The 'Buy Nothing' Challenge: What It Is And How To Make It Work For Your Kitchen

Do you have a penchant for collecting things that you don't entirely need? How do you feel about perusing the aisles at Williams Sonoma for kitchen tools, just to stock up on gadgets that may see the light of day once a year? If both of these things are true for you, you may not just have a shopping problem — but also a storage problem. Luckily, there's a trend that's becoming more and more popular across consumer goods: the "Buy Nothing Challenge."

Households are pledging not to buy anything new in 2026 — not just in the kitchen space. This movement, aimed toward curbing consumerism, stems from multiple causes, including the rising prices of products (and living, more broadly) and the desire to cut back on impulse spending, reduce waste, and challenge the notion that new products are superior to used. The goal of this movement is to make thrifting, recycling, and borrowing cool again. 

For example, if you only need a KitchenAid stand mixer for one cookie recipe, why not ask your neighbor to borrow theirs and pay them back in cookies? Not only does it save you money, but it also means you don't have to make room for your own in your already cramped pantry. To save and give life to something old, KitchenAid stand mixers are a highly coveted appliance you're better off buying secondhand anyways. 

There are many kitchen items that can exist under the "Buy Nothing" umbrella. Some of the baking tools you should always buy secondhand include mixing bowls, cake stands, and cooling racks. As for kitchen tools you'll never need to buy new, think ice cream scoops, Mason jars, rolling pins, and more. You can even venture outside of the kitchen aisle to find unexpected thrift items to organize your kitchen in style. Before adding any of these to your cart, be sure to give them a once-over for damage and plug all appliances in to ensure that they work. 

Another hack is to look for refurbished or reused appliances on Facebook Marketplace or brand websites. A Vitamix, for example, is a heavy-duty appliance you should consider buying secondhand; you can get a certified reconditioned machine directly from the Vitamix website for a fraction of the cost of a new one. Aside from buying secondhand and borrowing when you can, another way to really adopt this "Buy Nothing" lifestyle is to ask yourself if you really need something before buying it. 

Before purchasing anything new, leave it in your Amazon cart for a whole day. If you still feel the need to buy that new Le Creuset or weird kitchen gadget you may only use once, then by all means, do it.