Beauty

[DL2843]

What amazed me the most is how quickly little "extras" add up. My former workplaces celebrated every holiday and birthday. I would need 20 plates so you buy the pack of thirty and store the extra. Twenty years later I have two huge tubs of paper products. Organizations send free notecards to entice me to send in money. Years later I have about an eight inch stack of notecards. I love to read, between freebie bookmarks, gift bookmarks, and bookmarks I bought on trips I had over 60. For me it was a matter of just not thinking about those little things. The same was true of all my lotions and potions, and don't get me started on my "collection" of gift with purchase lipsticks. I guess at some point we just become aware, and then we clean ??

[geezerette]

On 4/10/2015 DL2843 said: What amazed me the most is how quickly little "extras" add up. My former workplaces celebrated every holiday and birthday. I would need 20 plates so you buy the pack of thirty and store the extra. Twenty years later I have two huge tubs of paper products. Organizations send free notecards to entice me to send in money. Years later I have about an eight inch stack of notecards. I love to read, between freebie bookmarks, gift bookmarks, and bookmarks I bought on trips I had over 60. For me it was a matter of just not thinking about those little things. The same was true of all my lotions and potions, and don't get me started on my "collection" of gift with purchase lipsticks. I guess at some point we just become aware, and then we clean ??

And the address labels! I thought I was the only one who just couldn't bear to toss those little things out. I guess it comes from my raising. I always figured I'd have a use for that stuff someday. But I think I'd have to live to be 231 years old to use up all that "free" stuff I've accumulated!

[dosey]

On 4/9/2015 geezerette said:

On 4/9/2015 aprilskies said:

On 4/9/2015 DL2843 said: Hello All. Between the living room (storage shed depending how one views it) and my bedroom I have spent a minimum of 20 hours managing/cleaning stuff. I spent another 6 hours in the yard. This experience combined with experiences two of my friends are going through really has me questioning the role of stuff in my life.

I totally totally agree. I am tired of managing it, I am tired of going through it and deciding what to do with it, I am tired of organizing it and I am tired of thinking about it. It will take a while to go through the rest of it but I have put it off for now. But, I at least have gone through 50% of it overall, if not a little bit more. Lately, I have been doing things lightly but know I need to really start attacking it again.

I agree with both of you. As I age and experience more of what I have now taken to calling "real" life, I am finding more and more of the same as you both. Oh, I certainly appreciate my creature comforts and am not about to give them up, but the little extras I've indulged myself with for the past many years have added up to closets, drawers and an attic full of stuff I don't need, use or even remember I have. Not even to mention all the things I've thrown away or donated during those years.

Not only is it all a pain in the neck, I'm getting to the age where I'm realizing that proverbial "You can't take it with you" stage. And the money gone because of it all! Sometimes I think to myself about a particular bunch of items, a group of purses or scarves for instance, of the ones I don't use or have gotten rid of: how much more money would I have today if I hadn't indulged myself and bought them. Besides, my money sitting in the bank account sure is a lot less trouble than all those 'things' I don't use! (Even if it isn't worth what it used to be!)

I had lunch with my BFF the other day, and we were talking about the stuff we have at home that we never or hardly ever use. China came up. Not the country, but the dishes. We do not use our china. Our kids do not want it, and yet, we keep it. We do not like our dining room furniture, either. What a waste of space. We joke that one day we are going to having a dining room furniture burning. It will be a huge bonfire. We will invite people to bring all of their junk that they want to get rid of. Instead of a dining room, I would rather have a music/reading/game/computer/craft/school projects room. Now, that room would be used!

My problem when going through drawers and boxes is that I don't really think about what I am seeing. I toss the obvious junk. What I need to do is really think about if I will ever use the stuff. Organizing a drawer is great, but the contents should only be useful things and maybe VERY sentimental things.

[kittykatmom2]

On 4/9/2015 aprilskies said:

On 4/9/2015 DL2843 said: Hello All. Between the living room (storage shed depending how one views it) and my bedroom I have spent a minimum of 20 hours managing/cleaning stuff. I spent another 6 hours in the yard. This experience combined with experiences two of my friends are going through really has me questioning the role of stuff in my life.

