Less Stuff - June Update

Soooooo ummmmmm.....

I was looking through my draft posts and I saw this post saved but there was nothing typed *blink blink*. I completely forgot about it LOL! In January I talked about what my thought process was for decluttering and looking into minimalism.

And well yea lol! On the clothes front, I've done well. I have gotten rid of a lot of items and have been very particular with the recent items I have purchased. If you look at my clothes it may not look like a lot but I don't switch out my closet for the various seasons. So everything is hanging up. I'm planning to do the "final" purge over the Fourth of July weekend since I'm taking some additional days off.  So that's one thing that will be done. Phew.

On the beauty front *head palm*, I did SO good during my no buy. Once I go off my no buy, I lost my flipping mind. I've been buying stuff left and right. On the one end I have been retrying some past favorites especially in terms of skin care. I'm trying to pare down what I use and simplify my routine. The same goes for my hair care routine.  I picked up some items here and there. I did find some new favorites but my hair revolted on quite a few items lol! So I've gone back to using some past Wen favorites. Maybe once I get my routine down, I'll do a post to hold myself accountable to it. I'm still toying around with the idea of doing the BIG come to Jesus purge of my makeup. Which I know will be super hard. Or really cut back on buying and just use what I have and replenish what I need which wouldn't be much but face products like primer, foundation, brow products, etc. *sigh* Why didn't I stay a tomboy?

And lastly books. I haven't done much with my final book purge and my reading mojo has run away. I haven't read any of the non-fiction books I said that I was going to read for the year. I still have time but still. So in addition to going through my clothes over the Fourth, I plan to start the process of what I hope to be my final book purge. I think it's going to take more the one weekend to really really go through them.

So as you can see I've slacked *sigh*. I have to do better. This mess is a weight holding me back in other areas and I'm tired of looking at stuff. And the beat goes on...

Let's see what I can make happen by December.

Onward and upward!

Less Stuff...

So you've heard me talk about purging various products be it books, makeup, clothes, etc. I ran across a meme on Instagram saying something to the effect that if your clutter is cluttering your mind then you need to let things go. So that's what I have been doing for the past year and half.

Have a slipped up? Sure I have. I lost my mind recently at Bath & Body Works during the Semi Annual sale lol. But I've said to myself alright chick, you don't need anymore bath and body stuff. You're going to use what you have. I was like ok. I've also done good recently by not taking advantage of other deals and promos. I've also started unsubscribing from various email lists and cleaning out my inbox. I'm still doing good with keeping my receipts and returning stuff that I'm lukewarm about.

One blog that I stumbled upon is "Becoming Minimalist". His posts and the ones he shares are thought provoking, give good tips and is non-judgmental. I've stumbled upon some folks on Instagram using the hashtag #declutter.

I don't know if I can go FULL on minimalist. I like what I like and I'm not going to apologize for that. But I can make an effort to curtail my spending, the "need" to have some much stuff and use what I have. It's a journey I've been on for a while and it is just that a journey. It's a journey that's different for everyone and it's not going to happen overnight.  It's time to see if I can take it to the next level in 2015. This is gonna be interesting. I may be successful or I may fall flat on my face. I just want to find a happy balance at this point in my life and not be consumed by things.

This was a ramble post that popped in my head. If it doesn't make much sense then my bad :)

I may report back in June and then again in December with my efforts.

Stay tuned...

Palette Play September 2014

I'm sticking with one brand again for this month's palette play. This month I'm playing around with Tarte! Two of the palettes are new to my stash. Woot!

These two palettes are the Exotic Eyes (new) and Ten palettes. I got Exotic Eyes from Tarte's site. It originally launched on QVC but I had missed out on getting it there. I've had the Ten palette for a good while now. Can't remember where I got it from.

These two palettes are from a QVC auto delivery and they don't have fun palette names. They are both called the tarte Amazonian Clay 16-Pc Eyeshadow Palette. The one on the left should look familiar. This was one of the palettes that started off palette play back in December. The one of the right is new. Both palettes are available for purchase on QVC. I've see the on the right on Sephora's site.

