“The more you own, the more it owns you.”

My Croatian grandfather, who my sisters and I referred to as Gigi, was full of one-liners, but the one above has really stuck with me.    

Here are my 5 tips to live with less:

1  Clean out your closet   If you haven’t worn something in the last year, you probably won’t wear it again.  Get rid of it!  Take to your local consignment shop and make some easy cash, give it a way, or donate.   I promise if you haven’t worn it in a whole year, you will not miss it.

2  Away with mindless shopping Unless you absolutely love something, do not buy it!  I made a couple of big purchases this last year including a spilt board and a pair of Steve Madden boots. I purchased these items because I absolutely love them, so I have no buyer’s remorse.  We often purchase items just because they are on sale or it’s such a good deal that we can’t pass it up.  Remember this, it is never a good idea to purchase something, no matter how good of a deal it is, if you will never use it and are not in love with it.  Sales racks are alluring, but often encourage mindless shopping. 

3  Don’t associate things with experiences  I few years ago my boyfriend got me a waffle maker for Christmas. I was so excited, I thought we would use it all the time and make breakfast for our roommates.  Unfortunately, we have only used it once, on Christmas morning.  I really just wanted a way for all us to spend more time together, and we didn’t need a waffle maker to do that. 

4  Borrow  We easily could have borrowed a waffle maker that Christmas morning, and still enjoyed our banana foster waffle party.  Borrowing is a great way to start living with less.   Borrowing is huge for things that you will most likely only use once anyway, such as books or party dresses.  My sister even borrowed her wedding dress. 

5  Trade  If you need something, before buying it, first spread the word what you are looking for.  You will be surprised what a little word of mouth around friends can do.   I once traded a new hoodie for a pair of used goggles, and we both left the trade satisfied.  It is always a bonus if you can get rid of something when gaining something new.

My biggest tip is to remember,  “the more you own, the more it owns you.”