Between tulle, garbage and tears - when "shopping addiction" escalates

I hope the provider is linked, I think to myself as I immediately discover a discount code. 25 percent! This definitely seems to be my lucky day. So I download the app and am immediately shown a white blouse. I don't actually wear anything like this, but I see that it's heavily discounted and I still have the discount code. Now I like the blouse even more. And I could actually wear the shoes they recommend with it on my next summer vacation. Well, if I'm already in the app, I might as well see what's new. If I buy a dress to go with the blouse, I'll save even more. I actually have enough dresses, but I really like this one. But summer is still a long way off... will it even fit me then? Never mind, it's cheap and it never hurts to have a little more. Half an hour later, I look at my shopping cart. 378,95 €. That's a lot of money, but I've saved a lot. So my finger lands on the "Buy" button.

A week later, I receive my parcel. It's huge and I can't even remember what I've ordered. So I open one bag after another and take a look inside. Why have I bought sun cream, it's raining every day at the moment? And what's this ugly blouse doing in here? Never mind, I'll just send it back. And most importantly: where are my jeans? I completely forgot to order them. My eyes slowly wander back and forth between the huge pile of clothes and my already overcrowded closet. And in the middle of it all, countless plastic bags. Did I really have to do that?

Do you know this or a similar situation? Then let me help you. Eco-friendly shopping - here's how!

Tip 1: Wardrobe inventory

Before I start with the real "shopping", I first start a "closet inventory". Personally, this has helped me a lot, as I first realize what I already have and which items I still absolutely need. I often found clothes in my wardrobe that I didn't even know existed - I admit, I used to be an absolute "consumer victim" ("Shame on me" at this point). I've since realized that I don't need ten "crop tops" in a similar color to survive. And that brings us to tip 2.

Tip 2: Avoiding bad purchases

After the "inventory", I knew which items of clothing I owned. I then drew up two shopping lists. The first list was there to cover "necessary" items of clothing. For me, these are underwear and socks (and no, this is not a reason to buy 100 pairs of socks!), as I already own enough of the rest of my clothes. The second list consists of "desired" items of clothing, for example a new T-shirt, new pants, a hoodie, etc.

I buy the clothes on the first list without giving them a second thought. However, as already mentioned: in moderation rather than in bulk!

The second list is put to one side for 2-3 weeks. If I've still thought about the item of clothing by then, or if I still like it, I buy it. I've already avoided a few bad purchases this way. Some "trends" are not as great as you might think at first (we remember the trend with the "galaxy T-shirts").

Tip 3: A good combination is twice the saving

While some readers tend to think of their dream car when they think of a "combo", what we mean here is the perfect mix of "basic" and "unique" items of clothing. "Basic" garments usually have monotonous and plain colors (white, beige, dark green, brown, grey, black), which makes them easy to integrate into different looks and therefore versatile. Garments with large prints, eye-catching patterns or bright colors (yellow, red), on the other hand, are more difficult to combine. I therefore recommend buying a few simple items of clothing to create several "looks" and buying a few "eye-catching" or "unique" items of clothing to break up the simple "looks" (of course you can buy whatever you like best, this is just a tip!). Eye-catching items of clothing include scarves, hats or accessories such as necklaces, watches and handbags in different colors and shapes.

Tip 4: Second-hand stores, flea markets and/or online classifieds portals

This is my personal favorite tip. Instead of regularly ordering online from so-called "fast fashion" companies as I did two years ago, I now go to second-hand stores and flea markets much more often. I have a large selection of different clothing styles there and am also environmentally conscious, as I reuse clothes that others no longer want and also don't produce "plastic waste" with countless bags. I often find unusual items that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise. My absolute favorite piece is a long black coat that I now always wear in spring and autumn.

If I do store online, I start by looking at online classifieds portals. You can also buy second-hand clothes there. However, you should be careful to find reputable sellers, otherwise there is a risk of being ripped off!

These were my experiences and tips on the topic of waste fasting in the "Shopping" section. Until then: store right, stop waste!