Let’s face it: Decluttering is just plain wasteful. I think the antidote to all these things is to develop real hobbies and interests . We won’t think about all this trivial stuff once we’re occupied with things that really matter. I’m guilty over obsessing over these things too, but it’s more a symptom of a general malaise in society where we’ve become empty inside and superficial in our interests and what we choose to share with the world. Maybe we’d all be happier if we were out playing and touching grass as we did when we were kids!
Decluttering can be SO wasteful. And it’s sold in so many videos as a super virtuous thing to do - “donation”, “the piece will hopefully find a new home…” And then there is room in the closet to buy new stuff…
I’m happy that I only watch utube and not other platforms. I have a hard enough time with the recommendations that I see on this platform. I have been a shoe lover since my early grade school days and that will never change. I made a lot of my clothes when I was in junior high through college and even for my first job and when I became a mom. However that changed when I started a career in my 40s. That’s when I started buying more clothing because I had no time to sew. Granted, I did buy a lot of second hand but also much more from standard retailers. Now at 77 I don’t need that many clothes, and certainly not work type clothes, but I still love a blazer and a Chanel-type of jacket. I have told myself I will just wear them to go to the grocery store or out to lunch because they make me feel great. But can’t wear them lawn bowling because that would not be practical. I have been doing a lot of decluttering of clothing and shoes this past month after my husband died. My daughter has helped me through the first wave of the process but there is so much more to do to make my house and life more comfortable as I go forward solo. I am certainly a work in progress even at this age!
Yes! I see this sometimes on RUclips too! Even if it is a longer format but like; now we need to declutter as Christmas is coming up because we are going to have so much new stuff… I think we are a lot of people that CHOOSE to have a budget that reflects how we want to live. I am certainly not frugal. So my husband and I travel and enjoy friends & family, good food and shopping almost all over the world but with a capsul wardrobe, gratitude for how lucky we are. AND with not only a capsul wardrobe in mind but with that mindful consumption about everything in life! I hope that my legacy will be to show my children and grandchildren that a good life can be attainable if you buy less, choose well and make it last in all aspects of life. As one of my favourites once put it! Vivienne Westwood
I’m a senior. We didn’t waste anything. I would cherish and use one lipstick, using a pick to dig out the product once the tube was no longer applicable. The purchase of the next tube was made thoughtfully and carefully, taking time to choose just the right color. The same for nail polish, etc. The same for clothing.
I'm GenX and I remember this from my childhood and young adulthood too. I also feel lucky to have come of age in the 90s when clothes were still made in my country and I could buy stuff that wasn't totally fast fashion on a student budget.
❤ it’s been a no buy year for me. I’ve got my rules and my reasons in 2024. I’m 59. It was time to update my look and get happy getting dressed again! This happened after declutterring, defining my style words, shopping my closet and using a weekly rack, some over consuming & my passion for saving our planet from turning into a huge garbage can. It’s my fervent passion about the planet that will keep me on a low buy, second hand over new and conscientiously shopping forever more. Consumerism is out of control. My WHY is a motivating factor and 7 months into it- I’m solid. Thank you 😊 for helping me along this journey 🎉
I'm glad that Christina brought up the footprint of decluttering. I'm just as concerned about where my old stuff winds up as how much stuff I've acquired. At this point I'm not letting anything go unless I have a solid home for it - a clothing swap, a friend who really wants it, a charity that really does use/sell the pieces they get.
I wonder if the under consumption trend/ movement (whatever we want to call it) is simply a response to economic downtown to make spending less feel better. This concerns me as once inflation goes down folks will quickly return to consuming without any positive changes in habit.
