why using the stuff you already have matters

if you could takeaway one message from my channel I’d want it to be this

Hey y'all, in today's video I'm talking about one of my most important channel messages: why using what you have is so important. I hope you enjoy!

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#consciousconsumption #consumerism #overconsumption #mindfulconsumption #consumerbehavior #restock #restocks #tiktok #tiktokvideo #tiktokreactions #minimalism #usewhatyouhave

[Roxannedan]

Move. Nothing makes you realize just how much stuff you already own more than moving. Suddenly, you realize you have way too much of EVERYTHING, even silly little things like pens and post-it notes. I am now committed to using and using up everything I own, only buying new things when it is critical.

[veggiezz]

I bring a mug to my mom, and take one of hers. Then when I’m bored I go back and switch it out again 😂 it’s so fun to meet the old mugs again

[romanawilhelminacrane]

I love caring for my stuff, I clean my tools and utensils, my surfaces, I polish my furniture, I condition my leather items, I keep my clothes clean and neat, I dusty books and have them in order of topis. I water my plants and I focus on just watering. For me, that is the best way to appreciate my stuff. Also I am a sensory type so when I touch something I make a bond with it. So I am touching my stuff regularly - like I take books out of the shelves, flip through them or I straighten my linen on the bed with my fingers and such. Helps me to be present too. Kinda like a small meditation - also doing laundry is no longer a huge chore for me, it is a way to care for and love my clothes...

[katzenfrau]

The best thing is to turn off YouTube, and stop consuming any content about the stuff. I watch thinking I'm going to get inspiration for how to use my stuff, but more likely/often, I just get influenced to buy more. So just turning it all off is the most helpful thing for me.

[geniej]

Cleaning my shoes (including laundering the laces and re-lacing) makes me appreciate them all over. Conditioning my leather goods. Polishing my jewellery and re-organising it into its box. Lighting a scented candle makes me appreciate my space. Ironing and hanging up my clothes. Doing a gentle declutter or a seasonal refresh where I put away my most used or least used pieces (think mugs, clothes, accessories). Repotting my plants

[zekmorz]

I enjoy wearing the same outfits. My problem is actually buying the right pieces that will become my favourites. If that makes sense.

[palasiksivain]

i feel like a lot of people's discontentment with their stuff comes from them not knowing themselves. if you do some self-reflection, if you spend some time with yourself and your thoughts and try to figure out what it is that you REALLY LIKE, it becomes easier to appreciate the things that you already own. for me, this has always been a pretty obvious thing bc i belong to a variety of subcultures whose lifestyles and fashion have all become a part of who i am as a person. but you don't have to be a freak of any kind to do this: just sit with yourself and reflect upon what things really draw you in, what makes you happy and what you feel like is a part of you. you don't find yourself IN stuff; you can find stuff that go together with who you are.

[MsSimpleMovies]

"Use it up, wear it out, make do or do without."

[Ophelianne]

What makes me appreciate what I have is the decreasing quality in clothing in general - always more polyester clothing, even in brands like Reformation. I have a bolero shrug with lace that I bought in 2005, that is still in excellent condition. I used to declutter a lot, but now I more mindful of what I am decluttering, knowing that I might not be able to find the same quality.

[Sweet_Dee]

Appreciating what I have with ADHD can be tricky, because if something isn't in front of me, I forget it exists at all. Im the person who ends up buying multiple of the same/similar thing because I forget that I already had one! A few practices I have found helpful to put my clothes away every week with care and gratitude for each piece. It's kind of like doing a mental inventory of all the cute garments I own, (and there's a 100% chance that they needed to be picked up from the chair and the floor anyway). And then when I think about shopping, I remind myself that anything new is one more thing that I have to store and clean and organize.... and I have already maxed out my limited executive function.

[pinkpalace]

I work at a thrift store. The amazing items we get donated are sometimes unbelievable. I can no longer justify shopping at a regular store when I know that I can get almost anything I need at around 80% off retail.

