Living a Life On Purpose

So after yesterday’s purge of our “makeup graveyard” it’s time to tackle the products we use in the shower.  I know we like using good smelling shower gel, or our favorite shampoo….but just how many favorite bottles of hair cleaner do we really need?

Today’s Mini Challenge in the Bathroom: Shower Products

I am just as guilty as anyone for having a lot of hair products. I have really flat, thin hair and try to use all the help I can get in the area of volume. I have been known to have 5 different bottles of shamppo going at once (not to mention different hair clarifiers, split end treatments, etc.). MERCY.

Before cleaning everything out this is what the shower looked like (mind you only one of these bottles my husband would actually claim as his-poor guy).

Now more than half of these bottles had less than a ¼ of a bottle left. A couple bottles even were empty from when we made our first attempt at going shampoo free and making our own natural shampoo and conditioner. (SIDE NOTE: DEFINITELY NEED TO TWEAK OUR RECIPIE FOR NATURAL HAIR CLEANING. Husband was NOT a big fan, although he did support me in my attempt to use something less harmful to our bodies. He’s a good sport. J ).

PLEASE NOTE I DID NOT THROW AWAY PRODUCT THAT WAS LEFT. That would be wasteful. I made my husband and I for the next several days use a clomgloboration of products each time we showered to finish them off so I could rinse and throw them in our recycling. (Wanted to be clear).

What was left was a natural shampoo and conditioner (until I can tweak the homemade recipe just right…), face wash (mine), a razor (also mine), and a bar of soap. Pretty basic but those couple items do the job just fine, and totally forgot about all those other products.

Now it’s your turn. Go through all the products you have in your shower.

What can you begin to use up and what products can you minimize or cut all together?

You guys are rocking on these challenges! Remember, continue doing these mini challenges each day and you will begin to feel a sense of accomplishment and sense of freedom as you begin to see things go that you really don’t “need. ” Each mini mission is designed to be short, simple and quick and ideally  should only take a short amount of time (depending on how much “stuff you have”).

Today’s Mini Challenge in the Bathroom: MY MAKEUP BAG

{Dungeon music sounds…Don don don…..} Ok. So there is something you should know about me. I tend to be a bit of a makeup junkie. I also work part time for a cosmetic/skincare company so I always have a ton of different products I am trying, playing with, and using. With this being said, I sometime forget what I have in my makeup bag. Time to clean it out…….

Let’s take a look ladies at what you have in there. Here are some tips to know the life of those products after you’ve opened them (I would consider this a MAXIMUM).

• Concealer About 6 months, especially because your using around your eyes and can be a breeding ground for bacteria.
• Powder I never waste my powder and usually run out of it before the next season….. I  do have some powder from a year or go or so when I was tanner and it is still good. I also have NOT been using it constantly so it hasn’t been as exposed.
• Cream & gel cleansers 1 year. I also usually use this until it’s gone
• Pencil eye liner Should be sharpened regularly, probably about 6 months or so due to bacteria breeding ground. Anything you are using around your eyes you want to be EXTREMELY careful with.
• Eye shadow I’ve heard of people keeping their eye shadows for YEARS…. YUCK. Experts recommend 6months because of bacteria, etc.
• Sponges & Brushes Personally I DO NOT use sponges. I believe they are a breeding ground for bacteria. Also your product gets absorbed into the sponge and is wasted. I use brushes and clean them with brush cleaner (that has disinfectant and cleaner in it. Just be careful you choose a good quality cleaner because I’ve actually purchased and used a couple that made my very good quality, expensive brushes bristles fall out because it over dried the brush hair. I prefer to use a cleaner from Ulta…clear bottle and is about $13-$15 bucks but will last you FOREVER. I bought my cleaner about a year ago and still have ¼ bottle left.
• Foundation . About a year or so. You may find you need two different shades of foundation each year: One for summer when your skin is naturally darker and one for winter when you’re lighter.
• Lip liner 6 months or so.
• Lipstick Some experts say 1-2 years. What everyone agrees on is that if it smells rancid, throw it out, it’s spoiled.
• Mascara This product expires the fastest: Throw out after 3 months. Two words: EYE MITES (just another reason you should ALWAYS take your makeup off before you go to bed each night.
• Nail Polish Up to 6-12 months, depending on the quality.

EXTRA TIPS- Keep makeup always stored in cool dry place. DO NOT EVER leave it in your car on a hot day (Saying this from experience girlfriend) because IT WILL MELT. Fyi, in case you weren’t sure….. lol

Q : What things are you most surprised about finding ?

