the buy nothing challenge
Every Earth Day, we’re encouraged to think about our impact on the planet and today, I’d like to share an experiment/journey I’ve been on that has grown into a shift in how I live and consume more sustainably.
At the beginning of 2026 I wanted to change my purchasing habits. I wanted to spend less, consume less, and use what I already had more mindfully. I was inspired by the book, “The Buy Nothing, Get Everything Plan: Discover the Joy of Spending Less, Sharing More, and Living Generously”
by Liesl Clark and Rebecca Rockefeller and, in January of this year, committed to a year‑long buy nothing experiment. My rules: no purchasing anything that is not an essential or required item (think groceries, self care products, cleaning supplies once they run out, prescription medications etc).
Buying nothing has forced me to pause and ask: Do I actually need this? Do I already own something that works or can I borrow it from someone? If I do purchase this, will it add value to my life or just more clutter? And, if I were to hold the item in one hand and the cash it takes to buy it in the other, would I purchase the item or take the cash?
Of course, with today being Earth Day, I have been thinking about how impactful this challenge could be if we all purchased less things, used what we do have more mindfully, and added an additional ‘r’ to the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra: refuse. Every item we refuse to buy saves resources, energy, money, our time (an invaluable resource!) and an enormous amount of waste.
One of the joys of this challenge has been rediscovering things I already own. I’ve put outfits together I’ve never thought to wear before. I’ve learned to sew (kind of!) and repaired items I would have replaced. I’ve borrowed items from friends I only needed once or twice. I’ve loaned or gifted items to friends and family that were needed. I’ve repurposed things around our home. I’m even noticing our neighbours are participating in similar challenges and our community has become one of a gift economy, with items being left on driveways or at the end of pathways (toys children have outgrown, empty nesters decluttering their homes, avid readers sharing beloved books, people Spring cleaning….).
I’m only a few months in to the challenge, but it’s become both a creative opportunity and a creative outlet for me. I’ve also come to have a new appreciation for sustainability and about rethinking my relationship with STUFF. And when you choose to stop purchasing, a mindset shift happens. You start living more intentionally and become grateful for the things you do have instead of focusing on the things you don’t.
I invite you to try a buy nothing challenge if you’re curious or wanting to change your consumption habits. If a year feels overwhelming, try a weekend or a month and see how things go. See what you learn from it and how it makes you feel. You might be surprised by how empowering it is to simply choose less instead of more.
~Kate
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