My "Let Go" List

Vines, Weeds and Blooms in "The Blue Garden"

I took a walk through The Cabbage Gardens today. There were a bunch of weeds and overgrown vines everywhere and a couple of the annuals I planted in Spring have died off a little early. Still, I chose to focus only on what was blooming and thriving and then moved on.

This is progress. A few years ago I would have been very stressed out about the current state of my gardens. But now I know it's not a big deal. There will be plenty of time to tidy things up a bit in the Fall and in Spring I will once again be out there attacking weeds with vigor. But in Summer and Winter, I give myself a break and focus on other things.

The truth is no one can keep up with everything all the time, especially if you are like me and have a lot of different interests. Being a homeowner, or just being a human being, requires that we pick our battles. So sometimes before I can make my "To Do List", I find it helpful to make a "Let Go" list.

It's a constant balancing act and I can't tell you how to do it because what's a priority for me may not be a priority for you and vice versa. However, to give you an idea I thought I would share the next three items currently on my "Let Go" list:

1. Cleaning out my basement until such a time as the rest of my house is perfectly clean and in order (aka never).
   
2. Getting my clutter out of the guest room (as long as we don't have guests).
   
3. Cleaning out the garage, at least until just before Winter (it would be nice to park our cars in there then).

Let's face it, whether or not I made this list, these things weren't going to get done any time soon. However, declaring it to myself, and now to you, releases me of my recovering perfectionist angst and gives me more energy to focus on the projects I'm really passionate about right now. Seriously, I feel lighter already.

So, if you are a recovering perfectionist like me (or want to be), I invite you to join me. What are three things you are ready to let go of right now? Share your "Let Go" list in the comments below or just with yourself and your household.

And then go do what makes you happy.

Bathroom Beauty Product Organization + 5 Favorites

Organization Can Be A Beautiful Thing

Dear loyal readers, do you remember when my bathroom closet looked like this?:

The After Photo From My Bathroom Closet Makeover Post In 2015

Those were good times but I have to admit that they didn't last too long.  The truth is that most of the time since then my bathroom closet has looked more like this:

My Bathroom Closet In Real Life

Of course that's not the end of the world but I got tired of searching for things all the time so I decided a little organizing was in order.

My first thought was that I needed to go through all my beauty products and purge some things but I didn't get far into that before I remembered that I'm a girl and I really do need most of this stuff!

Then I thought I would find some cool vintage containers I could repurpose at a thrift store or flea market but that just didn't happen fast enough.  So finally I broke down and purchased some basic acrylic organizers and who knew but they really did the trick!

I blinged out my acrylic organizer with some tiny adhesive mirrors.

Shop For Makeup Organizers At Target

And now my bathroom closet looks like this:

My Newly Organized Bathroom Closet

This really makes me feel like a grown up again.

Another thing that makes me feel like a grown up is that I'm finally starting to figure out what beauty products work for me and which ones don't.  So, I thought I'd share five of my favorite ones with you now:

1. Rose Water

I love keeping my cotton swabs and rounds in these pretty candy dishes!

Whenever possible, I try to use simple products with natural ingredients and you can't get more natural than organic rose water.  I mostly use it as a facial toner that I apply using cotton rounds.  It also works well as a fragrance or a makeup setting spray.  I've tried a few different brands and, though the scent may vary slightly, they all seem to work well at soothing and cleansing my skin.

2. Fractionated Coconut Oil

I chose this brand of  coconut oil because the packaging matches the color scheme
in my bathroom.

I've been on the coconut oil bandwagon for awhile now when it comes to cooking but I didn't use it as a beauty product until I learned about fractionated coconut oil.  This coconut oil doesn't solidify in cooler temperatures like the extra virgin kind does and it is lighter and more absorbent.  I add a tiny amount of tea tree oil to it and use it to remove eye makeup and also to soothe and moisturize my eyelids when they are irritated from allergies.  I'm not loyal to any particular brand of this either.

3. e.l.f. Contour Palette

e.l.f. Stands For Eyes, Lips, Face

I am not much of an expert when it comes to makeup.  I just know that I want hypoallergenic products that don't test on animals and don't cost a lot and e.l.f. cosmetics fits that bill.  I like the e.l.f. contour palette because it doesn't have a gazillion different shades so I'm not paying for anything I'm not going to use.  I also love e.l.f. makeup brushes.  I have two e.l.f. contour brushes, one to use for the dark shades and another for the light ones.

4. OGX Moroccan Curling Perfection Defining Creme

OGX Products and My Favorite Detangling Comb From Target

This creme is like the holy grail for my long, thick hair.  I put this in my hair when it's wet and it helps with detangling and prevents frizz but doesn't take away my natural wave or curls.  I really hope they never stop making this stuff.

I also love the OGX kukui oil.  I spray it on my hands and then run them through my hair after I curl it.

5. C.O. Bigelow My Favorite Night Balm

An Aptly Named Lip Balm and a favorite necklace from High Vibrational Living on Etsy

I don't know what I ever did without this stuff - no, wait, yes I do - I suffered from chapped lips!  It's simply the only thing that works for me.


So now you know five of my favorite beauty products.  Do you have a product you swear by or tips for keeping them organized?  I would love to read your thoughts in the comments below.