If you don't need it, don't buy it!

You don't notice how much crap you accumulate when you live in the same place for many years (up to and over a decade). At least, not until you have to move house, especially to some place smaller or if you have to move countries which means you're not going to be able to take everything with you. Both scenarios lead to having to throw away, donate or sell a (huge) part of your life.


While I don't have plans to move house, move out, or move abroad permanently, I have been thinking about the amount of stuff I own that I do not use. Sometimes, I find myself wishing I didn't have all this stuff. Although, being able to afford to own so much useless or non-essential items is really a sign of "wealth" or "well-off" status, it really isn't that great. I have accumulated many products over the years and I think it's time for me to either use them or let them out of my life (and my house).


So I've decided on a long term goal plan which will last from now until the end of next year, 2014. In these two years, I'm going to attempt to live cheap and in the process, hopefully use up as many products as possible or get rid of them one way or another. This also ties in with a shopping list I made today while on the train to uni. I created this "ginormous-in-terms-of-cost shopping list" and if I keep spending as I do now, I'll never make it.

• Buy an apartment. Now I know it's better to buy a house, better future, better investment option, better returns, safer... but I like small living areas. I don't like having a lot of space because if I do, I'll end up accumulating crap.

Of course, for this apartment, I intend to live in it so of course, I would want to be surrounded by things I love to use or love to look at. Hopefully I'll buy one with more than one bedroom as I intend to foolishly convert a bedroom into a "special" room.

•  Buy the Kawai Crystal (CR-40A) Piano. Ever since I laid my eyes on the Kawai Crystal Piano, I've wanted it. Wouldn't it be great if one side of your wall was glass, allowing you to overlook your city? Imagine all the night lights while you play on the piano! I am going to have to start playing the piano again so if when I do buy the crystal piano, I'm going to be worthy enough to touch it, let alone play. I also want a full length electronic keyboard for when I want to play at ungodly hours of the day and don't want to disturb anyone.

Another thing I've always wanted are giant mirrors. I intend to have one wall completely as a mirror. Or have a pane of mirror that spans almost the entire wall. You know, like those dance studios? Lighting is also an important thing for this room. So I will be doing some serious investment in that.

• Computer area. I'll need a desk to put my mac desktop on (I've decided, once I get a place of my own, that's what I'm getting) along with its periphery devices. I also want a tulip chair as my computer chair, because I'm weird like that.

For my bedroom, I hope to have only my bed on which I sleep and also a built in wardrobe plus set of drawers to fit my clothes. Perhaps a vanity to put my products and of course, a giant mirror.

• Living room? I love collecting beautiful, quirky, awesome, cute perfume and sake bottles. I intend to mount shelves on one wall to display them. I'm not a fan of couches, but it seems people like them so for the sake of friends and family, I'll have a couch. I also prefer sitting on the floor so that's what I'll do, also will use a low coffee table to eat at. No need for clutter - dining table with chairs?! Not my style, especially if there's not that much room to live in.
• Another large mirror spanning the width of one wall. Wow, that just sounds really vain of me.
• And I guess a washing machine.
• I'm also assuming the kitchen already has a stove/oven/some kind of cooking contraption.

This is going to be a long and difficult journey (and not to mention expensive! So let's hope I'll find a good job...). I love shopping and perhaps I love spending money more than I love accumulating products. Hopefully, by the end of the two years, I'll have less than half of what I have now and way more money saved up!

Due to my crazy and grand plans for major shopping (wait, isn't this a sign of some sort of personality disorder?), I had to take a serious look at my life and make some changes. Especially to my spending habits; my first move was to cancel my monthly subscription to Sample Bar. This is the same concept as Glossy Box in the UK, it costs $25 NZD per month and you get 5 products to sample. I have many products already that aren't completely used up. I'm going to attempt to use them all before purchasing new products. (Also, let's get real, the crystal piano is probably going to come last, perhaps not at all even.)

I have many skin care/beauty products that I am going to attempt to get through completely, only buying when necessary (i.e. completely run out or I have an undesirable reaction to the product). I also have a lot of tissue packets. I just keep buying and buying them so that's gotta stop.

The hell man, can't wait to use it up and clear out this box!

The second step was (actually, this was technically the first I took) to get prescription glasses. I've always used contacts, colour contacts, clear contacts, daily ones, monthly ones... right now I've got nearly two whole boxes of Biomedics 1 Days left and I'm going to drag out using them as long as possible - wearing only when I go to work, other times I will handle with the glasses. Except, I'll expect vanity to win one day and I'll return to purchasing colour contacts.

Stationery is also a problem for me. I love great stationery, and I also love cute stationery. I have an entire box of identical pens - I bought one, it was good to write with so I bought them in multiple quantities... except now it's taking me forever to go through them. This is the same with exercise books. I've somehow managed to collect an entire box of exercise books. So I'm going to attempt to work through those.


So far only a month has passed for 2013 and I've done alright. My speakers have died, my headphones only work on the left side but I've not yet purchased a new set of speakers or headphones. Instead, I just use my laptop's speakers (which sucks when compared with even the cheap speakers I use) or use my iPod's earphones. Which brings me to the topic of wanting another iPod - the touch so I have both the touch and classic. Managed to talk myself out of it since it is an unnecessary thing.

As for beauty products, I've been dying to try the toner/softener by Za, Total Hydration. I've managed to put that off by forcing myself to finish my currently one by Clean & Clear. I'm nearly at the end but I still can't purchase the Za one because after looking in my drawer of beauty products, I realised I've actually got not one, but TWO bottles of Shiseido softener from the White Lucent line (apparently both different).

Can't wait to finish this lot too. Will probably use them when I go on trips.

So that's my January; savings I've got towards a deposit? About $30 bucks lol. *shrugs* You gotta start somewhere, right? Goals for February? I'm going to finish reading Natsuo Kirino's OUT and return the book to my friend. I've had it for maybe two years now. Small steps, baby steps.

Tried to find a creepy filter to match this creepy book... added the emoticon for extra effect. Lol.

I'm going to have to stop here and go start my essay that's due on Monday. I just haven't been able to get into the mood, despite knowing that the essay is worth a very high percentage out of the overall grade. I think I need to get rid of some clutter to be able to get into that mindset.