topic Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April! in Beauty

ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 10:46:56 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 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 10:55:00 GMT

Hey, all you HEPcats and HEPdogs! We had discussed making the Healthy Eating thread a monthly jam session, so I just went ahead and did a little improvisation.

This is an invite to our crazy crib where you can come and break it down! I say we go 18 karat on this and really swing. If healthy eating’s not your bag, no problem. But if it is, I dig.

It’s cool, I’m booted, let’s jump!

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 11:08:30 GMT

Well...

March went out like a lion

Awakin' up the water in the bay;

Then April cried and stepped aside,

And along came pretty little May!

Yup -- it's already April and that means it's time to start thinking about an adjective for May. May may be mindful or May may be... fill in the blank.

But for now it's Appreciative April and I'm going to try to keep that in mind as I sit this morning, gathering my tax information for 2016.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 19:10:28 GMT

Okay. I appreciate that my state and federal taxes came down. A little.

Did you know that New Mexico is one of only four states that adds sales tax to tax preparation costs?

#$%&@*!

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 19:37:50 GMT

Reminder post!

If you replace items every three months (like mascara, toothbrush, etc...), today's the day!

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

kathie66 — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 20:41:58 GMT

@just bee wrote:
Well...

March went out like a lion
Awakin' up the water in the bay;
Then April cried and stepped aside,
And along came pretty little May!

Yup -- it's already April and that means it's time to start thinking about an adjective for May. May may be mindful or May may be... fill in the blank.

But for now it's Appreciative April and I'm going to try to keep that in mind as I sit this morning, gathering my tax information for 2016.

I like Motivated May. Or May Motivation. The spring and warm weather always motivates me to eat better, be outside, clean up etc. Hello to all! I appreciate this thread @just bee!

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 21:16:24 GMT

@kathie66 wrote:
@just bee wrote:
Well...

March went out like a lion
Awakin' up the water in the bay;
Then April cried and stepped aside,
And along came pretty little May!

Yup -- it's already April and that means it's time to start thinking about an adjective for May. May may be mindful or May may be... fill in the blank.

But for now it's Appreciative April and I'm going to try to keep that in mind as I sit this morning, gathering my tax information for 2016.
I like Motivated May. Or May Motivation. The spring and warm weather always motivates me to eat better, be outside, clean up etc. Hello to all! I appreciate this thread @just bee!

@kathie66

Oooooh! I like that! Motivated May! I could use some of that!

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 21:21:09 GMT

And I appreciate all the rain and fog in the desert today! That means I don't have to water. Instead, I'm going to sit and watch an ER marathon!

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

kathie66 — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 22:21:55 GMT

@just bee wrote:
And I appreciate all the rain and fog in the desert today! That means I don't have to water. Instead, I'm going to sit and watch an ER marathon!

I LOVE ER! Have fun!

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 11:13:08 GMT

I appreciate that today is opening day and I can watch the Cubs play this year without worrying that I'm a jinx.

I suspect I may have been right: I didn't watch them last year and didn't wear any Cubs shirts, jackets or caps.

My tax preparer said yesterday that 2016 was a horrible year. As I was driving home I realized that as bad as it was, it was the year the Cubs won the World Series.

Clearly it wasn't that bad.

Hey, hey, holy mackerel,
No doubt about it,
the Cubs are on their way!

The Cubs are gonna hit today
they're gonna pitch today
they're gonna field today
Come what may,
the Cubs are gonna win today!

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 16:00:56 GMT

Okay, they lost, but I don't think it was my fault. I dozed off during the second inning.

It's that sound! Baseball sound, the sound of the fans, white noise. It just relaxes me and puts me out.

Had a mini-stroke this morning when I was paying bills. My cable bill went up significantly last month and now it's gone up even more.

I think I'm going to have to break up with Comcast. A cable bill shouldn't be higher than a car payment.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

SKV — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 13:07:07 GMT

Where is everyone on this thread this month?! I don't always post but usually read this thread regularly and was surprised I had to go back to page 4 to find it! How is everyone doing?

Justbee i I agree about the cost of cable....absolutely ridiculous. If it was up to me I would cancel it completely but my husband has other ideas on the matter!

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 13:58:41 GMT

@SKV wrote:
Where is everyone on this thread this month?! I don't always post but usually read this thread regularly and was surprised I had to go back to page 4 to find it! How is everyone doing?

Justbee i I agree about the cost of cable....absolutely ridiculous. If it was up to me I would cancel it completely but my husband has other ideas on the matter!

@SKV

Thanks so much for checking in! And posting!

That's the conundrum: Once the thread disappears from view, it gets harder to find and then it just fades away. Are we on the path to extinction?

As for cable, we have the opposite issue. Better-half hasn't watched TV in years (he lives on the computer); however, my generation grew up on the thing and I'm not quite at the point of cutting the cable cord.

