Sometime in February, I got hooked on Youtube videos about capsule wardrobes and TED Talks about all your life possessions in one box. This led to me feel super overwhelmed with the amount of stuff that I had scattered around my flat. I felt like I was squished and the space I had was getting smaller and smaller. So, I decided to stop buying unnecessary things, what counts as unnecessary you say?
Clothes, I have a wardrobe full, and several suitcases underneath my bed with clothing too. Do I really need any more? The answer is no, so I decided to go on a month cleanse (I realised I had been buying at least one item of clothing every month) and not purchase any clothing. After the month was up, it dawned on me that I could keep on going and I've extended this goal to a further three months. I can't say it's been easy, it really hasn't. Hong Kong has endless streets of clothing, but I just take a deep breath and think about my collapsing wardrobe (it really has fallen on me before!)
Beauty items are something that I hoard too, I have tubs and tubs of moisturiser that are stacked in my wardrobe. For skincare, I decided to group everything that I have in one bag, even the samples, so that if I run out of my current skincare items I would check the bag to see if I had anything that I could use as a replacement.
Some tips that have helped me:
- The one in, one out rule- Do you own five pairs of black jeans? Do you really need another pair of black jeans? Unless you're working in Zara, I think you don't need another pair. So, each time I've seen something that is similar (you can apply it to anything in your wardrobe actually) I think- do I need this and if I buy this what do I throw out? If you can't bear to part with something, then don't buy something else!
- Stay away from temptation- This is a toughie, but I used to spend a lot of time just browsing through online shops and in store, I've cut this down a lot just so I don't get tempted into seeing something I don't actually need.
- Take a picture of your wardrobe- If you've always bought something that's similar to an item you already own, this tip might save your life. Bookmark the picture and each time you're about to buy a piece of clothing, refer to your wardrobe picture to see if you already own a similar item.
- Take your time- By this I don't mean, take your time looking through clothes shop, I mean if you see something you really want to buy, put it down and sleep on it. If after two weeks you still want it, then go ahead and buy it. Impulsive decisions always lead to more expensive outcomes.
- Timeless pieces- Maybe your wardrobe is full of 'trendier' items, refrain from buying brightly coloured bomber jackets that will only get two wears. Instead buy things that will last, that you can easily pair with other items in your wardrobe and you can get 30+ wears out of them.
- Treat yo self- So, this might contradict what I've been typing up there, but I think if you've not bought anything for a while, or maybe you're saving up for something you really want and it will last, go get it! Right now I have my eye on a sneaky Monica Vinader ring ;) just because I'm not shopping now doesn't mean I won't ever shop again. I always seem to have something on my list....
-Sophia (renowned shopaholic)
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