topic Re: ComPact 2014 – April in Beauty

ComPact 2014 – April

just bee — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 15:56:50 GMT

The ComPact is a commitment to simplify, pare down, streamline. It began as a way to gain some control over our collections of beauty products. Why were we amassing so much, yet not using what we were buying? Why were we always searching for the next new product? Why couldn't we just find what worked for us and stick with it?

The ComPact, however, is not restricted to beauty items. If you have a collection you want to address, do it here. Choose an area you want to work on, and track your progress on the ComPact thread. Members will offer tips and encouragement.

Choose one of our many mantras (“One by one until they’re done!” “We are SPAHHHRRRTAN!!!” “Not until you really have to.” “Buy less, choose well, make it last.” “Resist the propaganda.” "If it's high, I don't buy!" “When in doubt, do without!” “Shoplighters of the World Unite!”) or create a new one and share it. Target items each month to toss, donate, or use, and post your “chopping block” -- or “hit list.” Post temptations, post victories.

They say it takes 30 days for something to become a habit: Let's see if taking the ComPact one month at a time works for you.

Join us.

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

just bee — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 15:58:24 GMT

And we're off...

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

Eager2Learn — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 23:45:01 GMT

OK, a new month. A chance to get back on the bandwagon.

This month my goal (as usual) is to have more going out/used up/tossed than coming in.

As for my ORC: I'm going to attempt to empty 28 kitchen drawers/cabinets, clean the cabinets inside and out and hopefully replace less into them than I took out.

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

just bee — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 23:55:30 GMT

On 4/1/2014 Eager2Learn said:
OK, a new month. A chance to get back on the bandwagon.

This month my goal (as usual) is to have more going out/used up/tossed than coming in.

As for my ORC: I'm going to attempt to empty 28 kitchen drawers/cabinets, clean the cabinets inside and out and hopefully replace less into them than I took out.

Sounds like one drawer/cabinet each day.

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

just bee — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 00:12:28 GMT

I'm trying to do things seasonally. So many items have a three-month expiration: mascara, toothbrushes, fish oil. Today I tossed my old mascara and opened a new tube. Now I have to pick out a new toothbrush from the stash. I still have a month to go on my current bottle of fish oil, so my choreography's still a bit off. I need to schedule some appointments like an eye exam and blood donation (already have a dental appointment in May).

I make a "to do" list for the season, month by month, and check off items as I go. Did taxes today. Done!

Took care of all the dog's personal business last month...

I start in January, so it’s January through March; April through June; July through September; then October through December. Three-month chunks.

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

PAlady — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 00:22:03 GMT

Good evening ladies, hope all is well with you. I have not written for quite a while, but I have been reading all the posts. Yes, it is a new month and I am recommitting to Compacting. I have not being doing well on the de-cluttering or watching what I have been buying. I received my credit card bill and thought, I can't remember what I bought. When I do this I know I have purchased way too much "stuff".

Keep on posting ladies, I need to read about your achievements.

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

kns110 — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 12:17:46 GMT

Hi Compacters! Thank goodness it's a new month. March was busy and went by quickly it seems. I was able to get through a serum that lasted forever, eye serum, a deluxe travel sized shampoo, deluxe travel sized moisturizer, and two travel sized makeup removers. I am almost done with two facial cleansers, those should be empty this week. That said, it was my birthday month, so I have a bunch of coupons and enticing emails. Jumping back on the wagon this month! I worked on cleaning up the kids rooms in March. There are a few things I would like to do still, but they are clean and organized! This month, I want to focus on the guest bedroom, which is a catch all room, and the guest bathroom. It's definitely getting warmer here, so here's to spring cleaning!

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

Beauty$Junkie — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 12:26:18 GMT

Thanks so much, JustBee, for starting us again for the month of April. I am making progress, but so much still in the stash. How did they convince me I needed A/D for these items? I sure cannot use them as fast as they claimed I needed them coming. I did use up a SSC cleanser, but not to worry, as there is still more. I like the olive oil to remove make up at the end of the day. I did part with 2 lipsticks, as they were in the orange family, and I can't do orange. One day at a time. That's how it came in, that's how it is going out. Thank you all for your comments. Even though I don't post every little thing, I so depend on all of you to keep me strong and mindful of what I am doing. I have even found exceptional buys that I am now able to, after a conversation with self, leave the area without the item--progress. Happy April to all of you. We can do it!

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

just bee — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 15:23:22 GMT

On 4/2/2014 kns110 said: March was busy and went by quickly it seems.That said, it was my birthday month, so I have a bunch of coupons and enticing emails.

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

just bee — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 15:33:00 GMT

On 4/2/2014 Beauty$Junkie said:
Thanks so much, JustBee, for starting us again for the month of April. I am making progress, but so much still in the stash. How did they convince me I needed A/D for these items? I sure cannot use them as fast as they claimed I needed them coming. I did use up a SSC cleanser, but not to worry, as there is still more. I like the olive oil to remove make up at the end of the day. I did part with 2 lipsticks, as they were in the orange family, and I can't do orange. One day at a time. That's how it came in, that's how it is going out. Thank you all for your comments. Even though I don't post every little thing, I so depend on all of you to keep me strong and mindful of what I am doing. I have even found exceptional buys that I am now able to, after a conversation with self, leave the area without the item--progress. Happy April to all of you. We can do it!

