The time of year to clean and purge is upon us, and I have started with my makeup. I will admit that I had a difficult time choosing what to keep and what to toss. I made some tough choices, but that is what happens when I don’t set boundaries and take in things I really don’t need. Let me explain.
Since starting my part-time job, I have been given a lot of product samples. There were a bunch of makeup testers destined for the trash if I didn’t take them home. I went through the pile, found out how to safely disinfect them and clean them to make them safe for me to use, bagged them up and took them home.
I got the cleaning supplies for them. Do you know what happened next? They sat on top of my vanity for several months, in the bag.
Photo by Tish MacWebber
Photo by Tish MacWebber
Photo by Tish MacWebber
Before the cleaning and purging. Photos by Tish MacWebber
Why did I leave them there?
Since I have become more intentional and focused on the makeup I am selling, I have been struggling with what to do with my other makeup. On one hand, I love the products I had bought, and I was given a great gift to help me practice and get better with makeup application.
On the other hand, I want to use only the makeup from my company to promote what I love, and help people learn how to use it. I thought about just using all of the makeup I had in my Adventures With Makeup Club, since it was adding to what I have to work with in the art of makeup.
I started purging. It took an hour or so, and then I had some indecision about some if the makeup I had been hanging on to.
One thing about me is that when I make a decision, I take action. I may think about it, and sleep on it first, but I do take action once that decision is made.
I left the garbage bag out, and thought about the few items I was uncertain about keeping.
Before I went to bed, I made my decision. Even though it hurt a little, I tossed almost all of the makeup I had that was not from my makeup company. I still wonder if that was the right thing to do, but it made organizing my makeup easier than if I had kept some of the other products.
Creating space for the products I want to tell people about, and share my adventures with, has made the adventure easier to think about. Plus it was a great start to the purging of what I do not need to hold on to.
Tidy.
Neat.
Organized.
My husband moved my collection to the top, safe from Jazzy the cat.
Functional.
I was able to make room.
My Face Cleanser has a home.
Eyeshadows all together.
Blushes and setting powder.
Mascara, eyeliners and eye primer.
Lipsticks.
My Tish*ology
Foundations.
Cleanser and toner
Brushes, blenders and a mask.
What is in that case? I’ll write about it next time.
Tidy and Organized. Photos by Tish MacWebber
Now that I am organized, I feel so much better about investing in my business. It is tidy and organized, so that I can find what I need quickly and easily when I want to enhance my natural beauty with the accessory of makeup.
Hello, Beautiful Friends! I am catching my breath as I have just completed reorganizing my stash of makeup. What began as a simple project evolved as I gave myself time to think about the possibilities.
In case you don’t remember what my counter looked like the last time I wrote about this… here is a reminder to show you the clutter I was dealing with:
The Current Makeup Situation
It is hard to use makeup when it is stored like this
Makeup is taking over
Originally, I was going to clear off a shelf in the storage unit between the vanity and the whirlpool tub, which is also known as my kitten’s racetrack. I had previously started storing crafts on it. There was room to shift things to clear one or two shelves for my makeup.
The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to make a bigger change.
Not that long ago, I took the bottom half of a closet storage set and moved it to the bedroom. When I did it, I was sure it would stay, so I screwed it into the wall and put it to use.
Fast forward to January 2020 and the annual cleaning challenge I participate in. I usually choose one project to improve our home. We don’t have a lot of extra funds set aside for home improvement, so one project is all I can really manage to purchase supplies for. With this in mind, I am preparing to makeover my mini laundry closet. Therefore, if I am going to make any other changes in y home, I need to work with what I already have here.
As the project grew from a simple reorganization of makeup to a shelf system swap, I started by taking more pictures, before I started.
Before: In the master BedroomBefore: In the Master Bathroom
In the top picture, above, you can see the two white cube storage pieces I had repurposed from my master closet. In the second picture, you can see the cluttered counter, and the shelving unit I wrote about above.
I went to work.
After getting a screwdriver and a duster, I cleared off the black shelving unit enough to slide it out of the place it was in. Then I unscrewed the white cube storage pieces from the wall in the bedroom, one at a time, and moved them to where the black stand was.
Finally, I had them switched, and I began placing items where I wanted them. This process may not be entirely complete at the moment, but for now, the main parts are done!
Craft storage moved into the bedroom.More room by the jacuzzi tubFrom craft storage to makeup storageThe new look in the Master Bathroom
I have not gone through all of my craft supplies at this point. It was more important to get the bed cleared off to sleep tonight. It is ready for the clean and dry comforter. I changed the sheets before I got going. I am sure I will sleep well tonight.
Here is one final look at the project.
Being able to access all of my makeup is important. I am learning new tips and tricks, and I need to be able to access it easily to enable me to continue. I am glad I decided to take on this project. Here are some final looks.
3 shelves hold my makeup and supplies now.Makeup is easy to find, and neatly organizedNow there is more room on the counter.Clutter-free!
