Small steps are needed! One of the things that I did when I realized I was buying way more than I ever needed of (kitchen stuff, clothes, shoes, bags...) was to look around and see how much physical space I actually had. My place actually felt crowded - too many clothes, cluttered kitchen, too many shoes. I then decided for the sake of space, to get rid of stuff. For clothes and shoes, it was what I didn't wear, didn't fit (and I wasn't willing to get tailored), or was in sad shape. For the kitchen, it was anything decorative or a uni-tasker, or poor quality (gift, handme-downs, or from the college days). For beauty, it was colors I would never use and expiration dates.
The entire clean-up process took time (Which also means something to do, other than shop!). And honesty - what will I really use or need? I weighed the extra space and cleanliness against whether it was worth it to keep an item. Stuff that was returnable, I returned. Stuff that was sell-able, got eBay-ed. I didn't do the garage sale route for the rest, but many people do. I donated to the Salvation Army and got a tax deduction. I got some money back in the exercise, but not nearly the amount that I should have not spent in the first place. I realized that those 2 or 3 on-sale 'meh' shirts really could have been 1 really nice shirt. I would save space, and like the product more.
I've also learned to window shop and just browse again... to test and browse without feeling guilty, and to get an idea about what I really want. The product has to be just about perfect before it has the privilege of taking up space in my home. Set high standards for what you're going to keep, and ask if something deserves to be bought and let in you home. It's a tough road. Be strong, and take little steps.
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