How to Cut Your Shopping Habit Wayyy Back // Earth-Friendly Shopping Tips

Being a blogger is a lot of fun. But for those who err on the side of being a, how should I say this nicely… a shopaholic? Well, it can definitely only increase the shopping habit. When I first started blogging, especially sharing more of my outfits and beauty trends, I found myself placing a lot more online orders and it became hard to break the shopping cycle. My favorite blogger has a new cute dress? How can I say no?!

Disclosure: Thanks to Value Village for providing a gift certificate to purchase some of the items in this outfit. All opinions are my own!

Photos by Nora Emily Photo

I also found myself super fascinated by haul videos on YouTube, and loved watching some of my favorite style and beauty creators shop their hearts out and sharing all of there new goodies. Quickly, I became painfully aware that not only were my shopping habits becoming expensive, but they also weren’t doing anything positive for the environment. The amount of waste that is created by shipping – the bubble wrap, packing peanuts, boxes, and bags – can be overwhelming.

Fortunately, I’ve figured out a few ways to cut my shopping habit way back, yet still get new pieces into my closet every season. Curious how I’m doing this? Read on to find out how!

Consider shopping second hand {and don’t forget to donate!}

When I’m in a shopping mood, I often will head to a thrift store before a mall. Why? Because it’s not only socially responsible to give perfectly good clothing a second home, it’s also more economical for my wallet. I can get quite a bit more at a thrift store for $50 then say the mall, where I might be lucky to get one decent quality blouse.

Did you know that the world now consumes more than 80 billion pieces of new clothing each year, with more and more ending up in landfills? And even worse, the average North American threw away about 81 pounds of clothing, 95% of which could be reused or recycled. To combat this, Savers and Value Village is working to educate consumers about donating and recycling their used clothing. With 54% of the population reporting that they threw away clothing instead of donating it, there’s a misconception that clothing always has to be in like-new condition. The truth of the matter is that you can donate used clothing too, which often is recycled into brand new materials.

Not only does it help our planet create less waste, but shopping secondhand gives me more freedom to try out something new! I’m no longer afraid to try “out there” trends and styles solely because of the price point. I find myself getting more creative too, because I often challenge myself to think of 3 ways to wear something before it’s allowed to come home with me. Plus, it’s always a surprise! You just never know what you might find down the aisles of your local Value Village.

Restyle your outfit

When I’m feeling in the shopping mood, I will often look to my own closet for inspiration. How many times have you gone into your closet and uncovered something you haven’t seen in awhile? It happens too often to me, and by challenging myself to wear something I haven’t worn in awhile, I’m creating brand new outfits without spending a dime.

Another style challenge I love is to create 2-3 outfits with a key piece. The dress in this outfit, for example, could easily be paired with a moto jacket and flats for a casual night out. And the vest? Well, I rewear that all the time! Here’s an example of another similar outfit I created with another floral dress.

Figure out your shopping triggers

For me, shopping is often a stress relieving activity. I also do it when I should be doing something that I’ve been procrastinating. So how do I stop myself?

I don’t.

Hear me out. It’s not about depriving yourself completely, it’s about moderation and how you are spending your money and time. Set yourself a time limit for your shopping, and create a budget every month on how much is comfortable to spend on clothes, makeup, and anything else you routinely enjoy buying (for us, this also includes eating out). Then, determine what works for you and your family, and stick to it. If you need to, find a buddy that can help hold you accountable. I used to do shopping budgets every month here on this blog for that very reason, and it helped so much!

Add an accessory

Is an outfit feeling dull to you? Instead of putting on something else, try adding an accessory. My favorite way to upgrade an outfit is with one of the hats in my collection. Pop on a beret or baker boy cap for a totally different look.

Not a hat person? That’s ok! A scarf will work wonders, too. Vintage scarves from places like Value Village, Savers, and other thrift stores are an easy way to add punch to an outfit. Whether you’re a fan of a thin silk scarf around the neck or an oversized blanket scarf, try one out to see what works best with your outfit.

Hit unsubscribe

Do email newsletters remind you that your favorite store is having a sale almost daily? Hit unsubscribe! Or at the very least, use an inbox management tool like Unroll.Me to prevent those hitting your email inbox every single day. I review mine in my roll up once a day and very rarely click over to check out the sales anymore! If you find yourself getting trapped in the sale trap, do yourself a favor and unsubscribe. If you ever need to know about a sale, check out RetailMeNot or another coupon website for the latest.

Set up a clothing swap

Is your entire closet feeling like a drag? Do a little spring cleaning to clean out some of your pieces that you no longer wear. Then, reach out to your friends and family of similar size to you to do the same! Once everyone is done, throw a cocktail hour or dinner party and ask everyone to bring their “rejects”. You know the saying, what’s one [wo]man’s trash is another [wo]man’s treasure! You may end up getting ytour new favorite item, and ecen better, for free!

Extend your wardrobe by borrowing

Speaking of friends, have you considered borrowing clothing from each other? As a blogger, I’ve found this to come in handy because I can style looks in different ways beyond my own closet with the help of my friends. Just be sure to let your friends borrow your pieces too and return them in the same condition you received them in! ;)