Business Trip | Montreal

I have said it before. I loathe carrying baggage when I travel. I planned to use the same bag I carried to New York last month, however, I needed to pack my work laptop. Thus, I pulled out my trusty 20" rolling suitcase. This piece of luggage has travelled with me since the late '90s, but it's days are drawing to a close. The wheels are not smooth, and I have to wrestle with the handle -- regardless of whether I'm attempting to collapse or expand it.

I plan to downsize once I buy a replacement piece, but this is the perfect size for 3+ days of travel. In fact, this thing took me to Paris and Cannes for a 7-to10-day business trip! That was before I had a work laptop that I needed to schlep around. 

My current business trip to Montreal is significantly shorter. Here is what I packed for the trip.

De-Clutter Weekend

Thanks to Lea Ann, I have been watching Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners. I am neither an obsessive compulsive cleaner, nor am I a hoarder, but this show has inspired me to do a bit of de-cluttering this weekend.

As it stands, our lives are rather streamlined, but there is always room for improvement. I decided to tackle three areas:

1. skincare
2. cosmetics
3. workout clothing

Skincare
Earlier this summer, I committed to using up skincare, and aside from replenishment, I have not purchased new skincare items "just to try". While I plan to use a number of skincare samples during an upcoming business trip, I have too many bottles and such cluttering the skincare shelf in my bathroom cabinet.

Cosmetics
Yes, I culled my cosmetics collection a few months ago. At the time, I was reluctant to let go of a few items, but this weekend, I tossed those items that I had kept out of guilt.

Workout clothing
I tried working out at home, but I enjoy -- and almost require -- the community and motivation that comes from group fitness classes. As such, weeding out the fitness togs was mandatory. I will not sport grotty clothing and see-through sports bras in public.

Second Closet De-Clutter | August 2014

Several years ago, I returned to my home town, and I was confronted with the task of fitting 2+ decades of accumulated items into one bedroom. What did not fit was packed and stored in the attic. I routinely assessed, purged, and re-packed in an effort to align my possessions with my needs.

Clothing was always tough for me. I like a few different styles (e.g. pin-up, steampunk) that do not marry well with a corporate job in a rather provincial city. Also, weight fluctuations, extreme (to me) seasons, and rampant thrift shopping kept me from creating a capsule wardrobe. Hence, my participation in Project 333.

Confession: I still have clothing stored at my parents' house. Granted, it is a small closet full and a small clothing rack in the attic, but those clothes have been weighing on my mind. Since I am staying with my parents for a few days, I decided to take action!

Project 333 | Mid-Stream Update

Barely one and 1/2 months into it, and I have already violated a few Project 333 rules! However, this project is not about rigidity, but rather discovery -- at least for me.

Shopping for New Clothing

My shopping spree consisted of seven items -- two dresses, one blouse, one cardigan, and three skirts -- bumping me up to a total of 33 items (not including shoes). However, I wanted to make amends, and doing so would require me to purge some clothing -- and shoes! 

New dresses

2 of the 3 purged dresses

I purged the following items from my Project 333 wardrobe:

1. A brown faux wrap dress that was worn out and shoddy-looking.
2. A mustard strapless dress that I had not worn since my visit to NYC.
3. A leopard print dress that has been languishing in my closet after one wear. I am not a prude, but the combination of a plunging neckline and an animal print was too much for me for the office.

Digging into Non-Project 333 Items
Not only did I break the no shopping rule, I rifled through my non-Project 333 clothing. However, my purpose was pure: to assess my entire wardrobe -- including shoes -- and purge anything that did not fit and speak to my personal style. Because I am a spreadsheet nerd, I created one to highlight the changes.

 

Empties | July 2014

This month I committed to using my growing sample collection. 

Product samples make travelling less of a hassle, but, I do not travel as much as I once did. Thus, an inventory of samples and travel sizes are not necessary. In fact, I recently took the advice of Coco (tip #14), and I stopped accepting samples unless it was a product of interest or if I had an immediate use for it (i.e., I need a body lotion for the trip I am taking in two days.).

Note:  Not all of the items mentioned are clean/green beauty or cruelty-free. All items were paid for by me, or they were free samples provided with a purchase. All products are listed after the jump.