Things I Wish I Never Bought

In my pursuit of a simpler life, I’ve been mindful about my purchases to avoid wasting time, money, or energy on items that don’t enrich my life. Despite my best intentions, I’ve made some mistakes along the way. There are items I bought, genuinely believing they’d be beneficial, only to find they didn’t meet my expectations. They only served to clutter my space and burden me with guilt for their unnecessary purchase. Please remember, my life is different from yours, and I’m not suggesting you rid yourself of these items. I’m merely sharing my experiences with items I initially thought I needed but found my life to be better without them. You might find great use for these in your life, or perhaps you too have other items lying around that you wish you hadn’t bought. As always, take what resonates with you from my experiences, and leave the rest. Lets dive in!

Things I Wish I Never Bought

1. Cast Iron Pan

I was genuinely excited when I bought a cast iron pan. I had heard they were fantastic! With every use, they supposedly become more non-stick. They’re versatile – you can cook almost anything in them, and they’re handy for both the hob and the oven. Plus, they look rather stylish, don’t they? But despite all these positive attributes, I must confess, I wish I had never bought one. I struggled with using it, finding I needed to use an excessive amount of oil. It was also quite hefty, making it a chore just to get it from the cupboard. Despite my best efforts to get acquainted with it, I never really mastered its use. Eventually, I decided to donate it.

2. Wok

I once purchased a wok, hoping it would inspire us to incorporate more vegetables into our meals through weekly stir-fries. It seemed like a great idea at the time, but just like the cast iron pan, it ended up not being a good fit for me. I found that for the few dishes I did use the wok for, I could just as easily use a regular frying pan that was already in my kitchen. It soon became clear that I didn’t need a specialised pan to cook simple meals, and I’m certainly not a professional chef. Eventually, I stopped trying to force it into our routine and decided to donate it. Looking back now, I wish I had never bought it.

3. Juicer

There was a time when I thought purchasing a centrifuge juicer would be the key to boosting our intake of fruits and vegetables. The idea seemed perfect on paper, but the reality was quite different. I soon realised it wasn’t the right fit for me. The process of juicing is quite labour-intensive and costly, considering the amount of produce needed for a single glass of juice. It required quite a bit of effort to assemble the equipment, prep the fruits and veggies, and then clean up afterwards. Over time, I found it to be too much work for a glass of juice. Now, I simply eat the fruit instead. I might not get as many vitamins and minerals, but I do benefit from the extra fibre. Looking back, I wish I never bought the juicer.

4. Occasion Glasses

When we purchased our first home, I’ll confess, we fell into the trap of buying all the things that everyone else seemed to have in their homes. One of these purchases was an array of glasses for every conceivable occasion. In hindsight, I wish we had never bought them. In our home, our beverages of choice are simple – teas, coffees, and squash. We don’t have a use for shot glasses, brandy glasses, whiskey glasses, champagne flutes, or beer steins. The only glasses we use regularly are for juice, which can be any glass, really. Plus, when we have guests over, we typically serve tea or coffee.

5. Flavoured Teas

If I’m being perfectly honest, flavoured and herbal teas fall into the category of what I like to call “my fantasy self.” On some level, I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of these teas. I was drawn to their health benefits and the concept of choosing a flavour based on its inherent properties – I have an interest in Ayurveda. Yet, despite my best intentions, I found myself consistently reaching for my regular black or decaf tea. The flavoured teas remained untouched, lurking in the back of my cupboard. Each time I spotted them, they served as a reminder of this “fantasy self” I had conjured up. In retrospect, I wish I never bought them. It’s a little lesson in self-awareness, reminding me of the gap between the person I sometimes imagine myself to be, and the person I truly am.

6. Diet Stuff

One purchase I truly regret is diet items. Over the years, I’ve hopped from one diet to another, hoping to find the magic solution. In truth, these books, programs, stuff have done more harm than good. While they promise quick fixes, I’ve found these diets only work short-term and don’t lead to lasting change. Chasing after the “ideal” diet consumed so much of my time and energy, only to leave me back where I started (or worse).

In hindsight, I wish I had never bought into diet trends. Instead, I’ve learned that focusing on overall health, rather than weight, is a far better approach. This shift in perspective has brought a sense of calm and harmony into my life. Now, we as a family enjoy the same nutritious meals, and I must say, it’s a far more sustainable and joyful approach to health.

7. Cookbooks

I must admit, I regret buying cookbooks. I now use box with recipe cards, and I only take the time to write up a card if the recipe is a firm family favourite that we’ll be revisiting time and time again. I often find that my recipe inspiration comes from online sources, friends, and family. It’s not that there’s anything inherently wrong with recipe books; it’s just that they tend to consume quite a bit of space. Moreover, when I did have them, I discovered that I’d only ever use a couple of recipes from each book. This inevitably led to feel I should be trying more recipes from each book. By using my recipe box, everything is in one place making it very easy to find any recipe needed. So, in reflection, I wish I never bought those cookbooks.

