topic Re: ComPact 2014 -- December in Beauty

ComPact 2014 -- December

just bee — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 14:38:23 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!” “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.” “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 -- December

just bee — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 14:43:13 GMT

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

just bee — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 14:50:24 GMT

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

just bee — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 15:22:38 GMT

What's your version of a ComPact Christmas? What will you do to keep it simple?

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

PAlady — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 19:28:34 GMT

We don't buy for the adults anymore, we just buy for the children. We all decided we buy what we need all year and that anything else is just clutter and will be thrown away soon after Christmas.

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

just bee — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 20:06:23 GMT

On 12/1/2014 PAlady said:
We don't buy for the adults anymore, we just buy for the children. We all decided we buy what we need all year and that anything else is just clutter and will be thrown away soon after Christmas.

When Better-half and I stopped exchanging gifts for the holidays (birthdays, Valentine's, Christmas...) I really started enjoying them. I support a vibrant economy, but I just don't want to be anywhere near a shopping mall. I used to spend as much on imported wrapping paper, cards and decorations as I did on gifts. I just worked through Thanksgiving and I'll be working Christmas and New Year's. We kept Thanksgiving dinner very simple this year (celebrated it on Friday) and invested in a turkey from the local butcher. That hen was such a gift! I don't think I'll ever buy a Butterball again.

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

BExplorer — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 00:56:25 GMT

Thank you for the monthly thread, just bee! Last year we decided to only buy for the kids in our family. This year I told people who insisit on buying for me I would like them to instead donate the money to our local children's hospital or St. Jude's. I have decided I don't want to be on the receiving end of any tangilbe gifts (as I, too, buy what I need throughout the year) and want the money to go where it can be put to better use. I also think of Sheldon's gift theory (aka: obligation) on Big Bang Theory and don't want to cause others the "gift stress" Christmas can bring

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

Beauty$Junkie — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 01:06:09 GMT

Thanks for get us rolling into December, JustBee. I love your pictures. I am holding shopping to a minimum. I have 2 granddaughters to finish up and I will be done. I don't need a thing. I have picked up some coats for the giving tree from my church, so that really took care of my retail fix. Hoping to keep the focus on the meaning of the season. I have a difficult time during this season, as I lost my dad on Christmas eve several years ago. I want to focus on more personal interaction with friends. I am baking and making candy to take around to some elderly neighbors, and will enjoy visiting with them. I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday season.

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

aprilskies — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 01:50:17 GMT

On 12/1/2014 PAlady said:
We don't buy for the adults anymore, we just buy for the children. We all decided we buy what we need all year and that anything else is just clutter and will be thrown away soon after Christmas.

Same here. The holidays are so much more peaceful. Even the kids, I would like to eventually gift them with experiences but know they love gifts so I don't want to spoil that for them for now. I will raise it in a few years. I am so happy my family is past all the gift giving. Everyone gets what they want or need all year long.

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

aprilskies — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 19:38:44 GMT

So, the lessons from having too much stuff just dont end. Last night, I washed my face and reached for an oil to slap on. As I reached for the oil, I thought hmmm this smells pretty good. I put it all over my face. Then I quickly realized it was a hair oil. The bottles are both brown and I was not paying attention. While it didnt burn or anything and it probably would of been fine, I washed my face just in case and started over.

The last couple of days, I am making an attempt to use mu. I have a ton sitting around and that is even after I tossed at ton within the last two years. Anyway, I figure I dont really use foundation but have a couple of bottles. I decided to mix it with my moisturizer and turn it into a tinted moisturizer. So, I used one of them yesterday and it was fine. I used the other one this morning and applied it to my face but it had a chemical/alcohol type of smell to it. I couldnt remember if it was normal or not, but it sure didnt seem like it. So, a full bottle of Stila tossed and it wasnt really that old. The lessons from stockpiling just keep on coming.

I cant imagine as I start to use my mu more and more, what else I will find that needs tossing. Although, in a way, I am kinda thankful it happened now. It gives me more strength to hold strong as I go through Christmas sales. I do love mu, I just dont make the time to use it.

Ho hum, keep calm and carry on.

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

Oshare-girl — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 00:49:11 GMT

With a group of friends we do the "Advent Conspiracy" where we explain to our children how blessed we are to have everything we need and how there are many people all over the world that have very little. Instead of exchanging gifts with each other, we put that money in a Kitty and have the kids pick out stuff from a charity organization. This year we chose Compassion Intl. The kids have to work together to pick out things from the catalog that will fit in the budget. Stuff like animals (chicken, pigs, goats), water filtration, text books, mosquito nets etc. we want our kids to think beyond themselves and have made this a tradition during Black Friday weekend to balance out all the materialism. Then we have great fellowship and a Christmas party rolled into one. I think this is my proudest moment as a parent. The kids still get way too many gifts from the grandparents so they are hardly deprived. But we hope that they will be mindful of giving to others first as they grow up. It's also good to teach them math, budgeting and working as a group.

