Questions to Make your Shopping Spark Joy
Photo by Marcus Loke on Unsplash
“Bag lady, you ‘gon hurt your back dragging all them bags like that
I guess nobody ever told you all you must hold onto, is you”
Bag Lady by Erykah Badu, Motown Records 2000
See Erykah already told you but you were shopping and not paying attention...
You can tidy your entire home end to end but unless you take responsibility for the never-ending flow of stuff into your home any attempt to tidy will be no steps forward and ten steps right back to Target or to that click of a button on Instagram or Amazon. (The IG shopping push is kinda bananas right now too ain’t it?)
Learning to shop with intention is a must-have skill for that sweet life - a life organized. Without that skill, you’ll totally pick up a little something something because your favorite singer has just inked a collab deal. You just made Beyonce’ even richer and yourself well, let’s just say, farther away from rich!
Here are some q’s to ask yourself before you use that debit card:
am I taking advantage of the perks of online shopping instead of going to the store?
Use apps and websites like Shopstyle that will not only alert you when something you have your eye on goes on sale but also give you cash back for using their site. Or use the Honey app which automatically finds discount codes for you to use when you shop online and also tracks prices so you know the best time to buy. You don’t have to go at it alone!
do I have my shopping lists ready to go on my phone?
Your phone is practically your third arm isn’t it? So since you have it with you anyway, use your Reminders app to keep shopping lists such as: Groceries, Pharmacy and Gifts. If you’re making dinner and realize you don't have something, grab your phone and jot it down. It’s not just for Instagram!
am I going shopping to fix my feelings?
Ooh, listen ya’ll. One time my ex and I had a huge fight and I decided to go to Gucci (yes the actual store) and buy a bag NOT ON SALE. They of course smiled at me incessantly and I felt great - for a hot minute. Then I went back home and the issue (otherwise known as my ex) was still there. And guess what? I later sold that bag on consignment and didn’t keep the man either. Happiness does not come from buying things. It’s only yet another way to procrastinate and avoid the issue you should be dealing with directly.
do I have a budget?
Anything outside your budget is expensive. Period. Use an app like Mint which tracks your expenses and alerts you when you are close to hitting your magic number.
am i supporting a Black-owned small business?
Black people, (like me!), have been disenfranchised for centuries. When you spend your money, consider supported a Black-owned small business. Trust me, I still do a dance of joy every time I get a new client.
would I buy this if it wasn’t on sale?
If you live by yourself why do you need an industrial size bottle of ketchup?! Just because something is half off, doesn’t mean it’s worth it. If the price is the best thing about it, you shouldn’t buy it. Quality over quantity always.
does it actually fit?
Try everything on in the store and really be honest with yourself as to what you see in the mirror. Honey, those store mirrors DO NOT LIE. Even if those shoes are gorgeous and a bargain, they are actually super expensive if they are uncomfortable.
will i love this in 24 hours?
Only buy it if you can’t stop thinking about it. And during that time research it and see if you can find it elsewhere cheaper. We usually research our big pieces but not really our smaller ones. Research both!
is this a key investment?
Ask yourself - do you love it and will you still love it in 5 years? Is the quality good enough to stand up to your washing machine a few times? Is it trendy and may go out of style next week? How often will you use it? Do you already own something just like it?
will i need to dry-clean this?
Let’s be honest. Dry-cleaning is SO expensive. Especially when dropping something off means you have to go outside during a pandemic. Why do you have to charge me $4 to clean my pants? I don’t even know exactly what they are doing for $4. lol…
am I sure about how I feel about this item?
How many times have you tried something on and thought “I kinda like this” and “It fits ok” and “This will do.” Then why are you buying it?! Think about an article of clothing in your home that you love. Then consider how that makes you feel and replicate that feeling when you go shopping for something new.
am I hopping on the bandwagon?
A size smaller to lose weight? Because Bey wore it last week? Does it fit who YOU are right now? Do you need it or do you just want it? Our culture will have you believe that a want is a need. It absolutely is not. During Hurricane Sandy when I lived in NJ a tree fell onto my deck and thankfully missed my house . My husband and I decided to go to the basement where we figured we would be safer. Thinking about what to bring with me I realized that my husband and my kid was all I needed. All those fancy things in my 5 bedroom house and all I needed was them. Literally nothing else! A want is NOT a need.
is this purchase moving me toward or away from my vision?
This is a BIG one. First of all, what are your goals? Define what success means to you. Will buying a new designer bag right now lead you closer to or further away from your goal of buying a new house next year?
what’s the return policy?
Smaller boutique places tend to have short return policies and sometimes don’t let you return at all, only exchange. Read the fine print. And remember I’m a former lawyer. I practically wrote that fine print!
So shopping with intention doesn’t mean you’re cheap, stingy and you walk around looking like a hot mess. It means you buy things you need, things you love and things that are actually worth the price - what sparks joy! You can love clothes, shoes and hitting up a good sale and still choose to be smart about how you shop.
That’s the sweet life!
Together we can organize your home using the KonMari Method ™ so you can own what brings you joy and also help you set you up to implement all these amazing shopping tips.
Let’s go! Click below to book a consultation with me.