Minimalist Shopping: 9 Questions You Need To Ask

Minimalist shopping does not mean you can only buy things you absolutely need. Learning to shop like a minimalist is about being intentional with your shopping.

What Does Minimalist Shopping Mean?

Let me just get this right out there in the open — I like to shop!  However, what I don’t like is impulse shopping, emotional shopping, or wasting money on things I don’t need.  All this does is accumulate clutter I’ve worked so hard to get rid of.

When you enjoy shopping, living in a consumer-driven society can cause some serious stumbling blocks. After all, mass consumption is not only encouraged, it is actually used as a measure of success. It can be hard to go against the grain when everything is yelling at you to consume more and more.

The truth is a commitment to minimalism or simple living won’t necessarily end the urge to want new things, but it will help you be more intentional with the purchases you do make.

In other words, minimalist shopping is about asking why before you buy. It’s about being purposeful in your purchases and thinking through whether it’s something you truly need, that has a place to live in your home. This is what stops the clutter from accumulating in your home.

Minimalist Shopping – 9 Questions You Need to Ask

Over the years I’ve come up with a list of some helpful questions I ask myself before buying anything. Asking these questions has helped to dramatically cut down on the clutter in my home.

All this means you can still go shopping and buy things. It’s about putting thought into those purchases. Before heading out to Target, prepare yourself with these 9 questions to help you shop like a minimalist and live clutter-free!

If you desire to live a minimalist lifestyle or just to simplify your home and consume less, each of these questions will help you to save time, save money, and cut down on clutter.

1. Do I Need It?

Before you actually purchase anything, stop and ask yourself whether you really need the item. This simple question is the single best way to stop impulse purchases.

For many of us, myself included, cutting down on impulse purchases is the number one thing we need to change if we want to be successful in maintaining a minimalist lifestyle or clutter-free home.

When there’s a genuine need for an item, that need comes up over and over again.  A genuine need is not a spur of the moment purchase.

Think about it, we don’t buy things that we really need on a whim, we plan those purchases.  If you are out and see an item that you had not previously planned to purchase, make sure you stop and ask yourself, do I need it?

If you decide that you don’t necessarily need the item, you may still decide to purchase the item, but you should purchase it only after asking yourself the next question!

2. Have I Allowed it to Sit?

As I mentioned above, minimalist shopping doesn’t mean you can never buy anything unless you absolutely need it. The key is being intentional with your purchases, which means stopping and thinking before making the purchase.

Before you actually hand over your hard-earned money, wait at least 24 hours. Let it sit in your mind and ponder whether it’s something you really want or if it was just an impulse desire.

After all, if it’s just a want and you don’t really need the item, it can wait.  The point of allowing it to sit in your mind is that it helps you know whether the item is something you really want and worth spending money on.

But listen closely, an important part of letting an item sit in your mind is that you do not write it down! If the item you are considering is something that is really worth purchasing you will remember it. If you naturally forget about it in a day or two, it was not worth purchasing.

3. Is the Item Versatile or Multipurpose?

The next question you want to ask before making a new purchase is:  “can this item serve more than one purpose”? When shopping, minimalists look for items that are multi-functional. This is because items that serve multi-purposes, help you cut down on clutter. 

A big creator of clutter in our lives comes from having many single-purpose items in our homes. For instance, do you have a toaster and a toaster oven? Get rid of the toaster. It serves a single purpose. Do you have a stand mixer and a hand-held mixer? Get rid of the hand-held mixer, it serves a more limited purpose.

If the item you are considering purchasing is not multifunctional, ask yourself whether it’s something you will use often or if it will save you money. Don’t purchase something for limited use, it just creates clutter and wastes money.

Instead, if there is something you need that you know you will only use once or twice a year, see if you can borrow or even rent the item.  If you decide to make the purchase make sure to ask the next question before finalizing the sale.

4. Is There Something You Can Get Rid of in Exchange For The New Item?

I’ve talked about the one in one out rule before. Essentially, for every new item, you bring into your home, you get rid of one item you already have in the same category as the new item. This helps keep the clutter from creeping back in.

So before you actually make a new purchase ask the question, “what can I get rid of that I already own, in exchange for this new purchase?” 

If you find that you have nothing to get rid of, then do you really need to purchase the new item? Probably not.  Though there are times we may decide to make the new purchase anyway.  But, before you do, make sure to ask the next shopping question.

5. Is the Item a quality item?

A big tenant of minimalist shopping is focusing on quality over quantity.

One of the biggest producers of clutter is regularly buying inferior products that quickly need to be replaced. Not only does this add to clutter, but it is also a complete waste of money.

When you’re making a purchase, you want to make sure what you’re buying is of good quality? You will be far better off with one quality item than several cheaper products that just end up needing to be replaced.

I know that sometimes high-quality items just don’t fit within the budget at the time you need it to.  If this is the case, see if there is some alternative you can use or even borrow why you wait and save up for the higher quality item.

Once you’re ready to make your purchase, the next question will help you be sure you really are buying a quality item.

6. Did I Research the Item?

This is particularly important for big-ticket items. Before making a purchase, look at reviews for the item.  Also, try and look at different websites and resources for reviews.   If you know anyone who may have already bought the item, ask them about it.  Do your research.

If you see a lot of negative reviews skip the purchase.  By doing a little bit of research ahead of time, you’ll avoid regretting your purchase and bringing unnecessary items into your home. This of course is key to learning to shop like a minimalist.

7. Can I Afford This?

I feel like this should go without saying, but let’s face it, we all need the reminder every now and again.

There is no material consumer good that’s worth going into debt for. You will never simplify your life if you continue to purchase items you cannot afford.

When you are determining whether you can afford an item, don’t forget to consider the cost of the item beyond the initial purchase price. How much does the item cost you to maintain, care for, store, etc.?

The absolute best thing you can do to simplify your life is to learn to live within your means!

8. Is It a Trend?

This is probably the most difficult question for me to ask myself consistently. I like to be in style and change things up.  I tend to do this not just with my clothing, but also with my home decor. Yet styles are designed to change and to change quickly.

There is no way you can successfully shop like a minimalist and keep up with the ever-changing trends. At the same time, this does not mean that you can never purchase trendy items.

You’ll purchase fewer trendy items if you have a good classic base of pieces you love. You can then add in a few trendy pieces.

It’s still a good idea before you do make the purchase to stop and ask yourself whether you will wear or use the item after the trend has passed. Will you use the item regularly? Also, make sure the item is something that you genuinely love.

Giving in to the many passing trends is a sure way to sabotage your efforts to have a minimalist lifestyle or simplify your life.

9. Does This Item Solve a Problem?

The need to ask this question applies to anything and everything you bring into your home. If the item does not solve a problem and/or make your life easier, it will add to the stress and problems that are there. Limit your purchase of items that do not solve a specific problem or save you money.

A minimalist lifestyle or simplifying your life is not always easy, but it is always worth it. Asking yourself these simple questions before your next purchase will help you shop like a minimalist. 

I would love to hear what you think. Do you have any shopping questions you regularly ask yourself before you make a purchase? Let me know in the comments.