How I’m Preparing For My No Buy | Things To Do

My past few posts have been about the project I’m dedicating 2020 to and this is another instalment.

Since making the decision to go on a no buy in the new year, I have been doing some things to get myself prepared for it and make sure that I will not fail. Failure is something that cannot be blamed on anyone but myself, so I want to make sure that I’m not even giving myself the chance to consider going out and breaking my rules.

Although this preparation has included some last minute panic buys and a day spent charity shopping (which has given me a lot to think about in terms of my obsession with shopping and the fear of missing out), there are some more helpful things that I have been working on to make my no buy a success.

If you too are considering going on a no buy, a low buy or anything of the sort then maybe you could benefit from hearing what I’ve been up to the past few weeks.

Without further ado, here is how I’ve been preparing for my no buy:

• ORGANISING AND DECLUTTERING

I think all of my past few posts have included the word decluttering at least once, but it  is something that I partake in often.

In order to prepare for my no buy year, I have been spending the odd afternoon going through my clothes, makeup, and the general stuff I own to take stock of what I have.

My main focus has been on organising rather than decluttering, because I don’t want to go into my no buy feeling like I’m lacking in anything. But simply tidying my wardrobe and making sure all of my clothes are hung up properly or organising my makeup into drawers and containers has allowed me to see how much I actually own.

It has been quite a shock to see that I own more than enough of the things I constantly feel like I’m lacking. Spending time with my things has allowed me to get excited about all of the opportunities I’ll have in 2020 to make use out of them.

• TAKING STOCK

I’ve said in my previous posts that I’m taking this project seriously and to prove how seriously I’m taking it I’ve even made spreadsheets to keep myself on track.

Honestly, this may be one of the nerdiest things I’m admitting to on this blog (which is saying a lot!) but I’ve actually made spreadsheets of all the clothes and makeup I own so I can keep track of things.

I spent an evening going through my wardrobe and drawers to count how many of certain items I have and totalling everything up. I’d say it was actually a really good use of my time because now I can see in black and white that I have more than enough of everything to keep me going for the next 12 months (and the next 12 years if we’re being honest) so I shouldn’t be tempted to add anything new into my life.

I’ll be able to use these spreadsheets to keep track of the things I’m using and decluttering, as well as seeing what I may need to purchase sometime in the future.

You don’t have to be as regimented as I’ve chosen to be when keeping track of your stuff, but I would recommend keeping some kind of record simply to see what you own. I guarantee that you’ll be shocked by what is in your home!

• PLAYING WITH WHAT I OWN

As well as taking stock of what I own, I have been spending some time using and playing with it all. This mainly applies to makeup at the moment as I’m finding myself re-inspired with it all.

I’ve been watching some brilliant content creators (some of will be linked later) who have been inspiring me to try new things with my makeup.

By taking stock of what I own, I know exactly how many eyeshadows and lipsticks I have  and it’s  more than enough to create hundreds of different looks, yet I don’t try anything new.

I work from home so I don’t typically wear makeup everyday, but the past few days I’ve been trying to make an effort with my appearance. As I know that I’m not really going to be seen by anyone, I’ve been taking some time in the morning to try out new eyeshadow or blusher looks without the pressure of getting it ‘perfect’.

I’ve also been making time for ‘makeup playtime’  whenever I can. This was one of my favourite things to do as a teenager, but I haven’t done it in so long.

Allowing myself to be creative with my makeup (and my clothes) has made me feel grateful for the things I own. It has also started to eradicate the need for anything new – which is already an improvement!

Spending some time playing with my stuff and following people who encourage this kind of behaviour has reminded me how fun makeup can be and how it doesn’t need to be perfect or ‘on trend’ to look good.

This is something I will be continuing and doing more often during my no buy year.

Whether or not you are trying to do a shopping ban of some time, I would totally recommend making room playtime with the things you own. You could spend a couple of hours creating outfits, trying out new eye looks, or simply just seeing what you have.

I think this is a brilliant way to quieten down that voice in our heads that says we don’t have enough and therefore need more.

• GETTING INSPIRATION

There have been several different content creators that I’ve been spending a lot of time with over the past couple of months, including Hannah Louise Poston, Prachi S, and Muchelle B who have been keeping me motivated and inspired.

The first two wonderful ladies have no buy content that I’m using to keep me inspired and on track for my own project, whereas Muchelle B is simply keeping me motivated for life itself. I think I’ve mentioned at least one of these creators before, but if you need some kind of motivation at the moment then you’ll really benefit from clicking on the links provided.

There are lots of other content creators who have done a no buy and have produced videos, podcasts or blog posts about their experiences that I’m working my way through whenever I can.

Basically, I’m taking this time before the new year to learn from other people and take in as much advice as I can to make 2020 a successful year – in more ways than one.

I’ve talked about it before but I think one of the best ways to learn is from other people, so try to use your free time to listen to a podcast or watch a video where someone shares their advice and experience for something that is relevant to you.

• FINDING FUN THINGS TO DO

I know that I’m going to have a lot more free time in 2020 as I will not be spending any of it strolling through shops of any kind. I’m hoping that I will also have a lot more energy left over at the end of the day when I’m no longer spending it on ‘shopping behaviours’.

This means that I need to find some new ways to spend my time and keep me entertained in the new year and I’ve been spending the past few evenings lining up things that I can use to entertain myself when I no longer have shopping to fall back on.

I’ve been liking albums on Spotify that I want to listen to in full; downloading podcasts on topics that interest me and trying to find a new series I can binge; signing up to my local library and making an online account so I can download ebooks and Audiobooks for free if there’s something available I want to read.

These are just some of the things that I’m doing for myself in terms of entertainment for the new year.

Another valuable thing I’m working on is creating a list of ‘local adventures’ and places I want to try in my home town.

I live in a brilliant city that constantly has things going on, but I never take time out to enjoy any of it – instead choosing to spend my time in the shops and spending money I shouldn’t really be using on things I don’t need.

I want to spend my weekends and days off in 2020 making the most out of my city and all of the amazing things it has to offer. A lot of events are free so I really don’t have any excuses not to make the most out of them in the new year and beyond.

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Are you doing a no buy, low buy or some kind of spending ban soon? If so, how are you going to prepare for it?

Speak soon,

Rachael.

Photo by Plush Design Studio on Unsplash