Things i stopped buying for our home

The things I slowly stopped buying for our home after realising that less clutter, less overconsumption and more intention made everyday life feel so much lighter

Motherhood completely changed the way I consume. Before having Bailey, I never really thought that deeply about how much stuff constantly coming into the home could affect the way a space feels. It was so easy to buy little things here and there — home decor, storage baskets, candles, toys, random “helpful” items -without really thinking twice about it.

But over time, especially after becoming a mum and spending so much more time at home, I started noticing how overwhelming too much stuff actually felt for me mentally.

The visual clutter, cupboards overflowing, random impulse purchases that didn’t really add value to our everyday life… instead of making our home feel better, a lot of it was honestly just adding more noise.

And while I’m definitely not a minimalist, I have become so much more intentional about what actually comes into our home now.

These are some of the things I slowly stopped buying for our home and honestly? Our space feels so much lighter because of it.

Any and everything synthetic. I don’t buy cheap materials anymore no matter how good they look. Polyester isn’t something I would personally buy anymore even if it’s much cheaper. All our cushions, bed linen, blankets, table runners, tea towels, clothes and most of Bailey’s toys are natural materials instead like organic cotton, linen or rayon.

This also means no synthetic fragrances. No heavily scented cleaners, candles or room sprays. Personally, I just feel so much better without all those artificial smells constantly in our home and I don’t really want my children growing up around them either. Besides that, the environmental impact created by constant overconsumption, synthetic materials and heavily fragranced products is honestly massive and I really don’t want to contribute to it more than necessary.

I used to buy random decor pieces to make spaces look more aesthetic or “finished.” But I realised most of it eventually just ended up sitting in cupboards not really being used or appreciated anyway. Now I have a handful of decor setups that I rotate throughout the year instead and it’s honestly helped reduce so much unnecessary clutter in our home.

Let’s talk excessive toys. I know it can feel really hard keeping babies and toddlers entertained, but I’ve honestly found the more toys they have, the quicker they seem to move through them too. Instead of constantly buying more, I rotate toys and create little activity stations throughout the day so things feel new again to Bailey.

I also much prefer investing in wooden or solid toys that last longer. Not only for environmental reasons, but because they feel visually calmer and less overstimulating within the home too.

Impulse purchases are another big one. I was sooo guilty of this at one point. I’d buy random things because they were cheap, trendy or looked useful in the moment. But now unless I’ve properly researched something beforehand and genuinely feel like we need it, I simply don’t buy it.

I always ask myself:
“Is this actually necessary?”

And honestly, 90% of the time the answer is no.

It saves so much money and stops random things from ending up shoved in corners or cluttering cupboards. I remember my mum always saying:
“Buy cheap, buy twice.”
And honestly? She was right.

I’d much rather buy something high quality that lasts for years than constantly replacing cheap products that break quickly or lose their appeal after a few weeks. Don’t get me wrong, I still love browsing shops and homewares, but buying usually only happens when something is genuinely needed.

Storage for the sake of storage is another thing I stopped doing. I think we’ve all been there — buying heaps of baskets or containers with huge plans to organise everything, only for them to end up shoved somewhere completely forgotten about.

Now before buying any kind of storage, I go in with an actual plan. What exactly is going in there? What size do I need? Where will it live?

Another thing that’s helped me massively is no longer holding onto things “just in case.” If I haven’t worn something in the last year, chances are I probably won’t wear it anytime soon either, so it goes. And if I buy something new, I try to let go of an older piece too.

Obviously we all have sentimental items or special outfits we want to keep and that’s completely okay, but practising a little more non-attachment has honestly felt incredibly freeing and changed the feeling of our home so much.

Cleaning products are another big one, although I spoke more deeply about that in my low-tox home blog post. Personally, I don’t feel like I need heaps of chemical cleaners or different products for every tiny thing. We have a handful of eco-friendly options at home and that’s honestly enough for us.

For everyday cleaning I mostly use dish soap and hot water and it does the job perfectly without leaving behind strong chemical smells or residue throughout the house.

At the end of the day, I think it all comes down to awareness and making choices that feel right for you and your family. Small changes over time can completely change the atmosphere of a home and honestly, simplifying things has made such a positive difference for me mentally.

I don’t think creating a better home necessarily comes from constantly buying more things. If anything, for me it’s been the opposite.

Less clutter.
Less impulse.
Less overstimulation.
Less consuming just for the sake of consuming.

And so much more intention behind the things we choose to bring into our space and everyday life.

Love,
Charlie 🤍