Happy Friday: One Reader’s One Year Pledge to NOT Purchase ANY Clothing or Shoes
Sent from reader, Laura:
This last New Years, I gave myself a challenge – not to buy myself any clothes, not even shoes or socks – for one year. I cleaned out my large closet that was stuffed full of “great” deals only to have worn once or twice and some not at all. I purged those clothes I saved or bought because some day, I’ll have that body back. So here’s to a year of making do with what I have and not spending a dime on that next sale sweater! (Huge perk = I can actually see the floor and extra shelves in my closet!).
HAPPY FRIDAY!
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Good for you Laura! I am trying to purge the clothes that I will no longer wear too. Looks like you did a great job!
Great job! I am currently reading “The life-changing magic of tidying up” and I am ready to clean up! With one great exception: throwing away good, useful staff? That’s awful. Donate, donate, donate! Or if your family really needs it, sell some and donate some. I just tried thredup.com for the first time and I LOVED it!
I’ve heard that book is really good!
That book is amazing. You must read it!
She mentions MANY times in the book to donate items that still have life in them, I don’t know how you read that it should all be trashed.
I think she was suggesting donating to Laura, who just says she purged without indicating if she threw out, donated or sold.
I wish I could do this for a week! I’ll start small and move up to a month.
How were you able to pass on all of Collin’s awesome deals??? And for a whole year! Great willpower!
Amazing! I want to do that also, but I am afraid I will just replace that hobby with another. Right now, I also have a crazy need for a lot of makeup.
Me too Gayle! I probably have enough makeup to last me for the next year yet the newest colors always catch my eye.
Replace the habit with savings for a bigger purchase. I heard a rich man say that broke people buys lots of cheap things i.e clearance clothes or home décor not needed. He said you should save to make larger purchases and spend your time investing in relationships with people and life experiences.
Convicting, I do tend to buy lots of “smaller” items. I’ve never thought of this as poverty pattern. Chalked it up to a girl thing. We are debt free, saving for a house once we retire (military) among other things. Always room to improve.
Love this
i was on that boat too… i got over makeup once my baby arrived. i have no time… 🙁
Congrats Laura! I couldn’t do without clothing purchases since they’re almost free for me, but I am trying to cut back on spending at CVS, Wags and the grocery stores. In other words I’m withdrawing from thinking I have to “do every deal” and trying to live off of my stockpile instead.
I stopped “doing every deal” almost a year ago and still have so much to use, its crazy! We are moving in a month so that was my motivator, i didn’t wanna take all that stuff to the next house!
Congrats, Laura! We are also living off of my stockpile – 2 years now! I realized I needed help when my stockpike broke a cabinet off it’s hinges, literally! Yikes, LOL.
I agree – not feeling like you have to run out and do every deal makes more time for important things. And do we really “need” all the deals that pop up or are they collecting dust waiting to be used? I used to think that I saved so much more money than my sister because I shopped deals and couponed and she just went and bought what she needed, when she needed it. Turns out that she spends less than me because she goes to the stores less & is not tempted to buy things she doesn’t need because they are on clearance.
I haven’t bought clothes in forever! Since I had my children lol
Same here.
I know right!…anytime I’m in a store I’m never in the ladies section, it’s the kids clearance!..lol 🙂
Lol, I thought I was the only one. I haven’t bought myself any clothes in ten years. I’m still wearing clothes from high school. Clothes are expensive, so it’s cheaper to just stay skinny lol.
That is too funny! It is cheaper to stay skinny. I haven’t bought clothes in many, many years either. I just had my last baby, baby weight if off now I need to actually get motivated to shop. I hate shopping for myself but I look so frumpy all the time.
I’m curious as to how you get your clothes to last so long?? Mine simply wear out after a year or two, and then I need to get new ones whether I want to spend the money or not!
A lot of wear occurs in the washer and dryer. Use gentle cycle and hang dry when needed.
I not only purged but I ended up selling a bunch of clothes shoes and accessories on Facebook and eBay. I’m being a lot more picky with my purchases which means buying a lot less.
I tried this also and only lasted til late January. Target got me lol. I’m still trying.
Good luck! I hope you make it
Oh my gosh. Yes I lasted through Jan month and was trying to get through Feb and target got me too last week and the week before. Maybe I’ll start again and see if I can last all year.
