topic Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November! in Beauty

ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

just bee — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 12:42:36 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 – Never Again November!

just bee — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 12:56:13 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 – Never Again November!

just bee — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 14:25:36 GMT

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”

― Albert Einstein

Never Again November is for those who recognize that they have turned the corner and refuse to go back.

What will change this month for you?

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

millieshops — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 14:47:19 GMT

@just beeI didn't know about the Compact - but I'm in! Three years ago, I had decided to use up my Chaz stash before ordering more Wen. Then 2 years ago in June, I made the mistake of watching and bought another scent in a kit and started all over! I have now opened the last of any Wen already in my possession and I'm committed to using that up before even watching a Wen show.

My next target is bigger - I'm working on clothes. This is a good time of the year for me to do that because everything new in the stores is winter and I'm in southern Florida where the temperatures for a while are still expected to be in the 80's. Not much temptation at all to shop. Still, I'm resigned that this could be another 3-year project.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

geezerette — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 15:12:43 GMT

@millieshops wrote:
@just beeI didn't know about the Compact - but I'm in! Three years ago, I had decided to use up my Chaz stash before ordering more Wen. Then 2 years ago in June, I made the mistake of watching and bought another scent in a kit and started all over! I have now opened the last of any Wen already in my possession and I'm committed to using that up before even watching a Wen show.

My next target is bigger - I'm working on clothes. This is a good time of the year for me to do that because everything new in the stores is winter and I'm in southern Florida where the temperatures for a while are still expected to be in the 80's. Not much temptation at all to shop. Still, I'm resigned that this could be another 3-year project.

@millieshops

Welcome!

One step at a time. Clothes are probably one of the biggest projects for most of us, and, for me at least, one that is ongoing. And something that you want to take your time with and be sure that you are willing to part with and not miss when it’s gone. Besides, it took you longer to accumulate your wardrobe than just three years (I’m assuming), so don’t be in a rush to pare down too much too soon.

I hate to tell you this, and perhaps you already know, but Chaz has a WEN TSV November 28. And word has it, a new product or two as well. Temptation, temptation!😋

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

just bee — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 15:32:01 GMT

@millieshops wrote:
@just beeI didn't know about the Compact - but I'm in! Three years ago, I had decided to use up my Chaz stash before ordering more Wen. Then 2 years ago in June, I made the mistake of watching and bought another scent in a kit and started all over! I have now opened the last of any Wen already in my possession and I'm committed to using that up before even watching a Wen show.

My next target is bigger - I'm working on clothes. This is a good time of the year for me to do that because everything new in the stores is winter and I'm in southern Florida where the temperatures for a while are still expected to be in the 80's. Not much temptation at all to shop. Still, I'm resigned that this could be another 3-year project.

@millieshops

The Compact has been around for a really long time and we're all still working at it.

Like you, clothes will be my next project. There's a thread on the Fashion forum -- you've probably seen it:

The Project: Curating MacDuff's Closet.

I have a lot of clothes but wear very few of the items in my closets. It's time to prune.

Like @geezerette says, we didn't create the problem overnight so we shouldn't expect it to magically disappear. Takes time to develop a new habit.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

aprilskies — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 15:52:50 GMT

Welcome, Millieshops. Good luck with your decluttering. It does feel good when we clear things out. Keep us updated on your journey. I always appreciate reading the stories. It keeps me motivated in my decluttering as well.

I am so glad it is the start of a brand new month. It just feels like a fresh start. This month my goals are no beauty at all and only essential groceries. I have to stay away from all things beauty. Eyeshadow palettes are starting to call my name and that really is the last thing I need. All those pretty colors are putting me in a trance. Aprilskies, aprilskies, come to meeeee....

Instead, I am going to put my energy in finding comfortable dress shoes for work. I dont find many dressy comfortable pumps. I think they forgot how to make these and I am not willing to pay 300 bucks on a pair either. Maybe it is just my feet.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

geezerette — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 22:01:24 GMT

@aprilskies wrote:
Welcome, Millieshops. Good luck with your decluttering. It does feel good when we clear things out. Keep us updated on your journey. I always appreciate reading the stories. It keeps me motivated in my decluttering as well.

I am so glad it is the start of a brand new month. It just feels like a fresh start. This month my goals are no beauty at all and only essential groceries. I have to stay away from all things beauty. Eyeshadow palettes are starting to call my name and that really is the last thing I need. All those pretty colors are putting me in a trance. Aprilskies, aprilskies, come to meeeee....

