Accountability

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How to Pare Down a Large Jewelry Collection

As you may recall, one of my goals for 2014 is to reduce the number of jewelry pieces I own by at least a third.  Earlier this year, I shared the results of my first jewelry inventory, during which I let go of 23% of the items in my storage armoire.  Since that time, I have added some new pieces, and I’ve recently started feeling overwhelmed by the size of my collection. So this past weekend, I took a few hours to review and pare down my assortment of jewelry.

Jewelry Armoire

This is where I keep my large jewelry collection.

In today’s post, I share the simple process I used to help me further reduce the number of jewelry pieces I own.  At the end of the post, I present the results of my latest jewelry inventory.  I believe my method may be useful to readers who possess large jewelry collections like mine, and it can also be used to pare down an over-abundance of clothing and shoes.  If you decide to try my process, please let me know how it works out for you! Continue reading →

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May 2014 Accountability Update

Before I delve into the topic of this post, I want to extend a warm thank you to all of those who purchased my first e-book, “UnShopping: Recovery Solutions from an Ex-Shopaholic.”  Because of your support, my book reached #1 in the “Compulsive Behavior” category for Kindle books and stayed there for two days!  Of course, that’s exciting and all, but the most important thing is that those who read the book get lots of value and helpful tips from its contents.

If you’ve read the book and enjoyed it, please let me know, and if you have a moment, please post a short review on Amazon.  That will help to spread the word and lead others to read it.  If you haven’t read the book and would like to learn more about it, you can read my announcement from last week or review the book summary on Amazon.  You can also check out today’s post on “Untitled Minimalism” reviewing my book. Continue reading →

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2014 Purchase Analysis – January though April

This post launches a new feature on “Recovering Shopaholic.”  As most of you know, I’ve been sharing what I’ve bought and what I’ve purged from my wardrobe since the genesis of this blog.   In recent months, I’ve also started sharing my reasons for both my purchases and the closet pieces I’ve let go.  However, there has been one missing link from the equation…  I haven’t taken the time to analyze my purchases after the fact to see if they ended up being good buys – or buying mistakes.

January - April 2014 Purchases

I’ve purchased these 20 pieces since the beginning of 2014.

We Think Our Purchases are Good When We Make Them

I believe that most of us think we’re making good purchases at the time when we buy something new.  However, for a variety of reasons, that doesn’t always end up being the case. Sometimes our emotions get in the way of our rational thought, or we may be pressured into buying something by a salesperson or the friends or family members with whom we shop.  We may also inadvertently purchase something that’s very similar to pieces we already have in our closet, or we might rationalize buying a particular item because it’s on sale or is in line with a current “hot” trend. Continue reading →

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April 2014 Accountability Update

A new month has begun, so it’s time for another accountability update, this time for April 2014.  If you’re new to “Recovering Shopaholic,” here’s the deal…  I’ve committed to posting monthly accountability updates to keep myself honest and on track with my wardrobe and shopping goals.  These posts include what came into and left my closet during a given month, what I wore, and how I did with my shopping budget and rules.

Honesty and Accountability Continue reading →

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Shopping and Wardrobe Goals Update – April 2014

Back in January, I created a series of goals for the year regarding my shopping, my wardrobe, and my life at large.  At that time, I also provided a recap on how I did with my 2013 goals.  This year, I decided not to wait until the year was over to share how I’m doing with my various goals.  Instead, I’m going to do three updates:  one a third of the way through the year (this post!), another at the two-thirds point, and a final update at the end of the year.

Shopping and wardrobe statistics

In today’s post, I share how I’m doing with the shopping and wardrobe goals I’ve set for the year. Later this week, I will update you on my progress with what I’ve termed the 2014 “Full Life Project.”  We all get busy with life and our lengthy to-do lists, and goals can sometimes fall by the wayside as a result.  My goals updates will help keep me on track and moving powerfully toward the objectives I outlined for myself as 2014 began. Continue reading →