I’ve been purposefully using up all of our stored toiletries. I even used my Husband’s unwanted beard wash as shampoo! It’s amazing what you can make due with when you’re trying not to spend money. I’d say we’ve gone through about 40% of our “hoard” so far.
My former roommate and I were both tea hoarders. When she moved out, I set myself a use it up challenge for the tea cupboard. I put all the teas I would normally drink at the back of the cupboard and was only allowed to use the ones I didn't normally reach for. It was really fun actually, making it a bit of a tea tasting experience every day. The ones I didn't like I gave away to friends, and the ones I did like I just used up. I still have a lot of different teas but now they're all actually ones I like and am using at least occasionally :)
Yes Jana 🙌 the use it up challenge can work for so many things! Thanks for sharing your experience. It sounds like you might've learned new flavors to regularly rotate in to your collection and decluttered the rest to friends who would enjoy them. Win-win!
Every year I mark the calendar (before Christmas) reminding myself to use up the almost-empties. It leaves space for gifts and keeps my spending low on months where gifts can really add up.
One idea i had recently, when I had .22 cents left on a gift card, I looked at the cashier and said take the balance off the customer behind me. I got rid of the gift card a nd gave the next customer a small gift. ☺
Yes to all of this! I bought a $2 makeup spatula and have used it to get the last bit of product out of my skincare and makeup, and it’s amazing how many more weeks they last! I also add water to soaps, shampoos, body washes, etc. when they’re almost empty to extend them, and my kids are still using up hotel shampoo & conditioner for them and as bubble bath. We don’t struggle financially but it’s so satisfying to fully use up products, delay purchasing the next to save $ and then throw them away before splurging on a new full sized product I’ve been eyeing - It makes the next new product that much more appreciated! :)
I don't think that using something until the last drop means that you are "struggling financially", but rather conscious about where your money goes and getting the most value out of something before it's time to dispose of it. It's actually very smart of you Lydia!! I think you have definitely embodied the spirit of this challenge with your insights + revelations 🥰
First time commenting. I want to add books, magazines and newspapers to your list. I guess you can put them in the hobby category. I loved reading as a kid, but it is way easier to entertain yourself passively with a screen. I need to make a concious effort and take time for reading. I am sure I am not the only one who has unread books on her shelf, which might likely be passed on after one read. This year I started to "use up" my to read stack. 2022 my focus was on magazines, next year the focus will be on books. It feels so good to finish reading and either sell, donate/give to a friend or recycle the item. I avoided buying three birthday presents this year because I read a book that I was ready to pass on and I new the receiver would like, so I gifted it instead of buying something new :)
Thanks for sharing! 🥰 That sounds like a great idea... there can be so much stigma on regifting or giving someone something we once used that we liked and want to pass it on. Conscious, thoughtful, spend-friendly, AND decluttering all in one 🙌
When I am lucky enough to travel, I always take my makeup/beauty items that are almost empty. That way, I can use them up while I'm gone, and dispose of them on vacation.
Christmas cards and wrapping paper were my "use it up" focus this holiday season. There was no need to buy more cards. I had enough leftover from previous years to send to everyone on our list.
@@MiaDanielle Cards are all sent and gifts are all wrapped. Used up most of our cards. We'll definitely need to buy more next year. 🙂The wrapping paper is also almost gone.
@@kkendall2582Even better is don't give cards or gifts. It's all old hat I gave all that up years ago. It bores me 3 months of hearing about Xmas every year and the same old thing. I just eat my usual meal too and no decorations.
I've been doing this recently with excess freezer and pantry items. I'm such a food stocker that I realized I could probably get by for about 6 months without buying any groceries unless they were fresh produce and dairy, but I was running out of food storage space, and in most cases I have frozen produce and dairy, so I don't need fresh anyway since frozen has been proved to be virtually identical to fresh nutritionally. Anyway, it's felt great to pare down my food stash, plus the creativity that comes from cooking my made-up meals of frozen and pantry items has been really fun, not to mention delicious. Not one single dish has tasted like I had to make do. I've even come up with a lot of combinations that I can't wait to eat again!
@@MiaDanielle Yes, it does. I spent many years living in an extremely remote, rural area where the nearest major grocery store was about a 3-hour round-trip drive away, so I began building a huge home stock of frozen and pantry items. Now, I live only a half mile from 2 major grocery stores, but still have a huge home stock because it turned out to be so convenient. It also saves a lot of money because I buy in bulk and can avoid the temptation of buying unnecessary items when I do go to the store.
I'm always saving self-care items "for the right time"...and then forgetting to use them 🤦♀ A great thing to do with products in pump bottles (like lotion) is cut the top off the top! There's always a ton of product left at the bottom.
From a 32 ounce lotion container I got close to 8 ounces of lotion when I did this. Also with chapstick you can use a q tip and apply it when it gets really low.