I have no idea in what order I'm going to use these. Labor Day weekend is kind of throwing me off. I'm also going to play around with the four smolderEyes pencils that came with the two larger palettes (Golden Black, Brown, Fig and Gunmetal).

See you again in October!

2013: Organize, Purge & Save - Check In

At the end of December I posted about my organizing, purging and saving efforts for 2013. I guess you can say these were kind of my "resolutions"/goals for the year. Since 2013 is half done (insert shocked face), I decided to post an update. On the saving part I haven't done much. There was this money challenge that was going around on Facebook that I said I was going to take a stab. Lasted about 3 weeks. So clearly I'm still working on the saving part *head palm* I've included some before and after pics and it is what is it. I don't mind comments but keep the smart azz ones to yourself :D Here we go!

The pic above is a before pic of my closet that I had on my phone. I've made progress in the organizing and purging areas. I have gone through my clothes and I got rid of a lot. Either the items needed to be pitched, they were too big (yay weight loss! \O/) or didn't like the items any more. For the items that were too big and did not like, were donated to a local organization that my family and I have donated to for years. I plan to go through my closet again before the end of the summer. Next up I went through my shoes and did the same with pitching and donating. With the clothes and shoes it's "hard" mainly due where I currently work which is casual and that's putting it mildly. I still "put myself together" but I don't have to dress up everyday. I have sold some of my handbags and have some I'm going to give away/gift. I went through them again and I have more lined up to see if I can sell them. A lot of people told me to try eBay. I don't have the patience to deal with eBay. Plus everyone has their bags on there, so there is no way for me to "stand out" as new seller.

In my beauty world.....*head palm* lol!.... I did do some reorganizing and I purchased a 10 drawer cart from Amazon to reorganize my stash. I got everything off my one dresser with the exception of one item but still that's awesome in itself. I also shifted some stuff around that was on my other dresser. No alllll the drawers are not full but I can now "see" everything which in nice and a big help. Can't use what you have if you don't know what you got! In the smaller drawers stuff was crammed in them and it was hard to get to stuff. I decided to see if I could do the "no buy" thing again and ummmm yea that's not going too well *sigh*. But I have been in use up mode and I have used up quite a bit of skin care and bath and body items. I did go through a pull some items to give to family members who are always circling my stash when the come to the house LOL!

(Courtesy of Microsoft)

In my book world I started going through my books and asked myself "are you REALLY going to read this?" So I have a stash of books that I am going to donate to the library. I was going to list them and see if friends wanted any of them. I did that with some of my makeup items but the money I spent on shipping stuff to people...hmph! So they are going to library! I need to list them for donation purposes which I'll get around to before the month is out. Then I'm going to go back through what I have in my room again and the books in the storage unit. Hopefully I'll go through everything and get the books I want to keep out of that doggone storage unit before the summer is out.

I came across this New York Times opinion article about living with less on the QVC Beauty Banter forum. Very well written piece and I can sooooo relate! I know I've had my "retail therapy" moments or saw something in a magazine or a beauty vlogger talk about a product and just haaad to have it!  It's "fun" for the moment but then when you get home and have to put the item/items away it's like ummm what the hayle!?!? I'm trying to do better. I have my good moments and bad moments. We all get caught up in "things" and then those "things" take over. I'm not saying you should deprive yourself but there should be a happy medium and not struggling and stressing on what to do with our '"things". Then you're not enjoying so then what's the point in having them? Make sense?

And there you have it folks. I'll check back in during December.

2013: Organize, Purge & Save!

