#yearofless

I’ve always been a person of excess. I overeat, I overspend, I’m always over-prepared. This year though, I want to make it my goal to make things different. I will be keeping up to date some thoughts along the way about my progress and how I find the transition. This yearly theme is inspired by the Cortex podcast on Relay FM and the annual themes that Myke Hurley and CGP Grey often talk about on their podcast. I'll be tracking posts concerning this theme with the hashtag #yearofless. 

Day 7 of 365

At the end of last year I completed the book “The year of less” by Cait Flanders. What started out as a challenge to herself not to spend unnecessary money, turned out to be a life altering experiment that not only changed her perspective around material items, but also enhanced her outlook on life. It was an inspiring and enjoyable read.

I’ve found that over the last several years, I drowned myself in material items either out of illegitimate ideas that I “needed” the items,  deep down thinking the items would enhance me in some way, or frankly because I thought they would make me happy. I’m someone who can justify any purchase and convince you of my reasoning.

As I enter 2021, after the unique experiences that 2020 brought us, I come realizing I no longer recognize much of myself. Through broken relationships, disappointments, and grief I’ve managed to loose sight of the things that truly brought me joy ( if I honestly ever knew them at all). While I don’t believe in the “New year, new me” mentality, I believe that everyday we are on this planet is a chance to cherish the people we care about and begin anew in areas we aren’t happy with. By being complacent for so long, I was making a choice to not make a choice. I was choosing to remain in the same place because the fear of changing, and not achieving a successful outcome, was more pain than I was willing to risk.

I’ll be going 365 without spending to stop drowning my woes in new handbags and shoes, and address my feelings head on to get back to a healthier mindset. We don’t NEED all the things we convince ourselves to buy and at many points in my life I’ve felt suffocated by owning all the items I have. I’m looking forward to documenting this journey so that I can look back and see how far I came.

In the book Cait documents a list of approved items to purchase, inventories all of her belongings, and tracks the amount of income saved. I will be doing the same in the coming days and post to hold myself accountable. Feel free to join in with me at any time.

I resonate with Cait’s constant struggle to find the most convenient solution, because it is quicker than something that may be more rewarding overall but would take more time. I like to think of myself as pretty cost efficient (save for the occasional impulsive takeout purchase) as I like to buy things that are gently used rather than brand new. I don’t think it is important, in this stage in my life especially, to have things that are brand new and cost more because they “match”, like how Cait explains the Pinterest generation. I think this way because I know anything that I own now will most likely be moved from apartment to apartment and experience a good amount of wear and tear as I navigate through my early twenties. I don’t know what my living situation will be like in a year, so I would rather buy things cheaply now, so I won’t care as much if they get damaged. That being said, I still try to take care of the things that I own as I like to think of myself as a relatively clean person. I mend my clothes when they have simple rips (I am by no means a seamstress) and try my best to keep my living space reasonably tidy and organized. I believe that it will be easier to buy more expensive, higher quality goods (nicer clothes, newer furniture, matching décor rather than old art projects) in the future when I have a more concrete living situation, and a more reliable form of income than just one part time job.

After reading many books (ok, listening to 2 audio books) over the past week in quarantine, I’ve decided now is as good a time as ever to do a shopping ban. I’ve taken this idea from “The Year of Less” by Caitlin Flanders. I also listened to Zero Waste Home. I think these things go hand in hand, and since I gave up on my plastic ban because global pandemic easter candy seemed like a necessary expense, I feel inspired to try something different (by the way, giving up plastic is pretty hard, especially if you’re lazy like me and don’t necessarily love cooking).

So, I’m going to try a 3-month shopping ban. Flanders did a year, but I looked back at my Amazon purchases, among other sites, and I don’t think I “blackout shop” like she did. So I’m starting with 3 months and will evaluate after that. 

Things I’m allowed to purchase:

-groceries (preference to plastic-free packaging, or no packaging) -body and hair care (only to replace something I’m out of) -gifts for others (Sonya’s birthday is coming up in June, if I’m still doing this) -a few clothing items on the approved list

Things I’m NOT allowed to buy: -eBooks, books, magazines (unless I need it for book club and can’t check it out from the library) -furniture  -clothes -exercises equipment (a very tempting one while I’m stuck at home) -electronics (eventually I’ll need a new phone, but I’m holding out as long as possible) -household decorations -kitchen accessories -instrument accessories (so guilty of buying things for my classroom that I don’t actually need) -cosmetics (creams, lotions, make-up) Unless I run out (real talk: I’ll never run out)

My goal is to curb the flow of packages at my door. I’m usually not the worst culprit, because my husband has a serious amazon addiction, but I want nothing else coming in the mail that has to contribute to the load of a delivery truck, a cardboard box, wasteful plastic packaging, or an unnecessary expense.

Alongside the shopping ban, I’ve made a promise to myself to act on every piece of junk mail that comes through my mail slot. So far I’ve sent messages to: Soma, Lands End, Smith and Noble, Oriental Trading, Geico, Wayfair, & WBEZ. CSO and Lyric Opera are up on the list today (I’m still a subscriber, I just don’t need their mailers!)

Pictured: the pile of things I’ve already purged from closets.

As of right now, the shopping ban will end on July 3rd. Let the restraint begin!

Good morning and simple skincare: