Resolution Recap

Last January, I declared that my New Year's Resolution would be to USE IT UP.  To finally use the piles of laundry detergent, lotion, soap, and other consumables that I have been collecting over the years.  Looking back, I think I did pretty well.

I started out the year by cleaning out the bathroom closet, disposing of old medications and other things that were just past their "good use" days.  We also took boxes and boxes of miscellaneous things to Goodwill.  About a month into the year, I realized that I am just not a lotion person, so I kept the two bottles that I actually use and took the others (about 15 bottles or so, if I remember correctly), to work to be used by women living in a residential addiction program.  I started using up the fancy shower gels and such that I'd been saving.  I have no idea what I was saving them for - it's not like a shower is ever going to be a special occasion!  

Then, somewhere along the line, my resolution shifted.  My hubby has been waiting to be laid off for about three years, and sometime in late summer/early fall he got the word that he will definitely be out of a job by the end of June, 2012.  He's hoping that Unemployment will pay for school, so he's not looking for a job for the time being.  So, my priority has shifted from "use it up" to "stock up on stuff that keeps when you find it on an awesome sale".  Thanks to my Kindle with Special Offers, I got a great deal on shampoo and soap products from Amazon.  I also found a deal on my favorite laundry "soap", Econuts, so I have accumulated a three year supply of that.

So, essentially, I've eliminated a lot of excess things while building up a good supply of other things that I know we'll use over time.  I think, in the spirit of my resolution, it's all good.