Tbh, underconsumption core gets one thing better than a lot of minimalism influencer. They cherish old things and keeping stuff instead of tossing and buy an update. Not every minimalist influencer is guilty of this but especially with clothes there are a lot of „updates“, donating things that are still totally usable for a „better“ version of it. For me underconsumption and „updating“ contradicts. I am only on RUclips and here are a lot of people showing their grandparent’s old dishes they use everyday or their 12yo favorite dress they already mended a few times. I think it’s really inspiring to go the xtra mile of reuse, repurpose, repair instead of give in and „update“. We should also totally normalize using things that aren’t in perfect shape anymore. My kids are the only ones in kindergarten with patches on the jeans. Terrible! And strangely we’re not lower income than a lot of the others. But I am scared. Will we be able to do it in school? Or will there be too much pressure? Normalizing using what you already have will make it easier for EVERYONE to better keep usable things. Because the donations often will be tossed anyway - there is too much of everything like you said. For the first purge I donated a lot, sold a lot. Now most of my decluttered things (but children’s clothes that are passed on and books, books always come in and go out as I read them) are simply broken or totally worn out and already used for cleaning the bike. I was always more on the eco-minimalism way. Never decluttered as much as other minimalists. Seeing people doing the same is supporting. To sum up: I like the trend. I like that it’s a theme. Of course, it has typical Social Media problems. I didn’t see the trend on TikTok but on RUclips. And there it leads to a lot of positive discussions (like this podcast).
appreciating your thoughtfulness. the one thing i find challenging is the 'right to repair,' i.e. some things are very hard to keep, repair, re-use because they are designed with planned obsolescence. With clothes there are often more options, fortunately.
Yeh I love this movement. I know the pendulum swings and I’m sure overconsumption will be more popular again once the economy is more stable…? But at the same time it is really comforting and positive to actively under consume! Buying less and really appreciating what you buy and then making the most of what we already have. We should support this mindset always ❤
We have always seen an avalanche of ads that tell us how lacking we are without their products. I feel that following an influencer who is telling us the same thing, is an influencer that needs to be called out.(politely please). What you all say is so sane. We are humans who need to be at home in our own skins. Without that, it's all constant pressure to fix and sooth ourselves. So, thank you for having these conversations.
I think that people forget they aren’t influencers, no one is watching what they are doing so they don’t need to keep up with these trends. I think this trend should affect shopping habits going forward but you don’t have to get rid of all of your stuff because other people are doing so
This discussion made me think of my grandparents, even before Alyssa mentioned hers towards the end. They were born around WW1 and raised my mom and her siblings during the Depression. Many people in the FB Decluttering groups speak of the massive amounts of stuff theIr parents and grandparents have because they lived thru the Depression and now they themselves have too much because they learned from the other you must keep what you have just in case you might need it or you won’t have the money to replace it. So now people in their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s have huge amounts of stuff to clean out/declutter because they didn’t throw things out or they over-consumed because they had more money than their parents/grandparents did. But my grandparents were not like so many I read and hear about, they lived minimally, only buying what they needed, my mom said their farmyard and house were always neat and tidy, no “excess”. I recall my grandparents home in the city always being minimal and tidy but also warm and inviting. They lived like that out of choice too as they didn’t believe in buying what you don’t need or won’t use. We need to dive deep as you say to really assess what we truly need to be content and happy. It sure doesn’t come from these blips of stimulus on TikTok or any other social media platform, but I wonder if people are afraid to look that hard in the mirror or at themselves???
Thank you for pointing out that older generations could overconsume because they could actually afford to! The sheer amount of things my grandma owns and that many families grapple with after elders pass is very similar to overconsumption we see online, only difference is that seniors aren’t generally posting tik toks lol. That said, individual personality obviously plays a role and so lovely that you have these memories of your family ❤
@@Aleatoire9 it’s funny, from a young age I noticed these things about my grandparents but the memories and reflections have resurfaced as I mourn the very recent loss of my mom. I feel it’s like a whisper of encouragement from them to keep working on myself and my family, to be more conscientious about consumption and find satisfaction in experience and adventure instead of “stuff”
This month I bought 5 or 6 new pieces (jacket, bag, cardigan) from quality sites, more expensive than I would usually buy, but hopefully they will last longer and look better too. I'm on a budget and these are a treat, but I save on lots of other things, I don't travel, I don't spend money on coffees at cafes, I don't eat out or order food in, I don't drink or smoke, I've stopped going to the cinema or theatre (there are great YT channels I watch instead), I do my own cleaning and so on. It's a balance. I chose to buy a few pieces that were not essential but they make me feel good, they make me happy and I don't buy trends so I will wear them forever. And I'm glad I bought them as the Zara suede jacket is already sold out in my size.
Understanding the dynamics of a multi generation audience has got to be the most challenging thing- I’m 52 and notice that in social media, generations have differing approaches- of course there are exceptions- and addressing the different approaches in a channel is too tricky. If anyone is being judgmental, cheeky, and insensitive to others’ experience and translations, I excuse myself from their negativity- I don’t have the heart or time for selfish BS like that. As you said, do your way and those who appreciate will follow. 💕you all are grounding in different ways and bring me back to my true self filtering the nuances of social media chatter.
