Is your wardrobe overflowing? Does your house look like a museum? Have you got cartons and bags full of stuff you plan to look into "someday", but the day just refuses to arrive?
Don't worry you are not the only one!
You can either move the clutter around or you can cut it off at the source. Instead of buying new storage containers just step back and take a look at your shopping habits. Imagine how much more you can enjoy your weekends and paychecks when you break the cycle of excess consumption. Take a look at these strategies for bringing less clutter into your life.
5 Ways To Beat The Shopping Blunders
1. Buy what you need. Ask questions before you complete your purchase. How will you use the product you are considering? Do you already have enough similar items at home?
2. Focus on quality not quantity. In the long run, higher priced goods usually offer greater value. A fine cashmere sweater or sturdy kitchen knives may hold up for decades while bargain brands may need to be replaced annually.
3.Stick to a budget. Decide in advance how much you can afford to spend. Regard occasional indulgences as an exception rather than the beginning of a habit.
4. Find other emotional outlets. Retail therapy may be masking other emotional issues. Find a hobby or do volunteer work if you are bored. Talk to a friend if you are feeling anxious or lonely.
5. Swap things out. During holidays and other shopping seasons, try discarding at least one item to make room for each new purchase. Give your used computer to a local nonprofit. Give your old clothes away to an orphanage or an old people's home.
Overcoming Temptation While Shopping Online
1. Cool off. Online purchases can pile up before you know it. Try leaving items in your cart for at least 24 hours before making a final decision. You may find you no longer want them once you have a chance to think further.
2. Pay off credit cards monthly. Buying online is so easy it may not feel like real money. Avoiding credit card debt helps you monitor your spending and stabilize your finances.
3. Go to bed. The internet has no closing time so you'll have to set your own curfew. You'll feel fresher and richer in the morning if you turn of the computer and go to sleep.
Beware When Shopping At Stores
1. Resist sales pressure. Be skeptical of limited time offers and long-term commitments. Tell sales staff you need time to think, and do your own comparison-shopping. Don't let freebies make you feel obligated to buy something in return. Ask that any verbal promises be put in writing.
2. Carry a list. Write down what you need to pick up before you leave home. Go straight to the stores and aisles where you can find your products.
3. Look away. The more time you spend wandering around sales displays, the more likely you are to wind up with goods that sound like a bargain but wind up as clutter. Be especially careful in the checkout area that's designed to trigger impulse purchases. Also, avoid touching any item that's not on your shopping list or it might wind up in your loft.
Next time you are at the mall or buying online, remember that today's clutter is yesterday's shopping extravaganza. Save time and money by accumulating less. And lastly, follow "The Six-Month Rule"! Discard everything in your home that you have not used for more than 6 months. If you don't need them in the last six months, there's a very little chance you'll need them in the future.
Let your home and surroundings breathe, a cluttered home leads to a cluttered mind. When you live in a surrounding that is cluttered, it is impossible to have clarity about what you are trying to achieve in your life. We are naturally energized when everything and everyone around us is in harmony and in balance. The peace and the beauty of your home will raise you up, and give energy to achieve your dreams. Un-clutter your home. Un-clutter your life!
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