Thursday Taps

Dear fellow collector of cute paper goods and far-too-many pens,

You’re not alone. Really.

I know the feeling of walking into a store “just to look” and walking out with a tote bag full of sticky notes, another planner (even though you barely used the last one), and a pen set you had to have — because obviously, it’s better to have more acrylic markers than risk running out. And then at home, you’re back at it again. You scroll through TikTok and add every art material and device to your online cart, waiting for payday or the next big sale to hit “checkout.” It’s not even retail therapy at this point — it’s a ritual.

But here’s the thing no one tells us: at some point, the pile starts to look more like guilt than joy.

Not because stationery isn’t magical (it is), but because it deserves to be used — not just admired from a distance like some fragile treasure. That adorable notebook you’re “saving for something special”? Today is special enough.

That planner you haven’t opened since, I don’t know, probably January when you were planning a new year’s resolution? Crack it open and plan something small. Even if it’s just “take a nap” or “watch a movie.” That still counts.

Those sticker sheets? They’d look great in your planner, journal, water bottle, laptop… anywhere but a drawer. (Actually, maybe not directly on your laptop. I don’t know where I heard that it’s bad for resale or whatever. But you get me.)

We don’t have to “deserve” nice things. We just have to enjoy them. Your collection doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be lived with.

So this is your soft little reminder: let your things have purpose. Use the pen. Write the list. Fill the page. Doodle in the margins. Mess up if you must, but use them. The joy isn’t just in owning them — it’s in seeing them come to life.

And don’t worry. If you ever run out, there’s always room for more (we both know that).

With love and a well-used notepad,

Miesha

Mini Taps Studio