[lunaamethyst]

Same goes for food and other things that you would probably forget about on a daily basis. Right know I am working on a little advent calender for a friend. But instead of buying a lot of stuff, I collect stuff I already have at home. Some teabags I don't drink anymore, a cute post card where I write down what I like about her...and yes maybe a hand cream but still...just be creative 🤗

[Craftynomadreads]

I’m tracking my wardrobe stats for the past 4 years. It’s eye opening, but even after all this time I notice new things that I didn’t pay attention to previously, for example, how long it actually takes to reach a decent number of wears.

My latest “rule” is that I only allow new wardrobe additions if I make them myself (knit, crochet or sew) or when something old reaches the 100th wear milestone. It doesn’t mean I’ll declutter the older piece if it’s still functional, but I’ll allow a new addition.

[christynfitzsimmons]

I am a dialysis patient. I have a line in my chest that needs to be accessed every second day. That meant that I had to both find clothes to hide the line (think lots of high neck turtleneck thingies) to hide it when I am out, and then a collection of v necks or button downs so that I can attach myself to the machine, Because I have two specific 'tops' I can wear in order to live and not broadcast my illness in a pretty disturbing way to the general population, every time iI choose to wear what I NEED to wear on that day, I am grateful for my careful choices for my sort of strange beautiful life !!!! Have to mention how much I admire and respect your content!!! You're such a thoughtful voice in this seemingly thoughtless world :)

[DL-idk]

This is probably a weird twist on appreciating your stuffs. I had donated LOTS of clothes under the minimalist influence about a year ago, seeing them as the culprit for the mess in my life. Now that I see that I was actually the problem, I regretted donating some of them. We are not rich and our resources are limited. I gave up many good clothes from better days (I don’t know what had gotten into me at the time 😂feel that I must have been possessed) and it’s not like I can get similar quality ones easily.

Those are the clothes that have been with me for many years. It’s almost painful to think that I didn’t appreciate them enough and just gave them away like that for the responsibility I myself refused to take at the time. Well, at least it’s a donation. Nothing ends up in the trash (at least I hope).

Be careful about trends you see online. The influences could be bigger than you realize. If you’re doing good, you’re probably safer. But if you’re trying to improve yourself and are subject to change like I did a year ago, please BE ULTRA CAREFUL! Random people on the internet don’t always have everything figured out. Their advice is not tailored to you. You may regret what you have done under those influences after a while.

Be wise and mindful ❤

[jordanbelknap]

I appreciate your balanced view on fast fashion. I bought a skirt 4 yrs ago from H&M that I have used probably around 500 times. It is one my most treasured items in my closet. ❤️

[michellebaker]

This channel is so important for me because I am trying to heal from a shopping/spending addiction. Also because I am hopefully moving next year, this message is important because my goal until then is to use up all my stuff and you inspire me to do that.

[sungexpression]

As a doll collector, putting dolls I purchase on display in my room can help me to appreciate what I have
Having a gorgeous display of the dolls I own reminds me that while a new purchase can be great, I shouldn’t forget about all the dolls I own and love already.

I think with collectible items having items on display you can appreciate can bring way more value than having items in storage where it’s easy to forget about them.

[april]

I like being crafty, so altering clothing that I already have, patching up worn clothes so I can wear them again, or adding embroidery are all fun ways to make something feel new and special. I also have quite a few stickers collected that i haven’t used- putting new stickers on something can make it feel fresh and fun. Instead of getting new phone cases, I cover mine in stickers and then peel off old faded stickers and put new ones on every few months.

[erinschneider]

I did something some might call “risky” and bought a refurbished MacBook. Little did I know, it was a 2017 model and not long after purchasing it the battery performance dropped. I am currently getting a new battery for the device since there is nothing else wrong with it. At first, I thought I made a dumb purchase, but in reality, I’m making a perfectly fine piece of technology last even longer. I’m so excited to get it back and see how much longer I can make it last! ☺️