"let your boat of life be light, packed with only
what you need - a homely home and simple pleasures, someone to love and someone to love you,
enough to eat and enough to wear
and a little more than enough to drink:
for thirst is a dangerous thing"

Tuesday 5 July 2011

trying to follow in lesley's footsteps

Spending time with Lesley makes me feel rather inadequate and untidy.  She has been on a mission for a couple of months now where she ruthlessly gives away and throws out "stuff".  She has her life in order.  She has a drawer where all her papers are neatly filed (her attorney (Michael) has been advised where to find her will and other papers in the case of an emergency).  She has got rid of the clothes she does not wear and her cupboard is now down to 62 items (this includes the most amazing handbag collection ever but not her underwear).  Last count my t-shirt collection alone would probably take me to at least 42 items.  Lesley is always beautifully dressed, well-coiffed (she would like that word, if she reads this (I don't think she does)) and beautifully groomed.  She travels a lot and packs well.  Her point is that when you are travelling for 2 weeks or more you have all your favourite clothing and possessions with you.  Why would you need more?  If you had a fire at your home while you were away you would be okay for clothing because you had your most precious items of clothing and jewellery with you.

A couple of weeks back she sorted out her kitchen.  She has no implements stuffed in drawers that she does not use.  She gave away a lovely bone china tea-set because she had no use for it.  She took piles of plastic dishes and pots to the Red Cross in Wynberg.  I wish I could do the same and I intend to try and follow her example and work on one shelf or drawer every evening.  This is how she worked and she has simplified her life (in fact she has completed round one of every cupboard and drawer in her home and is about to go around again!!).
So this evening I thought I would start with my dressing table / cupboard (sorry this is why the post is so late).  Why is it that I never finish a body lotion completely? Why do I have so many lipsticks which I never wear? (a lot of them are those freebies which are always the wrong colour or should I say "a colour").   I cannot tell you how many eyeshadow compacts I have where I have only used one of the three or four colours. Here is a picture of my make-up basket:-


A tad messy I would say.  As I sit here typing I have emptied the remains of a very nice Body Shop face mask which I have had for at least 3 years, on my face. I don't really do face packs so why do I have 3 different makes in the basket?  I am in my dressing gown and my legs have been covered in the remains of about 4 nearly empty containers (amazing what comes out when you cut them open).  I do not spend a lot on cosmetics and am very happy with my baby bottom butter as a night cream.  Lately however I have struggled to find the right mascara (I thought I needed more length and volume) and as a result I think I have the whole Maybelline range in my basket.  I have now gone back to the old faithful:-



Cheap as chips, washable (comes off perfectly with Lux soap (sorry Lynne)).  I also have about 2 sets of brushes for lips, brows, eyelids and foundation.  The only one I use is the foundation brush.  I am not really one for lipstick or blusher (sorry Mom and Gill, you have tried). 

What do you do with all the off casts like this one above?  What about we all have a clear out and put our stuff in a box and then have a get together to swap stuff (like we used to do with comics).  The balance can be donated to the Zip-Zap circus!!

I am off now to complete my project for tonight.  I will then have a shower to wash off all the greasy lotions and potions as I am starting to itch.  This face pack is getting rather tight on my face and is starting to crack.  Watch out Michael, here I come!!!

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