How can you reduce clutter in November and future months? I'm going to be harsh, dear readers, but it's tough love. If you already have too much clutter, that's an issue for another day. What I suggest doing NOW to STOP adding more CLUTTER is to take a good hard look at your consumer habits. What are you buying and bringing home? No judgment, G-d forbid. I'm not peeking into your shopping cart or your online order.
My question to you is, are you buying something you really NEED? Or is it something "on-sale", something cute that caught your eye, something you didn't know existed until you saw it while you were scrolling? An eye-catching ad or display at the mall?
My first suggestion is to be MINDFUL of your purchases. Do you NEED it? Distinguish between WANTS and NEEDS. Many things are impulse buys.
For those of you who can take this up a notch, once you've practiced mindfulness, put yourself on a spending freeze. Try it for a week. For the braver, try for two.
BUY ONLY consumables such as food, medication refills, diapers, etc. If XYZ item is broken or needed, such as all the boots from last season need replacing, replace them because you NEED them.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday will be here before you know it. Retailers and marketers will be doing their utmost to get you to spend your hard-earned money. As I mentioned above, much impulse buying takes place during this season.
If you take time now in November, to practice buying the consumables you need, you'll have more confidence for December (and beyond) and its tantalizing merchandise.
That my dear readers, is my suggestion. It may take a little practice, as all new habits do. You will save money, avoid buyer's remorse, and cut down on clutter.
Flex those mindfulness muscles. You can do it!
This is such wise advice. This time of year is relentless with the barrage of emails with "offers" and special shopping day sales and ads. Practicing mindfulness can be a great way forward; that and the spending freeze you suggested.
Excellent advice. I tend to be frugal, and since the advent of the pandemic, I've noticed exactly how rare it is for me to buy something that isn't a consumable. In all of 2020, I spent less than $50 on clothing (and most of that was on socks). Outside of consumables and work-related items, I think the only things I've purchased have been electronics upgrades/backups (like an inexpensive but PINK Bluetooth keyboard). When I discuss decluttering with clients, it's easy to tell which are dealing with "old" clutter vs. those for whom acquisition is a concern, and the six weeks from mid-November to the New Year are the hardest for the latter group to give up the delight of hunting/gathering…
This is such an important reminder this time of year. We as consumers are inundated with people telling us all the things we "need" and "must have." It's important to keep our own priorities and values front of mind so that we don't find ourselves in a purchasing fog in January.