January 2026 No-Buy Recap
Week 1 (Jan 1-10)
This week has shown me just how much purchasing things has become a reflex for me. I’ve realized it’s almost as though any time I want to participate in something, I feel the need to literally buy in. To no one’s surprise, being on my phone is a major trigger for impulse shopping. I spent the first few days of the new year unsubscribing from marketing emails and text messages, unfollowing lots of large businesses with sales that would tempt me in the past (looking at you, Anthropologie), and blocking companies that were inundating me with ads.
I was lucky not to have to go back to work til Jan 5th, so I spent Jan 1-4 incessantly crafting, just doing anything to keep me off my phone. I spent most of that time quilting and took extra care in each step. Not only did it yield my most technically precise quilt to date, but it meant really slowing down and forcing myself to mind details that I might have sacrificed for the sake of speed. The rest of that extra time was spent incorporating more movement into my daily routine through walks, at-home workouts, and dragging yarn around for my cats to chase.
Another thing I noticed this week, being dependent on my stash and free resources brought back the fun of being a beginner. This week I started a new project with yarn I bought during the Joann liquidation sales. Nothing fancy, just some dk weight cotton that I’d been wanting to turn into a lacy poncho. The process of finding a free tutorial on YouTube launched me straight back to learning to crochet from YouTube tutorials during the COVID lockdowns. Not to mention, it felt great to know all the resources I needed were already at my disposal.
On Thursday, I came down with the flu and ended up stuck in bed for a couple of days. I finished up the poncho and started on a dress for the summer using some Tynn Line I had leftover from other projects. There was no way I was going to get a full dress out of what I had leftover, so I finally bit the bullet and unwound some projects that I never wear. I’d rather give them new life in a project I love than sit in the back of the closet for a few more years. I’ve also started saving the ball bands/tags on any new skeins of yarn used. How fun will it be to see how many I’ve gone through at the end of the year!
Biggest win of the week: canceling 4 subscriptions and saving myself about $64/month
Things I wanted to buy this week, but didn’t…
Spools of guterman thread from wawak (I just used mismatched colors I already had for unseen seams)
Boy Throb Merch lol
Fabric remnants at the craft store (because they were a “great deal” - true! but that doesn’t mean I need to buy them)
Week 2 (Jan 11-17)
This week I enjoyed my first take-out coffee of the month, right before a 2-hour meeting at work. The best part is I did it completely guilt-free since I know I haven’t been frivolously spending throughout the month.
I spent more time baking things like sweet treats and bread instead of doomscrolling. This week, that meant some chocolate chip banana bread muffins and some super easy Macaroni Grill bread dupe AKA rosemary garlic bread, that I’m obsessed with. Its 10x better (and 10x cheaper) than what I pick up at the grocery store. This week was particularly chaotic, so I was happy to spend most of my free time at home with my pets and plants. I noticed that I hadn’t wanted to go shopping or look for a “little treat” this week, and it felt very freeing.
Saturday was my bestie, Jazz’s bday party (btw if you’re looking for the cutest jewelry check out their page). We spent the afternoon doing paint-by-numbers and drinking wine in the park, and I got to gift them the quilt I finished up earlier in the week, which they loved <3
Biggest win of the week: Being able to stick to planned spending!
Things I wanted to buy this week, but didn’t…
Yarn to recreate Derek from Stranger Things’ iconic sweater (though that may still be a project for this winter)
Week 3 (Jan 18-24)
We kicked off the week with a beach day with our friends. I picked up some fruit and chips alongside our groceries and we watched the sun set over the ocean. I made some good progress on my dress and harvested yarn from some unworn projects to keep going without having to buy more yarn (bonus points because it’s all from the same dye lot too!).
I’ve noticed that removing shopping from my “things to do” means that there’s a lot more time for getting inspired and thinking of design ideas. Now all that’s left is to remember to write it down! I’ve started keeping a pad of sticky notes close by to sketch out quick ideas, now my wall is slowly filling up.
