Beauty

[just bee]

[nightnurse9381]

JustBee -- thank you for the "Welcome" !! In the last 90 minutes, I've gone thru my closet and filled a very large box with clothes, belts, etc. Also a medium box with purses that I will never use again. Cleaned out all drawers and another box of winter tops, fleeces, etc. All the shoes I have, I wear. Never been an over-buyer with shoes!! I feel held accountable to everyone on the thread, now, so this will help me stay focused and keep decluttering one room at a time. I have a couple small drawers in nightstand to do, but will do it tomorrow. Have to spend time with the dog!!

[just bee]

On 1/2/2015 nightnurse9381 said:

JustBee -- thank you for the "Welcome" !! In the last 90 minutes, I've gone thru my closet and filled a very large box with clothes, belts, etc. Also a medium box with purses that I will never use again. Cleaned out all drawers and another box of winter tops, fleeces, etc. All the shoes I have, I wear. Never been an over-buyer with shoes!! I feel held accountable to everyone on the thread, now, so this will help me stay focused and keep decluttering one room at a time. I have a couple small drawers in nightstand to do, but will do it tomorrow. Have to spend time with the dog!!

I completely understand quality time with the dog.

You remind me that I have oodles of belts. Guess what? I never ever wear belts.

I stopped carrying a purse and replaced it with a backpack. Then I stopped carrying a backpack. I used to buy purses all the time, forever searching for the perfect purse.

I ComPacted to a small wallet with a clip that hangs from the loop on my jeans. This item was perfect because it held my cards and my keys -- even my flip phone. But then my phone died and I bought a Droid. Now I have a phone that I can't stick in a tiny wallet or pocket. I have to bring a tote bag to work because I'm toting a phone I dislike.

Here's a challenge: Who here can give up a purse?

[bluebellePA]

On 1/2/2015 geezerette said:

On 1/1/2015 just bee said:

On 1/1/2015 number one queen said: My goal for Jan is not to buy anything I don't need. One trick I have found of late is put things check status, then I can think about things, also I can wait and check out the reviews , this helps some,esp . if it's shoes or boots to size up or down, I will stay away from that hassle!

YES! It helps with a lot of those impulsive little purchases that we use to make ourselves feel better (and, of course, they really don't). If we take time to research the items, familiarity will breed contempt!

Yet another thing I've been turning back to lately is paying as much as I can with good, old-fashioned cash. I know that it's not possible with everything, but it does give me a different perspective when I'm in the process of purchasing. Somehow, having to actually figure out and give away 'X' number of bills to a stranger in a store makes me stop and think if I really do want all the stuff I've just put in my cart. It's one of the dangers of shopping online for me. It's just so easy to enter my credit card number and click 'send' without realizing how much I've just actually spent. I also now order as much as I can via phone instead of using the computer for that exact reason, as well. Having to talk to another human being and go through my order makes me sure that I really want what I'm ordering.

Also, with all the identity/credit card theft going on lately, it makes me feel better too. Someone did try to use one of my credit cards; thankfully, the bank caught it, but it freaked me out. And it's more private too, if that's a concern. Of course, on the downside, bad people can still steal your money.

Since I am determined to stop spending on clothes and other unnecessary "stuff" this year, I'll be using cash as much as possible also. We don't have debit cards and I since I practically wore the numbers off my credit card with all the QVC spending last year, it is now in a drawer not to be used unless absolutely necessary. I have $35.00 in my wallet and am playing a little game with myself. I'm trying to make that $35.00 last as long as possible without spending it on something that I don't need or the vending machine at work. So far, I've gone two whole days without watching a home shopping channel! It was liberating.

[bluebellePA]

On 1/2/2015 just bee said:

On 1/2/2015 nightnurse9381 said:

JustBee -- thank you for the "Welcome" !! In the last 90 minutes, I've gone thru my closet and filled a very large box with clothes, belts, etc. Also a medium box with purses that I will never use again. Cleaned out all drawers and another box of winter tops, fleeces, etc. All the shoes I have, I wear. Never been an over-buyer with shoes!! I feel held accountable to everyone on the thread, now, so this will help me stay focused and keep decluttering one room at a time. I have a couple small drawers in nightstand to do, but will do it tomorrow. Have to spend time with the dog!!

I completely understand quality time with the dog.

You remind me that I have oodles of belts. Guess what? I never ever wear belts.

I stopped carrying a purse and replaced it with a backpack. Then I stopped carrying a backpack. I used to buy purses all the time, forever searching for the perfect purse.

I ComPacted to a small wallet with a clip that hangs from the loop on my jeans. This item was perfect because it held my cards and my keys -- even my flip phone. But then my phone died and I bought a Droid. Now I have a phone that I can't stick in a tiny wallet or pocket. I have to bring a tote bag to work because I'm toting a phone I dislike.

Here's a challenge: Who here can give up a purse?

Purses are one of my addictions!! This year I am buying NONE. The funny thing is that for most of my adult life, I had one or at the most three purses and less than 5 pairs of shoes. Then, about 5 years ago, I went to a purse party and became hooked. Although I really enjoy a beautiful purse, I am done buying anymore. The less stuff, the more you have that wonderful feeling of freedom. I want those days back again. I will take the no purse challenge. It will be so, so hard! Anybody else out there a purse fanatic?

