Embracing Stain Remover

It is almost the end of the first month (yay.....1/12 of the way through) and I decided to count how many things I have actually worn in my closet so far. Only 32 hangers were turned around.....which means that aside from shoes and accessories I have only been wearing about 7% of my wardrobe! As I was looking through the items I have not worn yet, I asked myself why? Obviously there were a few seasonal limitations, and some were due to poor fit (which I am working on) but I have to admit that some things remain in my closet because....... they are too nice and I don't want to wreck them! Can anyone relate? I have a tendency to 'save' my nice clothes for a fancy occasion (that I still seem to be waiting for) and wear the same 10 pieces to work everyday! I know this seems crazy because I spend majority of my life at work so I should be wearing what I love and feel good in, but instead I have ended up spending most of my time wearing the old standbys; leggings, jeans, yoga pants, tees and hoodies! Clothing is meant to be worn and I have been guilty of neglecting.....well.....93% of my wardrobe....for what? The fear of rips and stains? Well I do work with children who are known for being unpredictable and messy so this is a very real fear, not to mention the fact that I can be a huge klutz sometimes. I try to wear nice things but the other day when I wore a white shirt to work I spilled blueberry smoothie down the front of it, and two weeks ago I dripped papier mache goop all over my jeans. Between the nature of my job and my klutzy ways I have managed to stain quite a few of my favorite pieces, so it is no wonder why I try and shelter my beautiful things from meeting the same fate. Then......the other day everything changed! I was watching the Nate Berkus Show and there was a mother of 6 who lives on a farm in the U.S. somewhere and get this......her whole house is white. White couches, white pillows, white walls, white everything! Can you believe it? 6 kids, farm living and a beautiful white house.....what is her secret? Stain remover! She explains that almost all stains can be removed using various methods depending on the material and nature of the stain. So what have I been so afraid of? Armed with this new outlook, there is nothing to fear. We spend a good portion of our hard earned money on our wardrobe so of course we don't want wear it just to ruin it, but what a waste of money that is if we don't wear it at all.

So I say.....bring out the good stuff and bring on the stain remover!

What I would normally wear to work.....

Out of my comfort zone......facing my fear of stains

Last week I put those old standbys aside and replaced them with an option I wouldn't normally wear to work for fear of ruining it.....and guess what? It wasn't so hard.....I might even do it again :)
Lindsay

Book Club for One

One of my goals this year was to focus on doing more of the things I love...... but with three jobs this has proved easier said than done! I have been too busy on weekends to go snowboarding and the weather in Vancouver has been less than stellar, thus squashing my big ideas to enjoy lovely sunny runs along the seawall. What I have been able to do, however, is bury myself in some great books. Since I work in before and after school care, by definition this leaves me a break in the day where I have some time to kill.....so I grab a cup of tea and bury myself in a book for a few hours. I have come to cherish these moments as a chance to remind myself why I loved reading as a child....to escape from the real world and get a glimpse into someone else's life. I am not afraid to admit that I have always been a nosy person, I love finding out the details of other people's life and seeing the world through his or her eyes if just for a moment. For me, reading feeds this curiosity, opens my mind to new perspectives and in my opinion there is no better way to de-stress than to lose yourself in a great story! When I was doing my clothing inventory I decided to also do a book inventory and I found that I have quite a few books on my bookshelf that I haven't read! They range from friends recommendations, to the latest Oprah book club books and even a few impulse purchases from one of my frequent Chapters 'pop-ins' (yes friends I admit, I was wooed by Heather's picks). After sorting and counting I realized I can read a new book a month for the entire year.....and so began the Book Club for one! 

What I am reading in 2011:

 

January- Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

February- The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein

March- The White Bone by Barbara Gowdy

April- Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan

May- The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

June- Small Island by Andrea Levy

July- Freedom by Jonathan Franzen 

August- Empire of Asia by Adam Lewis Schroeder

September-Last Night at Chateau Marmot 

by Lauren Weisberger (a little guilty pleasure to cure the back to school blues)

October-The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls 

November-The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill

December-Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay

January's Book Report 

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda is the story of two mothers, whose lives are joined by the daughter they share. Born in India, a country that favors boys, Asha is given up by her birth mother Kavita to an orphanage where she is adopted by Somer, and her husband Krishnan an American couple who can't conceive a child of their own. This book follows Kavita, Somer, and Asha as their lives unfold on opposite sides of the world. It was definitely a heartwarming book that was a quick-read and I couldn't put it down, but I must say part of the motivation to keep reading was the hope that something unexpected would happen....but it never did. So all-in-all, a predictable albeit enjoyable read! 