Shawna Ripari and Beepworld both recently released videos discussing this same topic! They had some great thoughts. I don't have people in my day to day life that I can discuss these ideas with and I am grateful I can tune into your content ❤
Idky but this made me think of laini ozark from earlier this year when she did the 75 hard challenge-she would repeat “don’t get rid of your clothes!!” like a lot 😂 and it actually made so much sense! If we act with our default being to not buy anything new, we should be preserving what we have! I’m not saying never buy anything and never get rid of anything ever again, but I do think decluttering can habituate us to wildly frequent turnover in our wardrobes and we never learn to cherish what we have and consider carefully what we buy.
I'm so glad you guys are creating such meaningful content and sharing it with us. And the comments under this episode - so much depth and wisdom that I feel is so scarce across social media these days. Thank you!
Minimalism and 'underconsumption' remind me of 20 years ago when the alternative health care response to certain health issues was to 'cleanse.' It can be useful in the short-term. Clear stuff out, hit the re-set button, simplify your focus. But for me over time, constantly considering what NOT to have/use/consume actually leads to depletion; and in the North American puritanical culture can play out as self-punishment. Asking 'what am I nourishing myself with'--whether that is food, clothing, items in my home, or the company I keep--has been more useful to me as a long-term strategy. It helps me focus on Living.
I agree with so much of what you all have said! I think the cure is really getting to know our authentic self. When it comes to clothing, it's so important to know our style identity, accept our body shape, declutter the fantasy self pieces, and learn our 3 words and the colors that flatter our skin. Acknowledging our lifestyle and choosing functional pieces that we love, takes time, reflection and work. Learning that it's okay to make mistakes and the sooner we acknowledge them and are gentle with ourselves, the sooner we can move those things out of our closets and on to others. We will be less inclined to add more pieces to our closets if we're really satisfied with what we already have. That's not something that can be contrived, and it's important to create that wish list to eventually fill the gaps so that getting ready can become fun and easy. Once we reach that point, our confidence soars! We won't be tempted by fast fashion fads and overconsuming.
I’ve listened to a few videos on this now and this was a great nuanced conversation, thank you! I’ve noticed that since this “trend” has come about, I’ve been more interested in caring for what I already have. My husband and I spent $30 and one hour buffing leather and wood goods and things look better than new and we might have decluttered some of this stuff otherwise! We are now about to take some pieces to the tailor too 😊
Great topic, love the unpicking on this, I can totally relate to Christina's reflections like the back to school shopping, I always struggle in March and September. (Back to school & new season plus March my birthday month and another season change. Plus Christmas as I'm spending more time surrounded by consumption. I want to be more minimal as I know it's better for my health, mind ect, but I'm a recovering shopaholic and I live with others who have a lot of stuff and I still have urges to consume, so I'm never going to be a complete minimalist. I think the term underconsumption works well. If it's taken with all the right thought process in mind (not just a trend) underconsuming for the environment, for your health, to ensure no debt, because your mindful of why etc I feel balance and been more mindful about what I am brining into my life is a better way forward to me. I do find the minimalists inspiring (as I do all of you), it helps keep me in check and reminds me to stop and think. I'm comfortable with that.
"I'm OBSESSED with underconsumption" lololol😂 Seriously though, as far as trends go, this one is fairly refreshing and may lead some folks to having a "reset" of sorts?
I would enjoy hearing from each of you, some of your favorite people to watch on whatever platform. I truly enjoy all three of you - stylish & fashion forward - yet still mindful and conscientious. Can you recommend like minded channels to check out? Thanks in advance…
I say this as a joke because I did find this a thoughtful and enjoyable conversation. Watching three (I assume) influencers on a podcast talk about the inherent inauthentic nature of influencing even when your content is authenticity as a concept. That felt like watching 3 chatbots interact and run circles around the subject of artificial intelligence and feeling like I was going to witness the divine spark first hand.