I totally totally agree. I am tired of managing it, I am tired of going through it and deciding what to do with it, I am tired of organizing it and I am tired of thinking about it. It will take a while to go through the rest of it but I have put it off for now. But, I at least have gone through 50% of it overall, if not a little bit more. Lately, I have been doing things lightly but know I need to really start attacking it again.

Me too! It just makes you tired & steals your energy. So glad we have each other to talk to about this.

[dosey]

On 4/10/2015 DL2843 said: What amazed me the most is how quickly little "extras" add up. My former workplaces celebrated every holiday and birthday. I would need 20 plates so you buy the pack of thirty and store the extra. Twenty years later I have two huge tubs of paper products. Organizations send free notecards to entice me to send in money. Years later I have about an eight inch stack of notecards. I love to read, between freebie bookmarks, gift bookmarks, and bookmarks I bought on trips I had over 60. For me it was a matter of just not thinking about those little things. The same was true of all my lotions and potions, and don't get me started on my "collection" of gift with purchase lipsticks. I guess at some point we just become aware, and then we clean ??

I must have at least 70-80 disposable cups. I have paper plates, too, but those do get used on pizza night. Guess how many wicker discs I have (those things used to reinforce cheap paper plates)? 25!!! There are four people in my family, but I keep them just in case a bunch of family visits. This will never happen. I do not have 25 family members. {{Sigh}}

[dosey]

On 4/9/2015 aprilskies said:

Yesterday, I had a rude awakening. Nothing that I didn't know or realize before, however, it hit me different this time. I suppose because I was doing so well for so long. I have been putting off buying a new computer for one reason or another. Maybe because the one I want is a bit expensive and I have been trying to think if I really need that type of computer. Well, anyway, yesterday it dawned on me that the money I have put into skincare and mu the last several months, would of paid for most of the computer and my life better served. Not that it is an either/or situation, however, the computer would of been a more mindful choice and something that would of served me for years. It really does seem so innocuous when you think it is only 30, 40, or 60 here and there. It adds up quickly. I was so annoyed with myself because how many times can I possibly make the same type of mistakes.

So far in the month of April, I have avoided 3-4 purchases because I remind myself that April is a very low-buy month. So, I think I am on my way back. Truly ladies, shopping tied to emotions is a bad thing.

It is a hard mental slap when I realize where my money could have been better spent (or saved)!

[kittykatmom2]

On 4/9/2015 geezerette said:

On 4/9/2015 aprilskies said:

On 4/9/2015 DL2843 said: Hello All. Between the living room (storage shed depending how one views it) and my bedroom I have spent a minimum of 20 hours managing/cleaning stuff. I spent another 6 hours in the yard. This experience combined with experiences two of my friends are going through really has me questioning the role of stuff in my life.

I totally totally agree. I am tired of managing it, I am tired of going through it and deciding what to do with it, I am tired of organizing it and I am tired of thinking about it. It will take a while to go through the rest of it but I have put it off for now. But, I at least have gone through 50% of it overall, if not a little bit more. Lately, I have been doing things lightly but know I need to really start attacking it again.

I agree with both of you. As I age and experience more of what I have now taken to calling "real" life, I am finding more and more of the same as you both. Oh, I certainly appreciate my creature comforts and am not about to give them up, but the little extras I've indulged myself with for the past many years have added up to closets, drawers and an attic full of stuff I don't need, use or even remember I have. Not even to mention all the things I've thrown away or donated during those years.

Not only is it all a pain in the neck, I'm getting to the age where I'm realizing that proverbial "You can't take it with you" stage. And the money gone because of it all! Sometimes I think to myself about a particular bunch of items, a group of purses or scarves for instance, of the ones I don't use or have gotten rid of: how much more money would I have today if I hadn't indulged myself and bought them. Besides, my money sitting in the bank account sure is a lot less trouble than all those 'things' I don't use! (Even if it isn't worth what it used to be!)

I also agree. Better late than never..................... but, oh, if we could go back in time knowing what we know now! It is soooooooooo painful to throw away beauty items that have gone bad.......... so much wasted money!