My period reared its ugly head this week. I’m already anemic, so adding this in means a lot of (reluctant) rest and time to crochet. I finished my summer dress and made a little filet crochet sampler while watching a bunch of YouTube videos. Throughout the week, I finished my larger second sampler which I’m thinking of hanging in the window. Most of the charts I follow are pulled straight off Pinterest! There are thousands of modern and antique filet designs. I’ve been compiling some of my favorites in this Pinterest board.
Biggest win of the week: Cleaning up mental clutter and unlocking more of my creativity!
Things I wanted to buy this week, but didn’t…
TWSBI Eco Fountain Pen in Glow Purple
Ordering take out!
Week 4 (Jan 25-Jan 31)
This week has been a bit tougher for me. I found out my anemia is more severe than it once was; at least now I have an explanation for my constant fatigue and brain fog. My fatigue hit a point where I could hardly hold a crochet hook for longer than a few minutes. I’ve seen the hematologist and am on my way towards an iron infusion to get myself back on track! In the meantime, I’ve been trying to take it easy, and I found myself scrolling through eBay, boo! The anxiety of being ill, combined with the boredom of stillness led me right back to old habits. So I had a quick check-in with myself and remembered these weren’t things that I needed or would bring anything positive to my life right now. Buying some cute boots won’t do anything to help my anemia.
That led to a new question, what would bring positivity to my life right now? That led to my decision to start some slow decluttering. I’m planning on orchestrating two moves this summer, and the sheer quantity of stuff I have to pack up sends me straight into anxiety mode. After searching for the smallest bite of the elephant, I found it in the cabinet under my sink. Bottles of hair dye, expired skincare & cosmetics, 4 rattail combs? Slowly, the back of the cabinet emerged, and the clutter subsided.
One practice I’ve enjoyed implementing with my decluttering is seeing if someone in my life would like the item I’m decluttering before donating it to the thrift. I would rather my friends get free stuff first! When I do donate, I always prioritize donating to local thrift stores first. These stores tend to focus on the community they’re based in and are typically more fairly priced. The last thing I want is to line the pockets of some Goodwill corporate bigwig.
I finished off the week by spending Saturday in San Clemente with my fiber bestie, Camelia! We spent the day hanging out between a coffee shop, bookstore, and thrift shop and I didn’t buy a thing (except a latte I’d already budgeted for so yay!). We had the best time catching up and sharing fiber drama, and I learned that I can enjoy popping into shops without having to go home with anything <3
Biggest win of the week: Enjoying a day out browsing at shops without feeling like I need to buy any of it
Things I wanted to buy this week, but didn’t…
Basque waist dresses from the new Selkie collection
Vintage books
New cutlery set
January Wrap-up
The first month of this no-buy has been a very eye-opening experience. I hadn’t realized how much of my typical shopping habits had been essentially on autopilot. I didn’t think twice about buying clothing, books, or crafting supplies. If it was something I didn’t have, I assumed that justified purchasing it, especially for my craft supplies.
This is the first month in a long time that I can remember intentionally not buying extra craft supplies. I make that “extra” supplies distinction because I purchased some items to finish making gifts. I used 6 new skeins of yarn from stash, plus some odds and ends. I let my stash dictate my projects, not the other way around. That means spending more time finding creative ways to make things work rather than spending money for an easy fix. If I had to choose one word to describe how the first month of this challenge made me feel, it’s “lighter”. I don’t feel the need to shop sales or “stock up” on anything. The stress of participating in limited-edition indie dyer drops has subsided. My friend Camelia and I were talking about how there are so many similar colorways, and no matter how many times I see the words “limited edition” in front of a skein, there will, in fact, always be another pink and purple skein to pick from when the time comes.
Another major realization I had this month was noticing how much more easily I was able to access my creativity when my attention wasn’t being taken by consumerism. Self-drafting patterns came with ease, frogging and restarting projects didn’t frustrate me the way they once had. I am much happier to slow down.
The feeling of constantly being vigilant or in a rush subsides when I realize that it’s ok to desire and enjoy things without owning them. I truly have everything I need and more.
