The Problem with Decluttering and Streamlining your Wardrobe when you Love Shopping.

Why is streamlining your wardrobe so hard?

… because it does not stay streamlined!

You go into town, hit the shops and you buy more stuff! Then you feel fabulous.

However, what if you wanted to buy less and keep your wardrobe and life in general, streamlined?

What would you do with your spare time, if shopping were no longer one of your regular hobbies?  Yes there is the gym, the library, local choir, windsurfing, cupcake making and thimble collecting. Thank you, but how does that address the pull of the bright city lights? Living where I do, I am in a privileged position where everything is on my doorstep: rolling countryside, woodland, vibrant towns, and cosmopolitan cities. I am also a ten minute walk away from some luxury retail outlets, interspersed with enticing local shops. Staying away is like attempting to resist the sirens’ call, which is a futile exercise.

I used to love shopping. A day of taking myself into the city centre, maybe a friend in tow, and browsing the rails of clothes in the many shops, boutiques and department stores was a joy.  You cannot beat the joy of walking out of a glass fronted store with a prize, that prize being wrapped in white tissue paper, and placed in a white cardboard bag with rope handles.

Another Problem with a capsule wardrobe? 

You have a simple wardrobe and picking an outfit is a breeze.  This sounds amazing, right?  Wrong! OK, it may be great for everyday convenience, but what about when you are getting ready for an evening out?  A date night?  What if the whole rigmarole of choosing an outfit, getting ready, and putting the finishing touches to yourself is crucial to feeling great! If you put yourself together too quickly, it would feel slapdash, as if you’d applied minimal effort to your endeavours. 

However, a wardrobe filled solely with beautiful items of clothing, prevents a pile of discarded rejects on the bedroom floor.  It feels surprisingly satisfying to confidently choose your outfit and spend more time on the artwork, (make-up), and hair.  Those are the finishing touches that add that final pizazz to your look.  An outfit confidently assembled, will allow you to glide with ease through your evening; you will ooze sophistication and chic while concentrating on the company, rather than whether your skirt has ridden up too far and whether the rouches covered up the tummy bloat?

On reflection, the hours spent traipsing around shops, trying on items of clothing which often failed to please and spending money unnecessarily (and unethically), were not always the moments of magic.  Shopping was not the answer nor did it solve any wardrobe problems. This irrational behaviour usually surfaces because, no matter how full our wardrobes are, when a special occasion arises, so does the declaration of ‘I have nothing to wear!’

So how can you quell the shopping urge and keep your wardrobe decluttered? Firstly, ask yourself …

What Did I Enjoy about Shopping trips?

For me it was the colours, the styles, and the combinations in shop windows; they were a feast for the eyes and inspiration for a creative mind. 

Then, an hour passed in a bookshop, losing myself in a story or the intricacies of ‘Macramé for Beginners’, was blissful self-indulgence. 

The easy chatter with a friend, as we enjoyed the city vibe, and the occasional collapse into a coveted window seat to sip at cappuccinos and devour sticky chocolate cake; those were the joyous moments, the memory-making and camaraderie that brought bubbles of laughter cascading from our lips.  These bubbles reappeared in the cheeky cocktail on a sunny roof bar as an afternoon drew to a close and the evening brought with it, a new agenda. That is what was memorable.

Shopping Alone is Fun

Even lone trips into a city can become gratifyingly self-indulgent pleasures.  Witness a shopping trip transform itself into a spectator sport.  Absorb everything at your own pace; stop for coffee when you feel like it, people watch and read the newspaper. 

Visit the latest art exhibition in the city gallery.  Afterwards, waltz into a swanky nail bar and watch your hands transform into objects of beauty, waiting to be held, kissed? What contentment you can experience, while observing those around you; enjoy the atmosphere and the fun, but also the anonymity afforded by the multitude of unfamiliar faces all living out their stories.

I have witnessed other city lovers immerse themselves in the architecture and landscape, by sketching it.  The urban sketchers appreciate the aesthetics of their urban surroundings while simultaneously soaking up the atmosphere.

How to Avoid Unnecessary Shopping

Perhaps, more importantly, keeping yourself occupied in this way distracts you from temptation. If you have only recently imposed upon yourself a shopping limit, and you know you are easily tempted, take the necessary precautions. These can include: bringing a reliable accountability partner with you, carrying only a small amount of cash for transport, coffee etc, or planning to buy one thing that you do genuinely need. If none of those work, you could simply go elsewhere. I hear the local thimble collecting club is looking for new members?

Reflections on Enjoying Experiences Over Things

Although I am not an urban sketcher, removing ‘shopping’ from my list of hobbies has not left a huge gaping hole in my life.  On the contrary, it has filled any potential void with self-reflection and gratitude.  Gratitude for the shopping related joys - the buzz, the company, galleries, the inspiration - has fostered my appreciation for the essence of the whole, not shopping activity. 

Additionally, I recognise the gratitude for not having to shop, because I have everything and more than I need.  That element of choice comes from privilege, which not everyone has.  Let us endeavour to use that privilege to shop responsibly and to support small businesses.  I challenge myself to shop with intention and awareness, call it mindful shopping if you like? See my previous post on the benefits of minimalising and streamlining here.

If you are in a position to do so, think of sustainability, human rights, the environment …when you shop . If you are in a position to that, do not judge others who may not be. Buy less but better and consider experiences over things. 

Remember that the best place to shop for your wardrobe, is your current wardrobe. Most of all, go gently and at your own pace.  No one person has to do it all.

How will you fill the shopping void, as many people are opting to buy less stuff? Share any comments and thoughts below.

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