Instead, I am going to put my energy in finding comfortable dress shoes for work. I dont find many dressy comfortable pumps. I think they forgot how to make these and I am not willing to pay 300 bucks on a pair either. Maybe it is just my feet.

@aprilskies

“comfortable dress shoes”—isn’t that an oxymoron?

And good luck finding some that don’t cost $300. Between my back, hips and feet, I now have two styles of shoes I wear. I can get away with Birkenstocks around the house. But for walking and going out, I can only stand one style of Finn Comfort—at $360 a pair. I have one pair for summer, one pair for winter, and when those get a little worn or scuffed they become my walking shoes. I also have custom orthotics I wear in my Muck boots, at about $340 a pop.

I haven’t worn dress shoes in so long that if I have to go to a wedding or funeral, I guess I’ll end up going barefoot.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

aprilskies — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 10:44:11 GMT

@geezerette wrote:
@aprilskies wrote:
Welcome, Millieshops. Good luck with your decluttering. It does feel good when we clear things out. Keep us updated on your journey. I always appreciate reading the stories. It keeps me motivated in my decluttering as well.

I am so glad it is the start of a brand new month. It just feels like a fresh start. This month my goals are no beauty at all and only essential groceries. I have to stay away from all things beauty. Eyeshadow palettes are starting to call my name and that really is the last thing I need. All those pretty colors are putting me in a trance. Aprilskies, aprilskies, come to meeeee....

Instead, I am going to put my energy in finding comfortable dress shoes for work. I dont find many dressy comfortable pumps. I think they forgot how to make these and I am not willing to pay 300 bucks on a pair either. Maybe it is just my feet.
@aprilskies

“comfortable dress shoes”—isn’t that an oxymoron?

And good luck finding some that don’t cost $300. Between my back, hips and feet, I now have two styles of shoes I wear. I can get away with Birkenstocks around the house. But for walking and going out, I can only stand one style of Finn Comfort—at $360 a pair. I have one pair for summer, one pair for winter, and when those get a little worn or scuffed they become my walking shoes. I also have custom orthotics I wear in my Muck boots, at about $340 a pop.

I haven’t worn dress shoes in so long that if I have to go to a wedding or funeral, I guess I’ll end up going barefoot.

Yes, it sure is.

I know, I know, ugh. I have been trying to avoid. I keep telling myself that I will buy a couple of expensive pairs and then balk, I have stopped buying expensive handbags and shoes a long time ago because I am so hard on them. But, yes, I must bite the bullet.

Lol, Shouldnt the bride should be the belle of the ball?

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

geezerette — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 19:42:46 GMT

There are so many things that I need to “Never Again”. But I suppose the most all-encompassing is not to discount my intuition/instinct/inner voice. I have been thinking of this for some time now regarding other things, but it can be applied to the Compact in so many ways too.

More times than not, I already know that I shouldn’t really buy/do/eat/drink that “whatever”, but I ignore that little voice inside me and buy/do/eat/drink anyway. And most of those times, I end up regretting I did. (Admittedly, occasionally that little voice is wrong, but not often.)

Which then leads to the enabler, “But You Can Always Send It Back” devil. True, but the time and effort, and sometimes money, that takes has become too detrimental in my life. And many times, the idea of going through all that is overwhelming at the time, so I tell myself that I will make do with “whatever” even though it’s not really what I wanted. And then, of course, I don’t really like it so it gets tucked behind something in a closet so I can pretend it’s gone and then months (or years) later I drag it out and either throw it away or donate it. I’ve donated so many things I’ve never even used that it would be much easier and cheaper just to donate cash.

So, “Never Again” do I want to buy something that I start off thinking I can send back. If I think that way before I even have the item, surely it’s bound to only go downhill from there.

Now if I can only get those last Christmas gifts returned for the ones I should have gotten in the first place...

😩🤗😏😋😁

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

aprilskies — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 16:01:17 GMT

@geezerette wrote:

There are so many things that I need to “Never Again”. But I suppose the most all-encompassing is not to discount my intuition/instinct/inner voice. I have been thinking of this for some time now regarding other things, but it can be applied to the Compact in so many ways too.

More times than not, I already know that I shouldn’t really buy/do/eat/drink that “whatever”, but I ignore that little voice inside me and buy/do/eat/drink anyway. And most of those times, I end up regretting I did. (Admittedly, occasionally that little voice is wrong, but not often.)

