Author: Debbie Roes

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December Accountability Update and 2015 Wrap-Up

It’s time for my final accountability update for 2015.   As long-time readers know, these monthly reports are where I share what came into and left my closet during the previous month, what I wore, and how I did with my shopping budget.  Sharing what I bought, what I culled, and how much I spent helps me to stay honest and on track with my wardrobe and shopping.  This update will also include a year-end wrap-up in terms of my budget and in and out item totals.  Other statistics – including wardrobe “all-stars” and “benchwarmers” – will be covered in future posts.

2015 accountability wrap-up

What Left My Wardrobe

I always start these reports with what left my closet during the previous month.  During December, I purged six items from my wardrobe, two of which were returned to the store of origin and the other four were slated for donation or consignment:

  • 3 knit blazers – black, green, grey (slated for donation or consignment)
  • Navy striped open cardigan (returned to store)
  • Magenta tunic (returned to store)
  • Teal crew-neck tee (slated for donation or consignment)

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The Best of Recovering Shopaholic 2015

Happy New Year!   I hope that 2016 is off to a good start for all of you.   It’s now been three years since I started “Recovering Shopaholic.”  As the saying goes, time flies!  Thank you so much for accompanying me on my journey, whether you’re new to the blog or have been following my posts since the early days.

Before I delve into my fourth year of blogging, I’d like to briefly pause to reflect upon year three.    Since I started this blog on January 2, 2013, I have published over 300 posts on the topics of wardrobe management, personal style, shopping behavior and psychology, accountability, living a fuller life, and more.  During 2015, 99 new posts went live and thousands of comments were made by dedicated readers.

2015 Year in Review

In today’s post, I share the most popular posts of 2015, as well as my personal favorite posts.  I also highlight the most visited outgoing links from the blog last year.   Those who are new to “Recovering Shopaholic” will get a chance to check out the highlights of 2015, and longtime readers will have the opportunity to revisit some posts they enjoyed the first time around.

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December “Grab Bag” of Useful Links

It’s the last day of December – and the last day of 2015, so it’s time for me to share my latest “grab bag” of useful links (see previous editions here).   Included below are links to articles I think you’ll enjoy on the subjects of shopping and shopping psychology, wardrobe management, style, and personal development.  I’m also sharing a few previous “Recovering Shopaholic” posts that you may have missed the first time around (or may choose to revisit now).  Many of you have a long weekend for New Year’s Day, so it’s a perfect time to sit back with your favorite hot beverage or a glass of wine and enjoy some quiet time to learn, look within, and even laugh (I included a couple of funny articles this time around).

Crystal Pier sunset

Sunset at Crystal Pier in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego – December 6, 2015

As in all recent useful links editions, the photo above is one of mine.   I also periodically share my photos over on Instagram.  If you want to see my photos there, you can follow me at debbie_roes.  You can also check out my previous “photography interlude” blog posts.

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From Compulsive eBay Buyer to Self-Trusting, Balanced Shopper

The following is a guest post from Tonya, a longtime reader of this blog who has agreed to share her “story of recovery” with all of you.  Tonya is an active member of my private Facebook group, where she recently shared her story about downsizing her wardrobe, shopping smarter, and honing her style.  I thought what she had to say would be inspiring for all readers of “Recovering Shopaholic.” I asked if she would be willing to expand upon her story and share some before and after closet photos.

If you would like to be profiled in the “Stories of Recovery” series (you can be anonymous if desired), or if you have an idea for another type of guest post on “Recovering Shopaholic,” please connect with me to share your thoughts.

Getting My “Fix” Without Going Back into Debt

I first found Debbie’s blog in May of 2013.  Up to that point, the only resources that I had found were a couple of bloggers doing shopping bans, debt blogs, and questions to ask yourself to find out if you were a shopaholic.  I had gotten myself out of debt, cut my spending by about a third, had a closet stuffed with 500-600 items, and discovered eBay.  You can buy an awful lot for a small amount of money there.  I was able to get my “fix” without going back into debt.

Closet overload

Is your closet stuffed yet you keep buying more and more? 

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Merry Christmas from Recovering Shopaholic!

Many bloggers are taking time off this week and next to enjoy time with their families and friends for Christmas and New Year’s.  Since I’m not traveling and don’t have any elaborate holiday plans, I will continue with my regular posting schedule.   I was going to share a “photography interlude” (see previous versions here) today, but I decided to veer off a bit and go with a holiday theme.

A Christmas Retrospective

In today’s post, I share some of my Christmas photos from years past, from my wee years through to my 40’s.  As I mentioned in my last post, I used to be a big fan of holiday theme wear, as you will see in many of the images below.  These days, I no longer have any Christmas sweaters, but I used to wear holiday garb every single day from Thanksgiving through New Year’s, along with lots of Christmas jewelry, Santa hats, and the like. I was definitely what you might call very “spirited.”

Part of my style evolution has involved moving away from the cutesy and whimsical and embodying a more sophisticated, classic, and minimalist style.  My idea of holiday dressing now may include wearing red or green or perhaps a bit of sparkle and shine, but overt shows of Christmas spirit no longer grace my body.   But the photographic evidence remains and in the holiday spirit, I share it with you today.   I include brief descriptions under each photo, but many of them are pretty self-explanatory and may make you laugh or smile.

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