new year, not the same old

new year, not the same old...

This is the last post of 2011, and I'm pretty excited about that. While having an (unspoken) goal to write two blog posts a month, I found that as long as I got one in a month, I was pretty ok. It's not bad to set goals for yourself, as long as you at least do a little bit and keep it up throughout the year.

So, naturally, this post will be about setting new goals, doing new things, and keeping it simple in my life. Last December, I posted a handful of goals and was generally just skeptical about the whole idea of resolutions and goals and whatever. My initial idea was to list things I wanted to do in life, and I didn't include everything on that list. Shock of all shockers, on the real list, I checked off tons of things this year. The unofficial theme of 2011 was to say yes to everything, get out of my comfort zone and just generally do things I had never done before. Keeping that theme up, I did things I never even thought I would do and things I had always dreamed about doing and never thought would be a reality. 2011 was a game changer.

Here are just some of the things I did that made the year so different:

* saw Barlowgirl, Kylie Minogue and Scissor Sisters in concert

* got a stick shift driving lesson from my husband

* change the oil and bled the breaks on my car

* took a boxing class

* traveled to a city I had never been to before (LA)

* went to baseball Spring Training in Arizona

* visited the Grand Canyon

* worked at a "real job" this summer

* hosted an exchange student this summer

* visited with a close friend from high school for the first time since the 90s

* went on a cross country road trip with our dog

I could go on... Goals big and small and everything in between. I may sound like I'm bragging. I'm ok with that. But the real motivation for listing this is to just be in awe of the amazing, crazy year I've had.

I wonder if life would be simplified for people around New Year's if they didn't set resolutions for vague things like "get healthy" and "work out every week" and instead thought of things outside of the box and then made little concrete things they could check off their list. I wanted to be more independent, so I learned how to change the oil in my car. I wanted to be tougher, so I took a boxing class. Just one thing to tick off the list in each case. It's a cool feeling and much more like a to do list then these ideas swirling around in my head that just make me feel guilty all year. And there was no visit to the gym on January 1 involved. I like that.

So, in the interest of keeping things simple and making a micro life for myself, I'm going to go along with it and try to top this year. I'm going to dream large and small. I'm going to think of things that I can tick off a list instead of feeling bad for the rest of 2012 because I don't have a "rockin body" (which is a goal I still have a lot of affection for!). It's about goals, checklists, concrete actions and not resolutions. Here goes...

* Finally finish reading Last of the Mohicans (an ongoing project since about 1994)

* see the Bolshoi, the Joffrey and/or the New York City Ballet ballet perform

* drive stick on a real road (no more high school parking lots)

* go to Japan to mark 10 years (!) since I last lived there

* learn a song on piano by heart (uh... ongoing project since about 1988)

* write a novel during National Novel Writing Month in November

* go rowing (guess I have to find someplace to row that actually has rivers)

* get on the slopes just once

* read Thomas Hardy's collected works

* 20 mass "winning streak" at church. Yup, gotta attend church 20 weeks in a row. If the Oakland A's can do it, so can I.

* find the art house theater in town and see 5 indie movies before I give up on movies for good

* remember that everything realistic is possible

And don't worry, next month I've got another simple homemaking post to put together and I won't wax philosophical for awhile. Gotta wrangle this all back to living micro in a practical way because that's what I'm here for!

I NEED that!

I NEED that!

With the holidays coming up, it's easy for everyone to confuse needs and wants. I sure do this every time Christmas rolls around and my parents and husband ask what I would like for Christmas. "I really need those Vineyard Vines sand colored boot cut cords!" "I really really need eyeshadow primer!" "I could most certainly use caramel colored riding boots..." And it's certainly not just around the holidays. Any time I go grocery shopping, I think to myself, "I really do need Ghirardelli semi sweet 60% cacao chocolate chips!" It seems like my list of things "I really need" is never ending.

Others have had this issue in the past... This problem is literally as old as time itself. I'm sure there were cavemen who were thinking to themselves, "Wow could I really use a bone handle on my flint knife just like Bob's. His is so fancy." We look and we want and that just about summarizes the whole of human history. Wanting the newest iphone is not a new problem.

Even though it's not new, confusing needs and wants can lead to a lot of difficulties and one of the most obvious signs is shown in the things we buy and the things we end up storing and ruining our budget on. This is such a central concept to micro living that I have absolutely not taken to heart. I end up thinking about the reasons why I'm poor the week before payday, because I hope that maybe this pay period will be different. Maybe I won't be scrambling to make red beans & rice for dinner because my budget is stretched so thin. And maybe I wouldn't have to clean out my closet as often of things that I thought I needed at one time and then realized I would never actually use them.

This is not really a question of why we covet and why we want the things we want when we want them. This is more a question of how. How can I put a cap on all the things I feel like I really "need?" How can I prevent future problems and always feeling like I never have enough? It's not really "why are we discontented?" but "how can we be content with what we already have?" If we can answer these questions, we can go a very long way toward relieving some of the money and clutter stress we might have.

Here are some things I'm taking to heart lately:

1) Break it down - I love this pbskids snippet of advice. It breaks down this subject into easily understood questions and answers to determine what you need vs. what you want. It might be advice for kids, but I think it gets to the root of the issue and explains it simply and quickly. Making a list of things that are actually needs vs. things that you want is so easy and helpful. Needed things: nutritious food, a place to live, a warm winter coat, a good pair of shoes and transportation. Wanted things: designer jeans, toys, candy, video games, a snowboard. How sweet and to the point! And notice it says a "good" pair of shoes, not a stylish pair or an on trend pair. I'm going to make a list this afternoon of the things I really need (which will likely include that list) and the things I want. I'm about 90% certain my list of wants will tower over my list of needs. It's great to be aware of that when I think about the next great thing I want to buy.

