January Finds and Hitting Pause Before Checking Out
As a self-confessed collect-aholic (okay, fine, shoppaholic), I’ve been trying very hard to be more mindful of my consumption and spending habits.
Instead of hitting the checkout button as soon as I find something I love online, I’ll add to cart and sleep on it for a night or even weeks before making the final purchase. Questions I’ve begun asking myself before every buy:
What is the purpose of this purchase? Display? Or for everyday use?
Will this item enrich or elevate my home or life, or will it end up sitting in a closet or cupboard for months at a time?
Do I need it, or do I want it, or both? Either way, can this purchase wait?
So far, the exercise in restraint has been challenging, but it has led to more meaningful buys (with zero buyer’s regret).
January turned out to be a month of joyful finds for our New Year refresh and small office makeover (big reveal coming soon).
1. Sage & Clare, Margaret Cotton Sheet Set - Clay // 2. Sheet Society, Eden Quilt Cover Set - Aria Stripe // 3. Folklore Store, Curio Urchin, Rattan Light Shade Radial-Weave Natural // 4. Weave Home on Etsy, Bohemian Gauze Curtains in Beige & Blue Stripe // 5. Java Furniture, Seagrass Baskets - Round // 6. Miss Amara Rugs, Loom Sand Beige & Stone Tribal Pattern Indoor/Outdoor Rug
I spent weeks searching for the perfect curtains, rug, and hanging pendant light, exploring both online shops and local homeware stores to find the tropical touches I envisioned: a rattan pendant from Folklore Store in Clyde, a textured tribal rug from Miss Amara, large seagrass baskets from Java Furniture in Christchurch, and beautifully crafted gauze linen curtains from Weave Home on Etsy.
Before making my purchase, I assembled a mood board of product images to see how everything would coordinate. Viewing the products arranged on a page helped me visualise the room’s physicality.
A couple more products that made it past add to cart were the Margaret Sheet Set by Sage and Clare, and the Eden Quilt Cover Set by Sheet Society.
I loved the retro-inspired floral print on the Margaret Sheet Set; the yellow and blue combination reminded me of the bedding of my childhood growing up in rural New Zealand; very Kiwiana.
Slow shopping is a practice I’m committing to this year. Less focus on buying for its own sake, and more on intention and curation.