I am always surprised how easily led people are. I can see right through influencers who promote certain pieces or do hauls, followed by decluttering etc. and I don't watch/listen to them. Some channels offer great advice that has helped me become more current after years of depression and virtually no buy. But I still think with my own head. And I'm also sick of influencers promoting the same capsule wardrobe, I'm sick of hearing you need a white button up shirt (is there a colour more impractical? And who likes ironing?!!) or wide leg jeans that make you look wide (the clue is in the name, just look at yourself n the mirror, also from the back and you will see how much wider you look.) We need to listen to any advice objectively and think for ourselves. It's OK to try new trends/buy new pieces but look at the way they fit as objectively as possible and return immediately what doesn't suit.
Saying 'no' in today's society is much harder than saying yes and it is a struggle to avoid it. It also the way our global economy is structured. So if you do choose to say no or you have to, then that to me is showing discipline and self regulation.
Love this nuanced discussion, and the highlight on what we used to do for consumption, which has changed so much with the change in marketing strategies. I have definitely been guilty of feeling like I need something new every time a new collection comes out, and you have inspired me to curate the content I get emails and ads from, thank you!
I believe as with everything, it depends on what type of person one is. If you truly care about the planet, what you use, what fabrics feel comfy, what you actually use - simply if you pay attention and think about a bigger picture, or if you simply follows trends mindlessly. I think it's good underconsumption is a thing, but the problem is if it's going to leave any lasting trace or impact.
I am Gen X. I never have bought a lot of clothes, but there have been a few times in my life that my needs changed and I bought quite a bit and decluttered quite a bit because I was in a transition. I just wanted to say that - I think mostly buying a few things but there may be times in life when you shift.
Such a great discussion! Not sure how I feel about the “trend” but I hope that some people will keep going on consuming less. If we all consume less, the world will be better. ❤ Thanks for what you do! ❤❤❤
I always remind myself that my brain is ancient; it's basically a hunter gatherer brain. So scrolling and searching for something just plays into my brain's innate drives.😅 So I give myself permission to do it - up to a certain point. I defo need to mother myself and make myself put my phone away, but I have a browsing budget for 2nd hand buys and I have a favorites list for bigger purchases and it scratches that itch.😂
Question for you: is it better to listen to this podcast on RUclips or Spotify? I mostly don't listen twice, so would love to know which of these two options helps this podcast the most :)
Michael Easter’s book Scarcity Brain has some good information of how the content we see on the internet creates cravings for more stuff. It is very difficult to resist because we see advertisement everywhere there is a screen.
Thank you for the topic, I didn’t know about the underconsumption trend or movement , but it sounds good that we have it, however I agree, that with any trend we shouldn’t take it mindlessly ❤ I personally discovered that after a No Buy month my desire to buy things really becomes diminished, although I thought it would grow. So interesting to discover yourself with all those challenges or trends 🙌🏻 But only what fits us and our lifestyle will stay with us for long term, I think ❤ thanks for motivation ❤
I don’t see really any difference between minimalism and underconsumption core: How many of the minimalism RUclipsrs came to minimalism as a result of absolute over consumption beforehand - getting sick of their own haul videos feeling ashamed et cetera et cetera converting from constant shopping to “a black and a white T-shirt is all I need” to then declare a few month later “I quit minimalism” in another video… those videos were trending all over the place! They were also (!) decluttering along the way, replacing the old stuff with more sustainable brands to then declutter that sustainable stuff again a little while later…. So yeah, possibly the underconsumption core kids will swing on the other side of the pendulum also one day soon: but how should they be any wiser? Why do we expect them to be somehow quicker, more intelligent or more evolved? They maybe are also learning through their own experience only… so I won’t judge that trend. Any trend that somehow in the end leads to more considered consumption is good in my book.
A true movement from my perspective is not suggested by the word “under”. This word says trend whereas I gravitate towards inspiring words like “mindful” if I think about long term.
It would be very amusing if you could have Teresa from Teresa's Chaotic Corner as a guest - she provides the most accurate and hilarious non-partisan insights on fashion and aesthetics, both current and from the past eras.
I used to watch the RUclips creator 'A Simple Chic Life' - until I realised the whole channel was oscillating wildly between decluttering stuff and hauls.
Let’s face it: Decluttering is just plain wasteful. I think the antidote to all these things is to develop real hobbies and interests . We won’t think about all this trivial stuff once we’re occupied with things that really matter. I’m guilty over obsessing over these things too, but it’s more a symptom of a general malaise in society where we’ve become empty inside and superficial in our interests and what we choose to share with the world.
