The social media world isn't short on shopping lovers. Browsing through instagram, you will find countless accounts of lifestyle and fashion bloggers who live to show off their clothes, jewelry, home accessories, and tech gadgets. Today we met the woman behind @oneyearwithoutshopping, an Instagram account that challenges the consumerist craze.

At day #153 without shopping and with over 3,000 followers, Lais, a Brazilian born and Vancouver based former shopaholic shares her story and tips.

I used to shop once a week at least. Then one day, after going 4 days without shopping I decided I had enough of this habit and wanted to challenge myself to stop buying new clothes so I created an instagram account to solidify my commitment.

Lais had no idea that her account would grow so quickly and attract so many people but getting new followers encouraged her to post more pictures and find creative ways to style the clothes she already owned.

L'Atelier: So now that you've gone 153 days without shopping, how do you feel about this experiment?

Lais: There are a lot of ups and downs, I definitely still have the urge to buy new clothes, especially with the coming change of seasons. I started this challenge in September and now summer is coming and I feel like I need a change. Also, at first it was more about controlling my desire for new things but now it's also becoming a necessity issue. I love tee-shirts and wear them a lot abut many of them are wearing off and getting holes.

L'Atelier: What do you do if you have a special occasion like a wedding or a party? Do you make an exception?

Lais: Absolutely not. I have to work with what I have.

L'Atelier: What are your rules for this challenge? What do you allow yourself to buy?

Lais: I only set my rules a week into the challenge because I realized I couldn't just stop shopping for everything. I paused and said ok: I am doing this for two main reasons: 1- I want to control my shopping addiction and 2- I'd like to stop wasting money. Once I realized I wanted to do this for myself, I decided I should definitely allow myself to continue buying things for my family and friends. I allow myself to buy xmas and birthday gifts and I am allowed to buy things for my daughters and husband, but only things that they need. Also, I am allowed to buy beauty products like mascara but only if they run out. I am not allowed to buy new lipstick or nail polish shades for example.

L'Atelier: What are your tips to resist the urge to shop?

Lais: First, no more browsing. When I need to buy a gift for example, I go straight to what I need and get out of the shop as soon as possible. Second, no online shopping. I find that if I really need something I should be willing to go to the store and get it in person. And lastly, I discovered that when I really want something, the urge typically goes away after two weeks. So I try to remind myself that in two weeks I wouldn't even want that thing any more.

L'Atelier: Do you have tips on how to style clothes you already have?

Lais: It depends on your wardrobe but in my case I try to mix different colors, textures and create contrasts. For example, I try to mix feminine items with more masculine items or evening wear with daytime wear. But I do feel like things are getting repetitive and looking at my Instagram I realize I have don't really have any colors in my wardrobe! Having this instagram account is making me more conscious about what I have, which is really hard.

L'Atelier: Did you ever break your promise?

Lais: So far not really. I did buy a new phone but only because my old one broke. But I'm not going to lie, I was so glad that it broke because I really wanted a new one.

L'Atelier: Will you continue this challenge after the year is over?

Lais: No, I don't think so. I will definitely try to change the way I shop but I will need to get new things. For example, it will be the start of the fall seasons and I will need new boots because the boots I have are falling apart.

L'Atelier: What are the top reasons others should also try this challenge?

Lais: I wouldn't really encourage anyone to do what I'm doing. It's such a personal thing. For me the best outcome is that I am learning a lot about myself and learning to distinguish what I want from what I need.