How I avoid over buying during the holidays

I’m writing to you from the comfort of my couch, drinking my homemade latte which is extra special because I recently got a frother, and trust me it’s a game changer if you add cream to your coffee like I do. My dog, Owen, is happily laying in front of the fireplace because it’s finally starting to cool down in North Carolina, at least in the mornings. Owen loves the fireplace, and will usually sit and stare at it for many minutes at a time… pondering life, I guess. It’s very endearing to watch.

If you’re like me and have forgotten that the holidays are right around the corner, you will be loudly reminded if you walk into almost any store. Usually I think it's annoying to see Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving is over (sorry), but this year I'm feeling ready to get a tree and start blasting Nat King Cole.

No matter what holidays you celebrate, I know that sometimes this time of year can come with a lot of pressure to feel like we need it all.

We need all the perfect decorations and centerpieces, a 7 course holiday menu, a solid lineup of festive party outfits, and a perfectly well behaved family to not push us over the edge.

I love the magic of the holidays, and I try my best to not forget what it's really all about. Some days that's trickier than others. Sometimes I feel the pressure to buy things, or need things, to make it all look and feel “perfect." Or maybe I just feel happy and feel like buying things!

When I'm going through some of my favorite places during this time of year, like Costco or HomeGoods, these are some things I think about when I feel overly tempted to start piling things in my shopping cart (because there are a lot of beautiful things to buy!):

Do I already have something very similar to this?

Example: as painful as it may be, I don't need every fuzzy sweater I see.

Where is this going to go?

Literally… where do I plan on putting this. Unless I absolutely love something and it’s unique, if I can’t think of a place it might go, then it should probably stay in the store for someone else.

Do I have room to store this once the holiday is over?

Unless you like to celebrate the holidays all year round, then these decorations will eventually need to get stored away again until next year. Not over buying and filling your storage to the brim, is the first step to a clutter free lifestyle.

If I buy this, will I have enough in my budget to comfortably cover any other anticipated holiday expenses (ex: food, gifts, travel)?

I find the accumulation of all of these things is what makes the holidays most stressful for me, so this question is super helpful to keep in mind and keep things simple.

Can I wait to buy this out of season? Or DIY it?

If you haven't purchased holiday/seasonal items (decorations, clothes, etc) out of season then you are in for a treat. Buying out of season is one of my best pieces of advice and will save you so much money. Usually you’ll see really great sales the first few days after a holiday, or when it’s about to change seasons.

Also, I love a good DIY. My mom is a pro at foraging and using nature for decorations. It doesn’t have to cost anything or be expensive to be pretty. Thanks to my mom, going outside in nature is one of my main forms of inspiration when it comes to decorating my home.

P.S. – this is a prank that I played on my husband last year and I don't think it'll ever get old 🤣