Step Back From Shopping Addiction: A Minimalist Guide

It’s no secret that the US has a very consumption-centric society, a lot of our social outings center around purchasing; shopping can even be a hobby for many people. It used to be one of my favorite things to do on my days off. I’d go into the city, I’d go to events, I’d go to antique stores, thrift stores, fair trade stores, grocery stores. I’d collect all sorts of things: Teas to try, glassware, ceramics, random antiques, jewelry, makeup, clothes- so many clothes! Every one of my outings centered on purchasing and I was always very excited about my new haul. I could hardly come home without something new from an outing to add to my collection.

Before long, I had PILES up to my waist of all the things I owned. Everything was disorganized and I would just spend hundreds of dollars, completely unnecessarily. It was even more intense around Christmas, which many people probably experience. Now, I don’t even know how I had that money- and I wish I had been more frugal in my early 20’s. 

I started my minimalist journey about 3 ½ years ago, and at first, I still had issues stopping myself from buying more things I didn’t necessarily need. I ended up buying and then decluttering things I had never even used!

So I want to share with you some techniques to purchase smarter, so you can get control of your space, your finances, your life- whatever your reason, I think there are always benefits to more controlled purchasing. Here are techniques that I learned on my minimalist journey:

 

 

1.     Ask questions before purchases.

 

Before making purchases I ask myself set questions like:

 

            -Do I really need this?

 

            -Where will I store this?

 

            -Can I solve the problem this item solves in another way?

           

            -How often will I use this?

 

It is important to think through purchases, because you may not really need to add to potential clutter or run up expenses if you can already solve a problem in another way. It’s always good to have a plan for where this item will be stored in your home so that you can maintain organization and not over-stuff spaces so much that you have to worry about an avalanche every time you are trying to get something you need, or have no idea where your things are when you finally need or want to use an item.

Of course it helps to stop and think: Do I need this? Because often, we don’t, or we have another way to solve a problem the item may solve. For example instead of buying specialized kitchen tools, I use the basics to make things work. I don't feel that I need a whisk- I use a spoon. I used to have a potato slicer- but another thing that slices potatoes is a simple, quality knife. There are many other situations where you can get creative and solve a problem with something you already have.

 

 

2.     Think before you buy.

 

When you see something online or in a store and you are considering buying it without having planned to before, one of my favorite methods for buying smarter, is simply to give oneself a set period of time to think about whether or not you really need or want it. 24 hours or 48 hours usually does the trick. You interrupt the impulse to purchase so you can really think it out. This leads to a better ability to plan your life, sure, you may have to go back to the store to buy it, but about 95% of the time, I forget about the item or decide it’s just not as important as I originally felt in the moment. 

 

 

3.     Only shop with specific purchase in mind. 

 

Using shopping as a hobby or just going into a store because you are bored is really putting yourself into the belly of the beast when it’s unnecessary if you are trying to cut down impulse purchasing. If you only allow yourself to go into stores with a plan to buy only specific things, it cuts down on the temptation to buy things you do not really need. 

 

 

4.     Plan a “No Buy”

 

One of my favorite money saving practices is the “no buy” when you prepare for a set period of time to spend no money, or only on essentials and bills. No morning coffee from the gas station, no snacks from a vending machine, no shopping for anything new, unnecessary, or fun.

            I enjoy the “no buy” because you can reframe how you have fun and how you live. It ends up showing you that frugal practices are not all that bad, and you find ways to enjoy your time and entertain yourself on a budget. I think it encourages creativity and often, spending more time cooking or outdoors. After the no buy, you may adopt some of the more frugal habits naturally in your day to day life- such as making coffee or tea at home, going on hikes instead of shopping, suggesting a picnic or cooking dinner in with friends and family instead of going out to eat. 

