Mindful Consumer: 5 Steps to Be a More Conscious Shopper
Your long-term mental health, and your bank balance, will prosper by being more conscious and mindful about your shopping habits. Make a conscious decision every time you shop to follow these tips, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a more mindful consumer.
Text: Jacob Lane Photo: Gustaf peterson
Published
2023-11-21
The past few years have seen most of us spending more time at home than ever before, and with that many of us have turned our attention to de-cluttering, minimising what we own, and streamlining our lifestyles. Thanks in part to the hit Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, we’ve got rid of hundreds of items of clothing, home-wares, and more; and business is still booming for the de-cluttering experts. But how do we make sure we don’t fall right back into the trap of impulse buying and cluttering up our homes again?
By making conscious decisions about what we buy, we’ll not only maintain the simple homes we desire, we’ll also save money in the long-run, look after our mental health more effectively, make an environmental impact, and won’t have to go through the rigorous de-cluttering process again.
Buy classic pieces
Don’t feel like you should never buy anything new again. A few simple classic pieces in your wardrobe will afford your fashion choices a timeless look that means you can continue to wear them for years, and they will pair with almost any outfit. You’ll never look out of place in a plain white shirt or a pair of well-cut jeans that suit your body shape. Whilst it may sound counter-intuitive, a small but well-thought-out wardrobe can actually make it easier to decide what to wear each day, and you’ll have an outfit ready to go for every occasion.
A great way to keep your purchasing habits sustainable is to buy vintage. The modern culture of fast fashion means many items from high street stores are poorly made with low quality materials, and won’t last very long. Harry Diamond, owner of Cry For The Moon, explains that “Antique and vintage fashion are sustainable alternatives when accessorising your wardrobe. The reuse of these precious materials reduces the need for sourcing new materials breathes new life into handmade designs.” Vintage watches is also a good financial investment as the premium paid on ‘new’ items don’t apply, and there will always be a strong market for collectables. Whilst some older items can be frayed with age, others maintain a glorious antique character, such as beautiful and unique watches, or solid wood furniture for your home. By buying second-hand vintage, you’ll not only impress your friends with your one-of-a-kind retro items, you’ll also score extra points for sustainability.
One of the most effective ways to become a mindful consumer is to only buy what you really need. Only go shopping when you notice that something is broken, empty, or worn out, and just buy the replacement item that you need. It’s all too easy to get swept up in sales and special offers, or to go along with the latest TikTok trend that will be forgotten by next month. Making sure that you avoid these kinds of impulse purchases is a great first step on your mindful shopping journey.
Buying good quality items can mean a more expensive initial outlay, but you’ll reap the rewards in the long term. One pair of good quality jeans that lasts you ten years is a better, and more sustainable, investment than having to replace your cheaper low quality jeans every year or two. Using this tip in combination with the ideas above means that one pair of jeans could go a long way. You won’t have to spend as much time shopping around as often either, so you can use that time to get on with the things you really enjoy.
If you’re not 100% sure about the item you’re looking at, don’t buy it. Marie Kondo says we should only keep things that bring us joy, and that’s the same for new purchases. Consider Shakaila Forbes-Bell’s “Four-Three-Two-One-Rule” in her book Big Dress Energy, and decide whether you’ll still be wearing it in four years time, or whether you’ll wear it on at least three separate occasions. Take two deep breaths, and sleep on it one night before you take the plunge. The same rule can be applied to non-clothing items as well. If you’re still thinking about it when you wake up in the morning, the chances are it’s worth getting. Giving yourself time to really think about your purchases and whether you truly need them is a great step towards a more mindful shopping experience.
Maintaining your mindful shopping approach
Whilst you may get an instant dopamine hit from an impulse purchase, your long-term mental health, and your bank balance, will prosper by being more conscious and mindful about your shopping habits. Make a conscious decision every time you shop to follow these tips, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a more mindful consumer.
A very good range of menswear - good information re: sizing and very good service.
Rita F
2024-11-14
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2024-10-30
Just perfect. Great website and service.
Paweł G
2024-11-13
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2024-10-30
Qualità del servizio molto buona e spedizione rapida. Packaging molto accurato. Complessivamente una esperienza molto positiva.
Marco M
2024-11-12
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2024-10-28
Facile à utiliser, à comprendre. Très bon site en résumé.
Andre B
2024-11-12
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2024-10-25
Product was high quality.
Thomas K
2024-11-11
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2024-10-24
C’est le 2eme caban que je commande Toujours aussi satisfaisant
Gilda R
2024-11-11
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2024-10-27
Prodotto eccellente
fiorella p
2024-11-11
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2024-10-27
Este perfect ! Mulțumesc mult !
Angela P
2024-11-11
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2024-10-27
I am very satisfied with my purchase and overall experience
Wiktor W
2024-11-11
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2024-10-25
Ottimo servizio, puntuale e prodotto perfetto
Mirco B
2024-11-11
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2024-10-26
Tutto OK. siete i migliori .
Massimo C
2024-11-11
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2024-10-25
Qualità e servizio eccellenti
Lorella T
2024-11-07
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2024-10-24
Achat très fluide . Paiement en 4 x appréciable. Envoie très rapide . Parfait 👍
isabel l
2024-11-07
Buyer
2024-10-23
Very pleased with garment and speed of delivery.
Dominic F
2024-11-05
Buyer
2024-10-19
Service is impacable. Products perfect. I am very happy with my Careofcarl experiace! Good to everyone,Rene
René M
2024-11-04
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2024-10-19
Fast shipping across Europe !
Raphaël L
2024-11-04
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2024-10-20
Top quality
Jérémy A
2024-11-04
Buyer
2024-10-20
All was perfect Slow delivery time
Jose V
2024-11-04
Buyer
2024-10-19
A candle arrived broken and they sent me a new one via dhl express. Perfect service!
CRISTIANO N
2024-11-04
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2024-10-19
Grate product (Polo Ralph Lauren shoes). Perfect transaction with Care of Carl. Congratulations!!!
José I
2024-11-04
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2024-10-20
Custome service 🔝! Very fast, all was perfect!
Leonardo N
2024-10-31
Buyer
2024-10-17
I order few items already from this shop and im very happy about the service, delivery time etc
Alberto B
2024-10-31
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2024-10-15
Very polite and efficient
Danièle W
2024-10-31
Buyer
2024-10-16
I received a very nice Kamakura oxford shirt. The shipment was immediate. The packaging is beautiful. Kudos to the company for importing such quality clothes.
Michalis M
2024-10-30
Buyer
2024-10-16
It was my first experience and was good.
PEDRO J
2024-10-30
Buyer
2024-10-14
Excellent store.
Arnaud M
2024-10-29
Buyer
2024-09-29
Excellent service. Highly recommended.
Mihai P
2024-10-28
Buyer
2024-10-13
Pleinement satisfait.....
Alexis H
2024-10-28
Buyer
2024-10-10
Fast service and great communication can’t wish for anything more.
Rolf W
2024-10-28
Buyer
2024-10-11
Parfait! Envoi très rapide
Dominique Q
2024-10-26
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2024-10-09
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