If you know that real value isn’t in physical things you have a more natural feeling for this.
But if – like most people – you like physical stuff, here’s a trick to Marie Kondo your brain when you want to buy new stuff.
Follow the money.
And more specific, follow how intense and frequently you will use it, and what value it will deliver. Where it is the physical thing.
Will it deliver comfort? Status? Pride? Happiness? And are you are really answering yourself honestly?
You are using this on a daily basis, very frequently, and quality matters:
- shoes (10+ hours a day)
- a bed (6+ hours a day)
- a coffee machine (2+ times a day. And this is personal, I myself gain tremendous pleasure out of good coffee, but not for most other people)
This is where quality matters just a little less, and it just needs to work properly (yes of course there are nuances):
- a dishwasher (who cares if it shows the number of minutes left)
- a car (cruise control is nice, as are automatic windscreen wipers. But who really cared before this was invented?)
- accessories (figures)
- dining chairs (15-30 minutes a day for most people)
Before you buy something (small or big), figure out how often you are going to use it and for how long. And then determine the percentage of your budget it will eat up. Does that make sense?