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

Oshare-girl — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 01:05:44 GMT

On another note, I have a schedule for 2015 of all the beauty products I will be using for each season. It helped me to see that I am more than stocked up on everything for another year. No back-up purchases necessary. Since I started Compacting, I have hit pan on more items than ever before. I hope to reach my ideal capsule makeup collection in the next year. Fingers crossed.

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

Coffeebean33 — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 04:10:49 GMT

On 12/3/2014 Oshare-girl said: With a group of friends we do the "Advent Conspiracy" where we explain to our children how blessed we are to have everything we need and how there are many people all over the world that have very little. Instead of exchanging gifts with each other, we put that money in a Kitty and have the kids pick out stuff from a charity organization. This year we chose Compassion Intl. The kids have to work together to pick out things from the catalog that will fit in the budget. Stuff like animals (chicken, pigs, goats), water filtration, text books, mosquito nets etc. we want our kids to think beyond themselves and have made this a tradition during Black Friday weekend to balance out all the materialism. Then we have great fellowship and a Christmas party rolled into one. I think this is my proudest moment as a parent. The kids still get way too many gifts from the grandparents so they are hardly deprived. But we hope that they will be mindful of giving to others first as they grow up. It's also good to teach them math, budgeting and working as a group.

This is beautiful and heart warming. Thank you for sharing.

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

just bee — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 14:49:55 GMT

On 12/3/2014 Oshare-girl said: On another note, I have a schedule for 2015 of all the beauty products I will be using for each season. It helped me to see that I am more than stocked up on everything for another year. No back-up purchases necessary. Since I started Compacting, I have hit pan on more items than ever before. I hope to reach my ideal capsule makeup collection in the next year. Fingers crossed.

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

just bee — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 14:51:57 GMT

On 12/3/2014 Coffeebean33 said:
On 12/3/2014 Oshare-girl said: With a group of friends we do the "Advent Conspiracy" where we explain to our children how blessed we are to have everything we need and how there are many people all over the world that have very little. Instead of exchanging gifts with each other, we put that money in a Kitty and have the kids pick out stuff from a charity organization. This year we chose Compassion Intl. The kids have to work together to pick out things from the catalog that will fit in the budget. Stuff like animals (chicken, pigs, goats), water filtration, text books, mosquito nets etc. we want our kids to think beyond themselves and have made this a tradition during Black Friday weekend to balance out all the materialism. Then we have great fellowship and a Christmas party rolled into one. I think this is my proudest moment as a parent. The kids still get way too many gifts from the grandparents so they are hardly deprived. But we hope that they will be mindful of giving to others first as they grow up. It's also good to teach them math, budgeting and working as a group.
This is beautiful and heart warming. Thank you for sharing.

What she said!

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

just bee — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 14:56:39 GMT

On 12/2/2014 aprilskies said:
So, the lessons from having too much stuff just dont end.

I still have too much and I've essentially stopped shopping. I know I'm making progress because I'm not bringing things into the house, but there was just too much collected to begin with. It adds up fast, doesn't it?

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

DL2843 — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 16:33:38 GMT

Happy St. Nick's Day. I am trying to manage Christmas by really thinking about the gifts I put on my list. Why do I want this, why do I need it, and is it replacing or duplicating something I already own? My mother insists on buying me many gifts. I cannot convince her that I really don't need more. My sister also wants to buy me something. I finally convinced her that all I wanted was a new Christmas mystery book. On Black Friday I bought just two items and one was an item to donate to an auction. The other was sweat pants, because my current pair is so pilled that they feel icky to put on. So far it seems to be working. I have said no to the make-up kits, because I think of all the lip and cheek products in my stash. I did buy a Josie Maran TSV kit because it was all lotions, and I have no stash of lotions. I still love this thread. Thanks to all of you for keeping it active.

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

just bee — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 16:43:19 GMT

On 12/6/2014 DL2843 said: I still love this thread. Thanks to all of you for keeping it active.

Awww shucks!

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

just bee — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 16:46:14 GMT

Just checking in. How's everyone doing? I had to go out and pick up pizza last night (wanted to give Better-half a break from cooking -- and I wanted pizza) and the traffic around the mall was getting a tad thick. Be careful out there! People do not have driving on their minds.

Remember: Keep it simple and enjoy the season.

Re: ComPact 2014 -- December

aprilskies — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 16:17:38 GMT

Hi Everyone. I love Christmas scenes and should make a point of getting out to enjoy them more. We have a few places that are quaint this time of year, even though they are centered around stores. . I havent been doing so well and need to pull it back some. It is amazing how strong that old shopping bug crept back. But, I certainly dont want to find myself in the same place I have worked so hard in getting out of. This time of year is definitely tough.

I hope everyone has safe and healthy holidays centered around people and good times. Yes, be safe out there. The stores have been crazy now for a long time, I cant imagine what is yet to come.

I really cant believe we are about to close out another year. Where did it go?

Just Bee, how is school going> Are you now doing your master's or higher degree?