I am almost finished using up a solid lotion that was in a screw mechanism holder. I noticed there was quite a lot of product left in the bottom that I couldn't get to so I microwaved it to heat it to liquid and poured it into the cap so I can use it up. It is amazing how much product is still in the last bits. 😲
Loved this video! I try to do this all the time because I hate wastefulness. I've bought a shampoo a few years ago and didn't like it. Smell was great but it left my hair greasy. It sat there unused all the time because I didn't want to throw this expensive bottle away. One day I had the idea to use it as bodywash 🤓 it definitely did its job, got used and I feel so much better now 😍
I'm in the process of using up my leftover paperware from past holiday parties. I gave away the plates and cups on my local Facebook Buy Nothing group, and I'll be using the beverage napkins with my everyday meals until they're gone. That's a whole box I no longer need to store in my attic. And it saved the Buy Nothing recipient from having to buy new plates and cups.
A few years ago I decided to live a zero waste life as much as possible. It took me two and a half years to use up all the shampoo I had in backstock! Now I buy a new bar when the one I'm using is almost gone, such a relief to have more storage space and having it simplifies. Relocating the vitamines I want to take before bed in the nightstand and the face cream I want to use up next to my toothbrush or the hand lotion next to the TV remote are visual cues to help me remember. I also have 'eat out of the pantry and freezer' months, usually every beginning of a new season. I meal plan around what I can make out of the items I already have. It lessens the grocery bill and avoids waste. I eat soups year-round but especially in the winter it's so comforting and easy to reheat, it's never the same 'recipe' as I use up whatever is in the fridge. Less than crunchy fruits I use up and bake breakfast muffins. I live alone in an apartment, money and space is tight, use it up is an all around good strategy! Love your videos!
Wow, Christine! Two and a half years is quite a long time! You really stuck to your why to use it all up and start fresh. I love to hear that you have found relief by getting them out the door in a sustainable way. You've got great queues set up to help you finish up your products. Thanks for watching 🤗
Such a mood at this season of my life. Used retail therapy as a crutch but gave myself more stress with less savings and too much clutter to handle. With the recent bathroom renovation, I made it to point to only bring intentional items in the new space and essentially "use up my inventory" instead of storing all like items in the bathroom like the mess it was before. Not too much content like this on YT so I appreciate it! :)
I recently put all the wonderful lotions ( hand and body) which I had an abundance of, in a basket which I keep in the tv room …so every evening while we’re watching Netflix, we use some lotions on our hands and feet. No more chapped hands or cracked heels✨
My sisters and I always thought it was crazy when we would visit my dad and see that he had cut the bottom off lotion containers and cut it up the middle. But when we looked at it there really was a lot of lotion still in there that you couldn’t squeeze out. So now I do that too! Brilliant idea.
Great video! Cologne, and the like that you don't want to use on your body makes great bath sprays, shampoo not used for whatever reason works as hand soap in pump bottles, mix two teas for a new taste blend, small pieces of fabric or worn out clothes can be redesigned patchwork pillows, to cover holes in denim shirts or to cress up plain totes. The list goes on and on. I especially need to do this in my pantry because I buy items to make a particular dish and don't do it, or have opened boxes that I need to use up. Yes, I have a major problem in that area. Good timing on the video.
I have used this method for a long time. It feels SO good to use things up completely. My husband is the opposite and will open a new jar of peanut butter when there's some left. I'm the one in the house who will bust out the spatula and get every last bit of PB out of the jar. I think it also goes along with being an "underbuyer" versus an "overbuyer" when shopping. I'm most definitely an underbuyer which gets under my husband's skin when we run out of certain items and I haven't put them on my grocery list. Fab video with great tips as always! I'm also the person who cuts off the top of a lotion container to get to the last little bit of product inside..... I hate wastefulness! I need to go through some nail polish and old frozen food so thanks for the inspiration today!
I know what you mean- I'm constantly removing things from the list because the previous one isn't finished yet! Peanut butter and toothpaste always last longer than people think.
I decided to use all of my perfumes. I forced myself not to buy any new perfume for 4 years now. I am more than half through now, still have some to cover 2 more years I guess. So liberating 😍
There was a reason you purchased them in the first place (likely because you enjoyed them) now you get maximum benefit before moving on- all while decluttering!
I'm currently doing this for my pantry for items that aren't a staple in it. I've been gifted a few things and purchased things for trying new recipes, and it just accumulates. The past two weeks I've made sure to use at least one item a day, but many days I use many of them. I'm almost through everything and my gosh it makes a difference! Also, it's been fun to experiment with these things, and we've had some pretty good and different meals as a result. For January, I'm doing another use it up challenge for skin care. I don't have many things, but there are a small handful of samples that I need to use before they go bad.
@@MiaDanielle 💚 oh yes! A few different ones. Some were a clear miss, but in the end less food is wasted. Tonight we partnered beef roast with potato soup and it was delicious, which I honestly didn’t expect.
I am just too organized, lol. I started doing this kind of thing a few years back and it has prevented me from wasting food or having things around that aren't getting used and taking up space.
Love this video! I've always been a supporter of using up the items before decluttering them, rather than just decluttering for the sake of having less.😊
I think you were looking at my house when you wrote this video. My frig and freezer need to be cleaned out and the rest of my house -- well, I had a little disaster here and so I'm cleaning up from it. Thanks for the reminders about all the things to be done.