Maybe we’d all be happier if we were out playing and touching grass as we did when we were kids!
100% on all points.
Decluttering can be SO wasteful. And it’s sold in so many videos as a super virtuous thing to do - “donation”, “the piece will hopefully find a new home…” And then there is room in the closet to buy new stuff…
This comment should be pinned. ❤
I’m happy that I only watch utube and not other platforms. I have a hard enough time with the recommendations that I see on this platform. I have been a shoe lover since my early grade school days and that will never change. I made a lot of my clothes when I was in junior high through college and even for my first job and when I became a mom. However that changed when I started a career in my 40s. That’s when I started buying more clothing because I had no time to sew. Granted, I did buy a lot of second hand but also much more from standard retailers. Now at 77 I don’t need that many clothes, and certainly not work type clothes, but I still love a blazer and a Chanel-type of jacket. I have told myself I will just wear them to go to the grocery store or out to lunch because they make me feel great. But can’t wear them lawn bowling because that would not be practical. I have been doing a lot of decluttering of clothing and shoes this past month after my husband died. My daughter has helped me through the first wave of the process but there is so much more to do to make my house and life more comfortable as I go forward solo. I am certainly a work in progress even at this age!
Yes! I see this sometimes on RUclips too! Even if it is a longer format but like; now we need to declutter as Christmas is coming up because we are going to have so much new stuff… I think we are a lot of people that CHOOSE to have a budget that reflects how we want to live. I am certainly not frugal. So my husband and I travel and enjoy friends & family, good food and shopping almost all over the world but with a capsul wardrobe, gratitude for how lucky we are. AND with not only a capsul wardrobe in mind but with that mindful consumption about everything in life! I hope that my legacy will be to show my children and grandchildren that a good life can be attainable if you buy less, choose well and make it last in all aspects of life. As one of my favourites once put it! Vivienne Westwood
I’m a senior. We didn’t waste anything. I would cherish and use one lipstick, using a pick to dig out the product once the tube was no longer applicable. The purchase of the next tube was made thoughtfully and carefully, taking time to choose just the right color. The same for nail polish, etc. The same for clothing.
I'm GenX and I remember this from my childhood and young adulthood too. I also feel lucky to have come of age in the 90s when clothes were still made in my country and I could buy stuff that wasn't totally fast fashion on a student budget.
❤ it’s been a no buy year for me. I’ve got my rules and my reasons in 2024. I’m 59. It was time to update my look and get happy getting dressed again! This happened after declutterring, defining my style words, shopping my closet and using a weekly rack, some over consuming & my passion for saving our planet from turning into a huge garbage can. It’s my fervent passion about the planet that will keep me on a low buy, second hand over new and conscientiously shopping forever more. Consumerism is out of control. My WHY is a motivating factor and 7 months into it- I’m solid. Thank you 😊 for helping me along this journey 🎉
I'm glad that Christina brought up the footprint of decluttering. I'm just as concerned about where my old stuff winds up as how much stuff I've acquired. At this point I'm not letting anything go unless I have a solid home for it - a clothing swap, a friend who really wants it, a charity that really does use/sell the pieces they get.
I wonder if the under consumption trend/ movement (whatever we want to call it) is simply a response to economic downtown to make spending less feel better. This concerns me as once inflation goes down folks will quickly return to consuming without any positive changes in habit.
Tbh, underconsumption core gets one thing better than a lot of minimalism influencer. They cherish old things and keeping stuff instead of tossing and buy an update. Not every minimalist influencer is guilty of this but especially with clothes there are a lot of „updates“, donating things that are still totally usable for a „better“ version of it. For me underconsumption and „updating“ contradicts. I am only on RUclips and here are a lot of people showing their grandparent’s old dishes they use everyday or their 12yo favorite dress they already mended a few times. I think it’s really inspiring to go the xtra mile of reuse, repurpose, repair instead of give in and „update“. We should also totally normalize using things that aren’t in perfect shape anymore. My kids are the only ones in kindergarten with patches on the jeans. Terrible! And strangely we’re not lower income than a lot of the others. But I am scared. Will we be able to do it in school? Or will there be too much pressure? Normalizing using what you already have will make it easier for EVERYONE to better keep usable things. Because the donations often will be tossed anyway - there is too much of everything like you said. For the first purge I donated a lot, sold a lot. Now most of my decluttered things (but children’s clothes that are passed on and books, books always come in and go out as I read them) are simply broken or totally worn out and already used for cleaning the bike. I was always more on the eco-minimalism way. Never decluttered as much as other minimalists. Seeing people doing the same is supporting.
