Beauty

[aprilskies]

KaySD, that really makes sense. Its the ying yang thing. You have to keep things flowing. Once its blocked, it jams and the stress happens. I think that is just so relevant in all aspects of life from emotions to relationships, etc. I can see where accepting and letting go are just so important in life and where I am struggling the most. Letting go is something I keep trying to focus on and fail, so thank you for bringing it up again. As far as shopping, I agree, it is enjoyable, but its the accumulation that needs to be managed to keep the flow and the balance.

[aprilskies]

I can only speak for the moment, but I have to say, the beauty boards are no longer a weakness for me. I am not even tempted and am not interested in bringing in more products to sit on my shelf. Once in a while, I perk up at a new palette, but it is not a strong pull whatsoever. All I have to think about is how much mu I am not using and the interest dies out

Just Bee, love those quotes.

[Beauty$Junkie]

Well good morning ladies. I am still on board, but I don't find the urge to purchase really diminishing. I still love to shop online for great deals on beauty products, even though my hit list still remains from April. I can't imagine what that would be like to really need to purchase replacements, as the stash is still crazy. I so appreciate finding you whenever I check the forums, and it has so helped my commitment. One day at a time, using what I have. Why do I want more? Thank you ladies for being here. Bee, the same 32 oz from last week is still upside down, but it will run out soon. It takes a long time to use up these products that auto-delivery said I needed every couple of months. Have a great day, ladies.

[Kay SD]

Aprilskies, I agree with what you said about flow. My idea is to go even further and find as much pleasure in the letting go as I do in the bringing in. That way I don't have to expend any effort, I can enjoy both, I don't have to impose limits or willpower or anything like that, all I have to do is stay in balance where it feels good to be. Does that make sense?

[aprilskies]

On 8/3/2014 Kay SD said: Aprilskies, I agree with what you said about flow. My idea is to go even further and find as much pleasure in the letting go as I do in the bringing in. That way I don't have to expend any effort, I can enjoy both, I don't have to impose limits or willpower or anything like that, all I have to do is stay in balance where it feels good to be. Does that make sense?

Yes, perfect sense, I agree with you. I just didn't express it well and think I went on a tangent. It was early. Lol

[just bee]

On 8/2/2014 mewsmomtoo said:

On 8/2/2014 just bee said:

That's like me -- keeping mini-skirts I'll never wear again and shoes that are a whole size too small. A few years ago I rounded up shoes to donate -- about 30 pairs if I remember correctly -- and I still have more to shed. Some have never been worn.

Like all the clothes in the closet that still have tags.

I need to look into those shops that will buy your stuff. Anyone try that? Does it work for you?

Hi Just Bee, I have used consignment stores and really like them. When I moved to a new city and needed to find one, I just googled the city name and "clothing consignment". I was able to find lists of stores, reviews and even a newspaper article about consignment with lots of info.

After you decide where you want to bring your clothes (and it can be several different stores), call them and ask what they are looking for. That will save you from carrying in everything only to have 80% of it not be what they are looking for at the moment. You leave what you want. usually for a certain length of time, they will sell your item and if they don't you can usually opt to come pick it up or have them donate it. They usually mail you a check at the end of the specified amount of time or you can opt to get a larger percentage in store credit.

It's a nice way to make a little money on your really nice or new clothing that's never been worn. And don't throw away those ugly Christmas sweaters - those are really popular in some places and bring good money because of the popularity of ugly Christmas sweater parties. Good luck!!!!

PS I really like the idea of getting rid of one item a day - talk about making a difficult process a lot easier! Excellent idea!! Thanks.

Thanks so much for the info -- I'll have to look into this!

[just bee]

On 8/2/2014 Kay SD said:

Bee, I don't want to go too far off thread, but thanks for the link. I will try the closest stores and see if they have the loafers.