Love this idea! I have always disliked just throwing away. Even if I don’t particularly like a product I have purchased…I either return it immediately or use it up and never buy it again! If I really dislike an item, I will ask my family and friends if they would like to try it in hopes that they will like it better than I do.
This is so timely with the new year approaching. It is amazing how many items when I look around my home that I barely used in 2022. Time to use up all those toiletries, cleaning supplies and loose teas. 😁
My local Buy Nothing group is a good place to give away (and occasionally get) open toiletries and even food items. Your neighbors know you and are not fearful of an open item, as thry might be from a community pantry.
I love this idea! For me, it’s reining in body care and makeup/skincare. The rule I have to keep from accumulating too much now is no more than three of any product in use at one time, and once a pouch, box, or basket is filled or can’t zip, that’s it. No more new anything until that container of products or compacts is used up or can close the pouch/zipper. Currently limiting my makeup to one basket in the bathroom. No more until it’s used up! Got eyeshadow for months, so that’s not a problem. Thanks Mia! :)
Great boundaries to set for yourself! And now you have tons of products of value that you can full use and get the most out of instead of tossing or letting them expire!
For me it's crochet/dressmaking supplies. I have two unfinished jumpers and three dresses that have been cut out but not sewn. I'm not allowing myself to buy any new supplies until I've completed all the unfinished projects ☺️
That's a great idea! Use it up... before pursuing something new. The holidays + January might be the perfect time for you to finish up those old projects. Come back and let us know how it went for you! 🥰
I love this concept! I do it all the time :-) Btw, does anyone remember 'project pan', which was cool about five to ten years ago? When you used up something and you could see the bottom/pan, you would say: 'I hit the pan!' And then you would feel so proud :D
This is exactly what I've recently started to do! I am not a minimalist in any meaning but I got stuck with many stuffs and I feel overwhelmed. And honestly, nothing feels better than throwing out used product.
New Subscriber! I love the idea of a use it up declutter. It’s m so guilty of buying more and opening the new before the old is gone. I’m doing a 30-day declutter challenge in my channel and I’m going to keep this in mind while doing it.
Welcome!!! 🤗 That sounds like a great idea. Let me know how your 30-day declutter challenge goes, I'd love an update! I have some great cheat sheets and resources on my website if you need support getting it done. You got this 💪
Love this. For this month and the next one or two months I will eat as much as possible out of my freezer and pantry so that things don’t get thrown away. The only things I will get fresh are the fruit and veggies.
I have been thinking about doing this for a while. I didn't realize there was a name to it other than just using & appreciating the fruits of your labor fully before moving onto the next thing. 🤣
I moved 2 months ago and I made a pact with myself that I did not want to move half empty things to my new home! (Aside from fragrances and harder to use up things). So end of 2023 I : 1. made me and my BF use every showergel, lotion, candle.. that was open. And we used up 9 products in november-december! 2. The last 2 weeks that we lived there, we ate everything from the freezer. 👍🏻 3. I found someone that wanted to buy our old sofa and diningroom. So it was such a stressftee move!
Totally🎉! There are many sustainable ways to "declutter", most of them don't involve dumping in the trash unless the item is totally broken or beyond repair.
Awhile back I finally decided to implement the whole use it or lose it idea. I guess I had waited too long Bcuz I found some products were goners already and I was like huh. All this time these things were just sitting there needing to be thrown out. Lol. Then I took some things as “just try it” and found out I didn’t even like them. After that I made more of a point to check up on things more often. It’s a great way to see what’s too old tho and also what you don’t even like to use or just methods and such you naturally avoid. Right now I’m trying to make myself deal with this giant slab of pork tenderloin. I thawed it out even and now I’m just procrastinating. (Idk exactly why but I will say that I didn’t buy it. It just got left here by someone else, so maybe I’m trying to not resent having to now deal with it lol). I wanna enjoy it...but I don’t want to do all that work. Idk lazy? 😂😂 Bcuz last time I did that, I had decided that I’d never buy a large chunk of meat like that ever again Bcuz I don’t want to have to deal with all that work all at one time (like x4 etc). Feeling a bit of overwhelm lately tho Bcuz I can think of way too many things that are almost empty but just somehow take forever to use up. Lol.
I think this is a very common experience! We bring something into our home... or lots of things overtime and don't realize how quickly some things expire. Have you explored Pinterest for a really fun recipe that makes you excited to tackle the project? Find a way to make it more fun vs. a chore 🤗 Do you have a lot of themed "almost empty" items that you could have a theme night with? (like we did with the almost empty, but multiple fried food bags?). Or, if it's skincare related, complementary items that can be mixed together? Take inventory, and make a plan on how to use it up! Let us know how it goes.
