Recently, we did some cosmetic remodeling in our home. We cleaned out closets, cabinets, nooks, and crannies, and found a ridiculous amount of household cleansers, travel-size bottles, and a generally excessive amount of well, junk that we never use. We really needed to find a purpose for these items and free up space!
At that point, I vowed to use up every ounce of what I have in the house before I purchase anything else. For months now, I have been using three-ounce travel size bottles of products in an attempt to eliminate waste. I am currently finishing a bottle of blueberry shampoo from when the boys were little, and my husband is using the remainder of the popular teenager male’s body wash that our eldest decided he didn’t like anymore.
Scaling Down Cleaning Supplies
We implemented the use of a cleaning caddy (repurposed from a shower caddy used while camping) to store and transport our bathroom cleaning supplies. Prior to that, we utilized valuable cabinet space in each bathroom to store those things and evidently purchased double the product. Now, the caddy stays in the laundry room on a shelf with other supplies, and we can easily grab it and go. Another benefit: we can effectively take inventory and only purchase the things we need when we go to the store. It’s a great way to free up space and save money!
I found so many unuseful products that were a big waste of money during this reorganization process. I will never use those things. For example, we spotted a stainless steel cleaner that made several moves with us. The fact that it was pricey was the reasoning behind lugging it from house to house I guess. Because I don’t care for the smell or the chemical “feel,” I will never use it. I decided that someone else may want to try the product so I placed it in a box marked “free” with other similar items for our last yard sale. People like free. Let’s just say I didn’t have to bring any of those things back inside, nor was I forced to throw it in the trash. Win-win.
Free up Space: Donate Paint
The free box was an awesome way to put things we didn’t find useful to good use by finding them a new home. Besides cleaning products, this is an excellent way to clear your shelves of almost anything. Paint, for example, as long as it is still good, can be given away (if the cans are full, you can sell them at your yard sale).
We have purchased quarts and even gallons of paint in the past for many projects inside and outside the house. Sometimes we use very little out of a can for a project, and other times we are simply not happy with the end result. Regardless, I am always pleased when someone else can use it. First of all, paint is costly, and secondly, it’s wasteful to throw it away.
Another good way to make use of paint that will otherwise be wasted is to donate it to your local high school or theater. Our school produces a musical in the spring and a play in the fall. Sets have to be built AND painted for each one. Having different colors on hand means that they have many options for colors without blowing their often small budget.
We reclaimed floor space and a shelving unit by ridding our home of paint that we weren’t using.
Cosmetics and Personal Care
In the past, I have purchased cosmetic products that didn’t work well for me. Sometimes the color was wrong. Other times, the product has an odor that I couldn’t tolerate. Sometimes I am stuck with rather expensive things I’ll never use.
Ladies, you know how crazy it is, the endless supply of personal care items we need. In the shower/bath alone, I go back and forth between three-four different things on any given day. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap, make-up remover, pumice stones, etc., can be pricey to purchase. The space required to store it all is insane!
The same goes for hair products. It’s disappointing when I spend a small fortune on a texturizing paste and it doesn’t work the way I had hoped. I give these slightly used items away or place them in the box marked “free” at the next sale. I sure as heck don’t intend to throw it away!
Make-up shouldn’t be shared, so I discard it if it’s the wrong color or it irritates my skin. Although it hurts, I do it anyway. This is one of the reasons I don’t spend a ton of money on make-up.
At the end of it all, after you have used up what you can and get rid of the excess in your home, how will you feel? What will you do with the space you find? Will you save money when having to replenish your supply? Do you think it’s possible to scale down on the amount you purchase?
The answers I believe you will find are:
I feel free!
I am reorganizing my space for it’s intended use, or to suit my needs.
By using what I have on hand, I have saved money!
I can easily see what I have and what I need, so I will continue to save money.
As you combat the overabundance of products in your home, just remember, it’s well worth the effort to free up space, scale down, and save money.
Until Next Time,
April
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