To sum up: I like the trend. I like that it’s a theme. Of course, it has typical Social Media problems. I didn’t see the trend on TikTok but on RUclips. And there it leads to a lot of positive discussions (like this podcast).
appreciating your thoughtfulness. the one thing i find challenging is the 'right to repair,' i.e. some things are very hard to keep, repair, re-use because they are designed with planned obsolescence. With clothes there are often more options, fortunately.
Yeh I love this movement. I know the pendulum swings and I’m sure overconsumption will be more popular again once the economy is more stable…? But at the same time it is really comforting and positive to actively under consume! Buying less and really appreciating what you buy and then making the most of what we already have. We should support this mindset always ❤
We have always seen an avalanche of ads that tell us how lacking we are without their products. I feel that following an influencer who is telling us the same thing, is an influencer that needs to be called out.(politely please).
What you all say is so sane. We are humans who need to be at home in our own skins. Without that, it's all constant pressure to fix and sooth ourselves.
So, thank you for having these conversations.
I think that people forget they aren’t influencers, no one is watching what they are doing so they don’t need to keep up with these trends. I think this trend should affect shopping habits going forward but you don’t have to get rid of all of your stuff because other people are doing so
This discussion made me think of my grandparents, even before Alyssa mentioned hers towards the end. They were born around WW1 and raised my mom and her siblings during the Depression. Many people in the FB Decluttering groups speak of the massive amounts of stuff theIr parents and grandparents have because they lived thru the Depression and now they themselves have too much because they learned from the other you must keep what you have just in case you might need it or you won’t have the money to replace it. So now people in their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s have huge amounts of stuff to clean out/declutter because they didn’t throw things out or they over-consumed because they had more money than their parents/grandparents did.
But my grandparents were not like so many I read and hear about, they lived minimally, only buying what they needed, my mom said their farmyard and house were always neat and tidy, no “excess”. I recall my grandparents home in the city always being minimal and tidy but also warm and inviting. They lived like that out of choice too as they didn’t believe in buying what you don’t need or won’t use.
We need to dive deep as you say to really assess what we truly need to be content and happy. It sure doesn’t come from these blips of stimulus on TikTok or any other social media platform, but I wonder if people are afraid to look that hard in the mirror or at themselves???
Thank you for pointing out that older generations could overconsume because they could actually afford to! The sheer amount of things my grandma owns and that many families grapple with after elders pass is very similar to overconsumption we see online, only difference is that seniors aren’t generally posting tik toks lol. That said, individual personality obviously plays a role and so lovely that you have these memories of your family ❤
@@Aleatoire9 it’s funny, from a young age I noticed these things about my grandparents but the memories and reflections have resurfaced as I mourn the very recent loss of my mom. I feel it’s like a whisper of encouragement from them to keep working on myself and my family, to be more conscientious about consumption and find satisfaction in experience and adventure instead of “stuff”
This month I bought 5 or 6 new pieces (jacket, bag, cardigan) from quality sites, more expensive than I would usually buy, but hopefully they will last longer and look better too. I'm on a budget and these are a treat, but I save on lots of other things, I don't travel, I don't spend money on coffees at cafes, I don't eat out or order food in, I don't drink or smoke, I've stopped going to the cinema or theatre (there are great YT channels I watch instead), I do my own cleaning and so on. It's a balance. I chose to buy a few pieces that were not essential but they make me feel good, they make me happy and I don't buy trends so I will wear them forever. And I'm glad I bought them as the Zara suede jacket is already sold out in my size.
Understanding the dynamics of a multi generation audience has got to be the most challenging thing- I’m 52 and notice that in social media, generations have differing approaches- of course there are exceptions- and addressing the different approaches in a channel is too tricky. If anyone is being judgmental, cheeky, and insensitive to others’ experience and translations, I excuse myself from their negativity- I don’t have the heart or time for selfish BS like that. As you said, do your way and those who appreciate will follow. 💕you all are grounding in different ways and bring me back to my true self filtering the nuances of social media chatter.