@@MiaDanielle Aw shucks. Thanks for taking the time. Yeah I mean it is a delicious recipe and they ain’t lying when they say it’s the best they’ve ever tasted lol. Found on YT. Plus the cats will be after it from the get go (will have to lock them out first thing). But they’ll be getting their own plain meat loin to share ha ha and all the extra fat. It’s prob just old demons haunting me a bit. You think you slay them but you know it’s like you kill it and it morphs and grows back two heads later or something. 😂😂 I need to leave this house for just an afternoon. Go have fun and forget everything and everybody here for a moment. Regroup. Lol. The main issue is prob I need to just leave it all and take a break but catch 22 is hard Bcuz I know what all I’m leaving undone and I wonder what messes or chores will pile up when I’m gone and how much the cats will be after me also when I get back. But thanks so much for just caring. I think I’ll be fine after this holiday is over. It is added nonsense imo. I didn’t want to have to go buy gifts and try to figure out the mystery of what to get who etc. Decorating. Why did I feel like I had to? Lol. Oh well live and learn again. It’s kinda nuts tho Bcuz I’ve been rather happy and keeping up and feeling on top of things for a long time...like maybe a world record for me. lol. We got one girl here who is really into it and I don’t want to hurt her feelings with my Scrooge ass. 😂😂 I’m sorry to bleed over on here. I guess I was just having a “moment.” Leftover cleaning products so same thing. Like ok biotches. Do y’all think I feel like cleaning house more as well. I may just throw them out. Maybe I’ll go have a rage party at my burn barrel and watch things explode. 😂😂 Just be like this is what I think of “chores” right now. (With about 500 expletives). Kidding. I will make all of it a “keep sane rebel” party of sorts. But at any rate if anyone else is struggling maybe they can read my mental mess and it could help them also. Who knows. I know I can’t be the only one struggling this time of year. It got long so I get it if nobody reads or replies but idk. Sometimes I just need it to hit the air like that. I just get so angry and I should not let it get to that breaking point like that. Lord Baby Jesus help us all.
I always use up food items as I am able. I rarely have food waste. It’s actually to me kind of fun, like a challenge. However, remember this: When in doubt, throw it out! If there’s an off smell, texture, or consistency and you’re not sure, don’t risk it.
Mia is that your natural hair color? If not would you please share what you use to color it? I think I would like to try that color as a new look for myself, you look wonderful!
I do assorted textile crafts. I'm currently learning crochet, and I'm slowly working my way through my handspun yarn ( I spin, and this has left me lots of really nice natural yarn) as well as the acrylic I had lying about, and the acrylic that my friend keeps giving me. I haven't bought yarn since 2019, or fluff for spinning... at least I have somewhat less yarn and fluff than I did this time last year. Though I now have more hats, scarves, mittens etc even after using some as Christmas presents for friends and family. Can't say the same about my music habit, though! I went from one recorder to eight last year. But that's what happens when you decide you want to teach recorder, and to do that you need to be able to play all the common sizes, which means you need to have them. And both baroque and german fingered sopranos, and I need a plastic soprano so I'm not risking cracking my nice wooden one outdoors, and then I got given four recorders along with a giant box of sheet music where all the words are in german... so much for decluttering. I did give one of the recorders and some of the music to others, though, and one german-fingered plastic soprano is going to the thrift store because it looks like my baroque plastic soprano and I don't want to grab the wrong recorder by accident, not realize it and mess up. Spread the joy (and the clutter) around.
Don't get rid of things you love + use, that's important to remember! If you find yourself not using them in the future you could look to declutter them by donating or gifting to someone who would value the item. But items we use for hobbies we love... they stay 🤗
I’ve been purposefully using up all of our stored toiletries. I even used my Husband’s unwanted beard wash as shampoo! It’s amazing what you can make due with when you’re trying not to spend money. I’d say we’ve gone through about 40% of our “hoard” so far.
That is awesome!
They're all soap in the end.
My former roommate and I were both tea hoarders. When she moved out, I set myself a use it up challenge for the tea cupboard. I put all the teas I would normally drink at the back of the cupboard and was only allowed to use the ones I didn't normally reach for. It was really fun actually, making it a bit of a tea tasting experience every day. The ones I didn't like I gave away to friends, and the ones I did like I just used up. I still have a lot of different teas but now they're all actually ones I like and am using at least occasionally :)
Yes Jana 🙌 the use it up challenge can work for so many things! Thanks for sharing your experience. It sounds like you might've learned new flavors to regularly rotate in to your collection and decluttered the rest to friends who would enjoy them. Win-win!
Boy, when you’re a tea drinker it’s so easy to become extremely overstocked. I also drink coffee and don’t have the same problem there. 🤷♀️
Does anyone else get an odd thrill out of using the last of a shampoo bottle so you can finally throw it out?…🙋🏽♀️
Oh, me too 🙋♀️
Uh, No. You still have to buy a new bottle. Or have you decided to no longer use shampoo??
@@toysintheclosetshop5443 I’m using up a stock pile of things given to me.
Yes!
Yes, trouble is you use something up then you need to buy another anyway.
Every year I mark the calendar (before Christmas) reminding myself to use up the almost-empties. It leaves space for gifts and keeps my spending low on months where gifts can really add up.
