Yup. I’m about there too!

I'm not there yet. But then, I've done very little shopping in person in about three years now. I do not pass up an opportunity to wander through Sur la Table though - even though I really don't need anything for my kitchen or my dining room. Needed or not, I can always find something - some little thing to bring home ;)

Closest store is two hours away. If I have reason to be close, I go.

I've had many moments like that, so just go with the flow. Love the name King of Prussia. The east coast gets all the cool names. We have towns called Slapout.

I hear this. My daughters will call and say "going to the mall, want to come?" My reply is "no, but I'll meet you for lunch when you're done at the mall."

I’m with ya’

I think I’m there, too. I inadvertently double booked travel time on my calendar today, so I got to the dentist 40 minutes early. There’s a Home Goods close by, so I decided to stop in there to kill some time. In years past I would have picked up something: a planter, a pillow, an interesting salt grinder, holiday themed pasta, strange potato chips . .… Not today, my friends. I was thisclose to buying a cookie sheet, but I decided the two (yes, only two) that I own will be fine for a while longer, because a) I didnt want to stand in line and b) $7.99 is probably a good price, but my frugal soul just couldn’t do it.

I am reminded regularly this is the age of downsizing, accumulating is over.

Same, but I do miss leisurely strolling through local antique stores. They are few and far between here. DD2 has crossed over, so now, when I visit them, we go. When I recently went to pick up my car after repairs, I was excited to spot one.... an hour away! Longer if heavy traffic. I shall return to scope it out. Or just give me a nice plant nursery.

Home Goods and the like have never been my calling. When my sister is here at her house and we go to one of the nearby communities to eat lunch, she wants to go in every single shop. Almost always buys something. But then she is a HSN/QVC devotee too. We are night and day.

It happened to me a few years ago after I started meditating and walking daily.I equate it to no longer looking for external gratification because I am finding internal peace. I even began to love the kitchen I had been wanting to gut for years but was always put on hold because of health emergencies. I also stopped wanting a glass of wine after a stressful day.

Yes I am there as well, but I still do a regular jaunt through Homegoods and TJM etc/ I find particularly if the weather is not great, I use that ( and a Costco) to just walk around and look around. I so rarely buy anything (well other than at Costco!) but I use it to walk.

In general though I have little desire to go to any stores other than to walk around and "get my steps"

This is not where I thought we were going based on the title and timing so avoided it last night. Phew.

"I even began to love the kitchen I had been wanting to gut for years but was always put on hold because of health emergencies. "

Yes, yes, 1000 times yes. I look around this house and photos of the old one and see so many things that were close calls, more with furniture than remodeling, but a couple of those as well. Time is an amazing cure.

I've been the clean out CEO for family and held on to too much for too long before selling or donating things no other family members wanted. For the most part what is left I use but I still have my mother's bias cut velvet wedding dress from 1938 just as she kept it (improperly stored) and no idea what to do with it.

I think that's what happened to me Annie, after I cleaned out my mother's house even though she had actually done a lot of that in the years prior to her passing. She definitely didn't hoard and any collections of knick knacs had stopped.

I used to browse antique shops and thrift stores every weekend. Not anymore, and it really began with the pandemic. Now I realize I don't need anything else - to tell you the truth all my antique furniture is REALLY antique i.e. getting derelict and I keep thinking of buying new pieces. That's something I rarely did before.

My 92yr. old aunt still loves the thrift stores and antique shops, but now doesn't drive. She misses the treasure hunts. And she has an eye for what's a good piece, not just junk.

In general, I do not go to a store just because it is there or is close by. My go to store for kitchen supplies is Surfas Culinary District (formerly in Culver City), but I haven't been there in years, and have not visited their new location. They do sell food items that I could buy, but I haven't needed those lately either.

I have no room to store more kitchen stuff. The one thing that might tempt me is a brioche pan. I've been making brioche in a regular loaf pan, and this seems adequate to me. I make brioche mainly to use for French toast, but I also make challah for that as well, and that does not requite a special pan.

I'm getting close to the point of needing to downsize, but I'm not quite there yet, although I would say that I am at the saturation point. Even if I had a bigger kitchen, there is no equipment that I need.

Speaking of pans, a number of libraries in our area now offer baking pans to lend...a lot of them are shapes like rabbits for easter kind of thing, but they also have those that are for a specific baked good you can borrow to try out. Then you don't have to buy it, store it, or trash it. I don't know but suspect they'd take donations too.

Yes, I'm mostly at the saturation point, have been for quite some time. However, not having been out much in 3 years, I did go to Marshalls last week and wandered around the store. It was refreshing to be out shopping, browsing a store like I did in "normal" time. I picked up a couple items for the kids' Easter baskets, some bath salts, small kitchen items. I have plenty of clothes but am tired of a lot of them.

