Haul, Declutter, Repeat

After a seemingly unending home renovation (yes, it's still going on), I reminded of an important lesson: You can't build something that lasts without a solid foundation.  This applies to more than just actual construction.  

The Internet abounds with quick-fix content.  Feeling unhealthy? Buy this supplement.  Feeling lonely?  Swipe right & hook up.  Want to lose a ton of weight?  Try a fad diet or a dangerous injection.  Drowning in stuff?  Just declutter.  While short-cuts might work for minor issues, they rarely work long term and never solve complex issues like addiction.

Try a short-cut and you will find that: after the supplements run out you'll go back to feeling unhealthy because you didn't address unhealthy habits.  After the hook up, you'll still be lonely because you didn't build a true and meaningful relationship or address the behaviors that lead to isolation.  Go off the diet or stop the shots and the weight will surely return (and then some) because you didn't build a healthy relationship with food.  Declutter and then watch as your home and closet fill up again because you didn't deal with your shopping addiction.

Hauls feel good for the dopamine hit of getting something new.  (I was definitely lost in a haul phase about five years ago)  Declutters feel good for getting organized and having breathing room again.  (I did a major declutter two years ago)  And while the occasional shopping spree or junk purge are perfectly fine, we are literally watching the addiction cycle on repeat with every influencer who Hauls/Declutters, Hauls/Declutters, Hauls/Declutters.  Since I've done the hauls and I've done a major declutter there's no judgement here, just observation: It's not healthy for your mind or your bank account.  And sometimes, the declutters actually trigger you to buy more because now you have all this space.  

2025 has been a Low Buy year for me.  Essentially my rule was that I would ditch the designers and stick to thrifting.  Thrifting in itself can give that dopamine hit because you've discovered a sought after treasure and for a bargain, but like all good things, it can be excessive; it can be addictive and although I know I am making progress and am leaps and bounds better off than I was years ago during my haul phase, which involved a lot of impulse buying, I still have to be careful.  Take this Selkie Day dress in rich red.   I found it for 65% off the original cost and as much as I wanted to snag it on the spot, I watched and waited for 6 weeks before buying (so there's some major progress there because it wasn't an impulse), but did I really need it at all?  No, no I did not.  I have plenty of other festive dresses; I was drawn in by the thrill of the bargain.  Rather than getting frustrated with myself, I'm going to be kind, be calm, and not declutter a whole bunch of red dresses to make up for it.

While I've spent far less than last year and made great strides toward my goals, including breaking my haul habit and waiting at least 24 hours before buying something so I can truly think it over, I've definitely brought in enough new-to-me treasures that my closet is starting to feel cluttered again.  Doing small declutters at intervals is part of maintaining a tidy home, but having to do major declutters indicates a real problem with in-flow.  So, I'm committed to stemming the tide rather than doing haul/declutter on an endless repeat.  I've come to terms with the fact that I love clothing and I'm never going to completely stop shopping, but I'm getting better and better at bringing in less, reining in my spending, enjoying what I own, and addressing my behaviors by doing the hard work rather than reaching for short-cuts and quick fixes.  So, before the Black Friday and Cyber Monday madness begin, I'm doing a little internal inventory, to see what I really want to add and only if the price is right, and more than anything to just be thankful for what I already have.

Outfit Info:  Selkie Day Dress thrifted from TheRealReal, Shoes by B.A.I.T