One idea i had recently, when I had .22 cents left on a gift card, I looked at the cashier and said take the balance off the customer behind me. I got rid of the gift card a nd gave the next customer a small gift. ☺
That's so amazing Carrie!!! What a great way to pay it forward and "use it up" It doesn't matter how big or small. 🥰
I love this idea!
Yes to all of this! I bought a $2 makeup spatula and have used it to get the last bit of product out of my skincare and makeup, and it’s amazing how many more weeks they last! I also add water to soaps, shampoos, body washes, etc. when they’re almost empty to extend them, and my kids are still using up hotel shampoo & conditioner for them and as bubble bath. We don’t struggle financially but it’s so satisfying to fully use up products, delay purchasing the next to save $ and then throw them away before splurging on a new full sized product I’ve been eyeing - It makes the next new product that much more appreciated! :)
I don't think that using something until the last drop means that you are "struggling financially", but rather conscious about where your money goes and getting the most value out of something before it's time to dispose of it. It's actually very smart of you Lydia!!
I think you have definitely embodied the spirit of this challenge with your insights + revelations 🥰
First time commenting. I want to add books, magazines and newspapers to your list. I guess you can put them in the hobby category. I loved reading as a kid, but it is way easier to entertain yourself passively with a screen. I need to make a concious effort and take time for reading. I am sure I am not the only one who has unread books on her shelf, which might likely be passed on after one read. This year I started to "use up" my to read stack. 2022 my focus was on magazines, next year the focus will be on books. It feels so good to finish reading and either sell, donate/give to a friend or recycle the item. I avoided buying three birthday presents this year because I read a book that I was ready to pass on and I new the receiver would like, so I gifted it instead of buying something new :)
Thanks for sharing! 🥰 That sounds like a great idea... there can be so much stigma on regifting or giving someone something we once used that we liked and want to pass it on. Conscious, thoughtful, spend-friendly, AND decluttering all in one 🙌
When I am lucky enough to travel, I always take my makeup/beauty items that are almost empty. That way, I can use them up while I'm gone, and dispose of them on vacation.
Christmas cards and wrapping paper were my "use it up" focus this holiday season. There was no need to buy more cards. I had enough leftover from previous years to send to everyone on our list.
Definitely the perfect time of year to take inventory and plan out how you'll use it up. Did you have a chance to before heading into 2023?
@@MiaDanielle Cards are all sent and gifts are all wrapped. Used up most of our cards. We'll definitely need to buy more next year. 🙂The wrapping paper is also almost gone.
@@kkendall2582Even better is don't give cards or gifts. It's all old hat I gave all that up years ago. It bores me 3 months of hearing about Xmas every year and the same old thing. I just eat my usual meal too and no decorations.
I've been doing this recently with excess freezer and pantry items. I'm such a food stocker that I realized I could probably get by for about 6 months without buying any groceries unless they were fresh produce and dairy, but I was running out of food storage space, and in most cases I have frozen produce and dairy, so I don't need fresh anyway since frozen has been proved to be virtually identical to fresh nutritionally. Anyway, it's felt great to pare down my food stash, plus the creativity that comes from cooking my made-up meals of frozen and pantry items has been really fun, not to mention delicious. Not one single dish has tasted like I had to make do. I've even come up with a lot of combinations that I can't wait to eat again!
That's awesome and I bet it feels great to not have to make so many trips to the store!
@@MiaDanielle Yes, it does. I spent many years living in an extremely remote, rural area where the nearest major grocery store was about a 3-hour round-trip drive away, so I began building a huge home stock of frozen and pantry items. Now, I live only a half mile from 2 major grocery stores, but still have a huge home stock because it turned out to be so convenient. It also saves a lot of money because I buy in bulk and can avoid the temptation of buying unnecessary items when I do go to the store.
I ate up my freezer before defrosting it. It worked.
I'm always saving self-care items "for the right time"...and then forgetting to use them 🤦♀ A great thing to do with products in pump bottles (like lotion) is cut the top off the top! There's always a ton of product left at the bottom.
This works well with tube items too. I always do this with body cream from Bath & Bodyworks.
From a 32 ounce lotion container I got close to 8 ounces of lotion when I did this. Also with chapstick you can use a q tip and apply it when it gets really low.
So true!
@@williamclark1244 Or a lip brush or your little finger.
I am almost finished using up a solid lotion that was in a screw mechanism holder. I noticed there was quite a lot of product left in the bottom that I couldn't get to so I microwaved it to heat it to liquid and poured it into the cap so I can use it up.
It is amazing how much product is still in the last bits. 😲
Loved this video! I try to do this all the time because I hate wastefulness.
I've bought a shampoo a few years ago and didn't like it. Smell was great but it left my hair greasy. It sat there unused all the time because I didn't want to throw this expensive bottle away. One day I had the idea to use it as bodywash 🤓 it definitely did its job, got used and I feel so much better now 😍
Yeah it's all soap, you could've used it as handwash or washed your plates with it.
That's a great idea!!! Thank you! I forgot you could do that. 💖🤗I can't wait to buy my new Shampoo!