2) Avoid temptation - This may sound religious or preachy, but it's just a fact of human nature. If we put ourselves in situations that are unhealthy for us, we are bound to do unhealthy things. One of the greatest things to come out of getting rid of cable four years ago is that I want SO few things that I see on tv. The only advertisements I really see are for cars I'm not interested in and pharmaceuticals I don't use. That makes life much simpler. I definitely put myself in the way of temptation online though. Pinterest is a website where you "pin" things on a virtual bulletin board for style inspiration or ideas for crafts or recipes (most of what I see and pin myself). But I've recently categorized a whole section for a Christmas list and my "style inspiration" board is less about inspiration and more about what I would love to buy someday. Some people bookmark things online that they like and others clip things out of magazines and put them on a real bulletin board. I'm not saying that this is bad in and of itself, just that I am much more tempted to want things if I'm exposed to them. I'm also highly susceptible to magazines. Not the ads because they are obviously ads, but the content. "5 Essential Items for Fall" is just as much an advertisement as the Olay ad on the facing page. I try not to spend too much time reading magazines that have little content and offer little real information because of this, but this is an almost insurmountable weakness of mine. And one I need to keep a close watch on! And avoiding browsing in Target is another way for me to cut down on all the clutter (mental and otherwise). It's so fun, but if I stick to my list and get only what I need, I can usually save at least $20 on random impulse purchases.

3) Alternatives - make a list of other things that make you happy that don't require purchases. These things for me are taking my dog for a walk, challenging myself to cook with only the things in my cupboard, going for a run (though I really could use some new running shoes...), watching tv shows set in the past (I'm just not that interested in buying highball glasses for a 10:30am drink) and visiting with friends. Taking community ed classes is another way for me to stop focusing on all the things I want. Sinking myself into Jane Austen books and doing homework has been a good way for me to ignore all the little things I desire for myself. Practice contentment with the things you already have.

4) Stop asking! I really can't express how much this needs to be addressed in my life. I sometimes have to consciously not ask for things for an entire day just to see if I can. I'm always asking my husband for this or that like new hair styling products or another pair of shoes. In girl world, this can just be a way of communicating. "I really need a good liquid eyeliner!" With ladies, this is a jumping off point to talk about fun makeup techniques and share ideas. With my husband, it just sounds like another item on the laundry list of things I could spend money on. And because he's sweet and thoughtful, he gets stressed out when he can't provide every little thing I could ask for. I think I've fallen into this pattern with my parents too, because as a kid, I was really used to having to ask for everything and having them be the only ones who could provide it. There are so many other things I could talk about (Kim Kardashian, elections in South Africa, the Browns, how to bleed break fluid in my car). I don't need to talk non stop about what I'd do with a million dollars.

5) Get inspired - Perhaps you could make a list of books at the library that you've always wanted to read. Post that list on the fridge and every time you want to buy something, you could distract yourself with a long Russian novel. The list I mentioned above of all the things you love doing that are free or already within your reach? Slip that into a catalog or magazine. If quotations really keep you going, find a great one from Benjamin Franklin or Mark Twain that keeps you grounded and out of stores. If you do pin things or have a bulletin board, get inspired by simplicity and post pics of perfectly uncluttered, clean living spaces. Cut off the bottom portion where they list prices or where to buy. Daydream about delicious new recipes you could make with the things you have on hand. Start a gratitude journal and write about the things you already have that you're grateful for.

As for me, my inspiration comes straight from the Good Book:

1 Timothy 6:6-7

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."

I'm going to work on my lists now and step away from the computer (or at least from pinterest!). I feel like I've left out a bunch of good ways to avoid envy... Since I tend to be a bit long-winded, I'll end it there and hope that your comments on FB, twitter and in the comments section here will fill in the gaps!

perfectly good

perfectly good

Thanks everyone for all the comments on Facebook/Twitter and here on my blog about makeup staples. I had a lot of fun posting that and I've really streamlined my own look lately. I got lots of good suggestions and ideas that I will be using in the future, too!

Years ago, I was watching Hellen Buttigieg's show Neat and heard something that has stuck with me ever since. She is a professional organizer and finds her biggest challenge is helping her clients change their thinking when it comes to all the stuff they have. She asks a lot of fantastic questions to get her clients to start thinking about WHY they keep the things they do and WHY their house clutter seems to stress them out so much. I'm not normally one for asking why (I prefer how and when!), but in this situation, I think it's great to start thinking about the WHY to get the HOW and WHEN. One way Hellen challenged her clients was to have them ask themselves a series of questions even before they bring a new item into the house. The most important thing, though, was that she asked her clients to listen to what they're telling themselves and not let any of these excuses slip through their lips. Excuses like "I'm going to fix it someday..." or "I need it just in case..."

I have found exactly the same excuses in myself when I'm decluttering and I've heard them numerous times when I've helped declutter someone else's situation. The chief one I hear over and over that really gets to the heart of these excuses is "But it's a perfectly good ____." Time and again, I will be helping someone makeover a bathroom or a closet or an office and when push comes to shove and no other excuses suffice to keep an item, I hear, "But it's a perfectly good box!" or "It's a perfectly good ribbon!" or "It's a perfectly good bag!" Yes, the emphasis is in the original.

I call this Perfectlygooditis. The disease of thinking that everything is perfectly good, so why "waste" it.

This disease is highly contagious. I hear "perfectly good" out of the mouths of all ages, backgrounds, sexes. It crosses generational lines. Mothers say it, fathers say it, children say it. If I had a dollar for every time I've heard it on an organizing or decluttering or even hoarding show, I'd be a very rich lady.