Sources on Shelf life other than from my experience:

http://beauty.about.com/od/makeuptrickstips/a/shelflife.htm

http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/show/segments/view/makeup-shelf-life/

Awesome job to all for completing your first challenge with de-cluttering underneath your bathroom sink!

Day 3, we are going to tackle your bathroom drawers. Now although we only have two drawers on our bathroom vanity, they can get quite stuffed. My husband and I each have our own drawers for our personal items, makeup (mine), toothbrushes, deodorant, etc.  It tends to be a catch all for the bathroom since we don’t have a ton of space due to it being a smaller sized room.

Today’s Mini Challenge in the Bathroom: Bathroom/Vanity Drawers

Take everything out of your drawers. Spray and wipe inside of drawers out. Go through all items and see if there are any bottles/containers with small amounts left that you can use up. Make a priority to use those up first, then recycle the packaging. Put back ONLY the things you use on an everyday basis. For me this included my glasses case which hold my contacts case and tweezers (so I don’t loose them), my makeup palette(I’m kind of an obsessed makeup fiend….), and makeup bag (with everyday makeup and brushes).

What is still left in your pile of “stuff” that you don’t really use that you can give away, recycle, or get rid of? Don’t make excuses that you may use them someday. If you haven’t used in last couple months (VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS….ex: emergency medicine, etc) GET RID OF IT!

Welcome to Day 2!

For the rest of the 31 days we are going to break up the room challenges into mini mission. Week 1: The Bathroom, Week 2: The Living room, Week 3: The Bedroom, Week 4: the Kitchen.

For each room we are trying to de-clutter and simply the things in it, so you can truly enjoy what you do have, and get rid of all the stuff you don’t use. We are going to be intentional, and create intentional living spaces. Each item in each room will have a purpose, and as we begin to designate plans for each item we will begin to see the things we can let go that are just filling our homes with unnecessary “stuff.” Each day will present a short, mini challenge to help you de-clutter and re-purpose your space in each room.

Today’s Mini Challenge in the Bathroom: Under the Sink

Clear out everything from under your bathroom sink. Look for any bottles or containers that can be recycled or that have small amounts of product that you can use up and then recycle. Really look at the items underneath your sink and see if there may be a better place for them? Too many kids toys- can they go in a toy storage bin in the linen closet? To many cleaning products- can you put them in a caddy and put in the linen closet or in a different storage area? Try to really minimalize the items to only keeping items you regularly use underneath the bathroom sink so you can easily access them when you need.

I would love to see your before and after pictures or tell me what you cleaned out/removed from under your bathroom sink!

Wowza! I can’t believe it’s already October 1^st. Fall is officially here, and it’s time for raking leaves, hay rides, pumpkin spice lattes, apple cider, and 31days of straight blogging. I am joining my girlfriends @ TheNester.com, ChattingAtTheSky.com, and several other HUNDRED ladies in the annual challenge of blogging for 31 days straight. I’m always up for a challenge (it’s the first born in me…) and decided I wanted to join in the fun.

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A couple months ago my husband and I were sitting on the couch vegging in front of the TV (a rarity that we actually sit and “veg”). I started flipping through channels as he went to unload the dishwasher and came across a show called “Hoarders.” Basically it walks through the life of a “hoarder,” someone who just collects “stuff” to the very extreme that their house is overflowing with things, and creates an unlivable condition (in most cases). Family members generally are the ones contacting the show in hopes to get their loved one help.

These “hoarders” have so much stuff that rooms in their house that once held a purpose no longer are able to fulfill the purpose for which they were created. They become so attached to their “stuff” that it becomes unbearable to part with it.

This got me thinking.

Around this same time my husband and I started to begin sponsoring a little girl in Africa through Compassion International. The very first letter we received from Elizabeth shared about her, her family, what they did for fun, etc. This girl, who had so little compared to our American standards, was so grateful for what she did have. The few things she and her family had served very specific purposes in their lives.

Now my husband and I are NOT hoarders, by any means. As a matter of fact, I drive my husband crazy sometimes getting rid of “stuff” that I think we don’t need any more. However, we still have many more things that other people around the world.

My intention for the next 31 days is to practically share how we can de-clutter our homes, give each item that remains in our home a specific and useful purpose, and to simplify so that we may enjoy what we do have more and be able to share more freely with other.

Will you join me these next 31 days and participate in the mini mission that will help you develop a more purposeful, de-cluttered and simplified home?

I can’t wait to chat with you!