…not because I’ve turned hipster (I’m too old for that), but because clutter is annoying. You’d think that extra storage would help, but I already have more storage space than I need, which is terrible because then I’m buying more stuff to fill the space, and it’s an endless cycle of Clutter Hell™. So as cliche as it sounds, this new year I’m all about getting rid of old baggage (literally) and that minimalism lifestyle.
I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t read nearly as much as I should (except fanfiction, because I’m such a Digimon fan girl it’s embarrassing), but one book I love and am re-reading is The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. Her idea that you should only be surrounded by things (and people, but that’s another subject for another day) that bring you joy really reasonates with me, because I realized that despite my multiple decluttering attempts last year, I’m still surrounded by too many non-joy-bringing-regret-inducing crap. So how did that happen?
- It was on sale. I’m 99% sure my brain has been wired to think sale = money saved = YASSSS. Except that money spent on stuff I don’t really love, even if it’s on sale, will always be money wasted. Stupid brain.
- Retail therapy. When I’m stuck in a no-buy period for too long, I crash and go on a spending binge. It’s like yo-yo dieting, except instead of my waistline, it’s my wallet that gets destroyed.
- I didn’t set a strict budget. I have a general (read: vague) idea of how much money I have left after savings and bills, but I’ll conveniently forget the amount when I’m on my binges. Selective memory at its finest people.
Yes, clearly I have a spending problem (more like several), but you know what else I realized? 1) I’m hopeless at keeping things organized 2) I’d be much happier with a minimalistic lifestyle and less stuff, as long as each item brought me joy. Quality over quantity my friends.
My pride, my joy, my bae. I may or may not love this bag more than my husband….just kidding!…sort of
Case in point: ever since I splurged on my ultimate unicorn handbag last summer, I haven’t thought about another handbag since. Even with my upcoming Paris trip, the Mecca of handbag shopping, I have no desire to buy another bag, and I’m totally ok with that. My husband on the other hand, is ecstatic.
Anyways, after determining my spending weaknesses, I realized explicit rules were necessary in order to reach my less-is-more-quality-over-quantity-let’s-do-this-2017 minimalism goals:
- Set a daily spending budget with the Daily Budget app. I love this app because you can input your earnings, set expenses (utilities, rent, etc), and how much you want to save, and based on these values the app tells you your daily spending budget: $44 in my case.
- Add items to a wishlist first. Rather than buying something immediately, I first add it to Giftry with a note on why I want it. Heck if I can’t even convince myself why I need something, then clearly it’s a bad idea. Do not add to cart, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
- Ignore the item price. As in, cheap ≠ good. Looking at my past purchases, I’ve never regretted buying the things I loved, even if they cost $$$$. But I’ve definitely regretted many of my impulse sale purchases, even if they were only $10 a piece. It’s like drinking cheap alcohol and the regret that comes in the form of a head-splitting hangover. We’ve all been there and it ain’t pretty.
- Double check the return policy. Because as hard as you plan and try, sometimes things just don’t work out, so thank God for free returns, aka the undo buttons of shopping.
No more 20-step skincare routine either, the minimalism applies to all aspects of my life
Granted we’re only 19 days into 2017 and my wishlist has already gotten inappropriately long, but spending wise I’m doing damn good. Yes I’ve already splurged, but my daily budget is still at a positive, we’re paying our bills on time, and I’m putting more than 50% of my earnings into savings and investments. Yay for successful adulting!
What are your thoughts on living minimalistically and your viewpoints and spending? Seriously, I’d love to hear from you guys and if you have any tips or advice! Lastly, I know this is mostly a beauty blog, but let me know if you’re interested in more of these adulting lifestyle topics Have a great weekend!
