How To Stop Buying Things You Don’t Need

Have you ever gone to a store, gotten excited about everything you’re purchasing, only to get home and ask yourself “why did I buy this?” This is something most people can relate to. The solution starts with understanding what you have. When you go through the items you own, you will be able to start appreciating what you have and being more mindful about what you bring in to your home. Gather similar items and understand whether or not you want more of that item, if the items you have gathered aren’t working for you try to understand why, also, do the items you have make you happy and serve their function. If you buy lots of jars but have nothing to do with them so they end up in a closet, this item is not serving you. Maybe, you would prefer to display the jars. Find your favorites and only display those and decide if you would like to part with the others. Now, when you see jars in a store, you will understand that you like them but they do not have a function and you will be able to compare the jars in the store to the ones you know you have at home so you avoid buying jars that are not your favorite.

When you familiarize yourself with clothing items you own, try to notice if there is any color or type of clothing that you are drifting away from. You deserve to wear clothes that represent you and the person you want to be. If you are looking at a grey sweater in a store, picture the sweaters you have at home. You can only wear one sweater at a time. Ask yourself if there a time that you would want to wear the one in the store more than the ones you have at home. Additionally, Try to avoid going to stores unless you know what you are looking for. Establish a need for something before you purchase it. When you familiarize yourself with the items in your home and you see the need for something, then you will be able to purchase something appropriate for what you need rather than getting home and realizing you have nothing to do with the item you purchased.

Be mindful of your reason for shopping. Sometimes it’s not about needing anything, it’s about filling time, escaping, or the thrill of finding something new. Perhaps in the time you spend familiarizing yourself with your items you will find that you have enough and decide to spend time honoring the items you have by rearranging, cleaning, or displaying them. If you are looking for an escape, perhaps you may discover that you are just desiring to be around people and you may be able to invest effort in looking for a social event. If you simply love finding something new, now that you have familiarized yourself with the items in your home, you will be able to accurately judge whether the item in the store is “better than” your item at home.