Consider These Things Before You Buy
Living a cluttered life begins at the point of purchase or when a new item enters your home. Everything you bring through the door of your house has the potential to add clutter, disorganization, and overwhelm to your living space.
Only you can control what and how much comes into your house. The way to take back control is by asking yourself some simple questions before making a purchase or accepting a free item from someone.
Asking yourself these simple questions are the start of reducing the clutter in your life so you can stay more organized. In addition, less spending will also help you save money!
These questions include asking yourself:
- Q: Does this purchase fit in my budget?
- Q: Does this purchase solve a problem?
- Q: Do I need this item?
- Q: Do I have an immediate plan for this item?
- Q: Do I already have this item or something similar in my home?
- Q: Can I borrow this item from someone?
- Q: Am I making an emotional purchase?
Why Should You Ask These Questions Before Making a Purchase
Does this purchase fit in my budget?
This should always be the first question you ask yourself. In other words, can you afford this item? If you bought it, would it fit into one of your categories for expenses?
For example, if it’s a clothing item, would the purchase fit in the amount you budgeted for? If it eats up a large portion of that expenditure and you wouldn’t be able to buy other items you might need, then it would be a clear “no”.
Or you could determine if maybe the item fits under another more general expense. For instance, maybe you set aside an amount you could spend on necessities for interviewing for new jobs.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to buy things that you can’t afford and this can happen for many reasons. So the important thing is to make sure you allotted for the expense before possibly going over your budget, whether by accident or intentionally.
Does this purchase solve a problem?
Many purchases that people make are based on things like:
- Impulse buys (you saw it while waiting in the checkout line)
- Great marketing FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
- Emotions (it reminds me of my college days)
Buying under these circumstances leads to purchases that are not well-thought-out.
Buying a new car because your mechanic says your old one is not worth salvaging is solving a problem. Or buying a new car because you need something that will fit a car seat for your family’s new addition is another great example of solving a problem.
However, buying a new car “just because” you really want a convertible even though you still owe a lot on your current car loan and will probably lose money on the trade-in is not. Plus not only is it far from problem-solving … it’s creating a problem.
As you can see, asking yourself if your purchase solves a problem can help you make better choices and also you save money. In addition, if you make it a habit to only shop for what you need, versus what you want, then you can reduce the amount of clutter coming into your home or your garage.
“There will always be a turning point in one’s life where you will be forced to make decisions based on facts and not fantasy.”
Toni Payne
Do I need this item?
Although this question sounds similar to asking yourself if the item solves a problem, it dives a bit deeper. Needing something is different than wanting something. You may want another set of dishes because they are on sale, but do you need them?
For some people, shopping is a form of escape or stress release, so they head for the mall without anything in mind to purchase. However, this is a recipe for disaster in the form of debt. It leads to impulse buying things that you don’t need and only purchased as a way to cope with outside stressors.
In general, a good rule of thumb is to always avoid shopping unless you have a need to fill. Creating this habit will help reduce impulse buying. As you can see, when you ask yourself if you need something before you make a purchase it can help you make better buying decisions and stay on budget.
If you often feel the need to buy something on impulse rather than out of necessity, follow these suggestions to help you reduce this type of unnecessary spending.
Do I have an immediate plan for this item?
A common rationale, that many shoppers use for making a purchase, is the belief of some perceived value in the future. This type of justification is often used to get around the first two questions – does this item solve a problem or do I need this item?
As much as you may see a possible use for something in the future, overriding your sensibility that you may need it later doesn’t justify a purchase. Unfortunately, all that will happen is the items will end up in a corner or a closet thus adding to the clutter and disorganization you are trying to avoid. Multiply this over and over again and you have a lot of unnecessary money spent on items that you may or may not use in the end.
So focus on disciplining yourself to make purchases only for things that solve an immediate problem and that you need at this moment. This also leads to the next question which may lead to NOT needing to make a purchase…
Do I already have this item or something similar in my home?
Now that you’ve determined that you have an immediate need for an item, it’s important to make sure that it’s not something that you already have. This is where keeping an organized home comes in really handy.
Let’s say you need a waterproof bag for a hiking trip you’ve been invited on. You know you have lots of different bags on the top shelf in your closet. So before going out and buying a new bag, go through the ones that you have to see if you can find something that works.
Another great way to reduce clutter and waste is to see if you can repurpose something you already own instead of having to buy new. Maybe you don’t have any waterproof bags, but you do have a plastic toiletries bag that you can put inside a backpack to keep your phone & money dry. Voila!! Problem solved and you didn’t have to spend money on one-more-bag.
Can I borrow this item from someone?
Borrowing from friends & family is often overlooked. When the item that you have an immediate need for is something that will only get used every once in a while, then this is a great alternative. Being able to temporarily borrow the item instead of purchasing it not only saves you money, but it also reduces clutter.
Another benefit is learning how to be responsible in caring for another person’s property. The more you learn to care for items the better you will be able to take care of your own property so it lasts longer and you won’t have to spend money replacing things. I know this sounds off-topic, but I think it’s important to point out because it’s a great lesson to learn and habit to acquire.
Am I making an emotional purchase?
We all know that shopping can feel cathartic. They don’t call it “retail therapy” for nothing! Many people use it as a means of distraction and an escape. However, shopping without a clear buying objective is problematic.
Yes, the joy of searching for a new item can be a healthy way to get a breath of fresh air as long as it is something that you need. I remember how wonderful it was to shop for bedding for our baby’s nursery or when we searched for our first home.
But sometimes making purchases can be feeding an unhealthy reaction to stress. So make sure you checkin with your emotions and think about if you’re really buying out of need or filling an emotional gap. Being intentional about your purchases and avoiding emotional buying is a responsible way to manage your budget and your home’s organization.
Being organized requires multiple skills and habits. Having systems in place for being neat & tidy are components of organizing, but so is regulating what comes into your home. Making smart buying decisions is an important skill to utilize in order to reduce the amount of clutter in your life and to help you control your spending.
Ask Yourself Those Questions Before Your Next Purchase
*I’d love to hear from you! Tell me in the comments section: of the 7 questions, which one have you had the hardest time thinking about when making a purchase?
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