Over the past year, our furnace, water heater and fridge died. Collectively, those three items cost almost $5,000 to replace, which has left a gaping hole in our savings account.

Hence my resolution to stick closely to the budget this year, and to save harder (which is a whole ‘nother post). Sticking to the budget means not buying anything we don’t absolutely need. No more wandering a local shop to see what’s new. No more checking out the T.J. Maxx clearance sections. I’ve got to behave myself this year.

Not buying anything unnecessary is a wonderful way to keep down the clutter in our house, because clutter builds up after shopping trips. Either you buy something that replaces something else (that you then neglect to get rid of) or you make impulse purchases that are fun, unnecessary, and now require you to find space to put them.

So limiting my purchases automatically reduces incoming stuff. Yes, this is logical, but it’s funny how easy it is to forget that when you’re in the store and something cute or lovely is calling your name.

This also applies to thrift store and estate sale purchases, which have comprised the bulk of my shopping in recent years. No, I don’t spend much on those items, and I’ve come away with some really high-quality things for pennies on the dollar. But they still cost something, and they definitely add to the clutter in my small house. Sooner or later, they’ll fall into disuse and will have to be dealt with.

That’s why my resolution for 2019 is to buy less. I hope to keep the clutter down while building up the savings account. Wish me luck!