Good topic, Sushi.

The only shopping I do these days is in local small boutiques and small businesses.

I never liked the Sur la Table in King of Prussia ... but I LOVED the kitchen store that preceded it, Fante's (family owned kitchen shop.. there's still a shop in the Italian Market). I also miss Smith & Hawkins.

My rule is one in, one out, so I rarely buy as I am overall happy with what I have. Still enjoy browsing shops, not as many good shops to browse though.

For the most part what is left I use but I still have my mother's bias cut velvet wedding dress from 1938 just as she kept it (improperly stored) and no idea what to do with it.

Mom had stored hers in the box it came in since 1955. Had been in the top of the luggage closet since 1985. When we moved 2yrs ago I pulled it out of the box. The fabric was so fragile, it tore easily. I cut off and tossed everything from the waist down. The bodice and arms were all lace. Tiny fabric covered buttons on each sleeve and down the back. I've shared before the framed pieces of lace from the skirting I did for me and our daughters. Two of those were done between glass in a gold frame. After we moved, and I was going through things again, I cut off the flowers with beads, buttons and tossed more of it. Maybe you can do something with your mom's. @DLM2000-GW

I have the wedding gown I and my maid of honor wore. Mom made it with 2 sets of sleeves as my MoH wanted different sleeves. It's stored in a box in the attic. I think I'll donate it to the angel gowns such as: https://www.evefoundation.org/

I'm there! My soft edge can opener was worn out. I had one salad plate left from my set and flat cereal bowls that were terrible soup bowls. 😂 I went shopping and purchased a lifetime supply of everything! DONE!

Now....about "other" things. I have two light fixtures on order. My two linen club chairs arrived last week. Love them! Had 2 photos printed, one arrived, one has been shipped. My knee injury from 4 weeks ago is ready for low impact exercise....so I purchased a Pro Form rowing machine. Love it!

I don't buy a lot of "things" just to have "things". For many years, I have not enjoyed shopping, although I am another who loves antique stores and garden stores! : ) I still love making out home "us" although that does not always mean buying something new. Sometimes it is moving things around, etc. I don't hoard and I don't keep alot of "extras" on hand, taking up closet space. But if I see something I love, I will usually buy it. We are to the point, furniture wise, if we bought something, something else would have to go. The home office just didn't have the feel/look I wanted, so out with the loveseat and in with the 60" buffet/cabinet I shared here recently. Also a cozy chair/ottoman. It has always been my goal to have a cozy spot in the room to read/rest, etc. a bit away from the rest of the house. Or if one of us was "working" on the computer, paperwork, etc. the other could find a use in the room also. This was the one room that wasn't working as i intended. I am not one to buy alot of kitchen gadgets, etc. so rarely visit those shops and homegoods, tjmaxx, etc. have never called my name. I have plenty of clothes, although I do like to update, but I routinely donate clothing items too. Because I really don't enjoy that kind of shopping, most is done online.

Pretty much describes the extent of my actual shopping. I go to buy something, not really shop. However, there are a few exceptions.

If we are near the Lodge factory store, which is on our route to Chattanooga and points onward, I will sometimes have DH stop. Not that I 'need' anything, but it's fun to see some of the things they have in the store and I did buy a cast iron flat griddle recently that I use on both our grill and stovetop.

I recently decided I wanted a vintage round table in our living room, to use with my grandmother's electrified globe lamp, which was upstairs in a reading area. I half-heartedly looked online and thought about antique store shopping, but then realized I also had my mother's tilt top table in that loft space. She always used it tilted up as a decorative object, but it's a table, duh. I realized how relieved I was not to acquire a new anything.

I wonder how many stores closed in the years when more women joined the work force? Who was left to 'hen around'? I think that was the end of department stores and high end clothing stores, and the genesis of discount chains. Women still love 'a bargain'. The hunter/gatherer gene is the lifeblood of retail.

As a person who went to antique shows, auctions, and shops for 40 years and rarely went away without buying, I have been beyond the saturation point about twenty years ago. Since covid I don't go out as much and when I do go to TJs , Marshalls, and Target I rarely buy. My ten rooms are loaded to the brink with antiques which sadly my kids couldn't care less about. It was the thrill of the find back them and I still love everything I ever bought. Antiques never go out of style and I love that "Farmhouse Chic" is a thing now since I've lived in a 1840 farmhouse for 40 years. I was chic before I knew it.

Barring complications, I will be moving soon into a house half the size of my current house. I'm looking forward to the process of winnowing my possessions. I pared down quite a bit a few years ago, but that was mostly clothing and a bit of decor. Now, I have to make harder decisions regarding my lifelong collection of linens and tableware. Anybody need a set of antique crystal in cranberry pink?