8. High Maintenance Plants

Oh, where do I even begin? My journey with plants has been quite the rollercoaster. I fell in love with their lush greenery and the fresh, vibrant atmosphere they brought to my home. However, I’ve spent and, dare I say, wasted so much time trying to care for these delicate creatures, but with little success. A few years ago, I made a switch to mostly artificial plants. As much as I appreciate the aesthetic of real plants, I just couldn’t seem to keep them thriving. In retrospect, I wish I had saved myself the heartache and never bought those high-maintenance plants.

9. Expensive Skin Care

Looking back, I genuinely wish I had never splurged so much on luxury skincare products. I used to invest a considerable amount of money into these, believing they were essential for my self-care routine. The truth is, while they smelled heavenly and felt luxurious on my skin, I don’t believe the benefits justified the high cost. Additionally, the inconvenience of not being able to pick them up from a local store, but instead having to order them for home delivery, added an extra layer of complexity I didn’t need. These days, I’ve shifted my priorities and realised that self-care for me doesn’t have to be expensive or hard to attain.

10. Self-Care Gadgets

I used to have in our home an assortment of self-care gadgets. We owned a facial steamer, a foot spa, and even a massager. Initially, these purchases seemed like a fantastic idea – who wouldn’t want a mini spa at home? However, reality swiftly caught up with us. Not only did these gadgets take up more space than we could spare, but we also found that we hardly ever used them. Reflecting on this now, I wish I had never bought these self-care gadgets.

11. At Home Exercise Equipment

Reflecting on my past purchases, I wish I never bought in home exercise equipment. Now, I completely understand that for some, it’s a fantastic idea, but for me, it wasn’t the perfect fit. With each new item, I found myself dreaming up grand plans about dedicating time and energy towards fitness, but in reality, those plans never materialised. Over time, I’ve collected quite an assortment of equipment: a step machine, a thigh buster, weights, Zumba DVDs, even a mini trampoline. They all had their five minutes of fame before being relegated to a corner, left to collect dust. These days, I’ve found that focusing on simple, everyday activities like walking and morning yoga or Pilates suits me better. All I need is a mat and a good YouTube video! So, if I could turn back time, I’d rethink those purchases of home exercise equipment.

12. Multiway Dress

As I was finding my simpler, more minimalist lifestyle, I was drawn to the concept of a capsule wardrobe. In my pursuit of defining my personal style and curating versatile pieces for my capsule wardrobe, I purchased a multiway dress. This unique garment allowed for the straps to be styled in various ways, creating a new look with each wear.

Initially, I was thrilled by the potential of owning a dress that could transform into an array of outfits. Regrettably, the dress didn’t live up to my expectations. In reality, I quickly grew tired of it and found that when I did wear it, I always styled it the same way. The surplus fabric, necessary for its versatility, made the dress somewhat bulky and heavy.

In retrospect, I wish I hadn’t bought the multiway dress. It seemed to promise a world of options, but in practice, it didn’t fit comfortably into my lifestyle or my capsule wardrobe. I would have been better off investing in a classic, simple dress that I truly loved and would wear repeatedly.

13. High Heel Shoes

Looking back, I genuinely wish I never bought those high heel shoes. It’s similar to the previous point, I found that I couldn’t walk comfortably in them. Consequently, they ended up being unused, collecting dust in my wardrobe. It’s a bit of a regret, seeing as they were not only a complete waste of money but also a reminder of my impractical decision. Live and learn, as they say!

14. High Maintenance Clothing

I was once a person who ironed everything, from bedding and towels to underwear. I also never considered the care instructions when purchasing items; I simply bought based on appearance, not maintenance. Regrettably, I purchased items that were ‘dry clean only’ or so delicate that they were ruined after a single use due to my neglect. Those days are far behind me now. The care instructions are one of the first things I look at. I no longer buy anything that may need ironing or special care as I don’t want to spend my precious time on such activities.

15. Clothing in Aspirational Sizes

Reflecting on it now, I wish I’d never bought clothing in what I called “aspirational sizes”. Like many, I’ve been tempted to buy clothes that were a size or two smaller than my current size, with the hopeful intention of losing weight. I thought of these purchases as a form of motivation. However, in retrospect, they didn’t inspire as much as they made me feel uncomfortable about my current body image. Instead of motivating me, they simply took up space and money. It’s a lesson learned and a purchase I wish I hadn’t made.