That’s awesome!!! More women in this world need to do that!! They would save thousands! 🙂
Way to go! That is an awesome goal!
Wow kudos
that is awesome! love it! we are getting ready to move and I’ve been clearing out our closets in anticipation and can’t believe how much stuff we’ve outgrown and still have for absolutely no reason… boxes and boxes of outgrown toys / clothes going to goodwill every couple of weeks and it feels great!
I’m doing the same thing! The only way I am getting clothes this year is if I can get them for free with credits from clothing sites or from friends. I have done great so far, but I always get the urge to shop when warm weather hits!
Way to go!! My problem was buying kids clothes. my kids had way too many clothes! I’d say more than half of them they didn’t even wear, and most still had tags:/ One day I was looking in my oldest kids closet and noticed he had 5 winter coats that I had bought him over the years that I had got on sale, that still had tags on them!! Clearly I had a problem!! I felt awful! Here my kid had 5 brand new coats, never worn and some kids have none!! That day I boxed up tons of their clothes and donated them. Never again will I buy clothing like that just because I can get a good deal! Now they only get new clothes when they grow out of their old stuff or if something gets ruined.
I have the same problem. I realized my kids have mountains of clothes which they don’t even need. I am finally cutting back now. Today I noticed my son has only 4 pairs of pants! That’s a good thing.
But how many shirts does he have? haha it’s more fun to buy shirts than pants. 😉
SO cool! Congrats! This will only work if you don’t gain or loose a lot of weight. I have lost a Ton of weight and had to get new things- this was fun! I have also gained lots of weight and had to get new things-not as fun. (I had purged the clothes from before I lost the weight…. I wish I could just stay they same.
Love this!! I think I will copy you!!
I love clothes and shoes too much to not buy clothes for a year! However, I’m being more selective and only buying better quality clothes when on sale. No clothes from the outlet mall even though the outlet mall is 10 mins away. I rather use an online code and get clothes from the non outlet store and have something last longer.
I agree. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing for the last two years. I prefer to have less but better quality. My closet has stayed organized and not overwhelmed by clearance and “good deal” buys. I’ve applied that same system throughout my house. Less is more 😉
I start last year cut back on my purchases of clothes, shoes, and purses. I went a year without buying a purse last year and each month I change my purse. Since the New Year, I bought two pairs of boots from Macy’s (75% off) but got rid of two. If I bring an item home then I need to put an item in my goodwill/donation bag. I already start to clean out my closet since the new year. I have clothes that I need to start wearing or donate.
I’m trying to buy less kids clothes lol I hardly buy any for my self anymore. But with two little guys I’m always getting appealing Gymboree emails or carter’s emails. Now I’m trying to go through take inventory of what we have and only buy necessary additions. I wish I could do a no buy for myself but after kobmari-ing my closet I defidently in need of a few staple pieces in my wardrobe.
Well my story is actually the exact opposite!! I just got a new job making alot more $. So i have actually gone many years with buying nothing except a couple of pairs of shoes and undies. So this is the year I treat myself to things I havent bought in years!! 😊
Congrats!
That’s awesome! Good for you!
Where I live our thrift shop has dollar days so I’ve been able to even score a few Marc Jacobs items for $1. Then some mid brands too like American Eagle, Abercrombie, JCrew, Banana Republic, etc. I also buy clothes, and Tee shirts for my husband for labor. He was upset I was sewing the holes in his shirts he uses to work on the car or fix things so I decided to just buy a few tee shirts at $1. each. So the no clothing thing would be hard for me because of dollar days. I do carefully choose my own clothes, and this time I bought nothing just tee shirts for him. 🙂
Hello hipsavers…I have 2 girls aged 7 and 12…I have many of their clothes and even shoes in size 12-1 nber..
For cloths I mostly have 6x size or lil bigger…I would be more than happy to ship it directly to you..send me an email at… bifss2@gmail.com
I have clothes and shoes addiction … Last week i cleaned my closet found around 22 clothes with tags never worn … Jewellery 10-12 necklaces brand new .. 14 shoes never worn 😭… I felt like a hoarder .. Planning to donate clothes i dont use
Feel free to send them over my way! lol
try poshmark for selling your clothes! at least youll get some money back! they take 20% commision on sold items, so theres that fee but at least youll make something from cleaning out. (the only downside is that it sits there until its sold) get a free $10 if you use code BMLYD (but of course try to sell and not to buy out everything, thats another danger of poshmark lol)
It’s funny but I’m actually doing the opposite. I’ve spent the last 5+ years buying things for my family and only buying the “necessaries” for myself. This year I made a commitment to treat myself and dress myself in outfits I always wanted but never bought. So far, so good 😊.
