My young beautiful daughter Angel is excellent at applying makeup on her flawless 25-year-old face, like an artist at work on a canvas. She recently taught me that our makeup has a short shelf life since:
- it expires
- it loses its effectiveness and texture; and sometimes color
- most importantly, it collects bacteria, yeast, and fungus (which we only transfer onto our faces - yuk)
I had drawers and cosmetic cases stuffed with makeup - some of it quite old and much of it no longer used - yet it felt wasteful tossing it, so it sat there collecting. Angel made me toss ALL of it - every single item. It was actually more calming to ditch it than keep it.
Then the fun part ... we went shopping in Ulta to buy all new makeup!
In my Maryland home, I have been a busy bumblebee pulling out of cabinets and off the walls any outdated and tired-of-looking-at-it decor. I donated a huge pile of "stuff" to the nonprofit org, Vietnam Veterans of America. (They pick up your donations; see SNIPPETS handy helper below.)
When we arrived mid-January here to our second home in Florida for the winter, I did the exact thing in our now 20-year-old house - pulled off the walls and out of closets and cabinets anything that seemed "tired" and outdated or was leftover from when the kids were younger.
It was time to refresh, renew, and rejuvenate the house ... ahhhhh.
Last week I donated that pile to the nonprofit, Boley Centers (also in SNIPPETS handy helper) who operate a thrift store to fulfill their mission of assisting the homeless and mentally ill and help set up and decorate new apartments for some.
I pulled out of my walk-in closet most of the "B Wardrobe" garments which I keep here ... turned out I didn't even like most of them anymore. Some were very old, some ratty (into the garbage), some were plain what-was-I-thinking-ugly, some with stains, yet most were simply not attractive to me any longer or made me frumpy.
Why keep unwanted clothes when someone else might use them now instead of hanging in my closet another 20 years while I buy and wear newer items?
As we realize not everyone easily can go shopping for new clothes ... let's be kind ... be generous. And the biggie - which our mammas taught us valuably early in life - let's share.
Try to make time for refreshing and renewing by clearing out. Perhaps sacrifice a few nights of watching Yellowstone or Just Like That or playing apps on your phone. Here's a promise ... purging can help you to feel liberated and good.
As I pulled out each shirt, skirt, dress, and pair of pants, I studied it, and asked:
- Do I still like it? (nope)
- Would I buy it now in Nordstrom's? (no way)
- How does it make me feel to wear it? (icky)
Stuff and clutter can absolutely overwhelm us. It can feel excessive. I heard someone the other day refer to it as "visual noise."
Snippeteers, are you ready to refresh, renew, rejuvenate? This can be done with possessions, household items, clothing, and junk sitting around taking up precious space. I made up this acronym:
STUFF = Stash To Unleash Free & Finally
C'mon, does it make you feel good to wear worn out shoes, tattered underwear, and clothes you've had since World War I?
Ask yourself:
- Am I using it?
- Is it serving a purpose?
- Is it sitting ignored and unused in a box, in a cabinet, in a closet?
-
Why am I saving it? (Ditch the sentimentality - your kids will not want your old stuff later.)
- Could someone else benefit by it?
What to do with your clear-out?
- donate everything that's gently used
- toss if it's broken, stained, ripped, and of no use to anyone
- donate if it still has tags and you bought it over a year ago
- give it up if it's from high school and you graduated in 1975 :-D
- pass on gently-used clothing to a friend who may not be able to afford to shop
- drop off to a consignment shop if you need a few extra buck$
Have you really studied your underwear, your bras, your shoes, and your kitchen tea towels lately??? (now you have homework)
Refresh! Renew! Rejuvenate! Ahhhhh ...
P.S. Perhaps another snippet for another day - a refresh, a clear-out - also can be done with toxic people, stale relationships, boring jobs which do nothing to fulfill our passions & pride, and tasks, obligations & duties we no longer want to do.
