Clothes Shopping, Xmas shopping, or just browsing QVC.com?

It does not matter if you are clothes shopping in a trendy boutique, shopping on line, exploring the home shopping network, or watching the home shopping channel on TV, shopping is an emotional activity.

A printable wardrobe planning checklist is available in the Easy Organizer Kit.

You can keep up to date with size information and preferred wardrobe items for all family members with the personal information templates.

"Too many people are spending money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like."

Will Rogers

What are your reasons for going shopping today?

Your final purchase decision will be influenced as much by emotions (how does this make me feel?) as by logic (can I afford it?).

Emotions will never bring about the control you desire for an organized home and life.

The emotional aspect of clothes shopping or any shopping for that matter has long been recognized by businesses that want to sell you their goods. A whole industry is built on this knowledge base ....it is called marketing!

People who study marketing are really studying the emotions that influence consumers' purchase behavior. They seek to understand the influences on shopping behavior so they can present their goods and their message in a way that creates the emotions necessary to stimulate your purchase. A glance inside a consumer behavior text book will reveal headings in the table of contents such as:

self concept and self esteem
peer and group influence
attitudes
lifestyle
motivation and Personality

It almost reads like a first year college course on psychology! And indeed it covers most of the same basics, but in marketing these basics are applied to the purchase behaviors of consumers. They want you to spend your money on their goods, and they will use every conceivable influence to do that. If you have the money to do that all well and good, but in the context of this discussion on organized living we are more concerned with these questions;

Are you shopping to meet emotional needs rather than clothing needs?

What else could you be doing with your time?

Is this really a productive activity?

Where will you put it when you get it home?

Do you go shopping for the emotional experience or because you actually need something?

Shopping used to be about obtaining needed goods and resources for everyday living. But today it is an activity that people use to satisfy a wide range of human needs including recreational diversion and social interaction.

It is no longer about clothes shopping or furniture shopping, or grocery shopping.....now it is about the "buying experience". Even the language has changed. People don't shop for something any more instead they "go shopping".

However, your social needs are better satisfied through establishing and maintaining satisfying interpersonal relationships.

This is actually free! and you do not even need to go to the shopping mall or figure out a place to store your personal relationships!

Controlling purchases is essential to organized living.

Shopping can be a fun experience but organized living is only possible if you are in control of that experience rather than having it control you. If you are unaware of your personal motives for shopping and accumulating things you can quickly become overwhelmed with trying to control the ever accumulating amount of stuff in your home.

If you want to be in control of your purchasing it is absolutely essential to understand the emotional influences that motivate you to get out your debit card! This requires understanding the emotional influences on your purchase behavior as well as an analysis of your own needs and the reasons you are engaging in shopping behavior. At the very least you should be as informed about what influences you to buy something when you go clothes shopping as the people who are trying to sell it to you!

Organizing Tips to Establish Shopping Control

Always use a a shopping list - (See A Grocery List Improves Organized Living) - It doesn't matter if your are grocery shopping, clothes shopping, or Xmas shopping, research has shown that using a list keeps you focused and reduces your vulnerability to marketing messages. You will also spend less time in the store.

View your wardrobe as a system - all pieces should work together. New purchases should be viewed as part of that system instead of as a single purchase.

Invest in timeless classic pieces - don't be a slave to the latest fashion trend. Instead build a wardrobe around separates that can be accessorized with belts, scarves and jewelery. This way your wardrobe will not become outdated quickly and you will not have to go clothes shopping so often.

renew your clothing staples on a regular basis - every year purchase replace all your underwear, socks, and bras. Toss the old and bring in the new! The suggestion for this annual renewal could be variable depending on your lifestyle. This means that you will buy your annual supply of these items all at once. When they come home from the store to take up residence in the closet the previous tenants are out.

buy multiples of wardrobe items that work - If you find a good dress shirt or style of pants that fit you really well and work in your wardrobe system buy several, in different colors if you like. This can also help with closet organization.

Say no to yourself more often - don't become a slave to the latest fashion trend. Research has shown you wear 20% of your wardrobe 80% of the time. You are already paying a lot of money to store clothes you do not wear very often. (See Declutter Now - the real cost of clutter)

Purchase clothing that you need for your lifestyle, but don't buy something just because it is on sale. It is far better value to spend the extra money on those classic timeless pieces. In the long run you will spend less because they do not need to be replaced as often.

So on your next shopping trip, whether you are clothes shopping, TV shopping, or just browsing the internet, get control of your shopping habits before they take control of you.

Develop some awareness of your own motives for accumulating goods, put some shopping controls in place, and you will be on your way to better control of your life, your closet, your finances and your time!

Go to Closet Ideas to find out more about how to make your closet user friendly.

Information at Personal Money Management Organize Finances and Organize Your Life can help you understand your money better.

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