There was a time when buying something new could feel like a little event.. A new bag, a different jacket, something for the home that I hadn’t seen before.. But to be honest..  the last two or three years, I have noticed a change in myself.. don’t feel the same urge to keep up with what’s trendy ( am old school as such you must be aware by now ..  ) and I am no longer particularly interested in changing things simply because something newer has arrived..

Perhaps l think everyone  have become proper old-school because that’s actually worth.. I buy the same kind of bags again and again, wear familiar jackets, and return to the same T-shirt colours I have always liked.. If something suits me.. feels comfortable and does its job, I don’t see the point of replacing it just to follow a trend !!! Plus if you know me I am a boring person !!

And honestly, it feels rather freeing.

We live in a world that is constantly suggesting what we should buy next.. There is always a new collection.. a better version, a home trend to try or a wardrobe essential we apparently cannot live without.. Even slow living, which should be about finding contentment in ordinary life, can become another reason to shop.. (minus the candles I love purchasing) 😂 Suddenly.. we need the perfect linen bedding, ceramic mugs, matching storage baskets and a wardrobe that looks as though it belongs in a magazine.. ( Won’t lie to you.. Ceramic mugs I am still struggling with.. cz I like – I get it.. )

Somewhere along the way, living simply has acquired its own shopping list.

This is what has made me curious about the idea of de-owning.. Not giving away everything we possess or deciding that buying things is wrong, but questioning our constant desire to acquire more and more.. What if we became a little more comfortable with what we already have? What if we stopped treating every new trend as an invitation to change our lives.. ??

For me now slow living has increasingly become about this quiet shift in perspective. I want to spend more time reading all the thriller twisty books, writing my blogs , enjoying my routines and noticing the little things that make an ordinary day feel good.. I don’t want to spend so much of my attention deciding what else I need..

7 ways to actually do so ..

1. Stop Buying Things Just Because They Are Trending

I have become much less interested in following trends over the last five to six years.. I don’t feel the need to keep checking what is fashionable or change my preferences every time something new becomes popular.

I am quite happy buying the same kind of bag again when I need one.. I have my familiar jackets, my favourite clothing styles and the T-shirt colours I naturally gravitate towards. I know what I like, and I don’t feel that every new season needs to bring a new version of me..

Perhaps this sounds old-fashioned.. but I find comfort in knowing my own tastes. There is something lovely about opening your wardrobe and finding clothes that feel familiar rather than a collection of things bought because they looked good on somebody else.

Of course.. there is nothing wrong with enjoying fashion or experimenting with your style.. The point is not to stop buying things you love. It is to recognise when you genuinely want something and when you are being encouraged to want it.

You don’t have to keep changing what you own to prove that your life is moving forward.

2. Learn to Love Repetition

We often associate repetition with boredom. Wearing the same jacket, buying the same bag or returning to the same routines can seem unimaginative in a culture that celebrates constant novelty.

But I have started to see repetition differently.

If I find something that works for me, why should I feel compelled to replace it with something completely different? If I love a particular style of bag, buying it again isn’t necessarily a failure to explore something new. It simply means I know what I enjoy.

The same applies to the ordinary things in life. We don’t need a different morning routine every month or a new way of organising our homes every season. Sometimes, doing the same things repeatedly is what makes life feel settled.

I like the familiarity of knowing what I will reach for in the morning. I like having routines that don’t require me to rethink everything. And I like the idea that my belongings can serve me for years without needing to be constantly reinvented.

Perhaps we underestimate the quiet pleasure of knowing what works and allowing it to keep working.

Not everything needs an upgrade. Some things simply need to be enjoyed.

3. Make Space for What You Love Before the Day Fills Up

I am someone who likes to plan things in advance.. I enjoy having a routine and knowing that I have made room for the things I want to do. It helps me feel that my days belong to me you know..  rather than being entirely shaped by whatever needs attention next !!

Reading and writing are two things I genuinely love if you know me well.. I can happily lose myself in a thriller, spend time thinking about a story or sit down to write something for The Dolly Diary. These interests give me something to look forward to beyond the usual list of daily responsibilities..

I have learnt that if I keep waiting until everything else is finished, the things I love can easily get pushed aside. There is always another task, another errand or something around the house that needs doing.

So I like the idea of making space in advance. Not every minute needs to be scheduled, but the things that matter to us deserve a place in our days.

This is also connected to de-owning in a way I hadn’t considered before. When I spend more time enjoying my books, writing my thoughts and returning to the hobbies I already love.. I feel less drawn towards the idea that I need something new to make my day interesting.

Sometimes, the answer to wanting more things is to make more room for the things that already make you happy.

4. Admire Beautiful Things Without Feeling You Must Own Them

I love beautiful homes, thoughtful details and the little things that make everyday life feel special. But I am learning that appreciating something doesn’t mean I need to bring it home.

You can admire a lovely bag without buying it. You can enjoy looking at somebody else’s home without trying to recreate it. You can see a beautiful piece of furniture, a new collection of books or a pretty object and simply appreciate the thought that went into it.

