I set out to do this just with clothes at the beginning of this year, and it ended up trickling over into categories of things I'd previously never considered buying secondhand before (like kitchen tools/cookware, for example). The biggest and somewhat unexpected victory (besides a few very cool thrift scores) was the way it truly seemed to rewire my brain when it comes to buying things. I was such an impulse shopper before; now I take the time to check thrift stores, browse Poshmark, ask on my local Buy Nothing group, etc, before making a purchase. It forces a pause in the need-to-purchase pipeline for me that's really helped curb my own knee-jerk consumption habits.
100% relate to this! I was shocked to notice how much more I was paying attention to *every* purchase I made, not just clothing and home goods. I was also pretty frightened by how often I bought stuff without even thinking about it. And companies do this by design, especially online, it couldn't be easier to just click and make a purchase. It's scary.
The pausing the impulse is such a good point. Sometimes even just slowing down causes us to realize we don’t need the thing we thought we did. I’ve felt the pull of all the sales lately and then started searching for similar things and favoriting things on second hand sites under the rationale that if it’s second hand it is ok. But then I realized that I didn’t need any of it, and it is so freeing.
100%. My Poshmark favorites is like a graveyard of things I was convinced I needed, and often with even just a little bit of time, I look back on them like, “why did I think I needed that so badly?”
I really want to do this because I have felt trapped in the “this one thing will make my life better” mind set, and I know that’s just the fantasy. This will be hard for me! And especially when it comes to buying for my kids. Feeling like my kids are going “without” things (they have plenty) triggers feelings that I’m not a great mom. Definitely something I want to work through.
Yes I spent many years with that mindset. And sometimes I still think that about things! In terms of kids, I know my daughter has no clue the difference between something I bought new and something I found secondhand or on our buy nothing group. And a focus on experiences over things is truly always more fun (we're going to the ballet, we made gingerbread houses, we spent a day making snowflakes out of paper). I don't know sometimes simple is better, and occasionally I still get her something special!
Over the last few years the “stuff” in my house has reached a point where it no longer fits comfortably into my space. The volume is just too much. The biggest category by far is clothing. It’s been a “project” of mine to go through, organize and edit down all this stuff. I feel like I’ve been working on that “project” for almost my entire adult life. It has reached the point where it is more of a chore than something creative, and it is requiring a lot of my free time. I want to get to a place where my time is spent on things that bring me joy and fulfillment, like outdoor activities, creative projects, being more social, and taking care of my health with fitness, nutrition and actual rest and self care, not just vegging out on the couch thinking of all the things I should be doing. I think a key part of getting that time back and getting my stuff under control, is to stop bringing in more. I’m not sure exactly what my rules will be, but I know this will be a good place to figure them out and have the support and accountability I’m sure I’ll need in order to stick to them.
I always think of the happiest, most at peace, most true to myself times of life as the times I spent living/traveling in Costa Rica. Obviously there are lots of reasons why that might make one happy, but I realized that one of the biggest for me was the simplicity of life when I was there and that I didn’t have all my “stuff” to deal with. There were shops and plenty of nice things and people to compare myself too, but for some reason it didn’t affect me the way it does here. I just naturally felt happy and content and like my life was full because I was living it. I want to get back to that feeling, to create that in my day to day life here. More experiences, less stuff. And I want to do my part to lessen my negative impact on this world, as much as possible. So lots of reasons why this idea, this action, is really resonating with me right now. I’m looking forward to tackling this challenge together and hopefully enjoying the process and journey along the way.
Totally relate to this. It’s all just too much. Too much stuff. Especially my closet. I desperately need to get off the treadmill and start doing other things that are actually going to make my life better on a daily basis, and spending less time thinking about/searching for things to buy is a huge part of that.