Like most purchases, I rationalize keeping it. We don't eat out, we don't go to the movie theaters, we don't hang out at clubs, we don't travel. Our entertainment budget is zip. Cable TV/Internet access, compared to what we could be spending for "entertainment," is relatively affordable. That's what the cable companies are counting on, anyway.

I'm weaning myself off cable news (or at least decreasing the time it's on) and I'm trying to watch something else. Right now I'm caught up in ER reruns.

I'm surrounded by people who proudly exclaim that they don't watch TV. Yeah, but they're on their phones 24/7 watching something.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

HangingTen — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 14:42:02 GMT

For May - Minimal May

But I'm gonna Appreciate April first!

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 14:48:38 GMT

@HangingTen wrote:
For May - Minimal May

But I'm gonna Appreciate April first!

@HangingTen

Ah-ha! Another option! And it has a certain ring to it...

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

SKV — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 23:50:04 GMT

I certainly hope we are not on the path to extinction! This thread keeps me motivated and on track every month. Every time I feel tempted I pop over here for some motivation. I appreciate you starting it for us every month!

I hear you about the devices, I never watch tv but am always on a device of some sort.

Yes, I like Minimal May! Definitely has a ring to it.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

Oshare-girl — Sun, 09 Apr 2017 01:05:10 GMT

Oh no, this thread cannot go into extinction!

@just bee We keep switching between the 2 major cable stations here. The bill keeps going up and then the competition comes calling so we switch back. As long as they are fighting, we are willing to switch.

So my final use-it-up total for March came out to $177! That's the value of the stuff I finished in March. I am enjoying keeping track of this. It keeps me motivated to stick with the one in one out method. The only new things have been what comes in the Beauty Heroes monthly boxes. I really appreciate their philosophy of using less, loving more. I have been able to consistently use up the products from the boxes since it's only one full sized product plus a smaller side kick product. This has really been satisfying my skincare needs.

@aprilskies I found out that the Drunk Elephant packaging can be opened so that you can see how much product is left! I follow Gothamista on instagram and she showed how the top can be pulled off. Inside the opaque packing is a clear tube that is pushed up from the bottom so I know that all the product gets used up. So neat! I just checked my C-Firma serum and have about .5 inch of product left. Still a lot to finish.

I'm meeting friends next week and plan to give my former fav perfume away. Once I started using oils, the old stuff is just too strong for me. I know she will love it and that makes me feel double good.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Sun, 09 Apr 2017 10:31:26 GMT

@SKV wrote:
I certainly hope we are not on the path to extinction! This thread keeps me motivated and on track every month. Every time I feel tempted I pop over here for some motivation. I appreciate you starting it for us every month!

I hear you about the devices, I never watch tv but am always on a device of some sort.

Yes, I like Minimal May! Definitely has a ring to it.

@SKV

It keeps me motivated, too. And that's why we have a suggestion from kathie66 for Motivated/Motivation May. Or maybe Motivational May. Keep those ideas coming!

I still have a lot of ComPacting to do (still too much in the house), but I've done an admirable job of keeping new stuff from coming in. The ComPact has made me analyze behaviors and modify them. Shopping is no longer recreation. I'm not collecting. Just because I see something and like it doesn't mean I have to buy it.

Discovering what I want versus what I actually need has been really helpful. I want less these days.

But right now I want another mug of tea.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

just bee — Sun, 09 Apr 2017 12:21:18 GMT

@Oshare-girl wrote:
Oh no, this thread cannot go into extinction!

@Oshare-girl

Save Our ComPact Thread!

I've started a GoFundMe campaign.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Appreciative April!

rnmom — Sun, 09 Apr 2017 12:10:43 GMT

I don't post a lot but I love to read this thread too, so I will contribute to it's continuation! Yesterday was a good day at our house. I don't know what got into my hubby but he was motivated to work on cleaning both the garage and the pole barn! Yeah! He usually does a good clean out each spring after everything sits all winter and yesterday was the day. We didn't have tons of trash but an extra can did get filled and everything got swept. I will be so pleased to take all the trash out to the curb tonight!

I did some work on our storage room in the basement this week too and even though I didn't get rid of tons of stuff everything is organized better so it's easier to walk thru. I have a small box for donations to the Salvation army and just a couple items in a bag. Plus I have another bag of kids clothes to pass onto a girl at work. I am really starting to get to the point where I just don't have that much left that I'm willing to part with. It seems weird because I've been decluttering for so long, it seems like there should be more, but I think I have just about hit a wall. And it feels good! I'm tired of having bags sitting in my bedroom waiting to be dropped off.

I have a few more areas to tweak, I still need to finish my paperwork/file cabinets but I'm definitely getting there!