Yo go girl! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Way to do something nice for yourself!
Me too but it’s more like 10 years for me. I literally wear my few clothing items out. Made a salon appointment for Monday. First one in 8 years. I’m excited.
8 years! Omg. I think you deserve a mani-pedi and a massage too. Lol. My hair gets done every 6-8weeks but I am able to save by playing kitchen beautician instead of salon. I’ve been with my stylist over 6 years.
Me too! I finally have room in my extremely tight budget to purchase a shirt here or there, or even underwear and socks without holes in them! No more hand-me-down clothes from my mom, I need to treat myself once in a while! And it’s another perk to committing to lose weight.
Good on You! And since you plan on taking better care of yourself try going organic from head to toe for 6 months. After 6 months try those bargain items again and you’ll never want them anymore! I went through this and products I thought were a must have turned into, yew I actually put that on my face! Especially the “fragrance free” items, those were the worst!!
Just my two cents and a bit of ranting. Thank goodness Target accepted them for a full refund.
I, too, pledged the same thing. Until I walked into Forever 21 and they had outerwear extra 50% off. So I got 2 coats and 1 jacket for $21 total. Ive been wearing each of them a lot already and they’re adorable so I try not to feel bad.
80% off my wardrobe is almost free clothes purchased with coupons at JCP, Kohls, or with gift cards that I won or traded. So I feel like I’ve done a good job. I actually saved all receipts last year and I’m planning to add them up and see how much I spent.
And speaking of hobbies and addictions, I don’t spend any money on make up or Starbucks, but I recently caught the planning bug and now I’m trying hard not to spend much on washi, stickers, post its and all the related cute things. And Targets dollar spot is just soooo cute.
This is one that would actually be easy for me. After my son was born I swore I wouldn’t buy myself clothes until
I lost some weight…it’s been almost 3 years and I still haven’t lost much lol. Kids clothes are another story, I have a hard time passing up those deals, even when they have enough.
Ha! This is my exact story! Once I lose my weight all bets are off, but it’s been 3 years so far. I don’t buy clothes or shoes for myself. My weakness is buying pjs for my girl (when Hanna Anderson has their big pj sale).
Awesome post! I decided at Christmas 2014 that I wanted to spend the year cleaning out my house and closet and not buying any clothes (or accessories) at all for one year. It was the best year. I realized how little I need my “things” and how much simpler my mornings are with fewer clothing options. I decided to continue indefinitely with the one-in-one-out policy, and I couldn’t be happier. Giving away things is so freeing. I’d recommend it to anyone!
I own 100+ pair of shoes… I was addicted to online shopping.. But, I wear a uniform and sneakers now. I rarely wear my pretties.. I committed to stop buying new shoes. With the exception of new work out shoes! I only buy clothes at goodwill, no mall shopping… I’m going to buy a house this year so, I’m trying to silence my shopping voices.. I am doing well so far..
This is me. My uniform is tshirts, Nike shorts or capris, and tennis shoes or crocs. I have a closet full of clothes hat rarely gets worn. And after two babies, most don’t fit!
You are my hero! I can totally relate to your story. Such a fabulous idea 🎀
I moved onto my boat about 5 years ago. When I moved out of the condo I donated 1/2 the contents. The other half I put in a storage unit. After the first year on the boat I donated the storage unit contents. I truly had way too many things, especially clothes and shoes.
This is great! I love feeling inspired by Colin and her readers!
Hey guys we should start a donating clothes here
I wear size 10 to 12 pants large shirts if you can donate email me jen1212@netzero.com to send thanks
What about donating to your local Good Neighbors, or Battered Womens shelter? Families are always in need at these places. For the last two years, as we have been downsizing, most everything goes there. It just feels better for our family to donate to those in need.
I like clothes too much. This would be no fun for me lol
Yay for you! What an admirable effort on your part! This reminds me of the book “7” I just finished reading by Jen Hatmaker. As Americans, we can live with SO much less and still be very privileged.
