Ever wondered why some stores make you feel a certain way upon stepping in?

Relaxed, maybe — or excited.

For me, Daiso’s one of those places.

It’s hardly aesthetically pleasing at first glance, yet Marie Kondo and minimalism have nothing on the budget chain giant, whose ability to drive impulse purchases is second to none.

Thanks to its curious selection of kitschy toys and achingly impractical (but, ugh, cute) ceramic figurines — wedged between scores of everyday household items, from box organisers to gardening necessities — I’ve more often than not found myself leaving with a bagful of stuff I didn’t actually need.