[dosey]

Yesterday, I cleaned out an accordion file folder that I use for filing receipts for things that I buy using cash or the credit card and do not have to be kept for a long time. The folder is like a thick envelope and has a section for each month. At the beginning of a month, I throw out the old receipts from last year and file new receipts. For the past few months, I was really lazy and did not throw out the old receipts. So yesterday I separated the 2014 receipts from the 2015 receipts and shredded the old ones. I discovered a pleasant surprise. I had significantly fewer 2015 receipts for January - March compared to those months in 2014. For each month, there were only three or four receipts. I would like to say that this is because of tremendous willpower and self-control on my part, but I know it is only because I haven't felt like going shopping. However, it was a nice surprise!

[geezerette]

On 4/10/2015 Dosey said:

On 4/9/2015 geezerette said:

On 4/9/2015 aprilskies said:

On 4/9/2015 DL2843 said: Hello All. Between the living room (storage shed depending how one views it) and my bedroom I have spent a minimum of 20 hours managing/cleaning stuff. I spent another 6 hours in the yard. This experience combined with experiences two of my friends are going through really has me questioning the role of stuff in my life.

I totally totally agree. I am tired of managing it, I am tired of going through it and deciding what to do with it, I am tired of organizing it and I am tired of thinking about it. It will take a while to go through the rest of it but I have put it off for now. But, I at least have gone through 50% of it overall, if not a little bit more. Lately, I have been doing things lightly but know I need to really start attacking it again.

I agree with both of you. As I age and experience more of what I have now taken to calling "real" life, I am finding more and more of the same as you both. Oh, I certainly appreciate my creature comforts and am not about to give them up, but the little extras I've indulged myself with for the past many years have added up to closets, drawers and an attic full of stuff I don't need, use or even remember I have. Not even to mention all the things I've thrown away or donated during those years.

Not only is it all a pain in the neck, I'm getting to the age where I'm realizing that proverbial "You can't take it with you" stage. And the money gone because of it all! Sometimes I think to myself about a particular bunch of items, a group of purses or scarves for instance, of the ones I don't use or have gotten rid of: how much more money would I have today if I hadn't indulged myself and bought them. Besides, my money sitting in the bank account sure is a lot less trouble than all those 'things' I don't use! (Even if it isn't worth what it used to be!)

I had lunch with my BFF the other day, and we were talking about the stuff we have at home that we never or hardly ever use. China came up. Not the country, but the dishes. We do not use our china. Our kids do not want it, and yet, we keep it. We do not like our dining room furniture, either. What a waste of space. We joke that one day we are going to having a dining room furniture burning. It will be a huge bonfire. We will invite people to bring all of their junk that they want to get rid of. Instead of a dining room, I would rather have a music/reading/game/computer/craft/school projects room. Now, that room would be used!

My problem when going through drawers and boxes is that I don't really think about what I am seeing. I toss the obvious junk. What I need to do is really think about if I will ever use the stuff. Organizing a drawer is great, but the contents should only be useful things and maybe VERY sentimental things.

I walk by my china cabinet daily, and almost every time I look at it I think that I'm never going to use any of the china or crystal again in my lifetime. At one time in my life, it was so important to have. Now, I just am thankful I have a cabinet to keep it in so that it doesn't gather dust very quickly.

At one time my parents lived in a large home with all the stuff we as a family had accumulated (and was important to us) over time. When they sold that home and moved permanently out west, they had the entire family pick out which things they wanted to keep, and then they had a garage sale of the rest. They lived in a double-wide mobile home in a park for the last 20 years of their lives. At that point, I thought to myself that I could never live that long in that small of a space, with those few possessions. Now, I have dreams of selling/burning/donating everything we have except for what we can fit in a small trailer and moving to one of those mobile parks. With every passing year, I become my mother more and more. It's funny how many things end up happening to me that I vowed would never happen to me!

[Squirrel Lover]

I have been using the same eyeshadow for 4 years. It is almost finished I think that I will use it until May 1st then throw it out. It is a powder eyeshadow. Is 4 years too old? How long can you really use a powder? I wouldn't keep a cream product more than a year, but a powder?