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As we transition into warmer weather, now is a good time to lighten up not only our wardrobes but also our makeup kits. Go through your makeup and nail polish and toss out anything that shows clear signs of being too old: oil separation, discoloration, cracking, or an odor that’s just not right.
If you can’t remember when you bought it (last year? last decade?), maybe that’s a sign you should toss it! Next time you buy new makeup, use a permanent marker to write the month and year of purchase on the bottom of the container (If it’s a black container, use a sticker or masking tape, then write on that.) Technically, makeup doesn’t have expiration dates like food does, but products become contaminated with bacteria over time, so it’s best for your skin’s health to keep things fresh. While time recommendations vary, you can use this simple list as a jumping off point and use your best judgment based on your own products.
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Last week, I posted about my love of reading. Since I love books, you might think my bookshelves would be overflowing. Here are my strategies to keep the books from taking over my space.
e-books from the library!)
to return all the books. Designate a special tote bag for library books so you’ll have a handy way to carry them back and forth as well as a physical reminder to return the books. Nowadays, libraries give you a printed receipt of the books you’ve checked out. Keep that in the bag so you can check the list and make sure you’re returning all the books you borrowed.
be books that you truly love, books that you’ll read again, books that you want to pass down to your children (be selective!), books that are particularly beautiful (beloved art books), and books that you use (reference books such as cookbooks that you actually cook from). Other books, once read, should be considered consumed and ready to pass along to another reader. Stash books to be donated in a paper bag by your door and make a note of a handy donation center (like Savers, Salvation Army, Goodwill, or your local library) that is on your daily route. When the bag is full, bring it out to your car and to the donation center. If you prefer sharing books with friends, pass the book along as soon as you have finished it. Another fun way to redistribute books is through a Little Free Library. Find one in your neighborhood or start your own. Shelves of books can look warm and inviting in a home, but over-filled shelves and piles and stacks of books all over the place are just clutter. Books only have value when they are read*, so keep them circulating by passing them along to others who will read them! *Pick up Roger Duvoisin’s wonderful children’s book Petunia for a gloriously silly way to learn this lesson! As you might imagine, I read a lot of books about organizing. In fact, I love to read and I read a lot of books of all genres: novels, mysteries, classics, thrillers, history books, biographies, self-help books, and more.
Two years ago, I started keeping a list of books I’ve read and was pleased to discover that I read over 50 books per year. According to the Pew Research Center, the average American adult reads 5 books per year, so I guess I would be considered a voracious reader. How do I manage to squeeze in so many books in a year? Here are my top 3 tips:  On a recent trip to London, I came across this WWII era postcard in the gift shop of the Churchill War Rooms. How could I not write a blog post about it?!
It’s a question I frequently ask my clients to consider: Can I do without it? There are always tempting things we can buy and there are always tons of reasons to keep excess things we already have. This simple question is a good one for figuring out how valuable an item is to you and whether or not you really want to make a place for it in your home. After all, bringing something home from a store and giving it a place in your house means that you are committed to caring for it, cleaning it, using it, storing it, and looking at it for quite a long time. Is it worth it? Can you do with out it? For one month, try asking yourself this question (when you’re in a store and when you’re looking around your house) and see how many times you can say, “Yes, I can do without it.” At the end of the month, maybe you’ll find yourself with a smaller credit card bill from things you didn’t buy and a big bag of things you now can do without and want to donate. |
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