Pretty much everyone has fallen into the trap of “just taking a look” at what a shop has to offer even though we don’t need anything in particular. With so many ways to shop online, marketing emails advertising huge sales and 100s of new items straight into your inbox, scrolling through virtual shops is an even bigger time sink. Even though you might have called off your decision to buy a big bag of clothes last minute, you’ve still spent potentially hours on scrolling through the offerings.

This used to be me multiple days a week.

If I wasn’t taking a stroll through a brick and mortar shop (or ten) at the weekend then I would have 20 tabs open and far too much in my basket. And at the time I believed this was completely normal behaviour.

Nowadays I know my limits and actively avoid shopping where possible. One of the many upsides to this is that I have waaayyy more time to do what I please with!

Here are some ideas for things to spend your time on instead of shopping if you’re trying to kick the habit.

1. Get creative

Crochet, knitting, sewing, ceramics, painting, drawing, cooking, baking, upcycling, woodworking and SO much more is all at your fingertips.

If you’re not sure what to make, I recommend looking through Pinterest as it’s my personal go to. In fact, I have a board specifically for DIY ideas that you’re welcome to check out for inspiration.

Do not let yourself be convinced that none of this is accessible to you. Okay, some activities mean getting tools or crafting supplies, or signing up to a class but that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved in them.

If you’re after cheap or free supplies consider Freecycle, Facebook Marketplace, charity shops, secondhand platforms (Vinted, Depop, Ebay etc.) or you can ask your friends, family or local community. Making do with what is accessible to you is completely okay!

2. Read a book

It doesn’t matter what the book about.

If you haven’t read in ages you can get started with something short or a favourite from when you were younger. You could go for something educational, a biography, a fantasy story, a romance or something with a focus on wellbeing.

It could be that staring at words is too daunting. I’ve been there. You could try out manga or comic books since they’re image focussed as an alternative to text heavy books. Otherwise audio books might feel more doable.

Libraries are a great source of diverse books and they usually have some recommendations out if you’re not sure what to read. If you’re not anywhere near a physical library you could always try virtual libraries or borrow a book or two from someone you know. There may also be community book swaps near you to look into.

3. Get into nature

I noticed that a lot of the time when I would scroll mindlessly through ASOS (or whatever the shop of the day was) it was in response to feeling down.

“Retail therapy” is a phrase that is thrown around quite a lot but I can’t think of a single time that buying something solved any of my issues and genuinely improved the situation.

Instead of opening your go-to shopping app or website consider getting some fresh air and going for a walk.

It’s definitely not easy to get over the mental block of going outside but there has been lots of research with the conclusion of getting outside, moving your body, and being in nature all have a positive effect on your mood. I did most of my learning about this through reading The Well Gardened Mind which I would recommend!

Gardening requires you to go out most days and helps get your mind off things. Even if you only have one or two small plants on your windowsill, taking the time to regularly water them and having them in your line of sight daily is a net positive for pretty much anyone.

4. Re-organise your space

Nothing makes me appreciate everything I already have more than taking the time to re-organise… well, everything. This includes going through your wardrobe and figuring out what you actually wear and what might be better off in someone else’s wardrobe.

It could mean changing out your seasonally (in)appropriate clothing by putting away those heavy jackets and cosy jumpers when it warms up and bringing out the lightweight summery items.

But this isn’t limited to clothes!

Peronally, I love finding different furniture configurations for rooms to try and make the most of the space. If you’re an avid collector (books, crafting materials, board games, anything!) then shuffling your collection around in a way that makes sense to you might be fun. This is also a good opportunity to clean up any dust and grime that has accumulated over time.

5. Spend time with others

Everything that’s been covered so far can be done alone or with others, but I think that activities with other people deserve their own section. If you tend to shop when feeling lonely or down then spending time with others might be another way to deal with these emotions or at least get you in contact with an accountability buddy.

Consider adding one of the following activities to your calendar as something to look forward to.

Invite friends round for a meal and quality time e.g. boardgames, a movie or a craft night.
Join a club or group for sports, handicrafts or other common interests.
Go to events aligned with your interests. You don’t need to know anyone there, but taking the leap could make it a great networking opportunity and even help you make some new friends. I have found success searching for keywords on Eventbrite.
Spend time with your family if you’re on good terms, especially if you haven’t had the chance to see them in a while.
Consider joining an online community or two. Physical meetups can sometimes be difficult to arrange but online communities can be more accessible.
Spend time with your pets! If all else fails I know I can chill out with my cats and entertain them for a while.

Something To Keep In Mind

Breaking a habit is a really difficult thing to do and progress around changing your behaviours will take time.

But if you’re serious about reducing your overall consumption and reclaiming some hours from shopping then simply getting some inspiration for what else to spend your time on is a great first step.

Things to do with your time that aren’t shopping