Well, it's a rainy Saturday evening here. i'm listening to the drip-plop-splash of fat raindrops outside my French doors. Eariier, when the rain first started, there was a fresh breeze and I smelled dust. Now the ground is gratefully soaking it in. I've fallen into a reverie...and one thing I have been thinking about is ecosystems. Eating and, er, eliminating, is a system. You can't do one without the other, any more than you could only breathe in, or only breathe out. One side of your heart pumps blood out, while arteries bring the blood back again to the other side. Money is a system; it comes in and goes out, like the tides. Electrical circuits are a system--without both sides of the wiring intact, current just doesn't flow, and everything attached to the wiring is dead.

And shopping and getting rid of things is also a system. If we only bring in new things, but don't let other things go, we get out of balance and the current stops. We feel dissatisfied, and kind of bottled up, no matter how much we have or don't have. It's true that the balance point might be different for each of us, but that's not important. What matters is to pay attention to both sides of the "circuit" so we can keep as much energy flowing as possible. Closets of things we don't really want, and boxes of things we are storing, are like dams in the river or broken wires.

I know, I know, this isn't exactly a new idea. But it's making me want to love both sides, to feel as good about nurturing the letting go side of things, as I do about the selecting and shopping side, to see uncluttering as the wonderful process that allows new things to come in with ease and pleasure.

Uh-oh. I was just on the Alegria site (I tend to look at the closeouts and see how long it takes me to talk myself out of a pair I've coveted for ages) and I saw more Taylors.

More colors...

http://www.alegriashoeshop.com/Alegria-Career-Fashion-s/127.htm

And you're absolutely right about flow and letting go.

[just bee]

On 8/3/2014 Kay SD said: Aprilskies, I agree with what you said about flow. My idea is to go even further and find as much pleasure in the letting go as I do in the bringing in. That way I don't have to expend any effort, I can enjoy both, I don't have to impose limits or willpower or anything like that, all I have to do is stay in balance where it feels good to be. Does that make sense?

Absolutely makes sense. The things we're hanging on to are blocking that flow. It's like a sink drain being plugged up. I used to be a cat person and collected items that were decidedly cat. I have a friend who is also decidedly cat. Her family often tells her that she is just not her without a cat. I feel that way about dogs.

So now I'm finding all these cat items that I've squirreled away and I've decided to surprise her when I see her with a cat item. Last week it was a book of cat photographs I've had since the 70s or 80s and, as it turns out, she was thrilled. A really obscure book, but it was one she had seen years ago and always regretted not buying it. Now she has it.

Just stumbled across this article. It's what we already know but it doesn't hurt to do a refresher.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/things-youre-hanging-on-to-but-dont-need-to-anymore/

[willdob3]

Thanks for starting the new thread, Bee.

I love all the graphics & sayings! Lots of food for thought there.

I'm working on getting rid of something unneeded every day. I'm not sure how anyone can toss so many things & still have so much left! I'll get to the bottom of it eventually. Most of what I have left is not beauty related. It's just boxes of papers & junk.

I need to find my way to the new Healthy Eating August thread! I'm still doing that & loving it.

Bee, I use a good consignment shop & I make a little money from it. Not very much but it is better than nothing. There are other ways to sell & make more money from new/like-new used clothes but they require more time & effort than I want to commit to.

Kay, I will miss Coldwater Creek, too. I went a few times after they announced they were closing but the prices were way too high for me. I finally just decided I was done. The one here closed a few days ago.

I'm not expecting to buy much of anything this month. I need moisturizer for my face & can't even get very interested in that.

[Kay SD]

Okay, it's only the 1st week of August and I've made two purchases already. One is a PTR mineral SPF that was on sale. I'll use it--I wanted a highly portable sunscreen I can reapply while out and about. The other is a little palette of eye shadows I've been wanting, which I found for half price. But still. I went right into my cabinet and tossed an old eye shadow, to compensate! (New paragraph) how's this for a discouraging thought? I was reading my book club selection today and came across this: “Understand this - the West is just one big shopping mall. From the outside it looks magical, fantastic... In actual fact, there are three roles you can play here - the buyer, the seller, or the product on the shelf. To be a seller is vulgar, to be a buyer is boring (and you still have to earn your living as a seller), and to be the product is repulsive." Sheesh!