My Philosophy of Buying Less

The recent happenings have proven that change is imminent. There have been conversations about how this change will affect every part of our lives. For me, this includes the way I buy. Towards the end of last year, I decided that I was going to start buying less.  I will explain my reasons for finally adopting this philosophy of buying less.

Why I chose to Buy Less

It all started in 2015 when I was preparing to move back to Nigeria from the UK. I decided to buy clothes and shoes that will last me for the next three years. So the shopping spree began. St Stevens in Cardiff and Oxford Street in London became my hang out destination. I bought clothes from almost all the high street stores you could think of—Zara, H&M, Mango, DP, Topshop, River Island, Primark, etc. It felt fulfilling at the time. I even ordered some from online stores like Asos. When I had bought all the clothes shoes and bags I felt were enough to last me for 3 years, I bought my ticket and took a flight to the land I call home; Nigeria.

Fast forward to a year down the line, I began to lose interest in some of the clothes and shoes I bought. They didn’t feel or look good anymore. I added weight and some had gotten too tight. There wasn’t as much interest to hang out like I used to, so some of the dresses just hung pretty in the wardrobe taking space. This reminded me of how I engaged regularly in impulsive buying while in the UK, One friend enters a store to pick up a pair of shoes, and the rest of us go in with her and start buying things we did not need. Did I mention that I had boxes of clothes for charities in the UK just before I left for Nigeria? Phew! Then to add to it, the hot weather in Nigeria began to destroy some of my bags and shoes. Everything started to seem like a huge waste too me and I quickly realised that I didn’t need this much after all.

Distribution of Clothing Items

By the second year, I decided to give out most of my clothes and shoes. I began to give to charities and anyone interested in collecting some. I kept giving them in batches until I was able to declutter my wardrobe. But I still had a bunch left. There were so many new clothes that one of the charities I sent clothes to called to ask if I had mistakenly added some as most of them still had tags. But I knew it was time for them to go. However, I held unto the ones I was emotionally attached to.

Where I am with Buying Less

I haven’t done much shopping since I moved back, and that is because I have learnt to buy just what I need. I am very deliberate about what to buy for each occasion. This has helped me buy less and save money as I have thrown impulsive buying out the window. I must also add that I am not perfect yet, but the realisation of buying a few quality clothes that will last rather than buying a lot of clothes that wouldn’t hit me. This decision has given me a sense of contentment.

The Five -Piece French Wardrobe Philosophy of Buying

The five-piece French wardrobe philosophy is the one I have chosen to adopt. It is a way to organise your wardrobe based on the essentials. This doesn’t mean you will have only five pieces of clothing items in your wardrobe, it is just a guide on how to build your collection of basics, that is, clothes that you can easily pair with different items in your wardrobe, like jeans and tops. Then you can buy a few statement pieces at different seasons.

If you are thinking of buying less, this is the best time to start. Staying home for so long and not dressing up has taught us that the philosophy of buying less is one to embrace. It will take a while to get into, but you can start with the thought process. We do not have to buy a whole store, but just what we need. Everyone has their way, what is important is that you budget right and declutter your wardrobe till all that is in there is what you wear. One sure thing is, less is more.

What is your own philosophy of buying less? I would love to hear from you.