Hi Everyone,
So this weeks video is about a few things that I no longer buy,
now that I've downsized, decluttered and am living more minimally.
So, first is things that I didn't know I wanted.
So these are the items that you think are really beautiful,
that you think you want, but you never intended to buy.
So I always keep a wishlist of items that I'm looking to purchase,
and when I'm shopping I only look for those items.
But of course, sometimes I come across things that I really want,
or that I think are really beautiful, and that I would like to have.
But I try to never buy those at that time.
I always give myself some time to really think about it,
and make sure that it's something that I actually want.
and I'm not just caught up in the moment
Because, if I give myself a little time,
often I realize that I dont really even want that thing any more
Or I've completely forgotten about it,
or I've realized that it wouldn't actually work with my
closet or my lifestyle.
Before I decluttered the majority of my possessions
there were so many things that I had impulsively bought
and then never really used.
And taking a little bit of time to really think about that
purchase, and make sure it's something that I actually
want has been the biggest help with reducing my
shopping and overall consumption.
Next, is items I already have.
Now, this may seem kind of silly,
buying items that you already have, but I used to do this.
I used to go out and find, I don't know, a really cute pair
of shoes, or maybe something that I thought I needed in
my home, or kitchen - or whatever it was
and I would bring it home, and then realize that I already
had something fairly similar, or that served that same purpose
Living more minimally has really helped with this though
because I only have things that I use, I know the things
that I own, so I don't end up doubling up on stuff.
And also because I only shop for things that I know I need
I don't end up randomly purchasing things that I already own.
Next is special event outfits.
Now I used to be the kind of person where any time some
sort of special event came up, I thought that I needed
to go buy a new outfit for it, or at least a new piece of
jewelry, or shoes.
But what that meant is that I then had dresses and shoes
and jewelry that I really only wore a few times.
But now I have a few outfits that I know I can wear to
formal occasions and also some pieces that I
can dress up if I need to.
And really it's so crazy to me to have a new outfit for
every single occasion.
People don't even remember what you wore.
But if you do feel like you need a new outfit,
or you don't have an outfit for a special event,
somethings you can do are try and borrow from
friends or family, you can look into renting an outfit,
there are a few different websites and places that will
rent formal clothes, and you can also buy something
second-hand. And if you know that your only gonna wear
it once, you can but it at a thrift store or charity shop,
and then donate it back to that shop.
The next thing I no longer buy is items that require you
to buy more things to use them.
So, again, I used to do this.
I would go out, and maybe buy a new dress,
and then realize that I didn't have shoes to wear with that dress,
or, I didn't have the right bag to go with that dress
I've also noticed that this can happen quite easily with makeup,
where you buy a new product, then maybe
you need a special brush to go with it
or a primer to go under it, or stuff like that.
So, the way I've found to avoid this is just to
again, really plan and make sure that I'm only buying things
that I actually need and am going to use
And I plan out how it's going to fit into my wardrobe
or into my home, or into my life.
So, for example, what I do with clothing to avoid this is
before I buy a new piece, I try to think of at least
3 - 5 outfits that I'll be able to wear that piece with.
And if I can think of those fairly quickly,
I know that it'll probably work pretty well.
And if I really struggle to think of at least 3 outfits
I know that i't s probably not a good fit for my capsule
and will require me to buy other things to make it work
And, finally I try to avoid buying things that don't last.
So I try to avoid things that are poor quality,
or disposable items.
There is just too much waste in the world.
And I definitely think it's worth it to spend a little extra
money to buy something that's better quality.
But extra money doesn't always equal better quality
especially if you're shopping online it can be really hard
to know what the quality of something is like
and how long it might potentially last you.
One thing I've found really helpful though is to
read reviews especially with products like electronics or
things that get a lot of wear.
People will talk about generally if it broke on them fairly
quickly, if it lasted them a long time.
Also looking for companies that offer
warranties or repairs.
I have a video about how to find good quality clothing
which I will link up in the cards
And it's also good to ask friends for reccomendations
Because they might have something that they've used
for a long time, or that was really good quality that they
could recommend.
I think having a good sense of your personal style helps
avoid those trendy pieces or pieces that you keep
for only a season.
And when buying something new, think about how long
you can see yourself realistically using it.
Is it 1 year, 5 years, maybe 10 years?
If you can see yourself using it for a really long time
it's going to be a much better investment than
something you only think you'll use for maybe a year
So I hope you enjoyed this video
I'm sorry if I sound a little hoarse, I just realized
that while filming.
I might be getting sick. I hope not though
But I would love to hear in the comments about
something that you no longer purchase.
And thank you so much to those of you who are
supporting me on Patreon.
I started up a Patreon, just over a month ago
so If you like what I'm doing on this channel
you can now support me over there.
Thank you so much for watching, and I'll see you in the next one.