No Shop Challenge – Who’s In?

We’re in the thick of winter, with colder temperatures and lots of dreary days here in New Jersey.

So, if you’re like me, this weather has me dreaming about warm weather, spring, summer and beyond!

Cue, the desire to shop.

Do I need anything right now?

Beyond food and the usual monthly things (like personal care products, vitamins/supplements, etc), NO!

And I definitely don’t need any clothes right now, ha!

So, who is up for a challenge starting now through February?

Let’s focus on saving and using clothes we have…. in our closets with a No Shop Challenge!

I’ve done these challenges before and they’re awesome. Yes,sometimes, it can be tricky, but it’s overall a great opportunity to distinguish wants vs. needs, while appreciating all that we already have and even further editing down your closet.

Here are some rules that I think will help us try – keyword is try – to not shop outside our closets, but should we need to (note that this does not necessarily apply to my entire family, just me ;)).

No Shop Challenge Rules:

1. If there are items in your closet that need mending, prioritizing repairing those, so you can wear and enjoy them
2. We can only buy to replace items that need replacing (i.e. too worn/ripped, no longer fit) and look to donate clothing in good condition
3. Before we buy and if possible, we will look to replace an item with, ideally, a high quality staple, not fast fashion, to invest in long-term wear and use
4. Vote with our dollars by purchasing from a sustainable brand and/or a certified B Corp, and ideally choose natural fabrics (think cotton, wool, linen, etc.)
5. Look into buying second-hand, if applicable – whether that is ThredUp, Poshmark or even a Facebook group – or renting, if that’s an option

Here’s to thriving and surviving our No Shop Challenge together – remember, it’s all about progress, not perfection, so applaud yourself for the wins and remember big changes don’t happen overnight 🙂