I think a lot of people buy a few things around Christmas since many people entertain at that time. (And of course companies seem to be working overtime with ads, sales, and so on).
Is everything you've bought for the addition or is some of it for the parts of your home you already have?

If you've found things that you like and want to use in your future addition, I don't see a problem, unless by the time it's done, you've changed your mind and like other styles better.

Many years ago, I was installing a computer system in a cardiologist's office, which was a Victorian home he was converting. I was in the basement stringing cables, and saw a beautiful pedestal sink, claw foot tub and corner toilet that he'd removed from upstairs. He saw me admiring them, and he gave me the toilet. He was going to use the sink and tub in his house. I brought it home and it stayed in MY basement for years, until I added the half bath on the first floor of my old Cape!

I have definitely done this! We are building now and I have already bought sofas for a house that will not be completed until at best four to five more months! It is hard when everything is on sale and you feel you need to get it before the sale is over. Sometimes shopping can be like crack! lol

When we were building, I didn't do a lot of shopping ahead of time....unless you call what I did in my head "shopping". I guess I did a lot of actual shopping too, but didn't buy anything.

Through the use of my little blue notebook which was divided up into each room and exterior, I filled it with the plastic pocket pages and inside went pics out of magazines, fabric swatches, paint chips, brochures and web sites, etc. I also had a scale drawing of each room with potential furniture sketched in.

Typically I find that, unless it is really unusual or unique like a garage sale find, most of the bargains I can get today, I can get tomorrow too. And if I buy stuff too far ahead of time, I forget that I have it and then buy it again. And I like having options open, like last minute color changes. Also, the longer you wait to buy something, the more likely something new and better will be out there for you.

So my suggestion would be to shop all you like, but keep the old credit card in the wallet until you're closer to the finish line.

We're going to reno our master bath next year (finally!) and I've been purchasing materials that I KNEW I wanted for almost 2 years and found excellent prices while browsing. I love Amazon Warehouse sales and use the clearance/returned section from other websites for really low prices. This helps with budget, too. I don't have to hand over such big payments at once, which eases the pain in my miserly heart ;) I'm also spending less, overall, because I can stalk for the best price.

I have a clear vision for this little room after playing with ideas for a couple of years BEFORE starting the process of quotes and buying.

Now, I'm waiting on the new Ikea cab line to be launched and then we'll get started.

For my bathroom renovations (3), I shopped heavily without buying because the bathroom details are designed around some of the fixtures and fittings specifically, and now I am buying things during demo and framing.
This can backfire because I had one bathroom designed around a particular tub Kohler made for decades and decided to drop.

For my last bathroom remodel, I collected items slowly and I think that made me less apt to compromise. If I had had to buy everything in one swoop, I might have sacrificed something I loved to keep costs down.

So consider this me enabling you. I think you are being a smart shopper! ;)

It's not so much about the "Deal" ( Agree that you can generally always get a deal; just might not be what you love)... but I have to admit I am jealous.
The renovations/remodels/ redecorating I have done, I do love the results but frequently I am in a scramble to finish it up and it would be so nice to find the things I love over time and have them ready to place or use.
So- I think it's great (of course in moderation) and wish I had some of that.

I do understand....we did it a wee bit little differently ...bought a wonderful antique table ...and then realized we had to build an addition large enough for it to fit into our wee summer cottage.

I didn't even want to shop for the things we needed, much less the decorative items that weren't absolute necessities. I despise shopping and am usually overwhelmed by the endless choices. I dreaded each and every shopping excursion.

Edited to say that it is hard for someone to know if you're just a very organized person who's planning ahead or if this is excessive/compulsive buying. To distinguish the two, you'll have to see the person's behavior and the patterns over time. When I try to explain my husband's buying habits to people, even relatively close friends, they don't get the severity of the issue. WHen my son was two (and later diagnosed with Asperger's), I couldn't describe his language problems to people without them saying, boys usually are late talkers. I give these examples, because in my experience, it is hard to tell normal behavior from out-of-normal-range behavior without some context, history and knowledge of the pattern. So unless someone can witness what's happening over time and witness it first hand, I don't think you'll be enlightened by the answers you get. I truly hope this doesn't come across as talking down to you or minimizing the collective wisdom of this great group.

This post was edited by nutsaboutplants on Thu, Dec 18, 14 at 9:07

Wow. That took a turn I wasn't expecting.

If you are collecting multiples of an item, when you only need one in a redo/reno, you should take pause. I've worried about this tendency in myself because of collecting dish ware, art, and chairs. So far, I haven't run out of places for them! I do say "no" to opportunities, which I guess is a good sign. You have to move things out when you move things into the house.

In my case, I've purchased my needs in advance of demo. We'd love a shower that we can use (pan leaks) and storage, along with updated finishes. I have almost everything except tile, mirror, shower curtain, its track, cabinets and countertop. We're adding insulation and new drywall, too. As of now, I'll have to replace the shut-off valves to the sink, before reno, since one is leaking. Bah!