I simply with no income any longer just savings and my husband having Alzheimer’s in a memory care center that’s expensive . I do not have the money to impulsively buy clothes any longer . It’s not my lifestyle anymore and I rarely get dressed up. I have things in my closet with tags on them. I’m going to the Endocrinologist today to get a report and I feel like wearing just my sweats . I’m sad and have good reason and yet I still look. I want to have Christmas here and I instead I’m selling my mom’s antiques . I hate to part with them but I need the money . My daughter is also in Hospice …. Breast Cancer. That’s my reason .
How do you define what is essential for buying new? I feel like my brain can trick me into thinking just about anything is essential when it truly is not (for example: new pajamas, a new ski coat, new sweatpants to replace worn-out ones).
To me it's more about what can be found second-hand and what do I really need vs want...we went to the thrift store yesterday and I found a great cashmere sweater for $30...but I really don't need another sweater, I already have so many. In terms of buying new, unless it's socks/underwear things like that, I don't see any need to buy it new. There is SO much stuff available second-hand. You can literally find ANYTHING.
I couldn’t love this more, Jess. I’m at the place where you were a year ago - just done with the over consumption (especially around clothes). I’m in ♥️
I think I've just reached a similar point that you did last year, Jess, of disillusionment and, frankly, disgust with how much social media makes me buy, buy, buy—especially clothes, but really all sorts of things. It's been a slow awakening as I realize how many influencers share "must haves" but then we never see them again in everyday wear, or the ubiquitous things like the Our Place pan (just one example) that gets so hyped but then pretty meh reviews from real users. It's hard not to feel used and deceived, honestly, and those aren't feelings that make me want to shop.
I think also getting into gardening over the past few years has naturally made me think about sustainability more: it pains me to toss food waste after I put so much energy into growing it, and that mindset is creeping beyond the things I grew.
Finally, I know myself well enough that a complete "no" for a period of time is going to be easier than, say, "only 5 articles of clothing this year" which I have seen some do. I would buy all 5 in January and then find excuses to keep shopping. A complete cessation for a year seems more doable.
I set out to do this just with clothes at the beginning of this year, and it ended up trickling over into categories of things I'd previously never considered buying secondhand before (like kitchen tools/cookware, for example). The biggest and somewhat unexpected victory (besides a few very cool thrift scores) was the way it truly seemed to rewire my brain when it comes to buying things. I was such an impulse shopper before; now I take the time to check thrift stores, browse Poshmark, ask on my local Buy Nothing group, etc, before making a purchase. It forces a pause in the need-to-purchase pipeline for me that's really helped curb my own knee-jerk consumption habits.
100% relate to this! I was shocked to notice how much more I was paying attention to *every* purchase I made, not just clothing and home goods. I was also pretty frightened by how often I bought stuff without even thinking about it. And companies do this by design, especially online, it couldn't be easier to just click and make a purchase. It's scary.
The pausing the impulse is such a good point. Sometimes even just slowing down causes us to realize we don’t need the thing we thought we did. I’ve felt the pull of all the sales lately and then started searching for similar things and favoriting things on second hand sites under the rationale that if it’s second hand it is ok. But then I realized that I didn’t need any of it, and it is so freeing.
100%. My Poshmark favorites is like a graveyard of things I was convinced I needed, and often with even just a little bit of time, I look back on them like, “why did I think I needed that so badly?”
Ha this is what my eBay watchlist is like
100%!
I really want to do this because I have felt trapped in the “this one thing will make my life better” mind set, and I know that’s just the fantasy. This will be hard for me! And especially when it comes to buying for my kids. Feeling like my kids are going “without” things (they have plenty) triggers feelings that I’m not a great mom. Definitely something I want to work through.
Yes I spent many years with that mindset. And sometimes I still think that about things! In terms of kids, I know my daughter has no clue the difference between something I bought new and something I found secondhand or on our buy nothing group. And a focus on experiences over things is truly always more fun (we're going to the ballet, we made gingerbread houses, we spent a day making snowflakes out of paper). I don't know sometimes simple is better, and occasionally I still get her something special!
