Use it Up Challenge! Week 2…

Well, as of about three hours ago, I finally have flushable toilets and working shower again, but we’re so not out of the woods.   As in, the sewer lines under our home (and out to the street) may very well need to be replaced.  But in any case I’ve been pushing ahead nonetheless.  Baby steps in organizing, giving away, and using up will eventually make a big difference!  I’ve seen quite a bit of chatter this week about similar topics.  I’m glad to see that instead of nesting (as we so often feel like doing once it turns into fall) people are paring down and decluttering instead.  Feather your nest AFTER it’s nice and clean, I say.    Some of the progress I made:

Consolidating:  I’m kind of a tinkerer at heart, and that includes my skincare.  I found Skinactives‘ website less than a year ago, and I’m a champion of what I like to call Open Source Skincare.   With a small investment I was able to create lots of products to do acne peels, Alpha Hydroxy peels,  make eye cream, everyday moisturizer with Beta Hydroxy Acids, etc.   I’m finally running low on my first batch of BHA 2% lotion, so I made a new batch today, and of course, using up several products in the process.  I had two small 1oz tubes of moisturizer from a L’Oreal Glycolic Peel kit I got during the post-holiday sales that I barely touched.  I also had a small tube of moisturizer that came with a shaving kit I got the BF (and he never showed much interest in), and so that went in as well.  Now I’ve got another 6 months or so of moisturizer, and it cost me next to nothing.

Swapping:  How could I have forgotten to mention swapping as a great way to trade products that just didn’t work for you (or that you maybe  just went a little overboard shopping for).   I went through my stash closet and listed several lotions, potions, and polishes to perhaps find new homes for.  I’m still committed to giving away some products,  so if they don’t swap quickly, out they go.

Use it Up:  I had to break my rule this week and break out a smaller version of shower gel for my trips to the gym for showering.  However, in doing this, I discovered something that might help me use up more shower gel.  I forgot my shampoo and had to use Bath and Body Works’ Temptations 3-in-1 as a shampoo as well as shower gel.  The scent I used, Raspberry Taffy-ta, was sweet and tart, like a raspberry coulis, and I could even smell it on my hair an hour after I showered.  But the big surprise was how my hair LOOKED after this alt-shampoo.  It actually looked decent when I left it down.   So I’ll continue to use this as a shower gel AND shampoo,  and that way, I might not have to buy shampoo for a while longer if I run out.

I’m considering often this week the financial implications of my use-it-up challenge.  Obviously if we were all able to buy only out of need and not from desire, we’d have a lot less stuff.  But we’d probably have a lot more money, too.  And less stress about wondering where to PUT all this stuff, especially if TOO MUCH STUFF means having to buy a bigger home, an expensive garage or basement organization wall, or rent a storage locker.  I buy a lot of products for reviewing purposes on this blog, as well as for my beauty column on Richmond.com.  All that stuff really adds up, even if it is a ‘job related expense’.  I’m working on ways to reduce the amount of stuff that I buy that hangs around my vanity or bathroom by doing makeovers on others instead of just testing products on myself.  That way, a deserving person gets to keep a bunch of fun new products,  I get to write my article or blog entries, and everyone’s happy!  In addition, using the things I purchase for reviews means I don’t have to go out and buy my normal everyday staples like shampoo and conditioner.  I’m also hoping that in listing products up for swap, I can swap for some additional staples (Mitchum unscented deodorant, anyone?!  O.B. Tampons?) further saving myself a few bucks at Target.