 

 

5.     Refocus on Gratitude for what you already have

 

What I’ve noticed so far on my minimalist journey, is that, the less I have, the more I really appreciate my items and the more they seem to mean to me. I used to have thousands of sentimental minutiae. Now that I have about five sentimental items, that speaks to the meaning behind these items for me. The items I use every day have the visibility of their actual utility greatly increased- given that I do not keep anything I don’t find useful and when it comes time to buy something new, I often find the best and most useful and sustainable one so that I can avoid replacing items. My steel razor is one of these items that I really appreciate. It may not be completely necessary to shave my legs and body hair, but it makes me feel so nice when I do. I know my razor will last years and years and is very utilitarian and less wasteful, so I appreciate it that much more. It is saving me money now that I don’t have to worry about buying new plastic razors, and I really appreciate that. I have a tiny teacup that I love to drink tea out of and because it is a beautiful cup and one of the few I own, every morning I feel so happy to drink out of my favorite cup. So, I can see many beautiful cups in the store and appreciate that they exist, but know that I have a favorite cup at home so I do not need other cups.

This is one of my favorite things about minimalism. It refocuses your life onto the important things, away from items, so that I can spend more time on the things I really love, like spending time outdoors and reading. It also helps you appreciate the little things in life more, like the morning cup of tea or your soap or razor, or just getting to wake up in the morning and enjoy seeing the sun come up.

 

 

6.     Refocus on gratitude for things existing, but not needing to own them.

 

One of my early foibles as a minimalist was going on my first solo trip and going on a hike at Lake Norman State Park in Georgia. I had already started planning to build a conversion van and I had some idea of making a beautiful decorative mosaic with found rocks. I was absolutely not at the stage to find rocks, but there were beautiful pink rocks all over this park. Instead of enjoying my hike and focusing on appreciating nature and simply looking at the beautiful rocks and appreciating them, I had this great compulsion to take them all home with me. I filled my backpack with all these rocks, having dug many of them up. I was struggling carrying a backpack full of rocks and then I just dumped them on the floor of my truck and they stayed there about 6 months, cluttering up the space, with no purpose! I never did build that mosaic, I have still not been ready to do a project in my van like that even now that it exists! I decluttered the rocks, by simply putting them back outdoors.

Really, I should have just appreciated the rocks for existing, without feeding this urge to take nature home with me, to take some souvenir with me. This also applies to items one may see in the store or online. One can appreciate something without being compelled to own it. Once can say to oneself: “that is very nice, but I also have nice things.” There are always future opportunities to get something comparable if and when the need should arise. 

 

 

7.      Plan social outings that do not center on purchasing

 

Many of our social outings involve spending money: going out to eat, going out for a drink or coffee, shopping, antiquing, going to flea markets, going to local events like fairs, farm markets, arts and crafts shows, gift shops in museums or after tours etc. There are always things to buy, not to say these activities are all bad. They can certainly be part of a rich and balanced life. But it can be nice and help save money and add to variety of experience if we plan social events which are not centered on purchasing. This could be making dinner at home, going for a walk, going for a hike if you have good hiking nearby, or making any number of low cost crafts that don’t require anything to be purchased. You may have used items you could repurpose, something to bake, you could make salt dough and sculpt all kinds of things (sometimes I add food dye to make several different colors to craft with.) I like low cost activities can encourage creativity as you have to use what you already have. Painting with friends or as a date is always an enjoyable experience that doesn’t center on purchasing.

 

 

8.     Think of the benefits of having and shopping less.

 

Being able to save more is one of the obvious ones, but it is also easier to stay organized if you are not constantly bringing things in and shopping less clears your life and mind for more fulfilling activities and having less clutter allows for space for those things. Once you are detached from the need for something more, perhaps you may find more gratitude and fulfillment, or find a way to feel the true need in the absence of that filler.

 

I hope that you can use these tips to encourage you on whatever journey you have undertaken. 

 

(As an additional note, I know that I have affiliate links, and thank you if you do chose to help support my efforts here on the blog through those, but please feel encouraged only to buy what is truly useful to you! I try only to link things that will solve, not create problems! Many of these things have been helpful to me, but different things work for different people! Thank you!)