1. AVOID IMPULSE SHOPPING
Shopping addiction is a thing. The temporary hit we feel from buying something new is real–but it's fleeting. Once the new thing is unwrapped and out of its plush bag, it quickly loses its allure and soon blends into the pile of 'stuff' we already own. Before you know it your cupboards are bulging, drawers are overflowing and your bank balance is depleted. Mindless consumption–or impulse shopping leads to clutter. But how can we consume consciously? 'Marketeers and retailers love impulse shoppers because they're easy to manipulate, are swayed by trends and promotions and fear missing out, so they spend more,' says Tara Button, author of A Life Less Throwaway, available on Amazon. 'We need to come up with strategies to prevent ourselves impulse buying. First, identify, the times and places where you get tempted. Go through your bank statements and see where you're spending your money. Pay particular attention if any of the entries give you a twinge of regret or guilt.'
2. IDENTIFY YOUR TRUE TASTE
We're often tempted by novelty and 'newness'; and easily seduced by 'the latest thing'. However, if you are aware of what you truly like, you're less likely to be suckered into the next fad.
3. BUY LESS, BUY BETTER
Tara's turning point from shopaholic to mindful shopper was being gifted a good quality Le Creuset casserole pot on her 30th birthday. 'When I held it, it just felt like an heirloom,' says Tara. 'I reflected that owning it meant I potentially never had to buy another pot again. I thought "If only everything in my life was like this".
4. ENSURE ADEQUATE, ORGANIZED STORAGE
Another reason our homes attract clutter is too little–or even too much–storage space. An extra bedroom can soon turn into a "storage room" if we're not careful.
5. RETHINK GIFTING
Buying gifts for people is joyful, or it can be. Sometimes, the reality is more stressful. What to buy family or friends who already have so much stuff?