I'm in the process of using up my leftover paperware from past holiday parties. I gave away the plates and cups on my local Facebook Buy Nothing group, and I'll be using the beverage napkins with my everyday meals until they're gone. That's a whole box I no longer need to store in my attic. And it saved the Buy Nothing recipient from having to buy new plates and cups.
Paperware! Another good "use it up" item for the challenge.
A few years ago I decided to live a zero waste life as much as possible. It took me two and a half years to use up all the shampoo I had in backstock! Now I buy a new bar when the one I'm using is almost gone, such a relief to have more storage space and having it simplifies.
Relocating the vitamines I want to take before bed in the nightstand and the face cream I want to use up next to my toothbrush or the hand lotion next to the TV remote are visual cues to help me remember.
I also have 'eat out of the pantry and freezer' months, usually every beginning of a new season. I meal plan around what I can make out of the items I already have. It lessens the grocery bill and avoids waste. I eat soups year-round but especially in the winter it's so comforting and easy to reheat, it's never the same 'recipe' as I use up whatever is in the fridge. Less than crunchy fruits I use up and bake breakfast muffins.
I live alone in an apartment, money and space is tight, use it up is an all around good strategy!
Love your videos!
Wow, Christine! Two and a half years is quite a long time! You really stuck to your why to use it all up and start fresh. I love to hear that you have found relief by getting them out the door in a sustainable way.
You've got great queues set up to help you finish up your products.
Thanks for watching 🤗
Such a mood at this season of my life. Used retail therapy as a crutch but gave myself more stress with less savings and too much clutter to handle. With the recent bathroom renovation, I made it to point to only bring intentional items in the new space and essentially "use up my inventory" instead of storing all like items in the bathroom like the mess it was before. Not too much content like this on YT so I appreciate it! :)
Thank you Melanie 🥰 Great awareness on how new habits crept in and didn't serve you-- and then choosing to DO different!
@@MiaDanielle exactly! I’ve consuming your content non-stop all week 🤩 and makes me feel extra positive about this project
I recently put all the wonderful lotions ( hand and body) which I had an abundance of, in a basket which I keep in the tv room …so every evening while we’re watching Netflix, we use some lotions on our hands and feet. No more chapped hands or cracked heels✨
Thanks for sharing!! What a great way to use it up + add in a new habit to care for your body 🙌
I did the same and it is a game changer 🤗 I also have lotion on my nightstand
My sisters and I always thought it was crazy when we would visit my dad and see that he had cut the bottom off lotion containers and cut it up the middle. But when we looked at it there really was a lot of lotion still in there that you couldn’t squeeze out. So now I do that too! Brilliant idea.
Great video! Cologne, and the like that you don't want to use on your body makes great bath sprays, shampoo not used for whatever reason works as hand soap in pump bottles, mix two teas for a new taste blend, small pieces of fabric or worn out clothes can be redesigned patchwork pillows, to cover holes in denim shirts or to cress up plain totes. The list goes on and on. I especially need to do this in my pantry because I buy items to make a particular dish and don't do it, or have opened boxes that I need to use up. Yes, I have a major problem in that area. Good timing on the video.
Glad you enjoyed it Sonnie! Thanks for sharing your ideas 😍
I have used this method for a long time. It feels SO good to use things up completely. My husband is the opposite and will open a new jar of peanut butter when there's some left. I'm the one in the house who will bust out the spatula and get every last bit of PB out of the jar. I think it also goes along with being an "underbuyer" versus an "overbuyer" when shopping. I'm most definitely an underbuyer which gets under my husband's skin when we run out of certain items and I haven't put them on my grocery list. Fab video with great tips as always! I'm also the person who cuts off the top of a lotion container to get to the last little bit of product inside..... I hate wastefulness! I need to go through some nail polish and old frozen food so thanks for the inspiration today!
I know what you mean- I'm constantly removing things from the list because the previous one isn't finished yet! Peanut butter and toothpaste always last longer than people think.
I decided to use all of my perfumes. I forced myself not to buy any new perfume for 4 years now. I am more than half through now, still have some to cover 2 more years I guess. So liberating 😍
There was a reason you purchased them in the first place (likely because you enjoyed them) now you get maximum benefit before moving on- all while decluttering!
@@MiaDanielle Not all purchased actually... some were gifts but I still enjoy 😍
Many of your ideas seem so obvious in hindsight. I’m glad you posted this video.
Glad it was helpful to you Karen! Sometimes it's the easiest things that can be the hardest for us 😉 Let me know how the challenge goes for you!
while this vid was running i went though the pottles of my paints and decluttered everything that had dried up. thank you for the motivation
Wonderful!
I'm currently doing this for my pantry for items that aren't a staple in it. I've been gifted a few things and purchased things for trying new recipes, and it just accumulates. The past two weeks I've made sure to use at least one item a day, but many days I use many of them. I'm almost through everything and my gosh it makes a difference! Also, it's been fun to experiment with these things, and we've had some pretty good and different meals as a result. For January, I'm doing another use it up challenge for skin care. I don't have many things, but there are a small handful of samples that I need to use before they go bad.
