6 Clutter-Free Ideas For Replacing a Shopping Habit

For when you need guilt-free rejuvenation

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Oftentimes we shop in order to surprise ourselves; we want to walk away feeling renewed by what we’ve discovered and acquired.

One study on product-evoked emotions found that a driving force behind our purchases is that we think they’ll have a transformative effect on our lives. But not only is the “transformative effect” from shopping temporary, it also it has an everlasting consequence: clutter.

Our closets or storage spaces can be filled with remnants of who we tried to be, and that chaos alone can negatively effect our well-being. Therefore, instead of shopping when we need a boost, the following is a list of clutter-free ideas for finding that same “transformative effect.”

1. Browse the Local Library

Browsing your local public library is like shopping except that it’s free. Better yet, it’s only temporary clutter because it has a designated time and place to return.

You can walk into a library, be drawn to a cover, and spontaneously decide to take the book home. Recently, I checked out a cookbook that motivated me to make dishes from halfway across the world. Another book I unexpectedly found was The Kinfolk Home: Interiors for Slow Living, which inspired me to escape the digital world for a night and flip through its pages.

If I don’t end up reading all the books I check out (or cooking every recipe), then I’m neither better or worse for it. Back to the library they go.

2. Imagine and Plan

There are mornings when I feel a bolt of energy while the coffee is still brewing; in the same vein, not only is a new project itself exciting, but so is the anticipatory planning.

• Build a summer (fall, winter, or spring) reading list. Visit online literary magazines like LitHub or Electric Literature or ask around for recommendations. Begin to place holds at your library or ask to borrow copies from friends, co-workers, and family.
• Imagine, research and plan a trip. It can be a “someday” tour of Italy (involving cooking lessons!) or a weekend road trip to a hiking destination this season. Your…