my no-buy 2020 goal: how it's going
A few of you might remember: I set a goal not to buy any clothes this year. Definitely nothing new, but nothing consignment either. I’d been feeling like I had too many clothes, and a lot of my clothing was items I didn’t really like but I’d picked up at Goodwill or a clothing swap. I wanted to stop consumption of any kind and reassess my wardrobe.
Turns out, I unwittingly picked a pretty good year for this endeavor. Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March, I was certainly not doing any ambling Goodwill hunts.
Nevertheless, I haven’t managed to keep to my commitment 100%. I’ve had some slip ups. But I’ve also resisted a lot of shopping! Which, I’ve learned, can be extremely challenging for me.
Given that today is “Black Friday,” a day that tempts our materialistic tendencies with sales galore, I thought it’d be the perfect time to share an update on my successes and failures:
I had a few impulse-buy moments:
An Everlane black cardigan.
I’ve been on the hunt for a “go-to” black cardigan for years. Seriously. Might sound silly to some but I bet others can relate! In early 2020, an Instagram influencer I follow posted about her favorite Everlane cardigan being on sale, and when I clicked the affiliate link, I discovered not only was it on sale, but there was only one left in stock! Before I knew what happened, I’d ordered it. FAIL. The positive side is that Everlane is an awesome company doing good things, and I do think this will be a high-quality staple in my wardrobe for years to come.
A J.Crew bikini from thredUP.
I was very sad that the pools in Denver were closed this summer. Going to the pool with my kids has always been how we pass summer days. Then, mid-July, I found a pool that was open! As a result, my kids needed some new swimsuits. I took to thredUP.com to find some options, and late one night I suddenly was ordered a J.Crew high-waisted bikini in my size. Second fail. At least it’s pre-owned?A romper from Goodwill. When COVID-19 cases started to go down mid-summer, I made a glorious solo trip to Goodwill. I was mostly getting school clothes and shoes for the kids, but I stumbled upon a beautiful linen romper in my size that was only $2.99. Despite my 2020 goals, I’m not a complete idiot. You snatch up a 100% linen romper when you see one!
I made a couple thought-through purchases:
Underwear. I needed a few new pairs. Ordered them from Pact, and awesome Colorado-based B Corp where I get most of my family’s undergarments.
Gloves: I didn’t have a good pair of gloves to wear on school runs. I was always taking my mittens off to help the kids with their stuff and it was getting cold. Ordered some, pre-owed, from thredUP.
Everlane jeans from Poshmark. As the weather got cooler this fall, all 3 pairs of my “around the house” jeans ripped. I was able to patch one pair, but the other two were beyond repair. I bought a used pair from Poshmark. I love Everlane and their jeans, but still always try to buy used when I can.
I accepted a few gifts:
A bikini bottom from a friend: Like I said above, swimming was front of mind over the summer. I had to help a friend out when it didn’t fit her. ;)
Shoes from a friend: I have trouble saying no to free things that are looking for a new home. And I thought it through long enough before saying “yes” to make sure they were shoes I’d wear regularly.
A hand-knit sweater from my mom: My mom has knit sweaters for decades. They’re beautiful. When I visited her a few months ago, she had one that didn’t fit her that she wanted to give me. I will always feel good about accepting a made-with-love warm sweater from a loved one.
I donated repurposed a lot of clothes.
A big part of my mission this year was to edit my wardrobe. I had too many clothes that I didn’t like and didn’t wear. I tried to donate as much as I could, directly to people who could use it (thank you, Facebook!). I also have a few bags in the attic to take to Goodwill sometime soon. (I recently read Adam Minter’s new book, "Secondhand", and was pleased to learn that most clothes donated to Goodwill find a second life and don’t go directly to the landfill. But those details are for another post!)
In conclusion: I resisted so, so many purchases.
My experience this year has taught me that even though I like to consider myself a minimalist who’s against excess consumerism, I have a real problem with consumption! I felt myself turning to shopping as a response to a whole range of feelings: boredom, sadness, moments of low self esteem.
This year has been challenging for all of us (and yes, I’m fully aware I’m writing about something very insignificant right now!), and I found myself often looking for a little “pick me up.” Buying clothes is a way we try to make ourselves feel good; a way to bring some excitement into our lives.
And there’s not necessarily anything wrong with that. There are worse vices. But I think it’s important to take a metaphorical look in the mirror and decide what’s really driving your shopping. That’s my aim, going forward. I’m not sure what my 2020 goal will be in regard to buying clothes, but I am very glad that I made an effort to curtail my shopping this year.
Now, if I can also make it through Black Friday without any impulse purposes!
What about you? Do you have any thoughts or goals around shopping? Are you comfortable with how much you buy?