Three months later...

And not doing well with shopping less! I ordered about $200 worth of clothes from Tulle4us.com for Cyber Monday. It was the only thing I bought that holiday weekend (not including food during a camping trip), and I got 21 things: coats, sweaters, and shirts. I loved most of them, too! This is going to be tough. Maybe it is time to make some new year's resolutions...

Shop, Purge, Love

It's been a busy few weeks... I received my Gilt order, and pretty much loved everything that was in it! I will post pictures soon of the lovely Converse coats. I did end up returning most of the Urban Outfitters order, since most of it was way too big anyway. When I was visiting the Urban Outfitters store, I saw two different colors of a ruffled shirt that I had already ordered online in a size smaller...and for a lower price! I tried them on and fell in love with them... so I took both of them home with me! Oops. I decided to give the one from the online order to my sister... and got a price adjustment on it! Score! I also got a price adjustment for the other item I ordered... an ivory ruffle-y vest. I guess you can say I'm currently into ruffles. :)

I did manage to do some closet editing when my best friend visited me for a few days. It was actually a big dusty so I wore a surgical mask so I wouldn't get all congested. I have to confess that I snatched back a few jackets after she left though... It's hard for me to let those go! There are two large bags of clothes that I need to get rid of... I think I will try to hit the used clothing stores first, then friends, then Goodwill.

After my spendy first week of the month, I really slowed down. The only online order I made was for an Origins mask that came with some good samples. Hopefully it will bust some blackheads! This weekend I found myself at the mall... I did spend some, but pretty much all of it will be reimbursed through some mystery shops I performed. I also used that Gap groupon (pay $25 for $50 of merchandise) and scored three lovely cardigans! Two of them were lucky finds from online returns to the store at an additional 25% off, and the other just happened to be 50% off... and I'm wearing it right now! It is 100% wool and cut very slim with cute snap buttons that are hidden when closed and are cute details when open.

Oh I was also able to score an awesome deal on an Oral B Vitality toothbrush at CVS. I basically just paid tax on it and it was worth $23.

Gilt guilt

In the past 12 hours I have done exactly the opposite of the title of this blog... Which is probably why it's needed! Gilt Groupe had one of their crazy 80% or more Final Sales, and I got suckered in. I have a little time to change my mind, but it's likely that I won't. Two nice Converse by John Varvatos coats, a French Connection Dress, and two cute tees from Converse and Demy Lee. I also shopped on Urban Outfitter's site last night. Oy vey. At least I can return the Urban Outfitters if I decide I don't want it. I should probably return some even if I do to offset the Gilt guilt!

I was so good about tracking all of my expenses for the last year until June, and then I petered off and now my impulsive spending is coming out in full force.

Tornado Warning!

Unfortunately, the title refers to how my room looks on any normal given day. Clothes, magazines, beauty products, papers... Instead of a place for everything and everything in its place, my room is a place for everything and everything all over the place.

The most pressing reason of the moment to get organized is a visit from a dear friend. The overarching desire is to live more simply, having less so I have to take care of less. The reality is that I like pretty things and acquire many things for free or nearly so, but at the cost of a daily sanctuary of tranquility (which happens to be my middle name).

So here begins the journey... shop less by physically taking in less, or by "shopping" my closet, window shopping until I don't want something anymore or have moved on to something else, and saving and spending only what I need so I am indeed saving money and time and spending less energy on acquisition and the means for it.

I'm not not spending, but I definitely need to start investing... in things that matter, in people and places that I love, in my future, and yes, occasionally, in clothing that makes me look and feel fantastic.

Time to do a little purging...After a good night's sleep! :)