Over the last few years the “stuff” in my house has reached a point where it no longer fits comfortably into my space. The volume is just too much. The biggest category by far is clothing. It’s been a “project” of mine to go through, organize and edit down all this stuff. I feel like I’ve been working on that “project” for almost my entire adult life. It has reached the point where it is more of a chore than something creative, and it is requiring a lot of my free time. I want to get to a place where my time is spent on things that bring me joy and fulfillment, like outdoor activities, creative projects, being more social, and taking care of my health with fitness, nutrition and actual rest and self care, not just vegging out on the couch thinking of all the things I should be doing. I think a key part of getting that time back and getting my stuff under control, is to stop bringing in more. I’m not sure exactly what my rules will be, but I know this will be a good place to figure them out and have the support and accountability I’m sure I’ll need in order to stick to them.
I always think of the happiest, most at peace, most true to myself times of life as the times I spent living/traveling in Costa Rica. Obviously there are lots of reasons why that might make one happy, but I realized that one of the biggest for me was the simplicity of life when I was there and that I didn’t have all my “stuff” to deal with. There were shops and plenty of nice things and people to compare myself too, but for some reason it didn’t affect me the way it does here. I just naturally felt happy and content and like my life was full because I was living it. I want to get back to that feeling, to create that in my day to day life here. More experiences, less stuff. And I want to do my part to lessen my negative impact on this world, as much as possible. So lots of reasons why this idea, this action, is really resonating with me right now. I’m looking forward to tackling this challenge together and hopefully enjoying the process and journey along the way.
Totally relate to this. It’s all just too much. Too much stuff. Especially my closet. I desperately need to get off the treadmill and start doing other things that are actually going to make my life better on a daily basis, and spending less time thinking about/searching for things to buy is a huge part of that.
I simply with no income any longer just savings and my husband having Alzheimer’s in a memory care center that’s expensive . I do not have the money to impulsively buy clothes any longer . It’s not my lifestyle anymore and I rarely get dressed up. I have things in my closet with tags on them. I’m going to the Endocrinologist today to get a report and I feel like wearing just my sweats . I’m sad and have good reason and yet I still look. I want to have Christmas here and I instead I’m selling my mom’s antiques . I hate to part with them but I need the money . My daughter is also in Hospice …. Breast Cancer. That’s my reason .
I'm so sorry Lynn. That's a lot to carry.
Thank you Jess. It is . It truly is . 🥲
I am sorry you have so many challenges right now.
Thank you so much Laurie. I’m managing but it’s so very sad.
How do you define what is essential for buying new? I feel like my brain can trick me into thinking just about anything is essential when it truly is not (for example: new pajamas, a new ski coat, new sweatpants to replace worn-out ones).
To me it's more about what can be found second-hand and what do I really need vs want...we went to the thrift store yesterday and I found a great cashmere sweater for $30...but I really don't need another sweater, I already have so many. In terms of buying new, unless it's socks/underwear things like that, I don't see any need to buy it new. There is SO much stuff available second-hand. You can literally find ANYTHING.
I couldn’t love this more, Jess. I’m at the place where you were a year ago - just done with the over consumption (especially around clothes). I’m in ♥️
I think I've just reached a similar point that you did last year, Jess, of disillusionment and, frankly, disgust with how much social media makes me buy, buy, buy—especially clothes, but really all sorts of things. It's been a slow awakening as I realize how many influencers share "must haves" but then we never see them again in everyday wear, or the ubiquitous things like the Our Place pan (just one example) that gets so hyped but then pretty meh reviews from real users. It's hard not to feel used and deceived, honestly, and those aren't feelings that make me want to shop.
I think also getting into gardening over the past few years has naturally made me think about sustainability more: it pains me to toss food waste after I put so much energy into growing it, and that mindset is creeping beyond the things I grew.
Finally, I know myself well enough that a complete "no" for a period of time is going to be easier than, say, "only 5 articles of clothing this year" which I have seen some do. I would buy all 5 in January and then find excuses to keep shopping. A complete cessation for a year seems more doable.
Totally agree. I just don’t need another thing , period .