Perfectlygooditis also includes a myriad of excuses that everyone (including me!) makes about the things in their home that they just can't bear to part with. I urge everyone to remember what I've said time and again when it comes to micro living... Make room for what you love! So the WHY for me is about making room for the things you really love in life: relaxing, spending time with our families, dedicating ourselves to the work and projects that make us who we are, enjoying ourselves, making all those recipes we've always wanted to make or creating a guest room for our friends or a playroom for our kids. When we surround ourselves with clutter for no good reason other than "it's perfectly good!" we crowd out the things in our life we truly love.

I've made a list of phrases that you should be watching out for when you're making room for all the important things in your life. When you hear yourself saying them, put yourself on what Hellen calls "high clutter alert." Listen closely to how you rationalize all those little extras that make your life a little bit too full. I'm also going to include exceptions, because for every decluttering project, there's room for a little of your life too! Remember my crisis with having nothing to decorate with? I certainly don't want that to happen either. Listen closely for these excuses, but also make sure you don't get rid of everything in your life... Trust me, extreme micro living can come back to haunt you!

In addition to exceptions, I've grouped these excuses together to more easily see that a lot of them are just versions of the same theme. Ok, let's start!

Money

It was on sale/I got a great deal.

It cost me a lot of money.

It's an investment.

I could sell that for...

I'll sell it in a garage sale/online.

It's a collectible.

The theme with all of these thoughts is the same: money. All purchases obviously cost money. And money is something that people scrimp and save and put a lot of value on. With these excuses, it's not the object we're valuing, it's the monetary output we're putting the emphasis on. When we reduce an object to simply how much money we "saved" buying it, how much it cost us or how much we can get for it, we forget the true meaning of the things to us. We might be holding up a sweater that never fit right and is not in a color we particularly love, but we what we're really thinking of is how much it cost or could fetch in the future. If one of the things we're buying is on sale, sometimes reason and logic go out the window and we get caught up in what a good deal it was. If we spent a lot of money on something, we have a hard time parting with it lest we waste money. As for investments, re-selling things or putting things in a garage sale, that's something that requires some thought and a few questions. When's the last time you actually had a garage sale? Do you ever end up making up the time and energy you put into selling it? Does anyone actually collect this collectible? Will anyone else spend money on it? I find frequently that when people get the great idea to sell things, they end up cluttering up our homes because we don't have the time or the energy to put the effort into selling them. If it really is valuable, wouldn't someone else really appreciate it? And if it just doesn't work for you, like shoes that are a little too tight or something that's hopelessly out of fashion or use, wouldn't you love handing it over to someone who fits the shoe or who can make something great out of the fabric from your discarded old favorite?

Exceptions

If you actively sell online, trade or do garage sales, you know your market, you've sold things before and it's an ongoing project, it might be a good idea to hold onto what you have and get your money's worth. I did say ACTIVELY though. If the last time you sold something online was six months ago and you spent more money on shipping than the object was worth, than it's time to reassess whether this system is working for you or working against you (in terms of storage, time, energy, cost).

The Future

It's going to fit when I lose/gain the weight.

Maybe if I had... it would work.

I've been meaning to fix it.

I might need it.

I'd like it better if...

I'd like to start using it.

I need it just in case.

I'll get rid of it when...

It's for my dream house/future/baby/business I'm starting.

So much clutter is kept around "just in case." You know, just in case you need a ball of string in an emergency. Or just in case you suddenly drop 50 lbs. one morning. Really, anything could happen. But if your just in case pile is blocking a door or taking up room in a closet where you could store a fire extinguisher, your just in case can makes things much even worse in the future. Ok, maybe that sounded a little like a threat... It's just really too bad that people make room for things in lives they're not living right now. With future weight loss/gain it's a bit of a challenge, but it's pretty rare that anyone wakes up one morning 50 lbs. lighter or heavier. By the time we've lost the weight, a lot of the skinny jeans we've been holding on to might not fit quite right or be completely out of date. Even if something does come back in fashion during the 10 years you've spent trying to get the weight off, it never comes back in exactly the same way. Tight jeans are big again, but extreme acid wash, denim bows and ankle zippers may have seen their day. As with selling things in the future, if you're not actively participating in an activity you might use your object in, it might be time for it to go. For example, if you have always been meaning to take up calligraphy, but it's been 5 years and you still haven't signed up for a class or talked to a single calligrapher, maybe those calligraphy supplies can find a better home. Same goes with fixing something, if it's been awhile and you haven't even gotten the replacement part or that broken lamp is gathering dust, it might be time to trash it.

Exceptions

For future babies, homes or the like, if you have room for it, you're not superstitious and you know when it's going to be useful (well, for babies, you can have a general idea), you're good. I'm saving the train for my wedding dress to make a baptismal gown for a hypothetical baby. My mom is storing it, I have a definite cut off point for when it's no longer necessary and I have a concrete plan to use it if that happens. Also, if you happen to have extreme weight fluctuations on a frequent basis, first, go see your doctor! If everything checks out ok or you are managing it, having a few things on hand is not a bad idea. The "get rid of it" advice is mostly for those of us who are still holding on to a prom dress made for an 18 year old body.

Perceived Value

Perfectly good

I don't want it to go to waste.

I know exactly the person who could use this.

It's still in good shape.

Someone may be able to use it.

This is the heart of perfectlygooditis. We have a general idea of the value of something, or put an imaginary value on it ("useful" or "in good shape") and we keep it because of that perceived value. We hate to "waste" things and we feel that if we hold on to them, they're not going to waste. "Someone may be able to use it..." and "I know the exactly the person who could use this." are in this category because we believe others will value this object as much as we do. Recently decluttering a friend's bathroom full of junk from 20 years ago showed me just how pervasive this idea is. One by one, I pulled out the owner's objects and started sorting them into garbage and give away piles. The person I was helping kept piping up with her ideas of the value of things and was panicked that something, anything might go to waste. I tried to help her understand that the Salvation Army or Goodwill are not bottomless pits where things go to die. People who could actually use these things that are languishing and actually going to waste in our homes are waiting for you to send them their way! And most of the time, when we feel like we know exactly the right person to have something, we put it away, clutter up our house and manage to forget it every time we see them or don't see them for months and months. It's not "perfectly good" if you're not using it.

