I didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving, but there’s something I’m actually very thankful for:  Black Friday and Cyber Monday happening at the end of the month when my bank account can’t possibly tolerate any extravagances. With all the temptation that’s constantly surrounding me – insta pics of people’s latest purchases and the plethora of promo codes flying around everywhere, I feel like I couldn’t even trust myself if going shopping didn’t mean I’d be pretty much ruined the week after. Really, it’s the only time of the year that I’m actually happy about being constantly broke.

And this year’s been especially hard. Since I’m getting more and more involved with people’s stories on Instagram (even though I never met them irl), I’ve been continually bombarded with posts inviting me to check out this or that brand’s website. And yes, I did crack. But only just a little bit. Six items. (That’s a very small amount for my standard.) All from my favorite store which is H&M. And compared to the Hunger Games re-enacted in some US stores, I feel like I stayed quite reasonable, since I only bought some pants, two dresses, a sweater, a blouse, a scarf and some earmuffs (it’s cold outside!) – all combined on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I didn’t go crazy, and this is why:

I don’t want to accumulate any more stuff

In the last year alone, I’ve moved more than five times. It was such a pain and I realized that I own way too much stuff. And even after I’d gotten rid of two big bags of clothes, I still had way too much. So my new goal is to wear everything my closet contains on a regular basis. And the clothes that I end up not wearing in a year will have to go, eventually.

I want quality stuff

It’s insane how much designer wear can do for you. For me, it’s such a big boost in confidence. I feel like nothing can be compared to the experience of wearing an Isabel Marant dress and feeling absolutely fabulous, just because the cut and the fabric are so on point. Seriously, I thought I was ruling the world, just because my dress spread this vibe for me. And that’s so much more than some generic item from any generic store can do for me. The minute I was wearing the high-end product, I knew I never wanted to downgrade again. So from now on, I’ll try to invest in high quality basics and only get the trendy things at stores like Zara, Mango or H&M. Not only will that make my entire wardrobe be more fashionable, it probably will also have a positive impact on the environment.

I want to live somewhat sustainably

I’m kind of fed up with fast fashion. I feel like I don’t get anything of quality (let alone that the way of manufacturing a low-cost item often, is morally questionable), and of course, there’s no point in trying to sell something you got for only 15 bucks. So instead of continuing to hoard fast-fashion items, I’d like to concentrate on the finer things. I prefer buying less, but making better choices in what I buy – and to keep an item for more than just one or two years.

I want to be excited about something new

Having everything available at all time has kind of made me lose interest in what’s new. Because what’s the point of owning something that’s in vogue for one minute and irrelevant the next? And why would I spend any money on something so futile? Instead, I want to be sure that this new item purchased will not just sit around, waiting for this one occasion I bought it for to happen. I want to feel comfortable choosing whatever I want in the morning (when I’m in a hurry) and still feel confident in the way I look. This (and because of the other reasons above) is why I’ve restricted myself from buying more stuff. The result of this small kind of detox is that I’m actually getting excited again about the few items I do buy. I really missed that.