[just bee]

On 1/2/2015 BluebellePA said:

On 1/2/2015 just bee said:

On 1/2/2015 nightnurse9381 said:

JustBee -- thank you for the "Welcome" !! In the last 90 minutes, I've gone thru my closet and filled a very large box with clothes, belts, etc. Also a medium box with purses that I will never use again. Cleaned out all drawers and another box of winter tops, fleeces, etc. All the shoes I have, I wear. Never been an over-buyer with shoes!! I feel held accountable to everyone on the thread, now, so this will help me stay focused and keep decluttering one room at a time. I have a couple small drawers in nightstand to do, but will do it tomorrow. Have to spend time with the dog!!

I completely understand quality time with the dog.

You remind me that I have oodles of belts. Guess what? I never ever wear belts.

I stopped carrying a purse and replaced it with a backpack. Then I stopped carrying a backpack. I used to buy purses all the time, forever searching for the perfect purse.

I ComPacted to a small wallet with a clip that hangs from the loop on my jeans. This item was perfect because it held my cards and my keys -- even my flip phone. But then my phone died and I bought a Droid. Now I have a phone that I can't stick in a tiny wallet or pocket. I have to bring a tote bag to work because I'm toting a phone I dislike.

Here's a challenge: Who here can give up a purse?

Purses are one of my addictions!! This year I am buying NONE. The funny thing is that for most of my adult life, I had one or at the most three purses and less than 5 pairs of shoes. Then, about 5 years ago, I went to a purse party and became hooked. Although I really enjoy a beautiful purse, I am done buying anymore. The less stuff, the more you have that wonderful feeling of freedom. I want those days back again. I will take the no purse challenge. It will be so, so hard! Anybody else out there a purse fanatic?

It's a challenge, but once you realize that you tote items in a purse that you never actually use...

I see women come to work carrying large satchels, giant tote bags, and a lunch bag. They're beasts of burden, routinely toting luggage from place to place. Do they ever take an item out of that tote bag they've toted to work? Nope.

Why do we do this?

[geezerette]

"Hi. I'm geezerette, and I'm a purse addict". Years ago I used to only have one purse that I'd carry year-round. Then slowly over the years, our finances got better and I started getting more purses, telling myself that I 'needed' different ones for different occasions. Over the past few years, I've gotten into the designer thing. Oh, I love the look and feel, but I also was one who has constantly been on the search for the 'perfect' purse. I now wonder just how many thousands of dollars I've spent looking for that which doesn't exist.

I now am trying to no longer be that beast of burden, since I realized that I really don't use most of what I tote around. I don't need to be prepared for the end of the world when I run to town to get groceries. I do actually use a few things when I'm out, so I don't think I'll ever be able to completely do away with some sort of bag, but I'm using a much smaller one now. It does take some getting used to, I'll admit. Big bag withdrawal, if you will.

Another motivator to go small, inconspicuous and crossbody: this holiday season several women have been attacked in store parking lots by purse thieves in a city not too far from me. What makes this especially disturbing to me is that I live in a small state without the glitz, glamour and money of a lot of places where crime occurs. It's getting downright scary out there.

[geezerette]

On 1/2/2015 just bee said:

Wow, is this right, or what? But so hard to remember. And appreciate.

[just bee]

On 1/3/2015 geezerette said:

"Hi. I'm geezerette, and I'm a purse addict". Years ago I used to only have one purse that I'd carry year-round. Then slowly over the years, our finances got better and I started getting more purses, telling myself that I 'needed' different ones for different occasions. Over the past few years, I've gotten into the designer thing. Oh, I love the look and feel, but I also was one who has constantly been on the search for the 'perfect' purse. I now wonder just how many thousands of dollars I've spent looking for that which doesn't exist.

I now am trying to no longer be that beast of burden, since I realized that I really don't use most of what I tote around. I don't need to be prepared for the end of the world when I run to town to get groceries. I do actually use a few things when I'm out, so I don't think I'll ever be able to completely do away with some sort of bag, but I'm using a much smaller one now. It does take some getting used to, I'll admit. Big bag withdrawal, if you will.

Another motivator to go small, inconspicuous and crossbody: this holiday season several women have been attacked in store parking lots by purse thieves in a city not too far from me. What makes this especially disturbing to me is that I live in a small state without the glitz, glamour and money of a lot of places where crime occurs. It's getting downright scary out there.

Geezerette, I work in psychiatry and I can confirm: It's VERY scary!

[just bee]

On 1/3/2015 geezerette said:

On 1/2/2015 just bee said:

Wow, is this right, or what? But so hard to remember. And appreciate.

Again, it might be one of those "age" things. When I start bemoaning my circumstances I have to stop and slap myself about the head and face. I suppose that's the good thing about working in a psychiatric hospital. I can look back and analyze my childhood and my present situation and actually feel blessed. But it doesn't hurt to remind ourselves to be grateful for what we have.

But here on the ComPact we can also analyze those things we want and why we want them.