So, if you want to make 2011 the year you rediscover your love for reading too, then join me in reading some or all of these books this year! Luckily, Secret Daughter was a quick read because my next book is going to be a tough one.....The Shock Doctrine is a big commitment, but having read the first three chapters I have found it to be interesting, eye-opening and as most thought-provoking reads are..... potentially controversial. Surprisingly enough, it makes me miss my life as an undergraduate communications student, I forgot how exciting it was to argue....ahem...I mean... engage in intelligent dialogue and challenge every assumption we have about the world. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I am enjoying it....and isn't that what this project is all about? 

Happy Reading!

Lindsay

PS: Had quite a few suggestions for a place to donate my $365. Check out my new poll with the top 3 and vote for your fave :)

Fave moment of second week: Better to give, than to receive

As I was looking back at my past blog posts I realize that I have been doing a lot of complaining so far! Although I do think one of the purposes to this blog is to vent a little about my temptations etc....I really should balance it more with some great things about this challenge and remind myself why I am doing it. To be honest I really have enjoyed not shopping (for the most part) but you wouldn't know that by reading this blog, so....although I can't promise a complaint-free blog from now on (after all....I am not shopping for a year and I am only two weeks in so there are bound to be some low moments in my future) I will try to limit the complaints.....starting today!

My father always says that "it is better to give than to receive" and seeing him not only talk about it but actually live this motto has helped me to "walk the walk" as well. I volunteer my time with charity organizations when I can, my husband and I donate money every year to organizations that are important to us and since I was young I have always reveled in finding the perfect gift for my loved ones' birthday or special event. Whether it was making a macaroni necklace for mother's day that I was certain she would LOVE (she probably didn't) or surprising my husband with a ipod that was cleverly disguised in a huge box to throw him off (he loved it and was very surprised), I like to put thought into the things I give and see the reaction that verifies that 'I did good'!! So, that being said my fave moment of week two was throwing a baby shower for a good friend of mine yesterday. It was so wonderful to spend time with some lovely ladies and shower our friend with love and gifts to help her in this new chapter in her life (WOW that was super-cheesy....but completely true so I am standing by the 'cheese'). Without being able to shop for myself I totally embraced the opportunity to shop for someone else and find just the right gift. I knew that she would love whatever I gave her, but I still wanted to get her something she needed and would use etc. Over the past few weeks I gathered a few things together (onesies, washcloths, shampoo and baby wash) and finally was able to find the main item...the Moby wrap...at a consignment store last week (scored a great deal too....Bonnie ignore this), which brought the whole gift together.
Just as I suspected, she loved it....no buyer's remorse with this shopping expedition!

This idea of giving inspired me to add another element to my challenge but I need your help with this one friends. I have decided that I am going to donate $1 to a charity (TBA) for everyday that I survive this challenge! This will motivate me to stay on track and at the end of the year (hopefully) $365 will go to a deserving organization. As for what charity to choose, I would like to focus on either something clothing related or experience related to stay with the theme of this blog. Now I have a few in mind, but I would love to hear your ideas then at the end of this week I will put up a poll so you all can vote one which of the final three I should choose. Fun right?? I am so excited for this one....can't wait to hear your ideas!
Lindsay

Danger....Target is coming to Canada!

Well friends.....I am about to face my ultimate temptation.....Target is coming to Canada! (http://www.torontosun.com/money/2011/01/13/16870581.html) Normally, I would be excited about an announcement like this! For so long Canadians were deprived of little gems like Old Navy, Payless Shoes, Forever XXI, H&M and Victoria Secret, but now I couldn't imagine life without them. Well maybe that is a little dramatic....but let's just say I celebrated their move to Canadian soil and have enjoyed being able to access them without crossing the border (who wants to sweat it out in your car as you are grilled about how much money you spent and what you are bringing back?). But Target....that is the one store that I always hoped would come to Canada. Sure we have Zellers and Wal-Mart, but you don't see Zac Posen, Karl Lagerfeld or Justin Timberlake designing lines for those discount stores. Oh and these boots......where else can you get a great pair of boots like this in Canada for less than $50???


I saw these on my J Project Friend Justine's post about her first retail shopping expedition in a year....and where did she go? Target of course.
I fell in love at first sight with these boots but I felt safe with the border as a buffer between us.....but now....danger!  Friends, that buffer is no longer. But hey, business deals take awhile to solidify so it will probably be 2012 by the time the stores actually open in Vancouver....right? Think positive :)

Fave Moment of the first week: Friday Night Sleepover

Fave moment of the first week (to remind me why I am doing this and motivate me to keep going): 

