Since the publication of Marie Kondo’s book, ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying’, I’ve been on a mission to reduce the stuff I own, especially when it comes to clothing and accessories. Apart from leaving me with a whole lot of space in my wardrobe and super organised drawers, it also left me thinking about our relationship with buying stuff. 

With the start of the new year and a new decade is it time we re-evaluated our thoughts on shopping? Here are some tips on how to become more mindful when adding to our ever expanding wardrobe.

1) Rethink the shopping experience

Shopping shouldn’t always end in a purchase and yet more often than not we give in to the feeling of instant gratification experienced after an impulse buy. 

We should however take our time to enjoy the process of browsing without giving in to the pressure of buying something. It may help to set yourself some attainable goals such as a spending limit or avoiding the temptation of shopping altogether, at least for short periods of time. The key here is to make short term goals to begin with that aren’t too extreme. These smaller steps will then contribute towards your end goal of a streamlined and manageable wardrobe full of quality items that last for years.

2) Take your time

How often have you bought an item because you were worried it would be snapped up by other buyers? Especially during the sales it can be difficult to resist the urge of a quick buy. However giving yourself time to evaluate whether you really want something, from the moment you set eyes on it until you buy it, allows you to reflect on how much you want and need this item. Ask yourself key questions such as: Where will I wear it? Can I combine it to create at least 3 outfits? Is it comfortable? Is it made of good quality materials?

Give yourself at least a week to really think of how this item will work in your wardrobe and make sure you have picked the best option in terms of colour, quality and price. 

3) Re-use & recycle

Become more comfortable with buying vintage or swapping clothes with friends and family. If you enjoy shopping as a hobby try doing so in charity shops and vintage fairs which often sell higher quality items that stand the test of time.

Buying second hand clothing is one small step in the right direction if we want to stop over saturating the retail world with fast fashion, whilst also contributing to charitable causes. Second hand websites are also a great source of designer clothing at a fraction of their original price but with all the benefits of good tailoring and high quality materials.

4) One in one out

Selling clothes you no longer wear is a great wake up call to see just how difficult it is to shift many of your pieces. The effort involved in selling an item should make you think twice before you buy again. By adopting a one in one out policy you’ll save your wardrobe space, your money and also make the process of choosing an outfit so much easier for yourself.

5) Limit your online shopping

Online shopping now allows us to buy whatever we want, whenever we want it at the click of a button, making our lives more convenient but also increasing our chances of impulse buys that aren’t quite right for us. Limiting your time browsing online is a crucial step to take in order to achieve a streamlined wardrobe full of items you truly love and enjoy wearing. Instead of online shopping go back to basics and shop the traditional way, taking your time to look through your options, try them on and if they tick all the boxes...go for it!

Ultimately, the key to mindful shopping is patience when curating a wardrobe full of quality items that last ages and suit your style. It’s also crucial we educate ourselves on where our clothing has come from, how it’s been made and the best way to dispose of it when we no longer need it.

Written by Rosanna Christou

Instagram @rosannachristou