Reduce Consumption
Break the Shopping Habit in 5 Steps
Okay, so this is for you if you know in your head that you have what they need in life, however, each day/weekend/every couple of weeks you find yourself at the shops or online shopping, following the latest trends and buying the next pretty little thing.
I get the temptation. I remember having to fight that temptation every day.
I love pretty things. I love shiny new things. I am drawn to beautiful things.
A quick google search of “why am I drawn to beautiful things?” reveals that I am not alone. As mentioned in the New York Times article linked here, https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/opinion/sunday/why-we-love-beautiful-things.html beauty literally moves us to action.
There’s some really gorgeous stuff out there. I’m not talking about just clothing, but homewares, toys.. heck even storage solutions. It’s all very shiny and pretty and… cheap. I mean really, things are designed really well and are available at a relatively low price (as anyone who has been to Kmart in the last couple of years would know.) Cheap at what price, it does make you wonder, but definitely at a price point that makes “stuff” more accessible. And disposable.
And this definitely applies to clothing, which is the focus of this blog post.
My number one recommendation when it comes to reducing clothing consumption is to adopt a capsule wardrobe – you just end up feeling you have so much more in your wardrobe when it is stripped down to what you need for the season and every piece is a quality piece that you love.
However even with a capsule wardrobe in place, the latest trends can still lure you into the shopping malls, the force of habit may still lead you to shop.
If you are struggling to curb the shopping habit, here are 5 ideas you can adopt – one week at a time – to get to the point where the urge to shop is substantially reduced:
Week 1: Create a rule - Think on your purchases for x days
Creating a rule around any new purchases is a good place to start. My preferred approach is to say: each time I see something new I want, I need to wait 2 weeks (it used to be 30 days) before purchasing the item. Typically after 2 weeks, I have forgotten all about it (because I have moved onto wanting the next shiny new thing, go figure!).
There’s a slight panic about “missing out”. You have to ignore that feeling and stick to the rule – you can do it, trust me.
And continue to do it each week until it becomes a habit. It will eventually be a habit.
If you struggle with this, perhaps telling someone about what you are doing could help. Accountability partners always help in any habit you are trying to break. With a rule in place, you and your friend know what you are trying to achieve beyond vaguely “stop shopping” (because really how is “stop shopping” a helpful rule if you don’t make it a SMART rule?).
Week 2: Take away temptations - Unsubscribe from shopping catalogues
I’ve given my email address to every shop under the sun it seems. No doubt you are in the same position as well?
Most of the emails ended up in Spam or a folder that I never checked (the promotions folder in Gmail for me). However, there were always a small handful of emails that would end up in my primary inbox. And I would look at them. And I would be tempted.
I mean the items are on sale!! And they only have one left in my size!!! I should buy it right??
Yeah, not necessary. That kind of temptation can be weeded out of our lives.
So go through your primary inbox one day and unsubscribe from any shopping emails you receive. If you receive any hard copy catalogues (still possible..) make sure you call the company up and unsubscribe from their mailing list. While you are at it this week, place a “no junk mail” sticker on your letterbox. I got one a couple of years back from Bunnings and it really has made a difference.
Week 3: Take away temptations - Stop looking at fashion influencers
In the second round of taking away temptations, you are going to need to unsubscribe from all those beloved, beautiful, inspiring gorgeous fashion influencer social media accounts. Yep, their Instagram account, their YouTube channel and their blogs. Wherever you follow them, just sit down one day and make sure you unfollow them.
Yes, I did this as well and for some reason, I found it really hard.
And its because it feels like something is being taken away from your life that you really loved. Which is why we need to do something that adds to your life.
Week 4: Adopt a new habit - Create a mood board/ visual that represents your own style
Figuring out your own style is a key part of developing a capsule wardrobe. Knowing what you really love to wear and what looks good on you really helps build a wardrobe that you will be eternally happy with. This helps, even if you are not adopting capsule wardrobe.
If you are looking to break the shopping habit, knowing your own style helps. It stops you from chasing the latest trends and ensures you remain grounded, rooted to making purchasing decisions that are more considerate, well thought out and connected to who you are and how you live your life.
So if you are missing shopping, feeling a little deprived, let’s do a little bit of what is involved in shopping to create a mood board/visual aid that helps you understand your own style.
Start with searching for images that have items already in your closet or items you know you love to wear. If you are a jeans kind of girl, then search for “denim outfits”. Or be more specific. You have a green oversized cardigan, search for “green oversized cardigan outfits”. You get the idea.
The idea is to search for ideas based on items you already have. Then to add these images to a mood board.
I think Pinterest is a useful tool for this. If you are doing a capsule wardrobe, creating a board for each of the seasons helps and then you can pin your inspiration images to a relevant board. Instagram has an option where you can save photos to different albums, which can effectively become mood boards too.
I know there is a risk here that searching for images may undo some of that good work you did by unsubscribing from fashion bloggers and the like. However, the trick is to focus on images that contain items you already own. It may leave you wanting something you don’t currently have – but remember you have a rule in place to deal with that temptation!
And I like Pinterest because (for the most part) the images are not linked to stores where you can purchase the items pictured. So while the temptation is there, the items are not as easily accessible (though don’t hold me to that last statement – the Pinterest landscape is changing fast!).
Week 5: Adopt a new habit - By embracing a new hobby or interest
If you are only going to do one thing on this list this is the one thing I would recommend above all other steps – replace the shopping habit with a different hobby. Because if you are shopping on a regular basis, its become a hobby for you. Its how you spend your spare time. Its how you relax and treat yourself.
You need to replace this habit with a new hobby. Something that truly interests you. A skill you have always been wanting to develop. A topic you would love to research or learn more about.
And when you feel the urge to shop – whether it’s for a time out or as a way to kill time – pick up your new hobby and delve into that. Read what you can about it. Learn.
This could be learning a new language, getting fit, learning more about gardening, picking up a new skill for work… listen, there is no shortage of free information out there that you can access, delve into and use as a way to replace time typically spent looking at items of clothing for your wardrobe.
Lastly, remember WHY you are doing this in the first place. Whether it is to save time, money, reduce stress, improve self-confidence or reduce your impact on our environment by reducing consumption, remember your why and follow the steps above to kick that pesky shopping habit.
xxx Tahsin