We have become so accustomed to turning desire into action that it can feel strange to leave things exactly where they are.. We see something, want it.. and immediately begin thinking about whether to buy it.

But there is pleasure in simply noticing.

I can enjoy an idea, take inspiration from it and return to my own life without feeling that something is missing. I don’t need every beautiful thing I encounter to become part of my wardrobe or my home.

This is one of the most useful ways to practise mindful consumption. It allows us to enjoy the world without feeling responsible for collecting pieces of it.

Sometimes, looking is enough.

5. Stop Treating Every Empty Space as Something to Fill

Have you ever cleared a shelf or a cupboard, felt pleased with the extra space, and then immediately wondered what you could put there?

I think we have become so accustomed to filling things that emptiness can feel unfinished. An empty corner needs decorating, a wardrobe with spare room needs more clothes, and a newly organised cupboard seems to call for matching containers.

But what if we allowed a little space to remain?

I am increasingly drawn to the idea of keeping things simple without turning simplicity into another project. If I have clothes I enjoy wearing, I don’t need to buy more just because there is room in the wardrobe. If I have books waiting to be read, I can enjoy them before adding another pile. If something at home works perfectly well, I don’t need to replace it because I have seen a newer version.

There is no rule that says every space must be occupied.

A home can feel complete without being full. A wardrobe can work beautifully without overflowing. And a life can feel rich without constantly accumulating more possessions.

Perhaps an empty shelf isn’t a problem to solve. Perhaps it is simply a little breathing room.

6. Stop Turning Every Hobby Into Another Achievement

Reading and writing are two of my favourite ways to spend time. I enjoy getting lost in a thriller, thinking about the characters long after I have finished a chapter, or sitting down to write about an ordinary moment that has stayed with me.

Writing The Dolly Diary gives me a place to explore those thoughts. It allows me to pay attention to everyday life and find something worth saying about it.

But I don’t want every interest to become another race towards an achievement. Not every book needs to contribute to a reading target. Not every thought needs to become a perfectly polished blog post. And not every hobby needs to turn into a side hustle.

We already live in a world where so much of what we do is measured. We track progress, compare results and look for ways to become better at almost everything.

I think there is something important about keeping a few things in our lives simply because we enjoy them.

The same principle applies to the things we own. We don’t always need the latest reading accessory, another notebook or a new gadget to enjoy our hobbies. Sometimes, the book we already have and the notebook waiting on the desk are more than enough.

Slow living, for me, means allowing pleasure to remain pleasure. It doesn’t always need a purpose beyond the simple fact that it makes life more enjoyable.

7. Learn the Difference Between Wanting More and Needing Something New

I haven’t stopped shopping altogether, and I don’t believe that is what de-owning should mean. We all need to replace things eventually, and buying something that genuinely improves our lives can be a good decision.

What has changed for me is the feeling that I need to keep up.

Over the last two or three years, I have become more comfortable repeating what works for me. I don’t need to change my wardrobe because a trend has appeared, and I don’t need to replace perfectly good things just because something newer is available.

I would rather spend my attention on a book I am enjoying, an idea I want to write about or the little routines that make my days feel like my own.

Before buying something, I find it useful to pause and ask myself a simple question: Do I genuinely need or want this, or have I simply become accustomed to wanting something new?

There is no need to turn every purchase into a moral dilemma. We can buy things, enjoy them and still be mindful about what we bring into our lives.

The important thing is to make the decision ourselves rather than allowing every new trend, advertisement or passing desire to make it for us.

Perhaps the freedom lies not in never wanting anything, but in no longer feeling that every want must be fulfilled.

Finding Contentment in What We Already Have

I don’t think a simpler life means owning as little as possible. I don’t want to turn minimalism into another standard to meet, another aesthetic to maintain or another reason to feel that my home and wardrobe aren’t good enough.

I still appreciate beautiful things. I still enjoy shopping when I need something. I simply don’t feel the same urge to keep changing everything around me.

I am happy with my familiar clothes, the bags I know I love, the books I read and the writing that gives me pleasure. I enjoy my routines and the feeling of making time for the things that matter to me.

And perhaps that is what de-owning means to me: not getting rid of everything, but becoming more thoughtful about what I allow into my life.

We spend so much time thinking about what we could add that we rarely stop to appreciate what is already there. Another purchase promises excitement, another trend promises reinvention, and another new thing gives us a brief feeling of possibility.

But there is another kind of satisfaction in knowing what you like, taking care of what you own and not feeling compelled to change it all the time.

I don’t need a new bag to enjoy getting dressed. I don’t need a new hobby to make my evenings interesting. And I don’t need to keep buying things to make my life feel like it is progressing.

Sometimes, the most meaningful change is not about bringing something new into your life.

It is about realising that the life you already have deserves your attention.

And I think there is something wonderfully old-school about that.

Love, Dolly 🤍