Do you really need that? No, you don’t.
Every dumb thing you own required some ghastly combination of fossil fuels, water, and marketing misanthropy to find its way into your home. Sure, you’re not about to fashion an iPhone out of foraged twigs, but you can put an end to impulse shopping. Impulse purchases rarely have to do with actual needs — they’re often just an emotional coping mechanism. Who among us has not tried to push away thoughts of inevitable demise with a pair of wedge moccasins that you’ve never worn in five years, not once? Quitting that nonsense is better for your emotional health, credit card bill, the KonMari balance of your closet, and the war against the capitalist machine. Fun habits die hard, even expensive ones! But, like us, they do have to die, so I got on the phone with a psychologist — not my own! — to get some advice. April Lane Benson specializes in the treatment of shopping addiction. Understand why most impulse purchases happen: Avoidi