Exceptions

If you know of a family in need or a friend in need or you frequently do follow through with your promises of finding a good home for things, you get an out on this one. I'd give it a time limit. "If I don't see Aunt Bertha in the next two weeks, I'll give this away." I kept our dog crate for about a week until we got a new one (Chloe keeps needing bigger crates!), and our neighbor ended up needing one that week for her rescued puppy from the Humane Society. That was an object that I was really excited to give away and I'm glad it found its new owner right away. We also had the room to store the crate during that time and it wasn't taking up room or getting in the way. Another huge exception: socks and underwear! Socks and underwear that are in perfectly good shape and are not frayed, torn, threadbare or stretched out past all reasonable limit are perfectly fine. I hate doing laundry every day too.

Procrastination

It goes in the maybe pile.

I'm not ready to make a decision.

I don't have time.

A lot of our clutter is around simply because we procrastinate getting rid of it. We feel like we have other things to do on a Saturday afternoon then spend the hour it takes to clean out a closet (remember that thinking about it and procrastinating usually take more time than the act itself!). We put things in our "maybe" pile or say we're not ready to decide on the future of whatever we're holding on to. These phrases are frequently just an excuse to not say to ourselves, "Yes, I am procrastinating." Are we really just lallygagging and putting off what needs to get done today for tomorrow? The time is NOW to make the hard decisions, to cut our losses and finally get things done.

Exceptions

If we REALLY don't have the time, that's ok. Make a plan to carve out time in the future. A concrete plan that you'll stick to. I can't remember how many times I've put off decluttering under my kitchen sink because I thought I didn't have the time, or I really did have a million errands to do that day. One morning when I had a block of time, I set aside 15 minutes to get it done. If I had continued to tell myself maybe... someday... I'm not ready... it would have just been something I would cringe about every time I had to find dishwashing soap or when I bought that second bottle of Windex because I had no idea how many I had. Setting a concrete time in the future also helps if the reason you're putting it off is because it's an emotionally taxing project (cleaning out a loved one's home or getting rid of mementos from a past relationship). If you know that you just need a full month for grieving, then take that time for yourself. Remember, though, that sometimes just pushing through the grief and getting rid of the things you're hanging on to might make the healing go more quickly.

Nostalgia

But... gave it to me.

But... made it for me.

But it's my favorite!

This is a tricky one and one I've been dealing with since I realized that I basically hold on to nothing. A world without mementos is pretty sterile. But having an entire room filled with drawings your toddler made a year ago is a waste. Keeping things to remind us of our families, friends or a happy past is a wonderful way to turn a house (or apartment or condo) into a home. Keeping everything we've ever loved until it crowds out present and future memories is just a pity. This is a situation where being selective and decisive is key. I love making room to display things I really love and being able to see them instead of just seeing all the clutter in front of them. My favorite vases in the world are on my mantle right now. They're not only valuable money wise, they're also beautiful, I love them and they remind me of my "hometown" in Japan. Every time I look at them I smile. If I had a million tchotchkes on my mantle, I wouldn't be able to see them. And I would be stressed out when I looked at them because I might be afraid that they would fall over under the weight of everything around them or I would see them and see all the things I've been putting off doing (like take down the Christmas decorations or dust my ever growing origami collection). The same goes for things that people have given me or made for me. I've kept a few, like a pin from a dear friend who passed away... but I've gotten rid of all the cheap jewelry and unused watches that were piling on top of it and causing me to never see it in the first place. Keeping things just because someone gave them to you can also make them clutter catchers if you don't have a special relationship to the person who gave them to you or to the object itself. I was holding on to a potpourri dish from a cousin I don't often see and have never been close to that she got me for my wedding. I don't use potpourri. After about about a year of storing it with other unused wedding gifts, I finally cut it loose and gave it away to Salvation Army. Now I have room for the lovely picture frame she gave me (that's useful and pretty). If it's your favorite thing ever, make sure it's still usable and in good shape. I can't tell you how many favorite tshirts I've worn to death and should've been retired years before I retired them. If they're threadbare, stained or in otherwise unusable shape, it might be time to retire them.

Exceptions

Sometimes, "but it's my favorite!" is a perfectly good reason to keep something (I had to add that...). AS LONG AS you have room and it's not taking up valuable space, time and energy. And it's in good shape. And it's ok from time to time to keep something just because. I know that might sound like it's counter to everything I've said when it comes to micro living, but when our irrational mind takes over and you can't ever bear to part with a few small, select things, cut yourself some slack and keep them. I have basically zero use for this purse I have. It doesn't match anything I own. It's kind of weird and kooky. I've had friends make fun of it. BUT IT'S MY FAVORITE!

Garbage

Original packaging makes it more valuable.

What if I need to return it?

What if it breaks?

It's a perfectly good toothpick!

