A recent survey [1] showed that Americans spend more time shopping than thinking. But the best way to break the habit of buying clutter is to combine the two activities. Of course, we’ve all been guilty of impulse buying — for me it’s the extra pair of running shoes (what if the first wear out before I have time to buy another pair?) or books (yes, honey, I do have shelves of books I’ve been meaning to read, but this one is going to be really good!).
Not to take all the fun out of shopping, but the more we think before we buy the better off we are in terms of a clean home and a healthy environment. And if that’s not enough — the less time we have to spend getting rid of all our clutter!
The obvious questions to ask before making a purchase is whether or not you really need the item and how long it will last or hold your interest. Sometimes those questions can take the allure out of whatever it is we’re drooling over and deter us from pulling out the credit card.
Yet sometimes these questions can seem so completely beside the point, especially in the face of the sexiest red shoes you’ve ever seen (and never mind that you have two other pairs of sexy red shoes) or the must-have kitchen appliance (that you have neither room to store nor time to make crème brûlée with any regularity).
A better option for breaking the habit of buying clutter may be to appeal to something larger than your self — like the FATE OF THE ENTIRE PLANET. Sound fun? Okay, let’s try it.
Some time ago Natural Home [2] magazine featured a guide [3] for how to see through “greenwashing” [4] that asks all the right questions to help us buy less in general and buy greener when we do buy. These are best answered in terms of the product and its packaging:
1. How was it made? Are the materials sustainable? Did it take a lot of energy to make?
2. Is it locally made or did it require a huge amount of energy to get to your local store?
3. Is it built to last for generations and would you want to see it around for generations?
4. Is it recyclable or biodegradable?
5. Is it made of recycled materials?
6. Is it natural and nontoxic?
If after answering these questions, you still want to make the purchase, try one more test. Wait 24 hours and see if you’re still thinking about it. If you aren’t, skip it.
Once you’ve got a handle on reducing the clutter coming into your home — both uninvited [4] and bought by you — you’ve made a huge dent in kicking the clutter habit. It means that the next step (which we’ll tackle next week) of reducing the clutter you already have will have a lasting effect. Of course there will be the occasional impulse buy (that irresistible gadget you can’t imagine living with out), but the more conscious you are of the clutter habit, the better able you’ll be to control it.