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My 6 Steps to Underconsumption

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Quick Spin:

• The scientific connection between consumption and stress
• My 6 Step Minimalism Edit
• The Diderot and Endowment Effects

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♟️ MY TURN:

Returning from a busy summer and then jumping right back into school, I found my brain feeling scattered and chaotic.

My natural inclination was to scroll, find some possible solutions, buy it, repeat.

My closet is a mess. Nothing to wear. Shop.

My health is a mess. Need more workout gear and supplements. Shop.

Whenever I feel myself in auto-pilot…. I stop.

I realized this was subconscious programming and NOT what I actually needed.

I needed less, not more.

So for the last 4 weeks I’ve been on a journey of underconsumption.

• I donated half my closet.
• I cleared out the drawers and cabinets in my kitchen.
• I removed apps from my phone.

As I took each donation bag to my car, I could feel my brain and body lighten.

Perhaps a psychosomatic effect but this caused me to do some research.

Is there a scientific connection to consumption and stress?

In short, yes.

In long, here are 3 scientific connections I found between consumption and how we feel.
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#1. The Diderot Effect

Have you ever found that once you start buying a new outfit, shoes or big amazon order…..you end up on 3 other websites with full carts?

This is called the Diderot Effect.

The Diderot Effect states that obtaining a new possession often creates a spiral of consumption which leads you to acquire more new things. Consumption leads to more consumption.

My takeaway? We have to actively break the cycle.

And guess what?

I’ve lowered my spending by 50% since doing the edit I’m going to share with you today.

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#2. Clutter and brain signaling.

How we feel is directly linked to the signals our brain receives.

When you see clutter, it signals to the brain that you aren’t done with work.

So you can’t ever decompress.

Instead your brain is signaling that there is more to do and you become anxious /overwhelmed.

In one study, people with cluttered homes were likelier to have elevated cortisol levels later in the day than those with uncluttered homes.

In contrast, studies have found that minimalism leads to heightened productivity and focus.

When we surround ourselves with fewer possessions, we minimize the chances of being overwhelmed or sidetracked by unnecessary items.

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#3. The Endowment Effect

We value things more when we own them.

This is known as the endowment effect.

Daniel Kahnerman, Jack Knetsch and Richard Thaler conducted an experiment where participants were given a mug and then given the opportunity to sell their mugs or to trade them for pens of equal value.

They discovered that once people had accepted the mugs and established ownership, the amount participants demanded for selling the mug was twice as high.

This was in sharp contrast to the amount they were initially willing to pay to acquire the mug.

So how do we actively combat the Endowment and Diderot Effects and break the cycles of consumption?

Keep reading.

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♟️ YOUR TURN:

To combat the overwhelming number of signals to my brain and increase focus, I created a 6 step “Minimalism Edit”.

It’s the exact edit I took to my own life to help me find more clarity and peace in my day.

I’ve summarized a lot of this below but if this resonates and you want deeper instructions, reply and let me know. I might build out a more robust toolkit for this!

Step 1: The Closet Edit

What would happen if you reduced your closet in half?

Clothes carry meaning and hope.

For me there were so many clothes from my post divorce, independent girl era that it felt like I was “giving up” a part of me with the clothes.

But that’s feeling, not fact.

4 Questions I asked myself as I cleared my closet?

• Have I worn this in the past year?
• Why am I keeping it?
• Is that reasoning emotional or logical?
• Does it spark joy? Marie Kondo is onto something with this.
• These questions led me to donating half of my closet and simplifying my wardrobe.

Then I created a 3W Uniform.

What is my go-to outfit for work, weekend and workouts?

I then made sure I had 3 of each of those and donated most of the rest.

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Step 2: The Home Edit

Knowing exactly where something is in your house will save you over 2 hours a week. That’s over 100+ hours a year.

So I conducted a home edit.

Every Sunday morning, while the kids did their homework, I picked a room in the house….set a timer for 2 hours….

And got to work.

I cleared out drawers, cabinets, bins of toys and asked myself the same 4 questions:

• Have I used this in the past year?
• Why am I keeping it?
• Is that reasoning emotional or logical?
• Does it spark joy? Marie Kondo is onto something with this.

What would it feel like to simplify your home? Why are you holding on to that drawer of wires that you don’t know what they belong to?

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Step 3: The Tech Edit

Now it’s time to look at your phone and computer.

• How many apps are in your phone?
• How many folders or icons are on your desktop?
• How many tabs are open?

All of these things signal to your brain that you could be doing more.

We need to remove these signals.

Spend one morning at a coffee shop and clear your phone, desktop and open tabs. Wake up the next morning and see how much more clarity you feel when you open your tech.

(There is more to a tech edit including what we consume on technology but I’ll save that one for a later newsletter)

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​Step 4: The Wellness Edit

If you’re saving recipes + workouts but find yourself never doing any of them, you need a wellness edit.

Simple but finished is better than complex and incomplete.

Friction will derail you from your goals.

The more friction between you and the goal, the less likely you are to do it.

The Wellness edit is designed to simplify daily routine and reduce friction.

Steal my 5 part simplification:

• Weekly meal plan (eat the same thing every week)
• Visible supplements - I moved my supplements to the counter so I could see them and remember to take them in the morning.
• Simplified skincare - I picked my 5 favorite products and got rid of the rest. (cleanser, serum, day moisturizer, night moisturizer, retinol)
• Weekly workout plan with accountability - I sign up for the same 2 workout classes every week and have 3 training sessions with my trainer. I workout at 8:30am every single day.
• I have one water bottle to fill and drink every day.

What is your baseline wellness routine?

Plan it out.

Step 5: The Money Edit

I’ve written a lot about our relationship with money. There’s a lot of subconscious programming with money.

As part of my edit, I finally scheduled a meeting with a financial planner and looked at where my money is.

• Pick a day to sit down and open all your accounts.
• Do you know where all your 401k plans are?
• Do you know what stocks you own?
• Do you know what you are spending on? Download your credit card statement and look at everything.

Spend a morning to look at everything.
Remove shameful self talk with inner narratives of pride.
You are taking back control of your money.
Start where you are and take one step.
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Step 6: The Relationship Edit

The final edit I did on my journey to minimalism and underconsumption is a relationship edit.

Ask yourself:

• Who in my life fills me up?
• Who drains me?
• What relationships are still a part of my life because they were in a past season?
• Who do you want to prioritize in this current season of life?

Note: I don’t believe you have to “break-up” with friends. I do believe in energy expenditure and prioritization. I also keep my phone on DND to stay in control of my energy space. I will look at texts when I’m ready to.
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To recap: My 6 Steps to Underconsumption

1. Closet Edit
2. Home Edit
3. Tech Edit
4. Wellness Edit
5. Money Edit
6. Relationship Edit

I’d love to hear if any of this resonates!! Reply back. I read all the replies!!

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113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
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