And end up with a tidier and calmer home as a result!

You can try these tips in any order. They are all best done with the help of a supportive friend / family member / therapist.

Practice Window Shopping

You will decide before you go in a store that you are not buying anything there. Then, walk the store and see how you feel. You can pick things up, and add them to your cart, but know that at the end you will need to put them all back. Start with stores you don’t care much about, and build your way up to “window shopping” in the stores where you tend to impulse shop. Not sure what those are? Often, I see impulse buys coming from TJ Maxx (Home Goods, Marshalls, etc.), Target, Walmart, Costco (and the like), Dollar Tree, and Souvenir Shops.

Picture EXACTLY where it will go and how it will be used in your space

When you see an item you like, rather than deciding “I like it, therefore I’ll buy it!” Think, “I like it. Where would this go?” If you can’t picture where it would go in your house, don’t buy it. If you think “It would go in the kitchen”, take it a step further and picture where in the kitchen: silverware drawer, cabinet with your mugs?

If you can picture an exact place, then think about how often you would use it, and if you already own something similar.

A lot of times, impulse purchases are items that are not useful by nature, and are only beautiful (decor, something in a fabric you like, etc.). So in those cases, picture if it will fit with what you already own, AND where it will be stored when it is not on display.

For confirmation of how often people impulse-buy holiday decor, visit any local thrift store near a holiday and see how many holiday knick knacks and trinkets they have. You are not alone!

Save it for later

A system I love for saving items for later is using the Reminders app in iOS. I have a list titled “Things I Would Like” and I add links to items there as I come across them online, or a photo of the item if I am in person at a store. Often times, items sit on this list for years. Occasionally, I end up buying something from this list and it feels great knowing that I thought it through, and wanted it through different seasons of life. Most often though, things go out of stock, or I look back and can’t believe I ever wanted the item.

Pro tip – I also have a list titled “Gifts” where I add items for my loved ones as I come across them, or hear about them. Each person has a sub-section, and then when their birthday is coming up, I go to the list to see what I might have come across earlier in the year that they might like. It’s an easy way to avoid feeling pressure at holidays / birthdays since I’ll make notes of ideas long before.

Make a “Do Not Buy” list

Just as helpful as your “save for later” list, is your do NOT buy list. Be as specific and humorous as you can on this list for best results. Aka rather than “new tshirts” you could list “yet another black v-neck”.

Ask yourself if you are only buying it because it is on sale.

This one is triiiiicky and takes time to get away from, because getting something on sale can be such a nice dopamine hit. But, I want to distinguish an important mindset. If you are only *able* to buy it because it is on sale, but you want / like / need it, then great. However, if the only reason you are buying it is because it is on sale, but you would NEVER pay full price because you don’t like it that much, put it back.

This also applies “buy 2 get the 3rd free” if you really only need one of the item.

My mantra for all of this rolled into one is: Let the store, store it for you.