@Allison0704 I have not looked at it for a few years but it was completely intact, all beading secure, no fabric rot at all. The color change was significant but it was not white originally. Not sure I could take a scissors to it!

I downsized to a townhouse 9 years ago. It's nice to move with only your favorite things and maybe a few new ones for the new space but there's little need for more and more. I call it living at "full capacity".

@Annie Deighnaugh I looked into that for DD2's wedding dress that was only 10yo. I emailed several places and no one wanted. They have a list in order to qualify.

Ha - I've been saying I hit saturation point for some years now 😄

I really enjoy poking around in antique stores too, but my big fun has always been 2nd hand/ thrift stores. There's something so fascinating about the great variety of stuff from multiple eras, and everything has a story, it seems. I'm saturated with textiles, sewing and craft supplies, books, and vintage kitchenware.

There are some really good charity shops here, but I haven't been in them more than once or twice since 2020. Now I want to start selling the collectible treasures I've amassed.

I really don't do much browsing in regular stores any more either. Since curbside/in store pickup is now available at the big box stores, I love not having to go inside and waste time schlepping around looking for something and standing in a checkout line. When I go to TJMaxx, et al., it's for something specific, but I do sometimes check other departments, sometimes just for ideas/inspiration. I keep a running list of needed things on my phone, so I don't forget.

I desire to purchase absolutey nothing! I have been down sizing for years now and I actually have empty storage spaces in the house. The attic is empty and most of kitchen cabinets are empty. I have only 4 pairs of shoes and my hanging clothes are only about four feet, not including the winter coats and a few sweaters that hang with them.

I not only find peace in having less to maneuver around, I also find a lot more value in what remains.

Not wandering around and not buying is not hard to do, given how so many of the storefronts have disappeared. Other than the usual suspects of Walmart, Target and Kohls, there is really not much for miles. Even though I live in the burbs of DC, the real shopping is almost gone and all the malls within a reasonable distance from me have closed.

The one remaining about 15 miles north of me has so little traffic that the stores in it dont even open until noon. I really dont understand why this is. This area is densly populated and there is a high income level here. I can see no explanation for it. but it is true.

I actually worked in retail at the mall for a number of years.

dont know what is to become of the actual builiding.

Other than the three usual suspects there is no where to go to shop, anyway.

The local Macys died an ugly death last month and was the only breath that was left in the mall. All gone.

BBB, all gone. Pennys, all gone, from near here. Ktichen stores, all gone.

There are no little unique shops of any manner in this community. They could not afford the retail space and the over head. Only the big box stores survive and Kohls often seems to have more employees than it does customers. I really baffles me, but I stand by my assessment of the situation.

Our BBB is gone as well as others and a very large early mall will be turned into offices and apartments.

It's so annoying. I recently made a vow to do less online shopping. not even necessarily to support small businesses, but more to cut down on the carbon footprint of delivery and returns. (if I see it IRL, I will be less likely to need to return it. or if I do, they'll put it back on their shelves rather than possibly trashing it.)

yet more and more stores are closing! just the other day I felt like browsing shoes so I went to my local DSW. gone! stores dropping like flies, even in places where the rent probably wasn't as high. it's sooooo frustrating, and it's really depressing too.

I agree that high rents make it difficult for small businesses, but when they cannot afford the rent, then the landlord might end up with empty property and might be forced to sell it.

I shopped at some boutiques in San Francisco that had to close when the neighborhood became trendy (because of the small businesses there), and the landlords tripled the rent. There is so much greed going around in this country, but that is unregulated capitalism for you.

I share this just in case I am not alone, not to be a contrarian, but I still like shopping. I still like buying things. I get rid of things. I come from a family with a strong aversion to clutter or disorganized storage, so I have never experienced the dreaded going through a lot stuff upon someone's demise.

As for stores, there are still plenty in my area, unique places with lovely things. I enjoy the experience of browsing.

Zalco, I agree with you. I like having new things, especially for an occasion or event.

@Zalco/bring back Sophie! that’s one of the reasons I like reselling! I curate treasures and share them with others.

I agree that high rents make it difficult for small businesses, but when they cannot afford the rent, then the landlord might end up with empty property and might be forced to sell it.

Lars, it's happening all over Seattle too. favorite old buildings demolished, replaced by new condos with retail space on the first floor, many of it empty for years (even before the pandemic). I remember one row of beloved dive bars that got demolished, the development plans fell through, and it became a parking lot for about five years. it's so depressing.

MIL and I went to the antique mall over my spring break, and we bought a few things because she had two $50 gift certificates from us she wanted to use. But, yes, not really in need of anything other than things that need replacing like clothing and workout shoes that wear. Williams-Sonoma is right by Drybar, so I do go there on occasion. I got some good grilling acccesories for DH the last time, so that was actually productive.

Allison, did you check out these guys? https://www.evefoundation.org/faq