Ladies, how many times have you tried to squeeze shopping into your lunch hour or make space for it in your family time, only to have it turn into a disaster. Well I have a few recommendations to turn your shopping problems into a shopping paradise.

We know that shopping is necessary, it has the potential to elevate our spirit and change our frame of mind, but if you shop without a purpose you’ll end up with a lot of items you don’t need and a huge case of buyers remorse. In order to avoid this problem sit down the night before and come up with a plan, take a look in the closet and assess what you need to get rid of, if it’s too small, too tight, outdated or faded toss it. Remember to keep up with the items you’re purging and replace them accordingly (a shirt for a shirt). This is a great tip to keep your closet neat and keep you in the now.

The day of your shopping extravaganza, make sure you dress comfortably, take a look at your budget and determine how much your going to be able to spend, shopping is great but you don’t want to go into debt doing it. Don’t forget that this shopping trip is all about focusing on you, so if possible try to shop alone so that you are free from the opinions and style advice of others. Now does this mean you can never shop with your best girl or guy friend again, of course not, just try not to let their fashion sense sway you from the things you know best fit your style.

Once you arrive at your favorite boutique or department store let the fun begin, don’t be afraid to seek out help from the style conscious sales people they’re there to help. Try to look for a bargain, but don’t buy it unless it’s actually something you can use. Always, always try everything on before you leave the store, take the time to look at yourself and the outfit to determine if it’s something you feel comfortable wearing. I can’t tell you how many times I walked into a department store on lunch grabbed an outfit in my size without trying on, only to get it home and discover that it did nothing to flatter my body.

Flattering your body is a huge deal, which leads me to make a huge point, dress for the body you have not for the body you want. This is important because squeezing a size 12 into a size 10 actually makes you look larger than you are, it takes attention away from a great new outfit and it does nothing to compliment you or your body, and it’s can be very uncomfortable.

In the end shopping is about having a great time. Once you’ve come up with a plan, stick to your budget and buy the best that your money can afford. Investing in quality items will be more beneficial in the long run because you won’t have to buy the same items as often.

Remember you are shopping for your style and your life. It can be simple, classic, chic, or boho but make sure you dress in what makes you feel good about you.