Basic Strategies to Form New Habits of Buying Nothing New

Like with all habits, it takes time to form new ones. This depends on how ingrained the habit is and if you have a strong enough reason to break it.

With clothes shopping, we get manipulated by press and media on a daily basis that we need more and often, that we are not enough. We need that new top or those new shoes so we can look and feel like so and so … ie. be a better version of ourself.

They play games with our minds.

We are enough as we are and our wardrobe already has everything we need for at least the next 12 months.

Try these tips for easing into your new routines as quickly as possible:

1. Plan ahead. Eliminate excuses by plotting out your course in advance. A good way is to go through and organise your existing wardrobe.

2. Be consistent. Regularity reinforces itself. Pretty soon it will be easier to pass your favourite shops, without going in or not clicking on that tempting ad on your laptop. 

3. Spot triggers. Kicking a habit requires you to notice what happens right before you buy another pair of shoes or a dress, that you probably don’t need. Are you bored at home/work or arguing with your spouse? 

4. Develop substitutions. Once you know your cues, you can choose a different response. Take a walk, call a friend or do something creative. 

5. Review your reasons. Go over the reasons why you want to adopt your new behavior. Remind yourself about the environmental impact that clothing has and also the money that you will save ! 

6. Personalize your goals. While you’re contemplating your reasons, visualize your future self. Focus on how you will feel after 12 months of not buying anything new. How proud you will be of yourself and think about what you will do with the money that you have saved. How are you going to reward yourself ? Imagine the reward, as if it is already happening. Feel it. 

Advanced Strategies …..

What if you’re tackling more serious shopping addiction ? 

These ideas will give you an extra boost:

7. Practice compassion. You’re bound to slip up occasionally. Forgive yourself, and move forward. Just make sure you get back on track ASAP. 

8. Team up. Enlist a friend so you can exchange support and encouragement. Take up a new hobby or learn a new skill with your shopping buddy. Hold each other accountable. 

9. Write it down. Raise your awareness by keeping a journal about your campaign to stop buying anything new. Note what happens on the days you stick to your promise, compared to the days when you drift back into old patterns.

10. Remove temptations. Eliminate the triggers that distract you from your objectives. Take a different route, to avoid your favourite shops. Refresh your browser and close all those tabs and saved items you have on your laptop. 

11. Design obstacles. Make it difficult to give in to your old tendencies. Leave your credit cards at home to prevent impulsive shopping sprees.

12. Focus on creating other, equally pleasurable habits. Learn something that you have always wanted to learn. Take up exercising or yoga. Do something that breaks your habits, by forming new ones. 

Positive habits make advantageous choices automatic so you’ll stick with them. You’ll also have more energy to devote to other challenges.

Join our “Buy Nothing New Challenge”, where we will provide you with LOTS of helpful value, fun and accountability.