1 Month Without Spending: Makeup, Hoarding, and Shopping Problems

I finally had to admit that I have a shopping problem, and it’s been a long time coming. This is my first year out of college where I’m making my own money and have been getting a little carried away with having some extra cash. I didn’t think it was that bad until I came home from CVS with with some new e.l.f makeup primer, Olay face wash and a couple other products and hid them in my supply cupboard where I discovered a bag from Target that I had forgotten about. I opened it up and found three of the exact same items, unused, still in their packaging. My initial thought was just to return the duplicates, but when I pulled out the receipt and thought about taking them back I just decided to keep them as a backup, in case I run out, ignoring the fact that I don’t think I have actually ever finished an entire bottle of any beauty product, ever. This narrowed down collection on my vanity will probably last me the year…

I have this weird thing about stocking up and collecting makeup and toiletries. I feel like as soon as I like something I need another one in case it goes out of production, or it sells out, or it becomes the next greatest thing and I can’t find it anymore. Then of course, a week later I find a new product that I want to try and find myself doing the same thing and hoarding all these unused cosmetics. I actually never even wore makeup in high school, yet still frequented Sephora so much that friends had to hold me back from going in if we passed one at the mall.

I have a similar issue with clothes and sales. I am an advertisers dream, and I know it. Buy one, get one? 30% off coupon code? 10$ off your next purchase when you spend more today? I’m losing money if I don’t buy something! And don’t get me started on free gifts with purchase! A mini set of Tarte makeup if I spend $50? I’m all about it.

The other part of this issue aside from the unnecessary spending and collecting, is the fact that I am terrible at throwing anything away. My friends who have been patient enough to try and help me clean out my room know that I can turn an old t-shirt, or dried up flower, or CD, into the most sentimental thing I own. I have a bad habit of attaching my memories to possessions and getting sad about parting with them. Or, I think that if I get rid of something I’ll have a need for it or a place to wear it right after.

I know hoarding is a real deal issue. I try to joke about it when I can but given that I am living in a new apartment, with my boyfriend, and already occupy half of the main and the entire guest room closet, I realized my love for stuff might be becoming a problem. So, at the end of April, after discovering my unnecessary stock of cosmetic products piling up in the bathroom I decided to organize everything. I was shocked to see how much stuff I really had that I have never used. Most of this stash I accumulated in less than a month and is just a drop in the ocean compared to the amount I still have in my childhood room.

This inspired me to do a couple things. One, actually try all of the stuff I buy and do a review section for With Wildflowers, and secondly, go on a shopping fast. My boyfriend and I came up with a challenge for the month of May where I couldn’t buy anything except groceries. No running into Target for one thing and leaving with a new collection of hair products, no more 30% CVS coupon sprees (my favorite way to stock up on drugstore products), no more collecting throw pillows from World Market. Nothing. I think for most people this wouldn’t be hard. This would be an obvious way to not waste money and use stuff that they already have, but for me it was about breaking a habit and realizing why I like to accumulate and shop.

I had a rough start on May 1st. My grandma, who I see almost everyday, can’t help herself when it comes to commenting on my style (which most of the time I love and is very complimentary). The bright pink lipstick I like to try out? She’s not a fan… but she won’t tell you that straight out, instead she points to a time when I had a sheer gloss on and says that is my right color. She looks back over old pictures from high school when my hair grazed my hips and longingly admires when my hair used to be long and beautiful. Side note: She is probably one of the only people who would classify my hair as short, like my dad is one of the only people who would call me preppy, but I left her room in a hair funk as she told me she’d just die if I cut my hair anymore, and I ordered a bunch of Wella brand products from Ulta after reading that another blogger with beautiful locks uses them.Her opinion matters, because I love her and because she was quite the style maven in her day. I even keep her (and my grandpa) right on my vanity to keep in mind when I get ready in the mornings. I realized my initial reaction to getting upset was to shop, but at least to buy something that would help why I was upset (my short hair/Nana thinking it is short). So day one of my challenge was a fail and I said I would carry on to the 1st of June with one setback.

The rest of the month I did surprisingly well by avoiding shopping places in general (no duh, I guess). So instead of getting groceries at Target, I’d only go to Trader Joe’s. If I needed something from a larger store I would only bring cash so I couldn’t pick up any extra items. The times I ran into trouble were when I was running errands for work. One day, this meant running into Sephora to get mother’s day gifts and I was tempted with a Sephora favorites products package. $120 value all for $45! Bronzers, and highlighters and everything I needed for a summer glow. Considering I am actually incredibly pale and essentially allergic to the sun (heat rash after two minutes in the light, and eczema triggered by the heat), this purchase would actually make some sense. I picked it up. Then I put it down. I walked away. Then I went back to get it and started walking to the check out. What was I doing?! Could I really not make it one month? I tucked it on to a random shelf and made my exit after buying the things I was getting for my boss.

I realize this might sound kind of dumb and trivial, but that was my hurdle to get past and lose the temptation of shopping. It was one month and if I was still thinking about it next month I could get it (spoiler alert, I was, and I did, but as less of an impulse). I almost made it all the way to the end of the month if it wasn’t for the barrage of Memorial Day Sales sent to my inbox. I caved. I couldn’t pass up 50% off at Planet Blue. (The four items I got ended up being less than the full price of one of the dresses.) $5 samples of Peter Thomas Roth skincare were too good to ignore because it was something I had been wanting to try that’s way too spendy to buy on a whim.

I guess what I learned was to actually value the items that I am buying instead of being impulsive about it just if it is on sale or a good deal. I realized I turn to shopping when I am stressed or upset and that having a package in the mail to count down to is maybe too exciting for me. Another big thing is to think about a sale as actually a good deal. If i am getting an expensive product for a good deal then that’s different than me accumulating a bunch of $8 dollar lipsticks because they’re only $8.

The week after I finished my no shopping I ordered the bronzer value set from Sephora and cashed out on some of my points to maximize my purchase. At least sample sizes don’t take up as much space and I still get to try things without the commitment. I was still thinking about it nearly a month later so it wasn’t one of the impulse buys I get and tuck away in my cupboard only to accidentally rediscover. Yet, I noticed once the package arrived I didn’t have the urge to open it right away and hadn’t been anticipating it all week like I used to. 

Now over a month since my challenge I’m happy to say my shopping is still down. I had a moment with Zara (aaah their Kimonos and gingham are so good right now) but I’ve kept it to a much more mindful shopping process. I guess my takeaways or tips for someone who has the shopping impulses like I do would be to walk away from whatever this must have item you think you need is. Let it go and if you’re still thinking about it days later you can gauge the value it will add to your wardrobe, cosmetic routine, what have you. At home, organize all our products into something see through so that you can’t hide a bunch of junk and so you actually see what you already have on a daily basis. On my vanity I have the products I use most regularly and still had trouble narrowing it down to my staples but now once I run out here I can head back to my stash to restock instead of a store.

Also , STAY AWAY from stores like Target when you only need a couple of items. They know how to lure you in and trap you with tempting items on the ends of aisles. Keep your blinders on when you’re shopping for something specific and don’t just shop to shop.

Anyone else run into these issues? Let me know what items you always stock up on and the stores that sucker you in!