Yes, exactly, our intuition, if only I listened to it over the years, if only. Truth be told, I am still having problems listening.

I dont understand this myself. We know what we should be doing, we just arent doing it. And we know the very moment we do something that we shouldnt be doing it. Why is that?

Yesterday though I was successful. I had to stop at bed bath and beyond for something and tjmaxx is not far from there so I was going to go there just to browse. I told myself to go home and so I went. But the only thing that saved me was because it was right after work and I was tired and just wanted to get home. I will take a save any way I can.

I think I need to put some goals in neon lights right in front of me.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

DelaRose — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 16:23:51 GMT

I have been reading this forum for a while. COUNT ME IN!!!!!

I can totally relate to what you are saying. I've purchased so much stuff (online especially) that I have donated it before the bill even hits my mailbox because i just don't want to deal with the hassle of a return. Last Christmas I did most of my purchases online. I will NOT be doing that this year. More than half of the purchases that I made if I would have saw them in the store I would have passed them by seeing the color and feeling the material. Also, when I'm in a store I would never buy as much as I do online because I couldn't possibly carry all the purchases. I guess I'm going against what the new generation is doing, but I'm going BACK to the stores.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

geezerette — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 18:16:15 GMT

@DelaRose wrote:
I have been reading this forum for a while. COUNT ME IN!!!!!

I can totally relate to what you are saying. I've purchased so much stuff (online especially) that I have donated it before the bill even hits my mailbox because i just don't want to deal with the hassle of a return. Last Christmas I did most of my purchases online. I will NOT be doing that this year. More than half of the purchases that I made if I would have saw them in the store I would have passed them by seeing the color and feeling the material. Also, when I'm in a store I would never buy as much as I do online because I couldn't possibly carry all the purchases. I guess I'm going against what the new generation is doing, but I'm going BACK to the stores.

@DelaRose

Welcome! You sound like my kinda gal! In fact, I could have written your whole post myself! The whole Christmas gift thing. I’ve already returned, tossed or donated most of what I ordered for gifts this year, and am now on second and third orders! It’s pitiful.

And yes, I also hate to admit that I have tossed or donated many things even before I paid the credit card bill. Pathetic.

I just got a new vacuum the other day and before I had even unpacked all the attachments I had already thought that if I had tried it out in a real brick and mortar store, I never would have purchased it. Oh, I need it, but I don’t like how it handles. And because there is no way on God’s green earth I’m able to put everything back in the box to return, I’m going to keep it. Every time I use it from now until I can manage to destroy it, I’m going to beat myself up for buying it.

A few months ago I got the idea of buying most everything I could at a real store rather than online. After the last few weeks, this has become a vow. And after the latest delivery, it has become my mantra. “Store only!” “No more online!”

I do think I need to come up with a snazzier jingle than that though, or it will never stick.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

geezerette — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 19:28:10 GMT

@aprilskies wrote:
@geezerette wrote:

There are so many things that I need to “Never Again”. But I suppose the most all-encompassing is not to discount my intuition/instinct/inner voice. I have been thinking of this for some time now regarding other things, but it can be applied to the Compact in so many ways too.

More times than not, I already know that I shouldn’t really buy/do/eat/drink that “whatever”, but I ignore that little voice inside me and buy/do/eat/drink anyway. And most of those times, I end up regretting I did. (Admittedly, occasionally that little voice is wrong, but not often.)

Yes, exactly, our intuition, if only I listened to it over the years, if only. Truth be told, I am still having problems listening.

I dont understand this myself. We know what we should be doing, we just arent doing it. And we know the very moment we do something that we shouldnt be doing it. Why is that?

Yesterday though I was successful. I had to stop at bed bath and beyond for something and tjmaxx is not far from there so I was going to go there just to browse. I told myself to go home and so I went. But the only thing that saved me was because it was right after work and I was tired and just wanted to get home. I will take a save any way I can.

I think I need to put some goals in neon lights right in front of me.

@aprilskies

Ah yes, famous last words...”if only”...

Hey, one save because you’re tired is still a save. I do that with my HEP. I feel bad so I can manage to get home from the grocery store without buying any junk food. But by the time the next grocery trip rolls around I’m feeling so much better from eating clean that, you guessed it, I buy “just a little bit” of something I shouldn’t.

