I am going to guess that you are reading my blog because you, too, are a clutter bug to some level. AND, I am going to follow that by guessing that some of the clutter in your home is because you love a good deal! If I am on the right track, read on to see how you can learn to curb some of your shopping habits so that your house doesn’t end up looking like a thrift store!
There are so many ways to buy stuff these days, and especially a lot of ways you can get stuff for a lot less money than it costs in the store!
Being the main shopper in the house, I am constantly comparing prices and hunting for good deals on stuff for the house, the kids, gifts, and random activities to fill the long hours of the day. Sometimes, that means that when I find a good deal, I, umm, can get a little carried away!
I mean, I want to have a less cluttered house, BUT I also love finding great deals and stocking up on stuff – it’s a bit of a catch-22!
Here are a few tricks to help when hunting for good deals and not ending up with a crazy cluttered house.
Lists
It can be hard to create a list if you are on the garage sale rodeo, but even when shopping in random places without the same structure as a Costco or a grocery store, you can still write a list. It might be a bit more vague, like something to organize the front door or a vase for the table, but it can be done! It’s what I love about using my phone for my shopping lists. I usually try to keep a number of ongoing lists of random things I want for the house or the kids, things I need, such as consumable items, and of course gifts to buy. Even though you never know what you will find when hunting for a good deal, if it’s something that you may need to eventually buy anyway, why not write it down in case you find the perfect thing. So many times, I have left a store, got home, then realized that the perfect gift for whoever was sitting right beside something else I looked at!! Then, I go back to find that the perfect thing has been snatched up by some other lucky deal hunter! If you know you are going shopping, quickly read over all of your lists to remind yourself of what you are truly hunting for! The best deal is a great price for something you are either in need of or have been dreaming about for a while!
Go for a walk first
This tip is all about shifting your brain. Sometimes I want to shop, just to get out of the house. I think of exactly ONE thing that I will likely be able to find at the dollar store, and I am out the door faster than I can say, ‘Grab your shoes!’ That sort of speed is always going to get me a bunch of impulse buys that I have nowhere to store! If I have that urge without a more defined specific list, then I tell myself that I have to go for a 20-minute walk first. If I still have the urge to shop when I am done, then fine – but most of the time, I actually just wanted to get out of the house. When I get back from my walk, I start thinking of other things I need to do instead! Sometimes, you just need a change of scenery to curb the spending.
Set your calendar
If you know you can’t resist hitting up that local thrift store or you know that department store is calling your name, then set a date and stick to it! There’s nothing wrong with shopping. Sometimes, forcing a schedule is a great way to keep yourself in check. If you are a plan ahead type of person, then when you are looking at the month ahead, pick one or two days that are your shopping days. ONLY SHOP ON THOSE DAYS!!! You can still shop for groceries and other true necessities, but do NOT even step into a thrift shop or discount store outside of those days that you preset on the calendar. If something else important comes up, then you are simply down a shopping day that month! Another month will come along! The better you stick with your plan, the less ‘excess’ you will have in your home.
It is nearly impossible to keep the clutter under control if you are constantly shopping and bringing home a bunch of items that you don’t need and that you don’t have proper storage space for.
Sometimes, to really sort through and get ahead on your clutter, you just gotta stop shopping! Plain and simple!
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