The Art of Using Things Up

I am the worst when it comes to using things until they are gone. There are a couple of different reasons for this. One reason is that I become so fond of things that I hate to use them. I end up using them so sparingly or infrequently that often they aren't even any good any more by the time I am halfway through. I am thinking about perfumes, lotions, candles, certain foods, stationary, etc. I get into this crazy mindset that the situation has to be ideal, or I would be "wasting" these special items that I love. I hold off for the perfect opportunities when I could have been enjoying these items all along. It's weird, I know.

The other reason I don't use things up is because I am not very regular in my routines. I don't wear lipstick very often...maybe once or twice a month. So I still have nearly full tubes of lipstick that I bought years ago. I still like the color, but I have to admit they are old and need to be thrown out. I hate to waste them, but I just don't use it enough. Sometimes I have trouble finishing a bottle of lotion because I put it on so rarely. Either I am saving it for the perfect occasion or I just forget to wear it because it isn't part of my routine. By the time I am halfway through a bottle a few years have gone by and I've bought some other fragrance I want to try. Then another bottle of lotion gets partly used over the course of years. I forget to light candles when I am home during the afternoon. The same candles sit around on the counter for years getting dusty.

I am really trying to get better about this. I want the feeling of accomplishment that comes from watching a candle burn to the very end. I want to finish a bottle of perfume knowing that it brought me joy to use it. I want to write a note to a friend and not even think about if the stationary is too fancy. I want to use things up instead of putting them off or forgetting to take time to pamper myself a little. I want to use up every tea bag, even though it is my favorite tea. I can always get more if I really want to, and if not then at least I will have enjoyed every last cup while it lasted.

Here is my two-part plan for improving in this area. 1. Only buy things that I truly love and intend to use. 2. Then use them! Use them often, without reserve, until they are all gone.