A Year of No New Things

For the year 2018, I plan to not "shop". When I say "shop" I mostly mean "for new things" and I especially mean "for new things I do not actually need".

I can replace things that I have used up (skincare, a specific lipgloss), or that have worn out (socks, underwear, towels, bedsheets), but no new things for the sake of having something new.

No shoes. No jackets. No jewelry. No gadgets. No handbags. No trying new shades of lipgloss. 

My exceptions would be books (because I sell them), food and drink.

The thought terrifies me, and the fact that it does feels like all the more reason I should try. I have too many things, and the truth is; no new thing quells the thirst for new things, in fact, new things seem to only fan the flames of my desire for MORE NEW THINGS....

My goal is to use the experience to learn the difference between buying things as a self soothing technique (bad), buying things out of boredom (bad), buying things because everyone else is (bad) and buying things because I actually need them or they will make my life better in a clear obvious way. 

I want to put more thought behind future purchases. And I want to have more savings, because we are living in an unstable world. One that has convinced us that things will make us happy. But they won't. 

I plan to document some of my experience here. Talk through things I wanted to, but didn't, buy. Why did I want them? Do I even know? How does it feel NOT to buy them? How does it feel a month later? Can I even recall what it was I had such a hard time not buying? 

I doubt it.