A year of buying less and decluttering more

History of my closet

When it comes to shopping, I think I was never a shopaholic or extreme trend chaser. I was into punk music as a teenager, so more holes my clothes had, better it was. I lived in jeans, a few T-shirts, dad´s plaid shirts, army jacket and Doc. Martens. I loved 2nd hand shops, flea markets.

I was in my 20´s  when I started shopping more that I should or could afford. I think I tried to fit in for a while and be “normal”, but don´t worry I gave up soon after that.

A few years ago I moved to a small mountain village and my shopping really slowed down. And most of my shopping was done online or during my visits to bigger cities. I moved a few times after that and it was a big pain in the ass to pack and move all this stuff that I never used since I first moved.

A year ago I decided I will completely stop buying anything that I doesn’t need and that doesn´t bring value to my life. I stopped supporting all fast fashion brands. I started ignoring all clothing shops, unsubscribed from their newsletters, stopped checking fashion blogs or outfits on Pinterest. Because it´s we all start craving that nice fluffy sweater we just must have. 

 Decluttering

After I stopped bringing new products to my home and my closet, it was time to clear out the old clothes that were sitting there. I went through my clothes, my shoes, my bags, my boxes. I sold a bag of stuff, donated 2 bags and gave a bag of stuff to my friends. I really wanted to keep just the things that I like, that make me happy, fit me and make me feel good. And I definitely kept a pile of things that I was not ready to let go. It´s a journey and every month I was able to let go of more things that I didn´t use. Once I started to let go of all this clutter, I just couldn´t stop anymore.

A year later

Things changed a lot since last March. I became happier with what I own. And I would rather own a few pieces than have a closet full of clothes that I don´t 100% like, just because I spent money on them.

Before I buy a new item, I take my time to decide. If I will buy a new item, I want to make a responsible decision. I want that the product is made fairly and from good materials. Good products made by ethical, fair brands and materials are of course not as cheap as fast fashion products. So I want to make a smart decision and bring a new item to my closet that I will love for a long time.

In last 12 moths, I bought: 1 long sleeve, 2 T-shirts, 1 pair of boots (by Vegeterian shoes)

I have around 50 items of clothing and shoes and you can see my favorite pieces on the photo bellow. I love how empty my closet is getting and the things that surround me are really things I love, need and use.

What I learned

Don´t let your things own you. Buy only when you really need to replace something. Break out of the consumerism circle and be happy with less. Trust me, it´s the best feeling when you stop craving for that excitement shopping brings. I know what I want or need and I can easily walk to any shop and not get carried away. I can take time and make a smart decision about what I really need. 

“Let it go, it´s just stuff”

Mateja