Saturday afternoons used to be a time that we ended up at the mall or high street...mostly just to pass the time + wander + look. It was never intentional. It was just the easy decision. We've moved from Denver to Los Angeles to Wisconsin to New Mexico to London to where we live now. The destinations changed, but the appeal remained. The shops accommodated a stroller...they accommodated rainy or cold days...they offered a little something for everyone (a bookstore, a toy store, a clothing store or ten...and maybe a cookie or ice cream treat). I will not say that breaking the habit was easy...especially once our daughters were teenagers.
Here are a few of the things that changed our shopping habits + how:
compassion ::
--learning about the conditions that garment workers + farmers are forced to endure in the name of fast fashion led me to quit the mall
--educating my daughters + giving them the tools to be able to choose to be responsible consumers is vital
--(compassion is my most powerful motivator)
recognizing enough ::
--what a process + something that needs constant tending, for me
not watching TV + seeing less ads ::
--we don't own a television
--Jo + I have installed adblockers on our computers
--but as helpful as this is...instagram can just as easily become an ad for wanderlust, effortless style, interior bliss, or that beautiful tea towel
--(must remain aware)
my Saturday reads ::
--I save up all of my simplicity, minimalism, zero-waste reads for Saturdays (when I am most tempted to shop)
--they give me a powerful boost of camaraderie + motivation and reset my mindset back to "enough"
decluttering ::
--allows me to consider all of the things that I spent money on, now hold no value to me + are weighing me down
--allows me to see empty space as beauty
--I recognize that "less" means less to care for, dust, move, find space for, store
--stuff can create mental clutter...so much of beauty is the space around things...that space allows room for us to breathe
--creates space that I like to keep empty...my bookshelves...my closet...the downstairs room...these spaces look more intentional + less like storage only
budget ::
--no credit card debt allowed- we don't purchase things with credit cards anymore
--if we can't afford to pay cash (or debit) for it, we can't afford it right now
limits ::
--our budget is a limit
--my wardrobe list in another limit
--our home is a limit- no storage units for us + our cars need to fit in the garage
zero-waste ::
--learning about clothing waste, landfills filled with clothing, plastic fibers that leach into drinking water + the our waterways, the excess created by fast fashion + even the second hand clothing market...these are powerful motivators
--we try to find things that we need second hand first
the internet ::
--I can be very intentional with my purchases
--access to fair brands, Craigslist, eBay, etsy...
--I can wait to buy + don't feel pressure to grab it when I'm in the store
--waiting to buy often means that I don't feel the need later
What about you? I'd love to hear what you find motivating in regards to conscious shopping!
Love,
Jane
Here are a few of the things that changed our shopping habits + how:
compassion ::
--learning about the conditions that garment workers + farmers are forced to endure in the name of fast fashion led me to quit the mall
--educating my daughters + giving them the tools to be able to choose to be responsible consumers is vital
--(compassion is my most powerful motivator)
recognizing enough ::
--what a process + something that needs constant tending, for me
not watching TV + seeing less ads ::
--we don't own a television
--Jo + I have installed adblockers on our computers
--but as helpful as this is...instagram can just as easily become an ad for wanderlust, effortless style, interior bliss, or that beautiful tea towel
--(must remain aware)
my Saturday reads ::
--I save up all of my simplicity, minimalism, zero-waste reads for Saturdays (when I am most tempted to shop)
--they give me a powerful boost of camaraderie + motivation and reset my mindset back to "enough"
decluttering ::
--allows me to consider all of the things that I spent money on, now hold no value to me + are weighing me down
--allows me to see empty space as beauty
--I recognize that "less" means less to care for, dust, move, find space for, store
--stuff can create mental clutter...so much of beauty is the space around things...that space allows room for us to breathe
--creates space that I like to keep empty...my bookshelves...my closet...the downstairs room...these spaces look more intentional + less like storage only
budget ::
--no credit card debt allowed- we don't purchase things with credit cards anymore
--if we can't afford to pay cash (or debit) for it, we can't afford it right now
limits ::
--our budget is a limit
--my wardrobe list in another limit
--our home is a limit- no storage units for us + our cars need to fit in the garage
zero-waste ::
--learning about clothing waste, landfills filled with clothing, plastic fibers that leach into drinking water + the our waterways, the excess created by fast fashion + even the second hand clothing market...these are powerful motivators
--we try to find things that we need second hand first
the internet ::
--I can be very intentional with my purchases
--access to fair brands, Craigslist, eBay, etsy...
--I can wait to buy + don't feel pressure to grab it when I'm in the store
--waiting to buy often means that I don't feel the need later
What about you? I'd love to hear what you find motivating in regards to conscious shopping!
Love,
Jane
RSS Feed