That's the first thing I did when I started ComPacting: I stopped all auto-deliveries. I just couldn't get through the products quickly enough and they started piling up. I spent way too much time thinking about them and pushing back delivery dates. Just wasn't worth the headache.

And you're right:

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

just bee — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 15:35:56 GMT

On 4/1/2014 PAlady said:
Good evening ladies, hope all is well with you. I have not written for quite a while, but I have been reading all the posts. Yes, it is a new month and I am recommitting to Compacting. I have not being doing well on the de-cluttering or watching what I have been buying. I received my credit card bill and thought, I can't remember what I bought. When I do this I know I have purchased way too much "stuff".

Keep on posting ladies, I need to read about your achievements.

Okay, just put a "P" where the "J" is:

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

PAlady — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 21:34:07 GMT

Just bee - Thanks, I needed that.

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

Oshare-girl — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 22:08:06 GMT

I hit another milestone this morning. I hit pan on a blush! I have never done that before. It took me 4 months of daily use to hit pan. This is a mini size Tarte Amazonian Clay blush which is half the size of the regular one. At this rate it will take a couple more months to completely finish it. So I'll finish all my blush in 15 years, ack!

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

Nicole76 — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 04:23:56 GMT

It's hard to believe it's already a new month. I had and still have lots going on in life right now, but I am going to try to keep reading the posts to keep inspired on wise spending and de-cluttering. I wish everyone lots of luck this month - though I may not be able to post much!

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

aprilskies — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 11:26:23 GMT

Nicole - I hope its at least all good things.

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

aprilskies — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 11:44:56 GMT

My Compactng is starting to unravel so I need to get back to basics. Its seems like i just want to buy and try new products. At least some of the skincare items went right into rotation, others I will put into rotation even though I have the same kind of products open. I didnt buy a lot of mu, but that went right into my drawers never to be seen again. So, I had some setbacks. I can feel that old feeling stirring so I need to get back to being mindful. So, in April, I am also recommitting to the pact.

On the decluttering note, I have stopped the intense focus, I have really decluttered so much in the past year and it feels great, but now I am identifying things as I go along and putting them in a box for donation. i try to make a decision on some things as I see them. I have also taken some containers out and put them in my dining room for now. They contain some of my collectibles and I want to see if I can sell some of them. Collectibles arent really selling but I am going to at least list some things and see how it goes. It just feels like a daunting task. Sometimes I think it would be easier just letting them go but I cant do it.

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

rnmom — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 12:57:52 GMT

Happy April fellow Compactors!

March was a pretty good month for me. I managed to either use up or toss 13 items. However, I bought 2 items so I got a GWP from Ulta which was 14 items, so I actually added 3 items to the stash! But, it gave me a couple of new products to try without actually spending any money, so, hopefully it will help curb my impulse to buy new items that I don't need. And if they don't work for me, I won't feel bad tossing them because they didn't cost me anything. Overall my spending on beauty for the year has been minimal, so I feel good about that.

I have a few more small things that I'm getting close to using up, then things will slow down a bit. I've had a good few months and a lot of small items to use up which has been nice. I can actually see how much more space I have in my skin care drawer and it feels good to actually use up items rather than just give them away or toss them.

My decluttering has been sporadic, but I'm still working on it. I took a bag of CD's and books to donate yesterday and 3 bags of clothes to my church last week. Next week I'll be donating a bag full of toiletries to the Rescue Mission.

It's finally starting to warm up just a little bit here, so I'm looking forward to getting out to the garage and down to the basement. Those areas have been neglected for many months, so the decluttering will slow down as we take on other projects.

Here's to another great month of decluterring and paring down!

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

Eager2Learn — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 16:34:34 GMT

On 4/1/2014 just bee said:
On 4/1/2014 Eager2Learn said:
OK, a new month. A chance to get back on the bandwagon.

This month my goal (as usual) is to have more going out/used up/tossed than coming in.

As for my ORC: I'm going to attempt to empty 28 kitchen drawers/cabinets, clean the cabinets inside and out and hopefully replace less into them than I took out.

Sounds like one drawer/cabinet each day.

Thanks Bee. Sounds like a plan. I want to get it done without getting overwhelmed or worn out.

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

kns110 — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 12:37:49 GMT

Thank you Just Bee for this birthday wishes! That made by day! I was feeling overwhelmed with everything that needs cleaned, so I start a list per room so I could see my progress as I worked on items. I also have a very large pile ready for my church's yard sale in June. I am hoping to add more to that soon. Finishing a room does feel so good, so I am trying to remember that feeling. I also canceled my last auto delivery before the next shipment was sent. It was hard to do, but I know it needed to be done.

Re: ComPact 2014 – April

aprilskies — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 12:58:56 GMT

So, I never was one to keep a budget but decided this year to set one up just to see where all the spending is going. Yesterday, I finally setup the spreadsheet so now its a matter of sitting down and entering the receipts. I know I probably wont capture everything since I am not sure I kept receipts or wrote things down but its a start. I do wish I kept records of other years just to see the diff from year to year. Oh well, not that important to me, just curious since I have really cut back in a lot of areas and it would of been interesting to see the result.

I have been doing some organizing and decluttering lately but nothing of note but I have a little box ready to go.

I am going to take a trip today to Sephora and pick up a couple of things during their sale and that I can use and need but then I am recommitting to the Compact for beauty items. I can tell I am losing a little grip and dont want to go down that path again of collecting again.

I am wondering if Spring will ever get here.