7 is a great read. My friend and I each did the wearing 7 items challenge and no one noticed!
I buy all of my clothes second hand. I am very selective and only purchase high quality brands that are at least 90% off the retail price. I just love the thrill of shopping for a good deal, but I spend pennies, compared to dollars. When I no longer like the clothes, I can often sell for the price that I paid (or more!) and then reinvest. Today I wore a $365 Theory dress that I paid only $6 for in new condition. I receive so many compliments on my clothing; if only my colleagues knew how little I spend. 🙂
I wish there was a like button because I like so many of these posts! I echo many of the statements about getting rid of what you don’t wear by selling or donating. Stockpiling more than you can use is silly. Thank you Collin for creating a supportive community.
I agree!! I can relate to many of these posts and it’s inspirational to read other people’s stories on how they were able to downsize.
I haven’t bought clothes since high school about 5 years ago and i gained alot of weight ( not fun) so i only have like 2 shirts that fit and all my jeans have holes in the thighs lol every time i have a little money there are no good deals on clothes and when there are i dont have money but i guess alot of mothers go thru the same so it seems normal
I’ve actually been working on something like this, but I’m taking it a month at a time. I buy things for the “gift closet” too much and things to donate that still needs to be dropped off; I keep buying more to donate or gift eventually. This year will be better for sure as I’m working on doing things different, with God’s help. Good luck to everyone trying to be better in 2016. We can do this.
Omgosh this is such a great challenge.I am a new thrifter so i’m really addicted to shopping 50% off all clothing thrift sales i’m going today to savers.This year i was on a no fast fashion puchase challenge& i failed already lol.I lasted one month which is good considering i have 3 kids.Even did it with the kids clothing.I am going to try this challenge for a month this year&the whole year next year.tfs Happy Friday.
I work at a store, so I don’t see this happening, haha, but good for anyone that does this.
What do you ladies do with clothes that are still nice but have gotten too big or too small? I used to donate them but then my size would fluctuate again and I’d wish I had kept them… Or those shoes or articles of clothing that you may need once a year (a ‘going out’ top or a ‘wedding guest’ dress). I realized I only wear about 1/4 of my closest regularly and it’s frustrating to see a full closet and have “nothing to wear”. I tried putting them all in a box but then when I do need them they’re hard to get to, wrinkled and a bit boxy smelling…
I have a small portion of my closet that I reserve for wedding outfits, interview clothes ect. I try to keep it to less then 20% of my closet (and I do have a few nice suits.) I make the shoes go with as many things as possible (no glittery high heels.) I went though everything and if it was too small it I looked at it critically thinking “If I magically woke up tomorrow and this fit would I still wear it?” If the answer was no I donated. I did keep a few things as I’m trying to lose weight but those items are in a drawer out of the way where I don’t have to look at it.
I haven’t gone full-on shopping in a couple of years. I hate shopping and trying on clothes. It has saved me a lot of money! I love to travel, with the money I saved, I could afford to go to Paris, London, Switzerland, Ireland, Germany, Amsterdam, & Belgium, last year!
I made a new goal this year not to buy any clothes. I went through my closet January 1 to find items to donate to good will. So far I have not.bought any items. I do need to go through my closet again.
I crochet so I have made some light spring colored scarves. I also sew and made an new “Vera Bradley” purse for myself. I also plan on sewing a few items for spring. I have a large stash of fabric that is sitting in my craft closet.
Does making your own clothes count and not buying clothes?
I used to buy everything that was on sale. clearance, good deal. etc.. just because I had coupon for that. Then one day watching a show (money management) I realized that I was spending more from what I had.So I stopped using coupons, I started buying smart. I still use coupon if is free item, directly from the retailers or something like that, but I now I think before I buy, I do most shopping online and use online coupons, points, and cash back. My closet looks great, I own many good brand name clothing and accessories, I was able to buy several good Coach and MK purses and finally my Pandora bracelet is full of charms. All that thanks to Collin and her good deals.
I LOVE what you said here. Think before you buy. It’s so easy to shop on autopilot thinking about the deal but if we just take a second to think “do I really need this?”, most times the answer is no.
I confess, I can’t stop buying clothes, but have decided to use my resell funds for those purchases only. I have a notebook, write down each buy/sell transaction and use cash only.
Did you all know we wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time?