Love to hear that you're having fun with it Erin! Did you make some new recipes that you really enjoyed?
@@MiaDanielle 💚 oh yes! A few different ones. Some were a clear miss, but in the end less food is wasted. Tonight we partnered beef roast with potato soup and it was delicious, which I honestly didn’t expect.
I am just too organized, lol. I started doing this kind of thing a few years back and it has prevented me from wasting food or having things around that aren't getting used and taking up space.
That's awesome :)
Love this video! I've always been a supporter of using up the items before decluttering them, rather than just decluttering for the sake of having less.😊
Thanks Sofia! And you can totally have fun "using things up" and getting things OUT the door!
I think you were looking at my house when you wrote this video. My frig and freezer need to be cleaned out and the rest of my house -- well, I had a little disaster here and so I'm cleaning up from it. Thanks for the reminders about all the things to be done.
Haha! It's a common issue for many of us 🤗 Glad it resonated with you!
Love this idea! I have always disliked just throwing away. Even if I don’t particularly like a product I have purchased…I either return it immediately or use it up and never buy it again! If I really dislike an item, I will ask my family and friends if they would like to try it in hopes that they will like it better than I do.
Exactly!! You don't have to be wasteful to get it out!
This is so timely with the new year approaching. It is amazing how many items when I look around my home that I barely used in 2022. Time to use up all those toiletries, cleaning supplies and loose teas. 😁
You can do it!
My local Buy Nothing group is a good place to give away (and occasionally get) open toiletries and even food items. Your neighbors know you and are not fearful of an open item, as thry might be from a community pantry.
I love this idea! For me, it’s reining in body care and makeup/skincare. The rule I have to keep from accumulating too much now is no more than three of any product in use at one time, and once a pouch, box, or basket is filled or can’t zip, that’s it. No more new anything until that container of products or compacts is used up or can close the pouch/zipper. Currently limiting my makeup to one basket in the bathroom. No more until it’s used up! Got eyeshadow for months, so that’s not a problem. Thanks Mia! :)
Great boundaries to set for yourself! And now you have tons of products of value that you can full use and get the most out of instead of tossing or letting them expire!
For me it's crochet/dressmaking supplies. I have two unfinished jumpers and three dresses that have been cut out but not sewn. I'm not allowing myself to buy any new supplies until I've completed all the unfinished projects ☺️
That's a great idea! Use it up... before pursuing something new. The holidays + January might be the perfect time for you to finish up those old projects. Come back and let us know how it went for you! 🥰
@@MiaDanielle Thank you for the the support! And I absolutely will x
I love this concept! I do it all the time :-) Btw, does anyone remember 'project pan', which was cool about five to ten years ago? When you used up something and you could see the bottom/pan, you would say: 'I hit the pan!' And then you would feel so proud :D
This is the first I'm hearing of that! Cool idea
This is exactly what I've recently started to do! I am not a minimalist in any meaning but I got stuck with many stuffs and I feel overwhelmed. And honestly, nothing feels better than throwing out used product.
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I love the idea of a use it up declutter. It’s m so guilty of buying more and opening the new before the old is gone. I’m doing a 30-day declutter challenge in my channel and I’m going to keep this in mind while doing it.
Welcome!!! 🤗 That sounds like a great idea. Let me know how your 30-day declutter challenge goes, I'd love an update! I have some great cheat sheets and resources on my website if you need support getting it done. You got this 💪
Love this. For this month and the next one or two months I will eat as much as possible out of my freezer and pantry so that things don’t get thrown away. The only things I will get fresh are the fruit and veggies.
Great planning Carlien! You might find some new recipes that become favorites... and make space for the new.
Great for craft supplies
I have been thinking about doing this for a while. I didn't realize there was a name to it other than just using & appreciating the fruits of your labor fully before moving onto the next thing. 🤣
I moved 2 months ago and I made a pact with myself that I did not want to move half empty things to my new home! (Aside from fragrances and harder to use up things).
So end of 2023 I :
1. made me and my BF use every showergel, lotion, candle.. that was open. And we used up 9 products in november-december!
2. The last 2 weeks that we lived there, we ate everything from the freezer. 👍🏻
3. I found someone that wanted to buy our old sofa and diningroom.
So it was such a stressftee move!
Great video about our intentions!
I'm not the best at getting rid of clutter. I'm definitely a maximalist. However using up products I can see myself doing. So I'm going to try this.
Finally a chanel trying to keep items out of landfields
Totally🎉! There are many sustainable ways to "declutter", most of them don't involve dumping in the trash unless the item is totally broken or beyond repair.
I always feel better when I use up my shower gel. I won’t open up a new one until it’s empty.
Love this!
Awhile back I finally decided to implement the whole use it or lose it idea. I guess I had waited too long Bcuz I found some products were goners already and I was like huh. All this time these things were just sitting there needing to be thrown out. Lol. Then I took some things as “just try it” and found out I didn’t even like them. After that I made more of a point to check up on things more often. It’s a great way to see what’s too old tho and also what you don’t even like to use or just methods and such you naturally avoid.
