The last few months of the year tend to have a shopping-heavy focus, and it inspired me this week to chat about how we can be a little more mindful when it comes to our spending habits throughout this coming year.
When we choose an intentional approach for our purchasing habits, we’ll ensure that the things we choose work well for our homes, ourselves, and our budgets!
Let’s dispel one quick myth: regardless of where you’re at in your minimalism or simplification journey, shopping or purchasing new things isn’t bad.
However, it often gets a bad rap because we’re told to just focus on getting rid of the things that are already in our homes.
The best way to break the cycle and make HUGE progress in your minimalism journey is to actually look at your spending habits.
We’re all human, and bound to need replacements of certain items we like and use, or to want to purchase a new item that supports our lifestyle or hobbies…and that’s OKAY!
What’s important is that as you’re planning to purchase something, you ensure that you’re thoughtfully supporting your ultimate goals, hopes, and direction for your life.
Here’s an example:
Unintentional Purchasing: You’ve had a bad day at work or a long, challenging night with the kids and you decide to do some online shopping to make you feel better. Chances are you’ll add something to your cart and order it because it gives you a dopamine rush and a little boost, but generally these items tend to become clutter or quickly unwanted once the shine wears off.
Intentional Purchasing: You have a hobby you enjoy and find a new piece of equipment that would help you further enjoy it! Or you find a book you’ve been wanting to read and pick it up to give you some much-needed rest time.
One of the major differences between these two types of shopping is that the first is an escape from your life, current reality, or circumstances. You’re using stuff as a way to avoid showing up in your own life.
With intentional purchasing, you’re using stuff as a tool to support the life you want to live.
Note: There is also a HUGE spectrum of items you’ll need to purchase in your life. I understand with the sheer amount of choices we’re given for consumer goods these days, it can be incredibly overwhelming to change your shopping habits or consider new ones.
With that in mind, here are a few easy ideas to consider before your next purchase – they might not only end up saving you time and money, but saving you some of the clutter as well!
Rent The Item
Certain categories of items – clothing, tools, etc. – are easy to rent and can save your budget instead of buying brand new! Plus, being able to return them after you’ve used them means you won’t have more items cluttering your space.
Renting items is ideal when you’re working on projects, doing house renovations, preparing for the holidays, attending an event or conference, or even when you go on vacation! There are a ton of options out there for rental items – you can check out local places or larger organizations online.
Borrow From A Friend
Ask around to friends and family and see if anyone has the item in question laying around (I’m always surprised how happy people are to share their stuff because they know it’s being used to help someone they love!).
Shop Secondhand
I LOVE thrifting and almost exclusively shop for all of my wardrobe, my kid’s clothes, and our home decor at thrift shops—I just love the thrill of hunting for treasures!
Look for the item secondhand through online buy & sell groups, free groups, or your local thrift store! I always find the search or hunt for the item to be fun but not everyone does, and I totally get that! Try asking a few friends or family to also keep their eyes open for the item you’re looking for.
Attend or Organize a Swap
Some friends and I started a seasonal clothing swap in our neighbourhood and we love it! It’s a great accountability reminder to clean out our closets on a seasonal basis and to find some new pieces for free.
Consider doing a local swap in your area or with family and friends. You can keep it simple and just do a free swap or let people set their prices if they’d prefer. Afterwards, anything that wasn’t chosen can go back home with the owner or be donated to a local charity or thrift store.
Other Ways To Bring Mindfulness to Your Belongings
Before we even get to the point of needing to purchase something new, let’s consider how we treat and care for the belongings we do have. Here are a few ways to bring intentionality to what you own:
- Look After The Item: This might seem obvious, but taking good care of the items we own is the first way to preserve their quality and ensure that they last longer. (Note: Owning fewer items also means we’re better able to care for the possessions we do have).
- Fix Before Buying New: Ask yourself if the item can be fixed or refreshed before purchasing new. Often items just need a little TLC and they’ll be as good as new.
- Quality Over Quantity: Choosing something that’s high quality means that you’ll be able to own less of the thing and repurchase less because it will stand the test of time.
Little Minimalist on the Prairies 