When I get to the week for organizing craft supplies, I already have a great start on it. When I get to the week for the Master Suite, I can focus on cleaning and not have to work at reorganizing. I am also closer to tackling the laundry closet with these steps done because I needed to empty the clothes basket at the foot of the bed and change the bedding. This is now done, so I can keep working towards the next project.
I feel like I have accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. I also know that when I want to wear my makeup, it will be so much easier to take out what I need now that the counter is clutter-free! How do you store and organize your makeup? Do you take on a project every year to improve your home? Let me know in the comments what you think about this new setup!
In this week’s Weekend Warrior, an am happy to report that I had A Productive Weekend for a Change. I have done some cleaning, hosted a craft night, and went out to see a movie. I wanted to get a lot more accomplished than I actually did, but that is okay. Tomorrow is a new day!
Friday night was spent at home, starting the cleaning for Saturday. I experimented with Kalimotxo (cal-ee-mo-cho). It is popular in Spain, and Uruguay, according to the video my friend sent me to check it out. I tried 2 different wines, with Coke and Pepsi. My final verdict was if the wine tastes “sour” the Coke evens it out. The Italian Bardolino Doc is better with Coke. The dry wine from Romania Castel Bolovanu was a stronger flavoured wine, so I would recommend a dry wine with Pepsi, as the flavours seem to mix better, to me, even if the flavours seem to be fighting. I did not like the dry wine with Coke at all.
For the record, I tried 4 different combinations, but I only actually finished one glass of wine. I wasn’t in the mood for having a lot of wine Friday night. Maybe a total of 2 glasses if you combine it all. It was an experiment, to see if it was something that I liked. It was okay, but
Saturday was busy. Cleaning all day, in the living room and the kitchen. It took a while. I am happy to say that I even had time to sweep the floors. Then it was time to get ready for the craft night.
We were going to go through magazines and create vision boards. One friend was making a bucket book. It was nice to sit around the kitchen table, have snacks, and sip on a glass of wine. We caught up and talked about things. We worked on gathering art and words for our projects.
I had made a trip to the Dollarama for supplies. I got some different tapes, decorations, and papers. I had to buy a sketchbook for my project. I never got far enough to start any pages, but I had a successful gathering of things to put into it. I don’t have kids, but sometimes I like to do something nice for my friends. I had seen owl tote bags there, and they were $4 each. I bought 4 for us all to keep our supplies in. They were a hit! I kept the purple owl, and one of our friends didn’t make it, but I am holding hers here for her next visit. Now that I have done this, I am looking forward tot he next time.
Here are the bags I bought:
Rebecca’s Owl Tote Bag for Craft night
Tish’s Owl Tote Bag for Craft night
Becca’s Owl Tote Bag for Craft night
Kathy’sOwl Tote bag for Craft night
Sunday was busy with writing, and we went to see a movie. We went out to watch Annihilation with Natalie Portman. I have never personally experimented with drugs. That movie was a scientific trip if I was ever going to take one. I can’t say it was horrible, but it was kind of messed up. Now, for some unexplainable reason, I have the munchies…yup. I am having the side effects of being stoned after watching a movie sober. If that was what they were going for…mission accomplished. There were not enough Hazmat suits on the actors. I think the audience needed them also. It was an out of body scientific trip of a movie. I am settling for a glass of orange juice and some cheese. Then I am calling it a day.
What did you do this weekend? It was a total win for me!
In Weekend Warrior #54 And the Academy Award Goes to…I am writing about my weekend as I am watching the Academy Awards. This was a weekend of big and small things. I made a significant decision in my life. It was important, and it will affect me for the next few years.
I have been searching for my new glasses for about a month now. I went out again this weekend with the intention to buy this time. I went back to Costco, where I learned that yes, I could get a temporary shopping pass twice a year, and I could get a member to buy me gift certificates to buy my glasses with there. It seemed like a lot of hassle to me, after I thought about it.
I went back to Pearle Vision. When I couldn’t find the paper in my purse with the frames I had tried the other time I was there, the salesperson walked away. I had told her that I was at Costco and that I was planning to buy my glasses. She lost that sale because she didn’t want to help me finalize my purchase. I had a friend with me, and she wanted to try another store.
I went to Hakim Optical with her. I was worried that they were going to be more expensive, and they were, a little. The prices are not listed on the frames, which made it a little scarier. Vogue was the most expensive store I had visited. I just hadn’t found any glasses that I thought were the pair I wanted to wear for two years or more at this point.
