Friday, July 13, 2012

Strategy to avoid materialism: Stop shopping for excitement and fun


http://www.everydayminimalist.com/?p=1811
I can remember a time when I was in college and I noticed that every Saturday I went to stores to shop.  (I didn’t necessarily buy; I just liked to look.)  I asked myself why I always went shopping like this.  I admitted to myself that I was doing it because I thought shopping was fun.  I asked myself, “Self, what would you do for fun if you could not go shopping?”  

I had a really hard time thinking of a good answer to that question.  My sheer poverty of recreational ideas was enough to demonstrate to me that I needed to find additional hobbies and resurrect old ones.

So.  If you are feeling blah, what do you do to give yourself a pick-me-up if you couldn’t indulge in “retail therapy”?   If you want some fun, what would do you do without shopping’s thrill of the hunt?   If you can’t give a good answer, you should probably put the kibosh on shopping for a good while.  (Instead, you could have a de-cluttering party!!  Woo-hoo!)
 

Do you need extra help with organizing and de-cluttering? Hire me! Go to www.phoenixhomeorganizing.com for more information about my services! Did this article help you? Be sure to share it with your friends!

2 comments:

Rozy Lass said...

Retail therapy includes shopping at thrift stores and yard sales. I have had to really rein in my emotional shopping habits, recognizing that I don't NEED anything more. I still have lots of wants, but that's a different story. This summer I have learned a great deal about my weaknesses and am striving to change some habits that have held me back from accomplishing goals. Too much and too many will be whittled down to just right and just enough. Thanks for all your encouragement.

Michaela Stephens said...

Rozy Lass, you are right, thrift story shopping and yard sales can still be "retail therapy" even if it isn't as damaging to the budget.

I'm glad my posts are giving you encouragement in your efforts to whittle down to just enough. :-)