(Courtesy of Microsoft)

I don't always make resolutions for the new year. But reflecting over 2012 (it's been a rough one with a lot of ups and downs) and where I would like the be in 2013 and beyond; organize, purge & save came to mind. I started the organize and purge process in 2012 but there's more to do for 2013. I can stand to get rid of some more books and make an effort to get through a good chunk of what I have. My reading really slacked in 2012. I did get rid of some handbags but I'm sure I can let some more go. I'm purged and pitched some makeup. I happy with what I have but I need to reorganize it. The plan for this is to get an 8 drawer system. I was planning on getting something else that cost a lot more but I like the 8 drawer system better and the price is doable. Plus I can store other items in it. I have papers and other stuff I need to organize that I'm tired of looking at. I need a new paper shredder. The save component will come from knowing what I have, using it up and not shopping as much. I don't know if I can do a complete no buy. Baby steps. Also throw in getting back on track with my weight loss journey. Feel off and I've gained some weight back. Not a whole lot thank goodness. But it's time to work on the next 30 pounds! Phew that's a lot but the end result will definitely be worth it. And hopefully my mind won't be as cluttered and I'll be less stressed.

Let's see how this goes! Maybe I'll do a check-in every 3 months or so on my progress. Stay tuned...

Limit Reached...

There's an interesting declutter vlog series that pinksofoxy, a YouTuber I follow started doing. It's called "Less Stuff, Less Stress". She's in the process of decluttering and reorganizing a lot of her stuff. She's already on 3 part. It's been interesting to watch and has refueled my efforts. Within the last few months or so I've been in the same mindset of trying to reorganize items, getting rid of stuff and focus on using what I have.

Clothes and shoes are never a big problem. I go through my closet and gather items to donate often. I've tackled some of my less expensive handbags and given those any to family and friends. The more expensive ones I've started. I'm going to try and see if I can get a little something for them. If not then I will contemplate giving them away. Beauty stuff wise I think I'm at a "good" place and I want to reorganize my stash.  There are a some items I am contemplating on that have been released with holiday collections that I more than likely will purchase. But I'm being very particular on those items.

Come January that's it. I will only repurchase items that I need to repurchase once I use them up like primer, eyebrow stuff, etc. When it comes to bath and body stuff, I'm kind of over it. All I need is a shower gel and body lotion and that's it. No more special scented lotions other that the ones I'm trying to use up. I have perfumes and body spritzes that I want to use up, so I need something that they can mesh with. The holiday season is the best time for beauty buys so I will try to hold out for that unless it is something super duper awesome that I don't already have. I've also been looking at various items to help reorganize my stash. I think I've found a drawer organizer that just may do the trick. I was looking at one of the acrylic on eBay but they were more expensive that this. So I was like spend less and get something more substantial. Hopefully I can get it in month or so.

As for books, I've gotten rid of some but there's still a lot to go through. It doesn't help that most of them are in storage. I'm going to start bring some of them home so that I can continue the purging process. This will be an ongoing process for the next few months. The battle continues with actual book purchases and what to download on my Nook. I've peeped the library a few times but the books I brought home just sat and I didn't read them. So I'm going to try to firm up my book buying habits by January also.

So onward and upward! I have other things that I need and want to do, so it is time to refocus my energies on other things. I don't want to be stressed or frustrated over the things that I have. I should be enjoying them without issue! It ain't that serious. So it's time to get stuff in order and that's that!

Stay tuned...

Just trying to figure out this thing called life.....

My random musings.....

Yes sometimes I vent, rant or whatever.  I hold things in waaaay too much and I have to get it out some kind of way.  Most of time I feel alone, stressed, stupid and that no one gives two shits about me.  Also in the past year or so a lot of people who were around my age have passed away.  I guess I've had a reality check lately that tomorrow truly isn't promised.  When you're young and dumb you think that you'll live "forever" and that you have time to do whatever it is "tomorrow"  So I'm working my way through putting myself in a place were I'm truly enjoying the one life that I have to live.  Yes I know that life comes with it's issues and what not, but there shouldn't be this constant feeling of a dark cloud hovering over me all the time.

(Courtesy of Microsoft)

Until next time party people...