January: A Month to Use It Up — Homegrown + Lovely

I’ve been on this journey before. I think this is my third January doing a personal spending freeze. Last year I made it a little harder by including lunches and coffee in the no-buy list. This year I’m going to do lunches again but won’t restrict my coffee buying. This is partially because I now have a Hydroflask tumbler to keep at work for when I buy (#reducewaste), and partially because I haven’t been making cold brew in the winter and don’t like to run my espresso machine early in the morning while my kids are still sleeping.

That being said, I love this month and this challenge for a few reasons. Several of which I’ve named here before. I love taking a break after the holiday spending. Even though we don’t go crazy over-spending for Christmas, it’s still a lot of buying packed into 6ish weeks (maybe you’re better at planning and spread yours out over more months, but I usually start the majority of my shopping around Thanksgiving). I also love a challenge. I like to see how good I can do with the limits I’ve set. The first week is always tough and some of that is due to habit. I’ve really paired down my shopping in general, but I still do it, so it’s normal to click an email with a sale link. Or see something on Instagram that I’d like to try out.

Which leads me to my next reason. I have to use up what I’ve got. As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, I can be somewhat of a hoarder. I battle those internal struggles often. And part of it stems from the fact that I never want to run out of anything. Like anything. Ever.

Lotion? I’ve got 3 different bottles, along with some homemade body butters. Shampoo and conditioner? I’ve got like 5 of each. Same goes for deodorant. Sweaters? I gave a backup black cardigan in my closet, complete with tags, JUST in case something happens to the one I currently wear and I need it stat. I also have a backup pair of some of my old favorite pants. Compete with the tags still on. In theory, it should be great. But what if my style changes before I have to use these things? What if my body products go bad because I can’t use them faster than I’m buying? Another factor is space and “clutter.” The space under my bathroom sink is full of all these bottles and containers. I’d love to get to a point where I only have the shampoo and condition I’m currently using, therefore stored in the shower. My space could breathe again, and I wouldn’t feel like my stuff is packed to the brim in all the nooks and crannies. You can imagine how this transfers over to my kitchen area and the pantry. Which is a great transition into my next area of thought....

I’m a doomsday planner. I seriously have backups to almost everything we are using. It’s as if I live 3 hours from the nearest store and only go there once a month. When in reality, I can get on PrimeNow and have groceries delivered in just a couple hours. Guys. I don’t even have to leave my house if I run out of something. But I have this crazy mindset that I need to have 2 of everything. JUST in case I end up needing it. It’s really bonkers.

So, I am taking steps to change my lifestyle. And I know this isn't directly related to no-buy January, but it’s still related. I’m working on something to share with all of you. Its tips and tricks and things to consider the next time you use your money to talk. For 2018, the word Intentional was my theme for the year. And while that was great, it was still a little vague. It’s hard to really track Intention over time. But this year, 2019 is going to be the year to reduce waste. I’ve been brainstorming and listening to podcasts, and have some great ideas that we can all try, and hopefully implement in our own lives. I’m super excited about this, and hope the excitement will gain traction with some, if not all of you!

But for now, I’m taking the month of January to buy less, and use up what I’ve got.