I waited to post about this just to make sure I would go the distance. The longest I've ever gone without shopping is 54 days & when I'd crossed more than double that number I knew something fundamental had changed in me.
Start with why
Why do you want less stuff? Because it's visually more appealing. Because you are sick of tracking expiration dates. You have no clue what you have in your stash. All of the above & more. This is the most important step. And definitely the backbone on which your No Buy rests. It's also helpful to make a list and go through them once everyday (more if temptation strikes)
Put all your stuff in one place
UI was doing the classic hoarder thing where apart from my dedicated skincare drawer, I had a small pile in my bathroom, an extra drawer in my kid's bedroom & some more stuff at my mom's house. It doesn't seem like much until I put everything in one place. It was staggering to see how much I had accumulated.
Use your stuff
Make a schedule. I've been using up so much after I made a dedicated beauty routine. I'm not talking about your regular skincare routine but all the extras like facials, manis, pedis etc. I actually look forward to these tiny oasis of me-time /selfcare + it's so relaxing.
Watch / read about other people's No Buys
It helps to feel like you are not alone + you can definitely pick up a few tips from people who have done multiple years of No Buy(I'm in awe!)
Make a wishlist
Sure you have more than enough products right now but there will come a time when a newly launched product will call out to you. I have saved all haul videos from my favourite youtubers (the FOMO is real you guys) until I can watch them without breaking my No Buy. Several products have made it to my wishlist but I don't feel the need to buy them immediately.
Stop tracking your empties
I've been diligently tracking my empties since 2015 but it didn't really matter since I never stopped buying new products. Like you can out eat any exercise regime, you can out buy any empties project. In the process of accumulating more empties I was mindlessly using products, even things that did not work for me. Even products that broke me out like crazy. I stopped, took a step back and only used products that I liked or ones that worked for me. I still have a pile of empties with me but they are not as many as I used to finish up back in the day.
Have a goal
For me the goal in skincare is to have only 2 products in every category. I know it might seem excessive to some people but you have no idea how big of a deal this is for me. Makeup is slightly more tricky since there are products that I only use a couple of times in a year (like a berry lipstick for fall/winter) but I love having these in my stash. For now I'm sticking to fitting all my makeup in 1 drawer(I'm managing, just about) Nothing like playing a little makeup tetris eh?
Almost 6 months down. I hope I can continue like this. Fingers crossed.