Sometimes things are literally just garbage. I normally advocate decluttering by giving things away or selling them (if you're actually going to follow through with it). I don't really have a lot of pure garbage that goes in the landfill. I try to recycle when I can and reuse things when it's appropriate. But sometimes things are irrevocably broken, have missing pieces you'll never find, are moldy, threadbare, stained beyond repair or are just plain junk. I know some people who open a pack of gum, ball up the wrapper and throw it someplace in their house or car so they don't have to walk the ten feet to the garbage can or wait until they get to a gas station to throw it out. I don't know many recycling facilities that will take gum wrappers and you can't reuse them. They're dirty and they're just trash. Ok, maybe it's not really a gum wrapper. Maybe it's packaging to an old laptop or a frayed computer cord or directions to something that's long gone. Maybe it's a board game that's missing pieces and it just gets thrown in a closet for a future date or "just in case." Maybe it's a Barbie you gave to your daughter that's actually collectible, but by the time she's done dressing it and cutting its hair, it's lost all resale value. The original packaging is not going to undo that Mohawk! This is something that's beyond just decluttering. This is verging into hoarding territory. If there's something in your house that you just know beyond a reasonable doubt is trash, THROW IT OUT! Like, in-the-garbage-with-egg-shells trash. Under leftover spaghetti. On top of used kleenex. (The grosser you make it to retrieve, the less likely you are to consider it perfectly good.)

Exception

A recyclable that goes into a recycling program that is frequently picked up or dropped off on a consistent basis.

If you have felt a little guilty looking into the mirror of "perfectlygooditis" like I have, then now is a good time to start decluttering! If you hear yourself saying these things or even thinking them, take a long hard look at your junk drawer or junk closet or even junk room. Take a minute to look at everything and say what your gut reaction to the object is out loud. Or write it down. As long as you make yourself acutely aware of your "reason" for keeping it. If you hear yourself saying an excuse and you hear it out loud, you might think twice about keeping all those things you're holding on to.

Did I miss anything? If you hear yourself saying another excuse over and over for keeping unnecessary or useless stuff in your home, let me know! I, for one, am convicted on a lot of these counts and will start on it... when I'm ready. I'm writing a blog post. I have a perfectly good excuse to wait until later to throw out that cookie wrapper...

5 in 5

5 in 5

I am a makeup junkie. Yup, I'll admit it. I can't go into Sephora without buying at least one thing, and "gift with purchase" is my favorite phrase after "Merry Christmas." There's no getting away from the fact that when it comes to makeup and beauty products, less is certainly not more. Of course, I have no beauty products in comparison to my makeup artist and stylist friends, but for someone who thrives on micro living, this is the one place where I am completely and totally irrational.

Until my eye surgery that is.

Ok, I should probably back up a little. This summer was the busiest summer I've ever had. I was running back and forth to events, appointments, taking friends and loved ones all over town to every touristy spot I could find... And feeling very smug because my guest room was so tidy and uncluttered. In the course of my errands, I thought something didn't look quite right in my left eye. Was I just not cleaning off my mascara every night and getting specks of mascara floating around or was it more? Well, it turned out to be more. Trust your instincts...

Long story short, I ended up having emergency laser surgery on my eye. Ew.

That's when I realized that all of my big talk about being organized and living micro falls apart when it comes to my beauty routine. My skincare routine alone involves cleanser, toner, treatment, moisture for eyes, moisture for skin, sunblock and lip balm. I am the least streamlined creature on the planet when it involves beauty products of any kind. I don't have a ridiculous amount of them... and they're all neatly organized in a caddy on my bathroom counter, but the sheer time it takes for me to "get my face on" in the morning is absurd.

The eye surgery put a hitch into everything. I was at a loss: I couldn't wear eye makeup. Not for an entire week. It was horrendous. I ask for few things in life and one of the most important things is having a waterline rimmed kohl eye everyday. (If you don't know what that means, you are my core audience for this post.) I had to change and quickly. What does one do when one can't wear eye makeup? And when that person is suddenly the busiest person on the planet?

Streamline!

I now have a makeup routine that involves only 5 beauty products and it takes only 5 minutes. If I have the time, I will always opt for a smoky eye, but when time and space and money are of the essence, I'm going to keep it to 5.

For those of you who are not makeup junkies, this might be a welcome admission. You might see everyone else putting fifteen different Covergirl products in their basket at Wal-Mart and have no clue where to start with just one. Yes, you are normal. Not every girl throws caution and budget to the wind when it comes to getting pretty. There are a million "natural" beauties out there and some of them don't even wear makeup (gasp!).

Here are some of my favorite things and techniques for achieving a 5 minute face with 5 products. There is extra credit included for those of you who would like to amp it up (just a little). I am not including brushes with the 5 products because I think of a blush and its brush as one and the same. Ok, I'm cheating a little... For most things, just like any advice I've ever given when it comes to simplifying your kitchen and cooking routines: your hands are your best tool! But there are certain beauty steps that just aren't the same without their brushes. I also included 4 extra steps if you want to put your entire look together in the morning. This is kind of my uniform of beauty products...

1. Concealer

I used to be a foundation girl. I would (only) wear primer, foundation and translucent powder. Until I discovered that concealers don't always come in cheap 7th grade variety and make you look like you have orange circles under your eyes. Concealers are a great cheat if you don't want to do a full face. I'm loving Benefit's Boi-Ing Concealer right now. It has a great light shade that just melts into my skin. If you can, ask a professional with help for color choice. I've never been very good at picking one out. I have a teeny tiny brush that came with it that I use just for dabbing it under my eyes, around my nostrils (gets a little red there), on any blemishes and on the bridge of my nose. Then I blend with my ring finger. I think the ring finger is one of your best tools for the eye area because you won't exert too much pressure on the delicate skin there. After you apply concealer, your skin should just look glowy and flawless, not mask like or have weird colors everywhere. Blend, blend, blend.

Extra Credit: Concealer tints and primer

Benefit's Confessions of a Concealaholic is a great little kit if you're just starting to conceal. That Gal is a pretty light pink primer that smells like raspberries. It just gives a nice smooth look under everything. I squirt a little on my fingers and smooth it around like a moisturizer. There are three concealers in the kit, so I just found the one that looked the best with my skin. There are two colored creams there: one in yellow (Lemon Aid) and one in light purple (Eye Bright). There's a lot of theories out there about contrasting colors tricking the eye into thinking it's not seeing a giant blemish on your face, but I just know that yellow hides any discoloration on your eyelids (from veins and over plucking) and is great to use when you have an angry red blemish and the purple is great to put near the inner corners of your eyes to make them really pop. As with other concealing products, I think blending is key.

