A new year means a new start for many. A chance to reflect on the past and set new ambitions and goals. This often leads to a feeling of having to get bigger and better, to achieve and to have more. But does it need to? Is maybe what we have enough for the new year? I will explore this during 2020 with an aim of doing a no-shopping year.
At and earlier stage of my conscious journey, ‘conscious consumption’ used to be more about sustainable brands and eco materials. Second hand increasingly got into the mix and I definitely see myself as a conscious consumer today. But over time, this has come to be more of a question of whether I should buy something at all.
My conscious consumption journey has been a lot about what brand or material to buy, and it still is, and I’m really enjoying seeing new brands and new innovative efforts to find new ways of creating fashion. But now I tend to ask more often whether it’s something I should buy at all, whether I really need it. And this goes for second hand items too.
Buying things second hand is a very sustainable option because it means buying something that already exists. Many second hand shops are also run by charities which means your purchase till often go towards supporting charitable work in your community or globally. And this is of course a great thing, and it’s something that’s very important for many charities to be able to continue carry out their work. But in terms of sustainability, the most sustainable option is using the clothes/things we already have.
Questioning our consumption
Conscious consumption has to me always meant asking myself questions. Doing the research and asking myself why I’m buying something and what it is I really want. To make myself more aware and to question my own routines.
I’ve reached a point on my conscious journey where I’m questioning all consumption, for environmental and cultural reasons. A key question now is therefore whether I need something at all. Even if it’s a sustainable, second hand option. Even if it’s cheap.
At the end of last year, I wrote about consumption making us feel bad, even if we’re buying eco-friendly things. Research shows that buying less makes us happier and I think this is something worth exploring. I’ve done a few no-shopping months and have really enjoyed them because they allow me to ignore campaigns, sales and all things shopping. Once you start buying things, there’s always a want for more, but I feel when I’m not buying anything, I also want less.
A no-shopping year
Having a shop-stop year is increasingly popular and it’s something I’ve been getting more and more interested in doing. Some do it because they shop way too much and need to cut back, for environmental reasons, for financial reasons, or for mental reasons. I don’t shop that much but I’m intrigued by the challenge. I want to see what a shop-stop year means. How hard is it? Will I save money? What will I do with my money instead? What are the judgement calls I will have to make over the year?
Will it force me to be more creative with what I have? Mending things? Renting things? Forcing me to consider waiting, or not buying something at all. Because maybe I don’t actually need it, maybe I just want it?
The rules?
I’m expecting judgement call to be something I feel I (or we) really want or need. Something that’s been handmade by someone. Something that is really beautiful. Or something that supports someone or a good cause. But the aim is to not buy anything that isn’t a consumable, or something that breaks that needs to be replaced, or something that we really need for the flat.
I can trade things at clothes swaps for example, and I can buy meals at a restaurant or tickets to a play. I can buy beauty items, but only when I’ve run out of something and the aim is to stick to the basics (schampoo, moisturizer, deodorant, mascara). If we (really, really) need something for the flat then I will aim to buy something second hand, and if not, then handmade/sustainable/eco-friendly.
Have you done a no-shopping year? What were your rules and what are your best tips??