3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying One More New Thing

Photograph by Suzanne McRae

It's no secret.  Consumerism abounds.  We are constantly bombarded with ads for new and better things.  Sometimes we can easily walk away, but most times, we talk ourselves through all of the reasons we just need to have it.  And then, we buy it.

And then, it sits in our closet for years on end because we feel too guilty about ridding of an item with tags still on it.

I am so guilty of doing just that.

There are countless areas of my home congested with useless objects.  I've grown so accustomed to having them there that I don't really think about why I still keep them (and why I bought them in the first place).

It's in those moments of scrutinizing how much of my living space is cluttered with junk that I make a deal with myself about future purchases.

I have to say that I'm pretty proud of my efforts in the last year.  I no longer buy that item just because it's on sale or just because it's the last one left and I don't want to miss out.

There are 3 questions I now ask myself before committing to bringing home a "new thing".  Maybe these can help you too:

1. Do I already have something like this?  If we simply ask ourselves if we need it, we will answer yes.  If we've picked it up and are considering buying it it's because we think we need it.  So, go one step further and ask yourself if you have something that is already doing this job in your home.  Do you really need two, or three or four vases of the same size?
2. Where will I put it?  In the store, a picture frame always looks beautiful.  But in my home, I know that there isn't one single surface for me to lay it on.  If you don't know exactly where you will place that item, don't buy it.
3. Where will this end up in a year? Will you still be using this item in a year?  Will you still love it in a year?  Be honest.  We need to keep in mind the impact our purchases have and how much of it ends up in landfills.  Even our best intended purchases.  If you can just think about reducing the amount of garbage you personally throw out, this question alone should get you to put that object down right now and walk out of the store. 

And if you want to move away from just asking yourself questions and actually take action, you need to watch the video in the resource link below.
 
Resources for you:

Articles from this blog:
What the Recycling Pamphlets Don't Tell You
Why Selling Your Used Goods is Good for Your Soul
The Basics of Eco-Fashion: Or 7 Ways to Be a Conscious Shopper 
Green Decorating
Handmade? Who Cares?

Other links:

The Story of Change (an excellent new video, from the series The Story of Stuff, then find out what kind of change-maker you are by taking the quiz)
The Zero Waste Home (tips from a family who has committed to reducing the amount of waste they put out into the world- must read their story)