“3 Months of Less” Challenge

Summary: 3 months of buying less and decluttering

Description

Everything we buy - from food and clothes to fuel - increases our carbon footprint. Furthermore, overconsumption is one of the leading contributors to climate change and global warming. Being mindful of our consumption and pondering if that purchase is a ‘need’ or a ‘want’ is essential to engage in a more sustainable lifestyle. 

This 90-day challenge consists not only in buying less but also in decluttering your house and your mind:

- Clothes, accessories, shoes, and bags - rethink your wardrobe and see what can be donated;

- Books, magazines, and newspapers - recycle or donate anything that is not your favorite or not useful;

- Contacts, accounts, emails, apps - clean up your computer/phone and delete everything that no longer has a purpose.

At the end of the 3 months, the goal is to have new environmentally-friendly habits of avoiding unnecessary waste and donating or reselling items you don’t need.

Deep Dive

Every second, the equivalent of a garbage truck load of clothes is burnt or buried in a landfill. This statistic, revealed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, is scary. The reasons why waste is so widespread in the fashion industry are overconsumption by customers, overproduction by brands,  and the poor quality of clothes, some made of plastic that can’t be recycled. If you are interested in calculating the carbon footprint of your wardrobe, check out this calculator by ThredUp. 

If you have completed the “3 Months of Less” Challenge, but still feel like you can still do more to declutter your life, this Random Cluttering Prompt Generator, by Less Stuff UK, suggests an area of your house or a thing to declutter.

Also, the “3 Months of Less” Challenge can be way more fun with friends! Invite peers to join you in this challenge and motivate each other throughout the 3 months. You can share your progress weekly, go to a thrift store together to donate clothes, and engage in other actions from our website related to recycling together.

Steps to Take

1. Avoid impulse purchases:

We tend to make impulse purchases when buying clothes and accessories to fit in with the current trends. Instead of buying a piece of clothing just because you saw someone else wearing it on social media, consider whether that item matches your style and the pieces you already own. Even if the answer is yes, ask yourself on how many occasions would you wear it. That way you can avoid buying trendy clothes that will be outdated in the future and will stick to timeless pieces and a more versatile wardrobe.

2. Make a list every time you go shopping:

Create a list every time you go either shopping or grocery shopping. You don't get to buy an item if it’s not on the list. However, we understand this can be very restrictive so if you like something that is not on the list, take a photo of the item and keep it in mind for the next time you go shopping. If you still really want it by then, add it to your new list.

3. Set a goal

Making a commitment can help you change your behavior. Here are some suggestions: ‘I will not buy any piece of clothing in the next 3 months, ‘I will donate 10 clothing items to thrift shops’, ‘I will clean my pantry, fridge, and freezer and compost what has gone bad and only buy what I enjoy’, ‘I will recycle or throw away all expired toiletries, makeup, or beauty products.’

4. Share your progress online and look for inspiration:

On social media, look out for hashtags such as #BuyLess, #BuyNothingChallenge, #Minimalism, and #MinimalisticLifestyle, and share your story and inspire others to take action on consuming less!