Remember how it felt like the clearance sections appeared everywhere in your apartment. The closet is overflowing with clothes that you haven’t used since your wild college years. There is the drawer somewhere filled with cables and accessories of various technologies that you stopped using.
This is the cold reality that none of your Instagram friends will ever want to admit. Most of the things that are filling up your apartment are ruining your life. Not only because of clutter but also because those things put a tax on your attention, time and, surprisingly, on your self-respect.
Rich and stylish people have been knowing this principle for quite a long time already. Instead of buying things in excess, they started buying less but of higher quality.
For instance, compare your friend who wears the same well-tailored Lululemon Align Jacket every day with everyone else. How much better does he look than other people who constantly wear new fast fashion? Or compare a person who bought a pair of expensive Common Projects sneakers with those who have five pairs of cheap Zara ones?
From the psychological point of view, “the paradox of choice” is doing a pretty good job when there are thirty mediocre options to choose from. Your brain spends energy on comparison, choosing and dissatisfaction with your own decision.
From the financial point of view, the numbers look extremely shameful once you realize them. It is much better to buy a t-shirt that costs $60 and lasts three years rather than buying a $15 t-shirt which gets used up in three months. Just apply this idea to everything that you buy: jeans, household items, technology accessories and your cost per use will drop dramatically.
Also, this technique ruins the logic of the impulsive purchase. Whenever you choose to buy less, you are forced to be selective. You start thinking about the difference between Patagonia and North Face and wondering if that Aesop moisturizer worth $40 or not. You start making your decisions based on the life you want to live, not on your escape from boredom.
After few months of applying this principle, you will see definite changes in your apartment. Space starts to appear somewhere in your apartment. Some strange magic happens and suddenly your apartment gets bigger even though the walls stay the same.
KonMari people somehow understood the principle but missed its mechanism. Decluttering is nice but it is for two weeks. Then, you just fill your apartment with even more stuff. The key is buying less in the first place by being very selective.
Here comes the moment that becomes quite counter-intuitive. Buying better things becomes more scary than buying cheaper ones. For instance, spending $300 on Le Creuset Dutch Oven makes you feel scarier than ordering Amazon knock-off for $40. And this very anxiety plays its role making you stop and think whether you want this thing or not.
The minimalist style of your house which you see on Pinterest and Architectural Digest is a side effect rather than a goal itself. Nobody wakes up and thinks “I am the owner of neutral tones today”. What they realized was that they did not need any junk and the result came by itself.
In fact, flex culture is changing slowly now under the hype sneakers and logos. The person who wears a sleek Bellroy wallet with everything needed in it looks more composed than the person who deals with a Costanza situation. A Casio G-Shock on the wrist of a person who can afford Rolex sends another message.
Your friends will mock you a little bit at the beginning of applying this system. “You are not buying anything this month?” – Yes. The silence of your bank account speaks louder than the clutter in their closets.
Moreover, the quality of the items usually appears in those places that are never optimized. An example of such item is bedsheets. Those Brooklinen or Parachute sheets will transform your sleep process. In addition, the quality chef’s knife from Wüsthof makes the cooking process easier.
Also, your job interview is one of those situations when buying better things is crucial. One perfectly tailored suit from SuitSupply is better than three cheap suits from Men’s Wearhouse each time. The recruiters may not be able to tell what they are picking up on but they feel fabric and precise fit on the subconscious level.
To conclude, buy less but choose better. Let others collect things while you are collecting space, time and confidence that items in your house are serving their purpose. This is the real flex which will reward you both financially and mentally.
Thanks for reading this post! – MyPlugin