And then, well, you can guess the rest.

🍩🍿🍫🍪🍬🍦🍰🎂🍮🍭🍨🍧🍡🍟🍕🌭🍔

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

just bee — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 12:50:39 GMT

@geezerette wrote:
A few months ago I got the idea of buying most everything I could at a real store rather than online. After the last few weeks, this has become a vow. And after the latest delivery, it has become my mantra. “Store only!” “No more online!”

I do think I need to come up with a snazzier jingle than that though, or it will never stick.

@geezerette

How about "Only the store, online no more!"

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

ninjawife — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 12:56:59 GMT

This week I cleaned out the coat closet and DD 16 got rid of lots old coats that don't fit or she just doesn't wear anymore. Also got rid of excesss gloves and hats. Off they to a local coat drive.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

PAlady — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 13:11:56 GMT

Justbee - I like your jingle. Why you ask? I now have four packages to mail back. Will I ever learn. Don't get me wrong, I have been trying to buy local, but Landsend had a sale on turtlenecks. Soooo, I consult the sizing table, pick my size, order four shirts. And, they are too small, so, back they go. Now let's talk about shoes, I always think I have the size down. No, now I have a pair going back to the Q.

I decided I am going to two different places to send all this stuff back. I don't want to look like a shopping loser at the post office.

Well, off with my returns. Have a good morning everyone.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

just bee — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 13:13:38 GMT

@aprilskies wrote:

Instead, I am going to put my energy in finding comfortable dress shoes for work. I dont find many dressy comfortable pumps. I think they forgot how to make these and I am not willing to pay 300 bucks on a pair either. Maybe it is just my feet.

@aprilskies

Where is it written that you have to wear a pump to work? Do you have to wear skirts, too?

I earned two nursing degrees in the last few years just so I could wear pajamas and slippers to work. You think I would've been a nurse if I had to wear that tight white uniform and white hose?

My closets are full of clothes and shoes and accessories that I bought when I worked in a corporate office environment. Many of these items have never been worn.

The first thing that gets rounded up when I tackle the closets will be skirts.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not anti-skirt. But I'm old school and if I'm going to wear a skirt, I'm going to wear stockings and a heel.

But if I can avoid it I will.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

just bee — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 13:27:45 GMT

@ninjawife wrote:
This week I cleaned out the coat closet and DD 16 got rid of lots old coats that don't fit or she just doesn't wear anymore. Also got rid of excesss gloves and hats. Off they to a local coat drive.

@ninjawife

Brilliant! And that's another thing I need to do. When I moved here I bought more coats, scarves, hats and gloves because Albuquerque has four seasons. But since living here I've realized that I don't even wear my sweaters. I wore more sweaters and coats when I lived in California. Why? Because fifty degrees in the San Francisco Bay Area is cold; fifty degrees in Albuquerque is balmy. Even at twenty degrees I can get by with a sweatshirt.

I can't remember the last time I wore one of my leather jackets. And I own capes! What am I -- a superhero? Why do I own capes?

Just another case of the disconnect between our fantasy lives and our real lives.

Re: ComPact 2017 – Never Again November!

just bee — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 13:41:10 GMT

@PAlady wrote:
Justbee - I like your jingle. Why you ask? I now have four packages to mail back. Will I ever learn. Don't get me wrong, I have been trying to buy local, but Landsend had a sale on turtlenecks. Soooo, I consult the sizing table, pick my size, order four shirts. And, they are too small, so, back they go. Now let's talk about shoes, I always think I have the size down. No, now I have a pair going back to the Q.

I decided I am going to two different places to send all this stuff back. I don't want to look like a shopping loser at the post office.

Well, off with my returns. Have a good morning everyone.

@PAlady

It's a quandary, isn't it? Better-half has needed a new pair of hiking boots for years. He bought a pair for me several years ago and they sat in the original box in the closet for... well, years.

When I realized that the cheap athletic shoes I'd been wearing were making me feel like I'd been hit by a bus, I pulled the boots out and tried them on. Changed my life. I even wear them when I walk the dog. They've lasted for -- again -- years. Cast iron.

Finally convinced him to get a pair he's been eyeing and they arrived this week. Wrong size. The company had the right size, but only one pair in stock. Now they're gone, the small pair has been returned and BH still has no boots.

Online choices are so much better. He can't get the German or Italian boots locally or even try on a pair. Ordering online is a cr@pshoot.