Right now I’m trying to make myself deal with this giant slab of pork tenderloin. I thawed it out even and now I’m just procrastinating. (Idk exactly why but I will say that I didn’t buy it. It just got left here by someone else, so maybe I’m trying to not resent having to now deal with it lol). I wanna enjoy it...but I don’t want to do all that work. Idk lazy? 😂😂 Bcuz last time I did that, I had decided that I’d never buy a large chunk of meat like that ever again Bcuz I don’t want to have to deal with all that work all at one time (like x4 etc).
Feeling a bit of overwhelm lately tho Bcuz I can think of way too many things that are almost empty but just somehow take forever to use up. Lol.
I think this is a very common experience! We bring something into our home... or lots of things overtime and don't realize how quickly some things expire.
Have you explored Pinterest for a really fun recipe that makes you excited to tackle the project? Find a way to make it more fun vs. a chore 🤗
Do you have a lot of themed "almost empty" items that you could have a theme night with? (like we did with the almost empty, but multiple fried food bags?). Or, if it's skincare related, complementary items that can be mixed together? Take inventory, and make a plan on how to use it up! Let us know how it goes.
@@MiaDanielle Aw shucks. Thanks for taking the time. Yeah I mean it is a delicious recipe and they ain’t lying when they say it’s the best they’ve ever tasted lol. Found on YT. Plus the cats will be after it from the get go (will have to lock them out first thing). But they’ll be getting their own plain meat loin to share ha ha and all the extra fat.
It’s prob just old demons haunting me a bit. You think you slay them but you know it’s like you kill it and it morphs and grows back two heads later or something. 😂😂 I need to leave this house for just an afternoon. Go have fun and forget everything and everybody here for a moment. Regroup. Lol. The main issue is prob I need to just leave it all and take a break but catch 22 is hard Bcuz I know what all I’m leaving undone and I wonder what messes or chores will pile up when I’m gone and how much the cats will be after me also when I get back.
But thanks so much for just caring. I think I’ll be fine after this holiday is over. It is added nonsense imo. I didn’t want to have to go buy gifts and try to figure out the mystery of what to get who etc. Decorating. Why did I feel like I had to? Lol. Oh well live and learn again. It’s kinda nuts tho Bcuz I’ve been rather happy and keeping up and feeling on top of things for a long time...like maybe a world record for me. lol. We got one girl here who is really into it and I don’t want to hurt her feelings with my Scrooge ass. 😂😂 I’m sorry to bleed over on here. I guess I was just having a “moment.”
Leftover cleaning products so same thing. Like ok biotches. Do y’all think I feel like cleaning house more as well. I may just throw them out. Maybe I’ll go have a rage party at my burn barrel and watch things explode. 😂😂 Just be like this is what I think of “chores” right now. (With about 500 expletives). Kidding. I will make all of it a “keep sane rebel” party of sorts. But at any rate if anyone else is struggling maybe they can read my mental mess and it could help them also. Who knows. I know I can’t be the only one struggling this time of year. It got long so I get it if nobody reads or replies but idk. Sometimes I just need it to hit the air like that. I just get so angry and I should not let it get to that breaking point like that. Lord Baby Jesus help us all.
I always use up food items as I am able. I rarely have food waste. It’s actually to me kind of fun, like a challenge. However, remember this: When in doubt, throw it out! If there’s an off smell, texture, or consistency and you’re not sure, don’t risk it.
🙌
Mia is that your natural hair color? If not would you please share what you use to color it? I think I would like to try that color as a new look for myself, you look wonderful!
Thank you! I've been coloring my hair since I was a teenager 😆. The color I use the most (and am right now) is Loreal 6R. It's light auburn :)
It's sad in a way that we need TH-cam videos to encourage us to use things up. I have to admit I am guilty of buying too much!
I do assorted textile crafts. I'm currently learning crochet, and I'm slowly working my way through my handspun yarn ( I spin, and this has left me lots of really nice natural yarn) as well as the acrylic I had lying about, and the acrylic that my friend keeps giving me. I haven't bought yarn since 2019, or fluff for spinning... at least I have somewhat less yarn and fluff than I did this time last year. Though I now have more hats, scarves, mittens etc even after using some as Christmas presents for friends and family.
Can't say the same about my music habit, though! I went from one recorder to eight last year. But that's what happens when you decide you want to teach recorder, and to do that you need to be able to play all the common sizes, which means you need to have them. And both baroque and german fingered sopranos, and I need a plastic soprano so I'm not risking cracking my nice wooden one outdoors, and then I got given four recorders along with a giant box of sheet music where all the words are in german... so much for decluttering. I did give one of the recorders and some of the music to others, though, and one german-fingered plastic soprano is going to the thrift store because it looks like my baroque plastic soprano and I don't want to grab the wrong recorder by accident, not realize it and mess up. Spread the joy (and the clutter) around.
Don't get rid of things you love + use, that's important to remember! If you find yourself not using them in the future you could look to declutter them by donating or gifting to someone who would value the item. But items we use for hobbies we love... they stay 🤗
@@MiaDanielle My problem is lack of space for them all.