Today I resisted. What you may ask? The urge to go on Amazon and get on the Prime Day deals frenzy. How did I end up on Amazon in the first place? Not because I needed something but because, as many of us do, I use social networks. As an organization wizard with a deep passion for creating systems that work for the people who use them (and not the other way around!), I follow a lot of accounts giving heaps of more or less useful tips and tricks. Oh my, do I love a good restock ASMR video, yes you know exactly what I am talking about. Those nice fridges with clear containers, those bathrooms with under-the-sink matching organizers, those perfectly sized boxes for your drawers… Aaaaaah (deep satisfied sigh). And before you know it, you get into the spiral of another video of this gadget you never knew you needed that will change your life forever. It takes a lot of self-control not to be tempted. Our brains are literally wired to crave the new. We basically are an evolved version of a magpie, just our version of shiny things are aesthetic photos of items on social and cheap deals.
Thankfully for me, the planet, and my wallet, I also follow what is known as de-influencers. People who think, like me, that breathing before buying could be a good idea. Because, sad truth, anything ever produced will eventually become waste. Yup. Sustainability is about balance. Nobody is perfect and we all are trying our best in this space. My whole collection of reusable glass containers comes from apple sauce jars and my under the sink system is made of hand-me-down plastic boxes. I already wrote an article on the aesthetics of minimalism and zero waste, which still seems relevant to this day. Yes, I sometimes want to get a fancier water bottle before remembering my beaten-up, scratched one works perfectly and will do the job. Which leads me back to the Amazon craze. No, I don’t need another water bottle or yet another set of hangers when my mismatched ones are just fine. Will I indulge one day? Maybe. Do you want to know what my secret weapon is? Like any organized person, I have a list! Anytime I am presented with a product, it goes on the list. It has to stay there for at least a month, then I decide if it is worth the buy or not. When comes the moment to actually make the purchase, I also take the time to find if there is an alternative seller such as a local business. I also recommend using buy nothing groups or the Free Store.
I really wanted (note how I wrote WANTED and not NEEDED) this egg cooking machine but I was not sure if I would actually use it in the long run. Buying something and not using it is my pet peeve. As it happens, I found one of these egg cookers on a buy nothing group. Some parts are missing but making hard boiled eggs has never been easier. So sometimes, yes, the shiny new gadget will work. I am using this example to urge you to ask yourself some questions before buying the last trendy item and to remember that consistently evaluating if a purchase is a want or a need is the first step toward a sustainable lifestyle.
