A beautiful wardrobe is not one that has everything under the sun. A beautiful wardrobe is one that is thought-out and mindful. You can have fun pieces in a mindful wardrobe. You can be a maximalist at heart with a mindful wardrobe. The point is not to stop having fun with your clothes or get caught up in what you should have. The point is to shop better for you and to get more out of what you already have.

There is a huge difference between buying boots because they are trending and finding the of your dreams that you have been on the hunt for. In one case, you are buying because everyone has it, and it’s making you feel like you are missing out. In the second case, trends aren’t even a consideration, just that you love those boots and have been looking for the perfect pair.

Buying mindfully is all about buying more intentionally and putting more emphasis on working with what you have.

Start with What You Have

A good place to start when you want to buy more mindfully, for any reason, is by starting with what you have. Go through your wardrobe and organize it. You can set style challenges for yourself, explore new ways to wear what you have, and simply rediscover what you own but forgot about. This is a particularly useful exercise if you have a lot of clothes but never feel like you have anything to wear, or you end up wearing the same things over and over.

A good way to keep up this creative habit is by bringing your closet out into the open. An open closet system can make it easy to see what you have instantly.

Make a List of What You Want

Avoid impulse buying and buying only because something is trending by having a list for yourself. If you see something and absolutely love it, like a good pair of cowgirl boots, then put it on your list. This works better when the item is either out of your budget or is a style idea from a piece of media that isn’t available to buy.

From there, give yourself time. If you find something you love right now available to purchase, give yourself some time. For example, wait a week and then have another look at it. This way, you can avoid impulse buying caused by that initial surge of emotion.

Have a Checklist

Another great way to buy better is to have a checklist. Though your checklist can have whatever you want on it, a few key characteristics to keep in mind include:

• How many items do I own that can work with this new piece?
• What are some ways I can style?
• Is the quality good, and will it last?
• Is the material a good fit for my lifestyle?
• Would this item be better to rent instead of buying?

Having a checklist can keep your shopping habits in check simply by ensuring that the quality and the use is there. Renting, in particular, has massively changed the game when it comes to shopping. Instead of buying an expensive occasion dress, you can now rent it. This will help you save and can keep your wardrobe mindful.