16. Fiction Books

I do love reading, but I must confess, I’ve always struggled with fiction books. Despite my best attempts, I often find myself losing track of the story. I’ve pondered if it might be a lack of imagination on my part. Over the years, I’ve invested in numerous fiction books, hoping to ignite a spark of interest. However, I’ve now come to terms with the fact that they simply aren’t my cup of tea. I prefer immersing myself in the fascinating world of non-fiction, leaving the realm of fiction for my television viewing. Looking back, I wish I had never bought so many fiction books.

17. Sewing Machine

Both my husband and I are both short legged, which often leads to us having to spend on tailoring services to hem our trousers. In an attempt to cut costs, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to invest in a sewing machine so I could tackle the task myself. However, I drastically underestimated the time and patience it would take to learn and master the art of sewing. Despite my best intentions, the machine ended up gathering dust after just a couple of uses. Sometimes, it’s more efficient and effective to leave certain tasks to the professionals – and in our case, clothing alterations definitely fit into that category. Looking back, I can’t help but wish I had never bought that sewing machine.

18. DSLR Camera

Another item I wish I hadn’t invested in: our last DSLR camera. We excitedly bought it for a trip to the Galapagos Islands, drawn by the prospect of capturing amazing photos of our adventure. However, the reality of using the camera was far from the idyllic vision I had in mind.

Despite my enthusiasm, I quickly found that mastering the camera’s numerous settings was time-consuming, and time I simply didn’t have. The bulky size of the DSLR also made it cumbersome to lug around, detracting from the joy of our travels. The camera’s novelty quickly wore off after that single holiday.

While I still have the desire to take stunning pictures someday, I’ve come to realise that I need a more user-friendly alternative that fits comfortably into my life. So, if there’s a future where I have the luxury of time to learn, I might consider a more compact camera. But for now, the DSLR camera remains on my list of things I wish I’d never bought.

19. Smart Watch

Initially, I was attracted to a smartwatch because of its range of features, including contactless payment and sleep tracking. However, as time passed and my life became simpler, I realised I was hardly using these features. They gradually felt more like a burden than a benefit.

Despite the convenience of digital transactions, cash became my preferred payment method. I was uncomfortable with the idea of being constantly reachable. Also, I didn’t find the music, water tracking, or sleep recording features useful. Essentially, I was using this sophisticated device just to tell the time and count my steps, tasks a regular watch could handle just as well.

The need to charge it was another inconvenience. The watch’s design, which required either movement or a tap to activate also became increasingly annoying. I regret purchasing the smartwatch, although, I continued to use it for a while simply because I already owned it. However, I eventually reverted to a conventional watch.

20. Cheap Luggage

Several years ago, I treated myself and bought a beautiful suitcase set for a holiday. But trouble started brewing from the get-go. The zips were poor quality, making it a challenge to close. Unfortunately, this turned out to be a false economy, as the set barely survived one trip. I’m not sure what happened during the airport baggage handling, but by the time we returned home from our trip, the suitcase was in a sorry state. We decided to save a little money and opted for the bus ride home. With our wheeled, “sturdy-looking suitcases”, we figured it would be a breeze. Well, not quite. One of the wheels fell off and a large crack appeared on the suitcase. We ended up having to carry the suitcase home, which was far from the easy task we’d imagined it to be. Looking back, I wish I had never bought a cheap suitcase set.

21. Souvenirs/Holiday Gifts

I regret buying souvenirs for myself and others, although it’s not strictly true in all cases. I do have a few souvenirs at home from trips that evoke wonderful memories. However, there are also items I spent an unnecessary amount of time selecting during trips where time was precious. I remember once spending an entire day exploring a bustling market just to find “special” trinkets for family and friends. Trinkets that end up where? Looking back, I wish I had never bought those souvenirs and instead spent more time making memories.

Although I’ve repeatedly mentioned throughout this post that I regret certain purchases, the truth is, each item I’ve bought and later let go of has taught me something valuable about myself and the person I strive to be. There’s no room for regret, really. Sometimes, we have to experience things first-hand to truly learn from them. How else would we know if something is or isn’t right for us unless we try?

Each purchase, each slip-up, has helped me grow and understand myself better. These experiences have equipped me with the wisdom to avoid similar missteps in the future, and I’ve gained a clearer sense of who I am and what truly works for me.

So, when I say “I wish I never bought,” it’s not a regret, but rather a reflection on my journey towards a simpler life. Do I wish I had learned these lessons a bit faster? Perhaps. But every step of this journey, including the missteps, is valuable. They’ve brought me closer to the life I desire—one that’s free from unnecessary clutter, full of purpose, and true to who I am.

What are some items that you wish you had never bought? Please share your experiences in the comments. I’d love to read them 🤍