I have written about this on my Facebook page. There was a moment, at the last store. I was looking at a wall of glasses (they have the most frames to choose from of the 4 stores I visited) and my friend missed a pair that I am now saying picked me. Yes, just like the wands on Harry Potter, these glasses stood out from the wall and drew my hand to pick them up. It was magical. That was it. I found them. I got help with the sunglasses, and I am pleased with them as well. I will be sharing my new look as well as a new eyeshadow technique (new to me, anyway) a week from now, as it is less than 20 minutes into Monday where I am now. I might just try something different with my hair, too. If it works, I will be happy. If not, it will be time to plan to go and get my hair cut in a few months. I have been letting it grow, with a new style in mind, but I do not know if it is going to be an option for me. So I will see what happens when I play with my hair and makeup and new glasses, and I will share that in a week.
Sunday had a slower pace. I have gotten up at my normal time, did a little creative work, and went back to bed. I slept in. How I love sleeping and not having to set an alarm. I worked a little on the computer and helped another friend. I ran the dishwasher and did some laundry. I am starting to get my gumption back. This is good, because it is MARCH already, and I have yet to get my spring cleaning done! If I leave it too late, it becomes a miserable job in the heat. I know this. Spring turns to summer overnight here. One day it is cool and rainy, and the next the heat wave hits. Just like that. So I need to get my act together and get some cleaning done. I started tonight, which gives me hope that I can keep it going and make things better here. I have other things to do too, and I find I need to start wherever I feel like I can, and then I can keep going. A start was made today, and this is a really good thing.
I did watch The Academy Awards. They just finished, and I loved all of the dresses. THere were a few beautiful gowns, and I think my favourite look was the one of Sandra Bullock tonight. I really thought she looked beautiful.
That is a wrap for this weekend. I must say that for me this week, it was a win. Hands down! I made an important purchase, planned an extra blog post for next week, and I got some chores done around the house. When you look at the big picture, that is a win for me!
Weekend Warriors, I kept things low key this weekend. I had Thursday & Friday off. I also had today off. My weekend is going to align with the real weekend, starting next weekend! I am only really having today as a real day off. It is late, and almost tomorrow.
I relaxed all day with my computer. I worked on social media, and I also played with designs for my first book cover. I did a little work on the website last night. Another category, Trust Your Gut has no more duplicated posts, and they are all there. One large category all set up. I have to go through each category and do the same thing, I think. Any missing posts were in the uncategorized list, so I have a way to find them.
I made a significant decision this weekend. I am going to change the way I do things. I started this category, Weekend Warrior, as a way to keep track of my spring cleaning challenge, and any fun things I had going on. Well, I am severely lacking in the accomplishments, both in what I need to do, and what I want to do. It is time to change my tactics.
I still need to do the cleaning, and try to plan fun activities. I am going to make a significant change this year. Last year, I planned 6 months of cleaning and 6 months for writing. I got as far as I could with that plan in 2017. This year, I am aiming for Success. What that means is in a previous post. Treasure Seeker Tuesday #11 has a list of what I am going to do to succeed in 2018. It doesn’t say how. I am going to be working on that throughout the year.
I have realized that just like I need to work on my cleaning challenges, I also have to work on being creative. I am still figuring out how to implement the plans I am coming up with. I just know that inaction is not helping me to get things done, and I still have a lot of things that need me to do them.
I did laundry today. No big deal for most people. But it is the clothing that I have to hang up, and not just put in the dryer. I have a clothing rack, so everything is hanging to dry. I have been putting off that laundry load for 2 weeks. It’s going to be nice to have my sweaters all clean to wear again. It’s not that I don’t know what I have to do. It’s that there is so much to do that I get overwhelmed.
Remember the Overwhelm Elephant I wrote about in Trust your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 32? Well, it had been giving me a stress headache for the last few days. I had been putting too much pressure on myself to get everything done. I can only do so much. I am working on a plan to get things done reasonably, and effectively. I need to fit in the creativity, or I’ll have a meltdown. Those are never pretty.
I also have to learn to go with the cleaning bug when it strikes. Although if I wait for it, that may never happen. I have to start somewhere. I know I am going to have company in June, so I have a deadline. I do not want to leave it that long, it is too hot and uncomfortable to clean in June. So I am trying to get myself started by working on the house for an hour every day. Then I need to focus on being creative for an hour every day unless I am having a productive cleaning day, in which case I will keep going. It isn’t rocket science, but on the days that I don’t want to clean, I can time it, and still get it done.
I am really glad that the living room furniture rearrangement is done. I still have tidying to do, but there is a lot less to do because we worked in this room already. My office is also in the living room. So it has double duty. I still haven’t finished organizing my office, either. It is a lot better than it used to be, and I have done a little here and there, but the finishing touches have not all been applied. It is something I am waiting to feel like doing.
Tomorrow after work, it is time to reclaim my living room. I have Christmas decorations to unpack and store until next year. It is time that I took that step. I can then create my Launch Pad in the living room, by my front door again. I need to reclaim that space. Then I will start in the kitchen. I still have 4 lbs of ground beef to cook up. I just wasn’t feeling like it today. Tomorrow is a new day. And next weekend is a real weekend! Yeah!
