Short answer: Before you buy something for your home, wait 48 hours and ask five questions. Who made it? Where will it live? What will it replace? Will I still want it in a year? Can I look after it? If you can answer all five, it’s probably a keeper. And if the answer to “can I get this second hand?” is yes, start there.
Yes, we know. An ethical homewares shop telling you to buy less is a bit like a bakery recommending you try a salad. But we’d rather you own fewer things you adore, than a cupboard full of things you tolerated for a week.
Why would an ethical homewares store tell you to buy less?
Because the most ethical purchase is often the one you didn’t need to make.
When I bought Strangers Collective in 2020, the first thing I did with the suppliers I inherited was ask one question: who made this? That question gets awkward fast when you’re buying on impulse at 11pm. It’s hard to think about a maker’s working conditions when your thumb is already hovering over checkout.
So we’d like to slow you down. Gently. With a cup of tea.
What is the slow purchase?
The slow purchase is a short pause between wanting something and buying it. It can be an hour or a weekend. It gives you time to work out whether you want the object or just the small lift of getting something new.
Haul culture runs on speed. Slow buying is the opposite, and it tends to mean fewer returns, less regret and a home that feels like yours.
How do you tell an impulse from a genuine want?
An impulse arrives fast and fades fast. A genuine want sticks around and gets more specific.
| Fleeting impulse | Lasting addition | |
| How it feels | Urgent, a bit fizzy | Calm, a quiet “yes” |
| After 48 hours | You’ve forgotten it | You’re still picturing it on the shelf |
| Where it goes | “Somewhere, I’ll find a spot” | You can name the exact spot |
| What triggered it | A sale, a scroll, a bad day | A real gap in your home |
| Your reasoning | “It’s such a good deal” | “I’d use this weekly” |
If most of your answers land in the left column, put it back. If it’s still there in 48 hours and you still want it, that’s useful information.
What are the five questions to ask before you add to cart?
This is the one-minute check. Do it standing in the kitchen with the kettle on.
1. Who made this? Our favourite question, so it comes first. If you can’t find out, that tells you something. If you can, you’re buying from a person rather than a warehouse.
2. Where exactly will it live? Not “somewhere in the lounge.” The actual shelf, hook or corner. If you can’t picture it there, you’re buying a feeling, not a vase.
3. What is it replacing? The best additions take the place of something worn out or poorly made. A new ceramic mug is lovely. A tenth mug is a lot of mugs.
4. Will I still want this in a year? Trends are fun for about one season. Plain linen, solid timber and good stoneware tend to outlast them.
5. Can I look after it? Something you can wash, oil, mend or re-glaze lasts longer than something you have to replace. Care is the most overlooked part of sustainable homewares.
Should you buy second hand instead?
Often, yes. We’ll say it even though we sell new things.
If you need a plain wooden chair, a set of glasses or a solid side table, the most sustainable one is already made and sitting in someone’s garage. Buying it keeps it out of landfill and costs less. It might cost us a sale, and we’re fine with that.
In New Zealand, good places to look include:
- Op shops and community stores for crockery, glassware, baskets and linen
- Trade Me and Facebook Marketplace for furniture and bigger pieces
- Buy Nothing groups for the small stuff people are glad to pass along
Second hand works best when you’re after a standard item and the quality matters more than the story. Buying new makes more sense when you want something made by a known maker, something that’s hard to find used, or something that really should be new, like bedding or anything you can’t properly clean.
A useful rule of thumb: check second hand first, then buy new on purpose.
Does buying less actually help?
Yes, in two ways. Fewer purchases means less demand for fast, cheap production, and that’s where much of the waste and poor labour practice sits. It also frees up money for fewer, better things from people who are paid properly.
We lean towards NZ-first and small makers because your money goes further there. That doesn’t mean never buying. A home is meant to be lived in, and sometimes that calls for something new. We’d just like it to be chosen.
How do you shop mindfully in NZ without feeling like you’re missing out?
Make the pause a habit and give the urge something nicer to do.
- Keep a “maybe” list on your phone. Add the item, then leave it for 48 hours.
- Unsubscribe from emails that shout. Countdown timers, "last chance" and "only 3 left" exist to create urgency you didn’t have before. Keep the ones that arrive quietly and tell you something.
- Shop your own home first. Move the vase from the bedroom to the hallway and see if the want goes away.
- Save up for one good thing instead of buying four okay ones.
With Christmas on the way, it’s a good moment to practise. Gifts are a particular trap. A thoughtful, locally made present beats a pile of novelty items that end up at the op shop by February. If you’re stuck, our gift picks are a good place to start.
The one-minute check, in short
Wait 48 hours. Ask who made it, where it lives, what it replaces, whether you’ll want it next year and whether you can look after it. Check second hand first. If it still passes, buy it and enjoy it properly.
If it doesn’t, you’ve saved some money and a bit of cupboard space. We’ll call that a win too.
**AI Assisted**
