While tidying our homes, we are able to truly see how much we have. Touching every single item one by one force us to come to terms with the fact that we have more than enough.
This is a reason to feel gratitude. It can also be an excellent time to take a break from consuming.
This is what I personally decided to do after finishing tidying my own home. I realized I not only had enough clothes, books, and tech gadgets. I also had paperclips for a lifetime and soap to last us a year.
Without ever hearing the term ‘buy nothing’, I decided to simply not buy anything except groceries for the next 30 days.
I realized ‘What am I missing?’ had become a constant thought of mine. ‘Do we need shampoo?’, ‘Where could I find a top that perfectly matches that skirt I bought?’, ‘When could I go and buy more whatever?’. These consumer questions consumed my brain’s energy. I truly was a consumer.
Buying nothing for a month recalibrated my brain.
It became clear that many needs were actually wants. The want would diminish over time if I didn’t act upon it and I could perfectly well live without the item.
It also taught me how integral a part of our culture consumerism is. Growing up my mother would frequently take me shopping, looking for the best deals. The best deal would have of course been to leave the unneeded item in the store but shopping was a way to spend time, have fun, and distract us from mundane everyday.
I particularly remember a day during my buy nothing month when I had to take my car to maintenance. The car repair shop was by a thriving shopping street and I had an hour to kill. There were nice and inviting restaurants, cafes, and stores all around me. But I was not hungry or thirsty and now there was no point in browsing the stores. I ended up going for a walk, away from it all. This memory has stuck with me for many years.
There are many benefits of taking a break from consuming. You can save money, help the Earth, and break a habit of excess consumption.
Some people have even gone a year without buying.
I encourage you to try it for yourself! 30 days or 365 days - you choose! Who knows what you will learn about your own shopping habits?
TIPS:
Limit your exposure to marketing. Unsubscribe from marketing emails. Recycle mail catalogs right away. Limit your exposure to online shopping, social media, tv…
Write things you think you need on a piece of paper and wait before purchasing.
Plan what to do instead. What are the things you want to do but never seem to have enough time or energy to do them? Perhaps this is the time to do them! Go for a walk with a friend, call a family member, bake bread, watch a comedy show…
Enjoy Life!