I needed this today...to many clothes with tags hanging on them. I will not shame myself...I will do better 😊
You’ve got this! 🌟
Great conversation. Thanks!
Shawna Ripari and Beepworld both recently released videos discussing this same topic! They had some great thoughts. I don't have people in my day to day life that I can discuss these ideas with and I am grateful I can tune into your content ❤
I just watched both of these videos! Both also excellent ❤
Idky but this made me think of laini ozark from earlier this year when she did the 75 hard challenge-she would repeat “don’t get rid of your clothes!!” like a lot 😂 and it actually made so much sense! If we act with our default being to not buy anything new, we should be preserving what we have! I’m not saying never buy anything and never get rid of anything ever again, but I do think decluttering can habituate us to wildly frequent turnover in our wardrobes and we never learn to cherish what we have and consider carefully what we buy.
I'm so glad you guys are creating such meaningful content and sharing it with us. And the comments under this episode - so much depth and wisdom that I feel is so scarce across social media these days. Thank you!
Minimalism and 'underconsumption' remind me of 20 years ago when the alternative health care response to certain health issues was to 'cleanse.' It can be useful in the short-term. Clear stuff out, hit the re-set button, simplify your focus. But for me over time, constantly considering what NOT to have/use/consume actually leads to depletion; and in the North American puritanical culture can play out as self-punishment. Asking 'what am I nourishing myself with'--whether that is food, clothing, items in my home, or the company I keep--has been more useful to me as a long-term strategy. It helps me focus on Living.
I agree with so much of what you all have said! I think the cure is really getting to know our authentic self. When it comes to clothing, it's so important to know our style identity, accept our body shape, declutter the fantasy self pieces, and learn our 3 words and the colors that flatter our skin. Acknowledging our lifestyle and choosing functional pieces that we love, takes time, reflection and work. Learning that it's okay to make mistakes and the sooner we acknowledge them and are gentle with ourselves, the sooner we can move those things out of our closets and on to others. We will be less inclined to add more pieces to our closets if we're really satisfied with what we already have. That's not something that can be contrived, and it's important to create that wish list to eventually fill the gaps so that getting ready can become fun and easy. Once we reach that point, our confidence soars! We won't be tempted by fast fashion fads and overconsuming.
I love this podcast! Thank you ladies! 🙏🏽💕
I’ve listened to a few videos on this now and this was a great nuanced conversation, thank you! I’ve noticed that since this “trend” has come about, I’ve been more interested in caring for what I already have. My husband and I spent $30 and one hour buffing leather and wood goods and things look better than new and we might have decluttered some of this stuff otherwise! We are now about to take some pieces to the tailor too 😊
Great topic, love the unpicking on this, I can totally relate to Christina's reflections like the back to school shopping, I always struggle in March and September. (Back to school & new season plus March my birthday month and another season change. Plus Christmas as I'm spending more time surrounded by consumption.
I want to be more minimal as I know it's better for my health, mind ect, but I'm a recovering shopaholic and I live with others who have a lot of stuff and I still have urges to consume, so I'm never going to be a complete minimalist.
I think the term underconsumption works well. If it's taken with all the right thought process in mind (not just a trend) underconsuming for the environment, for your health, to ensure no debt, because your mindful of why etc
I feel balance and been more mindful about what I am brining into my life is a better way forward to me. I do find the minimalists inspiring (as I do all of you), it helps keep me in check and reminds me to stop and think. I'm comfortable with that.
Never say never. Good luck and good job so far!
"I'm OBSESSED with underconsumption" lololol😂
Seriously though, as far as trends go, this one is fairly refreshing and may lead some folks to having a "reset" of sorts?
I would enjoy hearing from each of you, some of your favorite people to watch on whatever platform. I truly enjoy all three of you - stylish & fashion forward - yet still mindful and conscientious. Can you recommend like minded channels to check out? Thanks in advance…
I say this as a joke because I did find this a thoughtful and enjoyable conversation. Watching three (I assume) influencers on a podcast talk about the inherent inauthentic nature of influencing even when your content is authenticity as a concept. That felt like watching 3 chatbots interact and run circles around the subject of artificial intelligence and feeling like I was going to witness the divine spark first hand.
This was a great podcast. Thank you all so much!
