Use Less Stuff Day
#UseLessStuffDay
Use Less Stuff Day is an annual holiday celebrated on the third Thursday in November. It is a day that allows us to examine our consumption habits and consider ways to reduce them. It encourages people to adopt a minimalist lifestyle where only the essential is bought or kept.
This day was created in response to a growing problem—the enormous amount of waste generated between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day in the United States. It’s the season of giving, yes—but also the season of overbuying, over-packaging, and overdoing it. Between gift wrap, packaging, unwanted presents, and food waste, the average household produces 25% more trash during the holidays.
At its core, this day is about intentional living. It encourages a minimalist mindset—buying and keeping only what we truly need, and making thoughtful choices instead of impulsive ones. That doesn’t mean giving up joy or comfort. It simply means reducing the waste and clutter that often accompany holiday cheer.
Many of us like to think we’re doing our part by recycling. But here’s a hard truth: despite our best efforts, a lot of what we toss into the blue bin never actually gets recycled. In fact, a significant portion of it ends up in landfills or, worse, in the ocean. There, animals often mistake it for food. Sea turtles, for instance, have been found with plastic bags in their stomachs—bags they thought were jellyfish. Birds and marine mammals get tangled in plastic ribbons or choked by bottle caps.
Use Less Stuff Day is a reminder that recycling alone isn’t enough. We have to reduce our consumption at the source.
This doesn’t have to be extreme. Small, conscious changes can make a big difference. Instead of buying new holiday decorations every year, we can reuse or swap with friends. We can give experiences instead of things. We can shop locally or secondhand, cook more mindfully to avoid food waste, and use reusable gift wrap or bags.
It’s also a great time to talk to our families and communities about smarter consumption. If you’re hosting, ask guests to bring reusable containers for leftovers. If you’re shopping, make a list and stick to it—impulse buys often lead to waste. And maybe skip the glittery wrapping paper altogether—it can’t be recycled anyway.
So this November, let’s celebrate Use Less Stuff Day by doing more with less. Let’s focus on quality over quantity, presence over presents, and kindness over consumerism. The Earth—and our own well-being—will be better for it.
How to celebrate:
- Make conscious decisions to reduce your consumption during the holidays
- Give e-cards instead of physical cards
- Share videos or tutorials on social media on how to make DIY gifts or eco-friendly swaps
- Practice the 30-day rule (for non-essential purchases, if you still want the item after 30 days, it might be worth considering purchasing)
- Repair and reuse items that can be repaired
- Support sustainable brands
Fun facts:
- Scientific studies show that less clutter can mean less stress
- Only 9% of all plastic produced is recycled
- The average person eats 70,000 microplastics each year
- Around 85% of textiles end up in the landfill each year
- Recycling can save up to 17 trees
- Online shopping increases packaging waste by over 30% annually worldwide
- Buying secondhand books, furniture, and clothes helps reduce the demand for new resources.
