You might have seen the comment “Lavender soap theory” under some videos online recently and wondered what does it mean?
Lavender soap theory comes from a book by Sarah J. Maas called Assassins Blade. The context directly has more to do with letting the people you love use your ‘special items’ rather than being angry at them for it because you never know when you might lose them. However, the internet does what the internet will do and sort of transformed this into a “Lets use up the special things.”
Lavender soap theory is another part of the underconsumption trend that so many people are finding joy in right now.
So Why am I telling you this? Well, some of our happy hour attendees know that i’ve been working my way through my clutter and using up things that I have rather than buying new as part of my 2026 goals.
So I want to tell you a story about a punch bowl. My grandmother had a punch bowl sitting around for years in her house unopened. Every family event that she tried to use it she was told it was too nice and it might get broken. So there it sat, unused in the box. A few years back it passed along to my mom, and then along with my mom’s unused punch bowl passed to me. When I say I have BOXES of beautiful serving things for parties that have sat unused for at least 10 years I’m not exaggerating. I’m introverted, I don’t throw parties often if at all… and even when I did I always thought “those are special they shouldn’t be used.” It wasn’t until recently that I sat back and thought, wait… are the people I love not special enough? Who and I holding onto this punch bowl for? Myself? From that point on Grandma’s punch bowl has become a funny staple at our friends events. I bring it to house parties and served Punch in it on NYE. It’ll be making an appearance at my Best Friend’s baby shower here in a few weeks. Every time I bring it along all my friends love it, and I love it. My grandma reminded me the other day, even if it gets broken its just a thing and its meant to be used.
So much of the way we interact with ‘things’ has changed in the past year. Because at the end of the day… Its just stuff. Stuff doesn’t make the memory and I like to think the punchbowl is enjoying its time outside the box finally being used for its intended purpose.
Heather Furr
Heather is the Colorful digital director of the Bob & Sheri Team, She helps out with our Video, Livestreams, Social Media, Tech issues, Podcasting and so much more! Heather is cat & lizard mom from North Carolina who whenever she's not fighting with the Facebook algorithm or bullying wordpress is probably gardening, reading or playing videogames!