2. Translucent Powder
I have absolutely no clue how people live without Guerlain's Meteorites. I know, I know, they're totally from the 80s, but the 80s are back in a big way! It's basically a translucent powder made up of little multicolored powder pearls that you swirl together and it makes your skin look perfect. My grandmother was a drugstore Cornsilk user (the most classic translucent powder out there) and it's gorgeous, but can look a little cakey if not done well. Physicians Formula makes a less expensive version of Meteorites and I'm sure there are a million other brands out there. I just love this one. All you do is swish a fluffy brush (see below) all around and sweep it over your face. Translucent powder sets the concealer and gives your skin an even look. Use a VERY light hand though! Too much powder is just... too much powder? It always looks bad.

3. Blush
This is absolutely the one beauty product I can't live without. I look goulish without my blush on. Blush is my desert island beauty product and it's not uncommon for me to put it on just for taking the recycling out in the morning. Nars Orgasm is a universally flattering shade in kind of a pinky/rosey/gold. It's not ridiculously expensive, but it's worth every penny. I have been buying this since the 90s. I'm also loving Benefit's Coralista right now. I like blush that's youthful and sweet, nothing harsh here. Just a flattering color that looks like you just swished in off the slopes. And for someone who is not often outdoors, this is essential! The easiest way to use blush is to smile really big and brush the blush on the apples of your cheeks (the chipmunk portion of your cheeks). I then swipe a tiny amount on my forehead and on the bridge of my nose to look a little more sunkissed in the summer, but that's optional. If you're going to do a cute blush, go big or go home. I know, you don't want to look like Baby Jane, but I think blush is fresh and pretty this season and 90% of women don't use enough. The key? Get the biggest, fluffiest brush you can find! (See below) If you use the itty bitty brushes that come in many blush kits, you are going to look streaky and it's going to look fake. Invest in a nice blush and a nice blush brush and you're all set. You don't have to spend a fortune, just the nicest you can reasonably afford.

4. Mascara

Mascara is really going to finish almost every look. It will give your look a polished appearance. I am not totally wild about all the new brushes like Covergirl's LashBlast. Give me a traditional brush any day. But I have seen women use them well and they look great. I always use Clinique High Impact Mascara in Black. I don't use waterproof because most of the time it flakes and looks bad. If you live somewhere like Seattle with constant moisture in the air, think about getting waterproof though. I use Clinique because that's what my eyes are used to, but there are a million and one great mascaras out there that are cheaper (and more expensive). Mascara is one of the few beauty items you can cheap out on, to tell you the truth. I think everyone should wear black mascara unless you are naturally (yes, naturally!) blonde or have red hair. Brown is great then. If you want to get all funky and 80s, try navy. It's enough different that your eyes will really pop, but it's not weird and obnoxious. I consider navy mascara a neutral, but I'm having the hardest time finding one! As far as technique, whatever works for you and looks natural works. Seriously. There is no way I can advise how to use mascara on a blog that's not a video tutorial, so I'm not going to try. If you mess up, use some makeup remover on a Qtip, fix it up and have a fresh start the next day. I do like to blink through my mascara wand when I apply it, but that is too confusing to describe.

Extra Credit: Lash Curler

I love using an eyelash curler to make my lashes really stand out and my eyes pop. Shu Uemura is the best one on the planet, but rumor has it that Shu is no longer selling in America. If I didn't have this one, I really like Sephora's for a nicer one and Sonia Kashuk at Target for a less expensive version. Watch a video tutorial for use. I am not about to be held liable for any of my readers pulling their lashes out.

Bonus credit: Creamy shadow

My eye doctor did say I couldn't wear eye makeup, so I guess this whole section was out the window. I'm just letting you know what I added in after the ban was lifted. I like to brush on a pretty neutral cream color on my lids to finish the eye. This is Clinique's Daybreak, but you can easily find a similar one. Go with a little shimmer to highlight your eyes, but don't do shimmer overload if you want a natural look. If your skin is darker, go with a taupe or chocolate or something that is similar to your natural skin color but smoother and creamier. I use this on my entire lid.

5. Lipstick

Lipstick is definitely having a moment right now with the popularity of Mad Men. I have always loved lipstick. As gloss became more popular a few years ago (well, let's call it 10 years ago), I just got different formulations of lipstick that acted more like a gloss. This is Clinique Butter Shine in Ambrosia. It's a coral/red/shimmer/gold color and is very sheer. I'm loving a coral lip right now. For simplicity's sake, there's an easy way to find a natural looking shade. Pull down your bottom lip. The color of the inside of your bottom lip is your most natural and flattering lip shade. If you want to go crazy with all the dark red on the runways right now, go for it! But if what you're looking for is pretty and natural, go for a sheer rose color. For this look, I would stay away from matte shades, super high gloss shades or anything that says Super Last. You want it to be easy and low maintenance, right? All of those other formulations are gorgeous, but they are not easy to pull off. Because this formulation is so sheer, though, I usually put on one coat, blot with a tissue and then put on another coat. Two tricks... put most of the color on the middle of your pout and then blend outward. This avoids weird lines. Second, put your index finger in your mouth like a lollipop. Close your mouth around it. Pull it slowly out. This will help you avoid getting lipstick on your teeth, which is always embarrassing.

Extra Credit: Gloss

Gloss is not an essential, but it's usually cute. I just bought this e.l.f. gloss in Pink Lemonade from Target for $1. It reminds me a lot of the glosses from Stila with the brush tips. Just cute and sheer. Get a light pinky gloss that goes on almost clear and put it on the middle of your bottom lip. This will create just the right amount of shine.

