding under the cover. Those ankle weights? Yeah, right.

None of these things cost more than the peace a clutter-free home giv…