Every day we’re inundated with ads telling us to buy things—and online shopping has made it easier than ever to buy an item quickly. While some of these things are useful and make our daily lives easier, a lot of them just end up as clutter in our homes.

“We’re surrounded by cultural messages that we’re not enough,” says Emily McDermott, cleaning coach and owner of Simple by Emmy. “It’s up to us to discern whether an item will truly improve our lives, or whether we’re just listening to marketing messages that tell us we need it to be happy.”

It’s hard to cut through the noise and figure out what you really need sometimes. So we turned to decluttering and minimalism experts for their tips and tricks – here are the questions they always ask themselves before buying anything.

Will this bring me long-term joy?

We often buy things because it will bring us joy—but it’s not necessarily long-lasting.

Elizabeth Shields, operations manager at Super Cleaning Service, says it’s important to ask yourself if the item you’re considering buying will bring you joy in the long term, or if you’re buying it for “dopamine.”

“Joy is permanent, but dopamine is fleeting,” says Shields. “If the excitement is gone the moment you buy it, that’s a red flag. Try waiting 24 hours and see if the ‘spark’ is still there. If it doesn’t light you up after a day, it’s not worth it.”

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Do I just buy it because it’s on sale?

There are sales every day. And while that can be useful for saving on items you really need, Shields cautions that just because an item is on sale doesn’t mean you need it.

“Selling is tricky,” she says. “They trick you into thinking you’re saving money when you’re actually just spending it. Ask yourself if you’d buy this item at full price. If no, go for it.”

Is this overly trendy?

One of the fastest ways to fill your home with clutter and things you don’t need is to shop regularly for trends. Although some trends have longevity, many of them are fleeting.

“Trends come and go, but clutter is forever,” says Shields. “Minimalism is timeless, not trendy.”

McDermott agrees and recommends asking yourself if you’re buying an item for yourself and because it’s something you want, or if you’re buying it for the approval of others.

Is this an upgrade?

Buying to replace an older item is a great reason to buy something, so before you buy anything, think about whether this is the case.

“Replacement shopping is a smart purchase,” says Shields. “But if it’s just adding to your stash without releasing anything else, think about it. Make sure you’re not just hoarding.”

McDermott also suggests asking yourself a similar question: “Will this item have a permanent home?”

Too often we buy things and then don’t have room for them, so it’s worth considering whether you really have room for it. Or use the one-to-one rule to make sure these things don’t build up over time.

How often will I use it?

You should, more often than not, be sure that your purchases are also investments. And a smart investment is something you will get a lot out of, such as regular use and wear.

“We all want to believe we’re going to use that toaster every weekend or wear those sparkly heels to every party,” says Shields.

Shields explains that asking yourself how often you’ll actually use an item before you buy it is essential—and she even has a specific rule of thumb you can follow.

“Think of a realistic number of times you’ll use it over the next month or year,” she says. “If it’s less than three, put it back.”