Ok, you're done! Now head out the door and look fabulous!

Just kidding... you thought I would be done with you by now, didn't you. Well, that's as basic as it gets for me, but there are a few finishing touches that I like to do every day if I have another 2 minutes on top of my 5. Here's the cherry on top of an already cute look.

5.1. Brows!

Brows styles are always changing and it's hard to figure out what looks good right now. Thick? Thin? Polished? Bare? Bleached?? I say just get rid of strays between your brows and around the middle of your lids and then let a professional take care of shaping them. Even if getting rid of the unibrow is as far as you go, the way I like to look polished and put together is to use a spoolie to brush them into place. That's what you call the brush above. It's a long handled mascara wand without the mascara. I like Sonia Kashuk's spoolie at Target, but this Jane Iredale one looks good. This is an easy thing to cheap out on, but is so useful! I also use it to tame the baby hair around my face and whenever I put together a sleek ponytail or ballerina bun. The next step is something I do every morning with the spoolie, but it's of course optional.

Try lightly spraying your spoolie with hairspray and then smoothing down your brows. It will definitely help them keep their shape. I like Textureline Medium Hold, but any light spray is going to work. Save the Aqua Net for your bouffant.

5.2. Perfume

Yes, I am absolutely one of those girls who doesn't leave the house without perfume. I'm wearing Jessica Simpson's Fancy right now. I love it. I smell like a babydoll. I just don't feel right until I spray on some kind of fragrance. The easiest way to not blow anyone away with it is to spray it in the air and walk through it. You can also do a light spritz on your pulse points like your wrist. Just don't rub your wrists together. This muddles the fragrance. Just tap them together and call it a day. Also... always ask your friends and family if you're wearing too much. And make sure you ask an honest friend. I'm totally going to get emails about that...

5.3. A headband.

Every since Blair Waldorf stepped on to the small screen on Gossip Girl, I have been re-obsessed with headbands. The initial love affair started in the 80s as these trends are wont to do, and in the last few years it's really made a comeback. I thought to myself, if Lauren Conrad rocks them, so why shouldn't I? The headbands now are either the pretty ones with feathers or bows, of just simple and sleek for the rest of us. I like a wide band in black because it goes with everything and makes your look complete, whether you are sporting a mess of curls or straight as an arrow hair. I love Goody's Ouchless ones. They are the best headbands I've ever worn, and in fact, I'm wearing one right now. It is just such an easy way to put your look together with basically no effort. To avoid an 80s look, set the headband back off the front of your hair. Pushing all of your hair back with it just doesn't look current. If you have bangs, cute, just put the headband behind them.

5.4. Earrings.

I am very old fashioned when it comes to accessories, but I think that if you have pierced ears, you just look naked with bare holes. I am personally bothered when I forget to wear them and am bothered the rest of the day. Ok, that's just me... I love the look of simple pearl or diamond studs. If you love hoops like I do, you can always have a daytime pair that are small and don't compete with the overall simplicity of this look. I love yellow gold because it looks good with my skin tone, but that really depends on what you love and what looks good on you. I just don't think your look is complete without earrings and perfume. I might add some gloves to this look at some point when I'm old and nobody cares. Hello 1955.

This really seems like a long post looking back now, but if you cut through the vast descriptions of every finish of lipstick out there, the information is really basic and can help you pull together your look in 5 minutes. Well, maybe in under 10...

I hope that helps a little for you makeup rookies out there who either don't have the time, energy or inclination to put too much effort into something so seemingly unimportant. This list is definitely helpful for me because it really solidified that I only really NEED 5 products to feel good when I walk out the door. Of course, this will be a constant battle with my micro half and require a lot of purging on my part, but I think having a simple look that looks good is always micro chic.

fall into it

fall into it...

Is anyone as excited about fall as I am? I guess I'm still inspired by the thought of back-to-school, even though I haven't been to school in about ten years. I get really into all the new pens and pencils at Target and the fall fashions in the super mega September issues of Vogue and InStyle. I want to whip out the scarves and cords and all kinds of fall colors. I can't wait to see the leaves turning and falling. Living in Colorado, there is nothing better than going up to the mountains to see the almost neon colored aspens when they change. I do miss the rich and varied colors of the leaves in the Midwest, but there's something sparkly about autumn in the mountains.

I also love doing fall cleaning/organizing just like I would in the spring. I need to make room for all those sweaters! I also like getting things together before the holidays, because the holiday season has a way of sweeping you up in it. I feel like I get to around March and realize I hadn't gotten all the wonderful things done in the fall and winter that I had originally wanted to.

Our anniversary is also in the fall, and I remember what it was like when we got back from our honeymoon, excited to start our life together in a new place. I love that starting-over feeling. Right now, I feel like I need a bit of a fresh start this fall. I've had an insane summer and am very excited to finally be at home, ready for a new season. I can't even express how busy I was this summer, with non-stop house guests, working full time for a few weeks for the first time in a LONG time and taking a road trip out to the Midwest (22 hours each way!) for a week. It's time to get back to "ordinary time" and get ready for a fabulous year.

Let's start!

1. Start with sorting! With all the chaos of the summer and back to school, it's the right time now to sort and clean. I'm sure those boxes and drawers have gotten disorganized, especially if you're in a family with kids who've been out of school, using the house every day in the summer. A lot of people I know move in the fall, either for a new lease or a new adventure. Sorting and decluttering are essential when you're getting ready to move. It's no fun moving in to a new place with a bunch of old junk. Take a full day (on the weekend if that fits for you) before the holidays or before your move and put yourself to work getting your house in order. I just helped a friend clean through her clothing and it took us two whole afternoons. It was super fun and her closet and drawers resemble a department store now more than an outlet. It's exciting. And now that everything in her closet is something she loves, that fits, she's ready for those all important fall wardrobe choices. I've posted before about cleaning out your closet, so I'm trying not to repeat myself. The most important focus: the end user! Remember that when you send things to the Salvation Army, you are not sending them to a swirling black hole of a landfill. You're sending them to a person, to a person who might only have the opportunity to find that one amazing piece of clothing or that perfect accessory by your generosity. So, even if it's a "perfectly good ____" but it doesn't fit, isn't right for your house (with housewares) or you don't love it, share it with those who will really treasure it.

