Taming the Clothing Addiction | 10 Tips to Stop Impulse Buying

Have you ever bought a piece of clothing, never worn it, forgotten about it, and found it much later buried in your closet with the tags still on?

I think it’s quite fair to say that the majority of us have.

And, of said majority, I would bet that most would look at this recently re-discovered piece of clothing and think: “Why on earth did I buy this?”

I can tell you why in one word.

Impulse.

You know, pieces that you pick up while weaving through those endless tempting aisles while making your way to the cashier at Home Goods or that blasted dollar section at Target conveniently placed right at the entrance of the store?

Impulse buys may not be as obvious as that mini silver tinsel Christmas tree or coffee mug that expressed the exact thought on your mind… they can come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and purchases.

Clothing being absolutely no exception.

If you find yourself purchasing clothing without reason, or you simply have way too much of it, then this blog post is for you.

Here are my 10 tips to squash your clothing impulse buying addiction that you may or may not know you have.

1) ADOPT THE CAPSULE WARDROBE LIFESTYLE

When you live by the capsule wardrobe mentality, you only buy clothing for your capsule and you only do so at certain parts of the year.

Basically, when it’s not time to build a new capsule and you come across a shirt that you just have to have, you have a good enough reason to put it back on the rack. If it’s still there by the time you start shopping for your capsule, then it can be considered. If you remember it, that is.

RELATED: HOW TO BUILD A CAPSULE WARDROBE

2) CREATE A STRICT CLOTHING BUDGET

Budgeting is something that needs to be done for all areas of spending, including clothes.

RELATED: WHY YOU NEED A CLOTHING BUDGET (AND TIPS TO SAVE MONEY)

If you exhaust your clothing budget for the month, no more spending on clothing. It’s that simple.

Not only will you be cutting down on clothing clutter, but you will be much smarter with your spending.

3) LET IT SIT FOR 24 HOURS

If you come across a piece that you feel you will not be complete without, do yourself a favor and leave it un-purchased for 24 hours. Put it in your online cart, put it on hold at the store, or write down its information.

It’s likely that if this item is an impulse, you will have forgotten about it or be over it within 24 hours of not taking action.

On the other hand, if you find yourself thinking about this piece nonstop and dreaming of how you could incorporate it into your wardrobe after this 24 hour window, it’s worth considering.

4) ASK WHY

Get really deep with yourself and ask yourself why you want to buy this piece. Is it because you truly need it?

Or, more likely, because you just want to buy something and experience the rush that comes with a purchase.

You’ll know when your why is a good enough reason to pull out your wallet.

Oh - and if you can’t think of a why - then without a doubt, but the piece back. You do not need it.

5) SEEK FULFILLMENT ELSEWHERE

If you are indeed honest with yourself and determine that perhaps you are just buying to buy, try to find joy in something else.

Take a walk outside, grab a coffee with a friend, watch your favorite movie. Not only will this take your mind off of your purchasing desires, but you will be fulfilled in a much more wholesome way.

6) STEP AWAY FROM THE SCREEN

If you find that online shopping is becoming too much of a habit, simply separate yourself from your devices.

This can be as simple as setting down your phone to engage with the people around you or literally blocking yourself from certain shopping websites.

7) MAKE A LIST

Shopping with a list doesn’t just apply to groceries, but clothes too!

When you are headed out to do some clothing shopping, make a list of exactly what you are looking for and STICK TO IT!

8) TRY A 30-DAY CHALLENGE

Ever heard that it takes 30 days to create a habit?

Why not challenge yourself to not buy any clothing for 30 days. After 30 days, you may find that the urge has magically disappeared!

9) PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SURPLUS

The next time you are debating on whether to make a purchase, think back to the surplus that you already have at home.

Does that surplus really need to be added to? I’ll leave it at that.

10) PRIORITIZE YOUR GOALS

If you want to live a more minimal life when it comes to your wardrobe, then write those goals down and carry them with you!

In every purchase that you make, be sure that by doing so you are aligning yourself with these goals.

BONUS

Check out my FREE list of 10 questions to ask yourself before making a clothing purchase!
It is a JPEG image that can perfectly be stored on your phone and is guaranteed to cut down on impulse buying.