In the past I used to like to buy things spontaneously out of desire, and I didn’t really care what should happen to the objects after the purchase. Now I slowly ask myself the questions I should have asked myself before buying.
From these questions I have created a minimalism checklist with the help of which I can shop more consciously in the future.
- Does it solve a problem for me?
- Is the benefit greater than the burden I’m going to have with it? Does it need maintenance? does it need cleaning? does it get dusty? Do I have follow-up costs with it?
- How do I get rid of it one day? Enough things are not easy to dispose of
- Research if there’s anything that can do his job even better
- If I haven’t missed it yet, why do I need it now? External influences such as advertising or trends lead to spontaneous buying considerations.
- How many objects can it make obsolete? Does it help me on my way to minimalism?
- Can I get it used? Other people are happy when they can get rid of their stuff and don’t have to throw it away.
- Will you take care of it? Electrical devices, for example, require full batteries to operate. Do you make sure that it is always ready for use?
- Are there ethical or environmental reasons not to buy the item?
- Where is it kept, do I have room for it?
- Is it something you can borrow from someone?
- Do you have time for this?