Birth of the Shopaholic PackBunny

I have always enjoyed shopping, but I admit that since becoming a mother, I find shopping for my children so much more fun than any other shopping has ever been, by far. Part of it is that everything looks cuter in miniature, and part of it is that there is less guilt buying for “someone else” even if that someone else is your own 3 year old, who needs another appliquéd hoodie like she needs another curl on her head. And there is also the perfect excuse that they grow so quickly that they are in constant “need” of new clothing, toys, art supplies, books, and educational supplements! If nothing else, there is always the all encompassing, “It’s 75% off, I HAVE to buy it.” That argument always works for me, anyway.

Thus shopping has become more than just a hobby, it has become a skill that I hone daily.

However, I am trying not to be a mindless consumer, who will buy anything she lays eyes upon for her family. Lately, I have been working on being more mindful of what we bring into our home, while thoughtfully reducing the excess we have already. Well, contemplating reducing the excess we have.

So it comes down, in theory, to being mindful of what we are buying, not just for our finances, but for simplicity’s sake. Buying less means less spending, less waste, less buyer’s remorse, and less clutter around the house. Sounds great, right? Well, easier said than done.

Frankly, it’s been an uphill battle, as I tend to be a shopaholic and a pack-bunny.

What’s a pack-bunny, you ask? Well, it is a nicer term for pack-rat, of course. When my husband called me a pack-rat I asked him to kindly use a more affectionate term. That’s when he started to refer to me as a “pack-bunny”. Much nicer sound to it, don’t you think?

So, here is where the rubber meets the road, or where my well-worn shopping cart hits the Target parking lot. I’ve decided to make a change in my shopping habits. I’m usually of the “buy-ahead, buy-in-bulk, stock-up, discuss-later” mindset and really, it’s served me well. However, I’ve really never given the alternative path much thought.

What if I didn’t buy ahead, and only bought as needed? What if I pared down our home to the more essential of our non-essentials and removed the excess? What if I took a break from shopping for non-consumables altogether? Just the thought makes my heart race…..in terror!

Can I even do this? Can I live without my frequent Target runs, “perimeter perusing”, deal-stalking, and cyber shopping?

Come along and see…..