2. Shift into fall mode. With me, this takes the form of putting my outdoor clothing within easier reach, putting the fall scarves on the top of the bin (how did those wool winter scarves make it to prime closet real estate over July? weird...), switching to a few fall shoes at the bottom of the stairs and storing my sandals in my upstairs closet, replacing some of the beachy scented candles with pumpkin scents and looking into buying a new welcome mat with some gorgeous fall colors. I also like to find those little fall accessories in my decorating bins and make sure they're in perfect shape for the fall holidays, dusted and clean. I can also see if I need to replace any of my pumpkin window decals! I also have to get my fall football gear ready... I'm working on getting a Game Day dress this year!

3. Your wheels. This may seem like a little bit of a strange one, but hear me out. If you're a mom, you're really feeling this right now. In the fall, your car can be a swirling vortex of uniforms, forgotten lunches and forgotten homework. There might even be a deflated beach ball in the trunk. For everyone else, I'm sure your car has taken a beating this summer. At nighttime, it seems like the front of your car is covered with super glue that gets every mosquito and grasshopper on the planet stuck to it. And if you've taken a summer road trip like we did, you know that it can take a toll on a car. Plus, when you're in summer vacation mode, it's easy to forget things like changing the oil or doing a 30,000 or 60,000 mile tuneup. It's time to get on that! Check your tire pressure and fill up if needed (you get better mileage that way), change whatever filters need changing, check that you're on schedule for oil changes, fill up the windshield washing fluid, put a warm blanket and a hat and mittens in the trunk and move the ice scraper to the back seat.

4. Outside and In. My porch right now looks really pretty, with the planters from the summer still out, but if you look a little bit closer you can see just what full sun exposure does to herbs over a hot summer. Not good. That definitely needs to go! The porch furniture is also really dirty from all the afternoon storms we've had this season. They could use a good scrub. The grill is well used, and not exactly ready to be put away, but it could certainly stand to be cleaned. I also have to make sure the heater switch is on in my water heater closet to get ready for the colder temps. The windows are also a little messy from all the houseguest fingerprints (lots of little ones and licks from the dog!) and there's nothing I like more than seeing the golden fall sunlight in the house during the day, so a scrubbing we'll go! The entryway could use a little mop and, as mentioned above, I could stock our little shoe storage area with some wellies and sneakers and switch out the flip flops. It's great to have those areas of the house all neat and pretty for the holiday busyness that's about to descend on us.

5. Keeping entertained. I have some music that inevitably reminds me of fall. I bought Bjork's album Debut in the fall of 1993, so it will forever remind me of fun high school days, tramping the woods on campus and eating crab apples until we got sick. Mazzy Star reminds me of Homecoming and bonfires and crushes. And naturally, I can't get enough of October Project this time of year. They're a 90s band really worth discovering! I like to change up my ipod a little, change my computer wallpaper to something festive and start putting spooky movies on my queue to reserve them before everyone else remembers that it's nearly Halloween!

6. Make a list. This is probably the most important. By the time Christmas rolls around, I realize that I haven't done most of the fun fall things that I wanted to do, cheap or expensive, simple or complex. This year is the first time I'm going to make a list of all the things I love doing in the fall and try to check a few off. That list for me includes... going to see a local dinner theater production of Into The Woods (can't wait!), going to a CU football game (go Buffs!), doing something fun for Oktoberfest, making some pies, going to our friend's farm stand to pick up some late season tomatoes and melons, watching the World Series somewhere (anybody want to volunteer their tv?), putting together outfits with cute scarves, finishing our community book this year "The Worst Hard Time" (it's excellent, btw), picking a pumpkin, roasting the seeds and stuffing them in my face, watching the scariest movie I can handle on Halloween, finding just the right Halloween costume, participating more in our church youth group that's getting pumped for the new school year, driving up to Estes Park to see the elk, the aspens and some good friends, with a few caramel apples thrown in, finding the perfect fall hair color (loving a blonde-y ginger now) and definitely drinking Starbuck's caramel apple cider every opportunity I get!

7. Start with a clear mind. Ok, maybe making a list of what you're hoping to do this fall is important, but not as important as getting mentally ready for right now. With a clean house, a new look and some new entertainment, it's awesome to start with a new heart. Maybe it's time to archive your old journal (I usually just throw them out). Maybe it's time to clear out your memory boxes or things that just don't fit with where you are today (old artwork, letters, pictures). Maybe it's time to rededicate yourself to your spiritual path. Inject some energy into your daily prayer and scripture! Perhaps it's the right season to get rid of old habits and attitudes. There's a good reason our Jewish friends start their year in the fall with a clean slate. It's time to get right with your neighbors and yourself. If you haven't made amends for some boneheaded thing you did this summer, get on it. If you haven't forgiven others' boneheaded actions, think about it. I'm personally trying to give up cursing and OMG for good, but we'll see! This is not just for the spiritual minded among us, it's also for anyone who wants to clean up their act. Why not use this fresh season to get yourself together?

As for me and my household... I'll be tidying up today, washing and pressing the guest linens that got so much good use over the summer, dusting off the china to get ready for the holidays, organizing my dog's toy box (not because it's fall, just because it needs it!) and loading up my ipod. What are you going to do?