I am always surprised how easily led people are. I can see right through influencers who promote certain pieces or do hauls, followed by decluttering etc. and I don't watch/listen to them. Some channels offer great advice that has helped me become more current after years of depression and virtually no buy. But I still think with my own head. And I'm also sick of influencers promoting the same capsule wardrobe, I'm sick of hearing you need a white button up shirt (is there a colour more impractical? And who likes ironing?!!) or wide leg jeans that make you look wide (the clue is in the name, just look at yourself n the mirror, also from the back and you will see how much wider you look.) We need to listen to any advice objectively and think for ourselves. It's OK to try new trends/buy new pieces but look at the way they fit as objectively as possible and return immediately what doesn't suit.
Great conversation. Really enjoyed Signe’s point about people being a Work In Progress 👏
Saying 'no' in today's society is much harder than saying yes and it is a struggle to avoid it. It also the way our global economy is structured. So if you do choose to say no or you have to, then that to me is showing discipline and self regulation.
Love this nuanced discussion, and the highlight on what we used to do for consumption, which has changed so much with the change in marketing strategies. I have definitely been guilty of feeling like I need something new every time a new collection comes out, and you have inspired me to curate the content I get emails and ads from, thank you!
I believe as with everything, it depends on what type of person one is. If you truly care about the planet, what you use, what fabrics feel comfy, what you actually use - simply if you pay attention and think about a bigger picture, or if you simply follows trends mindlessly.
I think it's good underconsumption is a thing, but the problem is if it's going to leave any lasting trace or impact.
I am Gen X. I never have bought a lot of clothes, but there have been a few times in my life that my needs changed and I bought quite a bit and decluttered quite a bit because I was in a transition. I just wanted to say that - I think mostly buying a few things but there may be times in life when you shift.
Such a great discussion! Not sure how I feel about the “trend” but I hope that some people will keep going on consuming less. If we all consume less, the world will be better. ❤ Thanks for what you do! ❤❤❤
I always remind myself that my brain is ancient; it's basically a hunter gatherer brain. So scrolling and searching for something just plays into my brain's innate drives.😅 So I give myself permission to do it - up to a certain point. I defo need to mother myself and make myself put my phone away, but I have a browsing budget for 2nd hand buys and I have a favorites list for bigger purchases and it scratches that itch.😂
Yes!
Question for you: is it better to listen to this podcast on RUclips or Spotify? I mostly don't listen twice, so would love to know which of these two options helps this podcast the most :)
Michael Easter’s book Scarcity Brain has some good information of how the content we see on the internet creates cravings for more stuff. It is very difficult to resist because we see advertisement everywhere there is a screen.
Thanks for the recommendation!
Thank you for the topic, I didn’t know about the underconsumption trend or movement , but it sounds good that we have it, however I agree, that with any trend we shouldn’t take it mindlessly ❤ I personally discovered that after a No Buy month my desire to buy things really becomes diminished, although I thought it would grow. So interesting to discover yourself with all those challenges or trends 🙌🏻 But only what fits us and our lifestyle will stay with us for long term, I think ❤ thanks for motivation ❤
Excellent ❤
I don’t see really any difference between minimalism and underconsumption core: How many of the minimalism RUclipsrs came to minimalism as a result of absolute over consumption beforehand - getting sick of their own haul videos feeling ashamed et cetera et cetera converting from constant shopping to “a black and a white T-shirt is all I need” to then declare a few month later “I quit minimalism” in another video… those videos were trending all over the place! They were also (!) decluttering along the way, replacing the old stuff with more sustainable brands to then declutter that sustainable stuff again a little while later…. So yeah, possibly the underconsumption core kids will swing on the other side of the pendulum also one day soon: but how should they be any wiser? Why do we expect them to be somehow quicker, more intelligent or more evolved? They maybe are also learning through their own experience only… so I won’t judge that trend. Any trend that somehow in the end leads to more considered consumption is good in my book.
A true movement from my perspective is not suggested by the word “under”. This word says trend whereas I gravitate towards inspiring words like “mindful” if I think about long term.
❤
It would be very amusing if you could have Teresa from Teresa's Chaotic Corner as a guest - she provides the most accurate and hilarious non-partisan insights on fashion and aesthetics, both current and from the past eras.
I used to watch the RUclips creator 'A Simple Chic Life' - until I realised the whole channel was oscillating wildly between decluttering stuff and hauls.
Why do christina still identify as a shoppaholic?