If I buy that dress, I will feel great about myself. All my problems will melt away, and I will reach peak happiness.
Oops, didn’t happen.
Let’s try again… this time, a book. I’ll read it and my life will never be the same. It will magically transport me to a world where everything is perfect and I will, again, reach peak happiness.
Nope. Never mind.
How about a candle? A random piece of home decor? Shoes? Food? Something?!
In the big wide world of online purchasing, Amazon Prime, TikTok shop and “‘little treat’ culture” it’s easy to get swept up in overconsumption. It makes us feel good (for a short period of time) and makes the big companies big money - apparently no one is losing.
I cannot help but consume. It used to be clothes, or makeup (god, did 17-year-old me own a lot of makeup that was barely touched). Now, it’s often books or cute little home decor pieces. But with the rush of a new purchase comes a strange feeling in my stomach: “Can I afford this? Will it be thrown out in a year?”
We live in a capitalist society where consumption makes the world go round. I’ve definitely bought less over the years, but it’s an uphill battle to actively fight against everything in my brain that’s screaming “if I don’t take home this candle the entire world is going to implode”. The lines between need and want are becoming more blurred.
Take trending water bottles as an example. Stanley Cups are everywhere right now. Those big ones with the hours of the day on the side were pretty popular for a time. Before that, I’m sure it was something else. I’ve gone through a fair few reusable bottles in my time, but whenever I’ve made a new purchase it’s because my original one was no longer fit for purpose (like that time I dropped a full bottle on a car park and spent 10 minutes picking up shards of plastic). If you’ve got a Stanley Cup, you won’t need the next trending bottle, but I can bet that when a new TikTok viral bottle hits the screens those Stanleys will be tucked away at the back of the cupboard to gather dust alongside that portable blender and whipped body lotion (which is probably covered in mould too).
As much as I wish I was, I am not a fashion girly – go and follow
from for that – but I still care about fitting in. And that, I fear, is where the problem lies. We’re social beings. We want to fit in, but we’ve evolved to need to fit in too. In with a crowd = protection from a big scary woolly mammoth.So as soon as Molly Mae (or insert your preferred style inspo here) shares an OOTD snap, we’re all rushing to find similar outfits. It explains why all UK high-street womenswear stores have seemed to blend into one. Running to grab a trending item for the sake of fitting in releases a similar fight or flight response. It is now the equivalent of fleeing from a bear.
None of us are immune to it. It might not be clothes, but we all have things we like or want. It might be knitting patterns or car accessories or something else entirely, but all of our brains are hard-wired to want more of whatever it is.
I’m in my early 20s (just about lol), living in a two-bed apartment, earning enough to save a little for holidays and big treats. I do not have the home space or the finances or the maturity to be buying goods willy nilly.
Sorry, that phrase has thrown me off but I have to keep it in because it’s funny.
Anyway… there’s also an environmental aspect. I hate throwing stuff away and I’m an avid Vinted and charity shop user for this very reason, but lately I’m really trying to think about whether I will keep something for the long-haul or whether it will find its way into a black rubbish bag when I next have a sort out.
I get so horrifically overwhelmed when I have too much ‘stuff’ in our flat. I work from home every Friday and you can bet by the time my boyfriend gets home I have either:
a) Deep cleaned something bizarre in an attempt to regain control (like that time I took a Scrub Daddy and The Pink Stuff to our oven on my lunch break).
b) Piled a load of clothes/books/shoes/toiletries in a corner to be taken to the charity shop.
c) Had a breakdown because “we own too much stuff”.
There is nothing now that we urgently need. So why do I keep throwing Apple Pay around like I have the budget of a Kardashian?
I’m not sure what the real solution to this dilemma is, but I’m going to try and come up with a couple in a bid to encourage myself (and you, reader) to fight overconsumption:
The basket hack. Put something in your basket and leave it. If, in a week or so, you’re still thinking about it then consider the purchase.
Make better use of charity shops/Vinted/eBay.
Purchase goods from independent and eco-friendly companies, such as makers on Etsy. You’re more likely to keep something if it’s handmade and has sentiment.
Make lists of what you need throughout a month, then review at the end of the month to see what you actually need vs want.
Sell, sell, sell! It earns you extra money and stops products going to landfill.
Equally, donate goods to your local charity shops, community events and book/clothes swaps. People will appreciate it.
Have seasonal ‘sort outs’ to prevent overwhelm. Did you wear that dress this summer? Will you wear it ever again? Get rid.
Please, tell me I’m not alone with this struggle against overconsumption! I would love to hear your thoughts too…