With the minimizing rage of 2019, in full swing from Marie Kondo-ing our entire lives, to me realizing I was impulsive buying too often. I decided to step back during the month of March and do a No Buy Month.
The rules were: 1. don’t buy anything for my closet 2. definitely nothing new 3. only buy new if your closet burns down
Pretty straight forward right? I did make 2 exceptions; one was a pair of earrings I orginally bought in February but the Post Office lost them and then returned them to the sender and when they arrived back to the sender in mid-March I said I still wanted them. So they sent them back to me. The other was a skinny scarf I purchased at the very beginning of the month from a small biz gal I love, Daisy Faye Designs from Instagram, image below. While I know these are both ‘accessories’ I figured anything that could be ‘worn’ would be included in this No Buy Month.
I had a lot of moments of temptation, and surprisingly I did really well on not giving in. Was I happier? No…but when I knew I could start shopping again, I had a clearer picture of what I actually wanted to buy. For example, one of my favorite brands had a HUGE sale in March, I was so tempted to buy a new top or dress but then I caught myself asking, is it something my closet needs? Yes, I really like that dress but do I need another dress? I’d rather add something like overalls or linen pants to my wardrobe instead. Now, I’ve found an ethically made pair of linen overalls that are affordable and super cute, that I can’t wait to add to my wardrobe instead of buying a dress I love but I’m not convinced I need right now. Not that I need linen overalls, I just want more variety in my closet.
This month also gave me an opportunity to buy things for others. Since I wasn’t spending money on myself, I bought my sister a nice birthday present. I usually reserve gift giving for Christmas but this year was sparse, so I was excited to get her something extra special. I also decided to buy my dog a new harness, he’s needed one for a while and honestly, I’d put it off over and over because I’d rather buy myself something. In many ways this No Buy Month was a really great way for me to examine what I choose to spend my money on. Yes, I like clothes, buying clothes, and shopping but I also understand that I use this as a coping and stress mechanism that isn’t always healthy.
Moving into April, there are a few specific things I know I want to buy for my closet, and I’ll take my time getting them. There is no rush really, but I hopful that this experience has made me more mindful of what I choose to add to my closet.
Have you ever intentionally done a ‘No Buy Month’ where you don’t buy specific items unless necessary?
Stylishly Shelby 