Friday Night Sleepover

Do you remember when we were younger and got together with our girlfriends for a sleepover? We would stay up all night talking, about boys, playing games and watching movies in our pajamas while we had pizza, pop and snacks. Our sleepover was….well…nothing like that! The food was much more sophisticated (lettuce wraps… YUM!), the pop was replaced with wine and we were in bed by midnight. One thing hasn’t changed though….the fave topic of conversation remains the same….boys….how do we get them to help out more around the house or be more romantic? Well, I guess some things have changed…..but what I know for sure is that we had fun! I would totally recommend this blast from the past as an alternative to your girls night out. Dinner, drinks, board games, great company and best of all total cost of the evening was under $30

Lettuce Wraps Recipe:

Red Onion (about 1/3)

Chicken (1 or 2 medium breasts)

Red, green and yellow peppers (1 of each)

Mushrooms (6ish)

Chinese style noodles (a few handfuls)

¼ C Hoisin sauce

¼ c. soy sauce

1tsp ginger

1 tsp garlic puree

½ tsp brown sugar

1 tsp chili flakes

Peanuts, Cilantro and Green onions (chopped up for garnish)

I head of iceberg lettuce

Mix together the hoi sin, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, brown sugar and chili flakes to make the sauce mixture

Saute chicken and onions

Add in veggies and sauce mixture (continue sautéing)

Put noodles into a large serving bowl and then pour stirfry mixture over them. Cover with lid for a few minutes and this will soften the noodles.

Separate the lettuce piece by piece trying not to break it (these will be the wraps)

Set out the filling, the lettuce pieces and the garnish so you and your friends can each make your own wrap the way you like it. Enjoy!

Lindsay

First week wrap up!

Well I have had a busy weekend and aside from groceries I spent NO time shopping! So how did I spend my time? Well friday night I had a good old-fashioned sleepover with my friend Robyn, Saturday I went for a 2 hour walk with two girlfriends and my fave canine nephew Max (I was puppy-sitting for the day) and Sunday I went grocery shopping in the morning and then proceeded to spend the rest of the day cleaning and organizing my life (and my closet). Here are the results of the closet inventory as promised:

Shoes 26 pairs
Boots 9 pairs
Sandals 15 pairs
Coats and Blazers 21
Scarves 25
Hats 21
Jeans 12
Bottoms (skirts, shorts, leggings and pants) 47
Tops (tees, blouses, tanks, sweaters, hoodies, cardigans, etc) 152
Dresses 15 (14 if I can sell my wedding dress...shameless plug....

Now you can see why I need to stop shopping and start appreciating what I have! And yes friends I still look at my closet and say "I have nothing to wear"...just ask my husband. I really need to stop that too. This inventory also made me realize that not only do I have to stop shopping this needs to be the year that I finally streamline my wardrobe. I have been avoiding this for various reasons.....maybe I will fit into that again, what if I regret getting rid of it? what if that comes back into style again? No one benefits from 'what-iffing' and no one needs this many clothes so I think I have developed a pretty good plan that will help me make the right decisions. So here is my step-by-step plan if you are interested in joining me!

1. Inventory (know what you have)
2. Set aside anything that you want to repair or alter and GET IT DONE!!
3. BIG TIP: As you put your clothing back into your closet turn the hangers around backwards and when you wear that item turn the hanger back the right way. This is a great way to actually visualize how much of your wardrobe you actually wear (I predict it will be shocking in my case!)
4. At the end of the year remove everything that you did not wear at all.
5. Divide those items into piles to:

• Keep for another 6 months and make an effort to wear then get rid of it if you still don't wear it
• Donate to charity (Big Brother is my fave because they will come pick it up at your house. Easy!)
• Sell, consign or swap 

Remember if you haven't worn it in a year....chances are you never will! 

In the meantime if you are like me and holding onto things, hoping to fit into them again, set a goal and make a plan to follow through and then DO IT! As I was discussing this project with my friend Josh Neumann he pointed out that just by focussing on doing more things that I love will probably make me both happier and healthier. I have stopped shopping and started doing things that are more active and outdoorsy so inevitably I will start to get healthier....so to sum up....not shopping will help me get skinny and fit into clothes that are too tight! Right? Well maybe it is not that easy.....but it's a start. I am also going to run or workout at least 4 times a week so that by the end of this year I will love my wardrobe and look great in it!

Lindsay

Stay Strong.....

Just a quick post today and stay tuned for the big one tomorrow where I wrap up the first week and reveal the results of my weekend inventory project.

Now onto the temptation of the week. So I checked one of my emails today (the one that I do most of my online shopping with) and let's just say it wasn't the best idea....I had forgotten how many emails I get that involve shopping and sales etc!
Here is the rundown of my inbox:

• 12 emails from the daily Zoe Report (aka: the hottest trends that I can't take part in and the newest styles that I can't wear....maybe I can figure out how to make some of these items)
• Victoria Secret has extended their boxing sales and shipping is free.....tempting....underwear don't really count as clothing do they?
• New lululemon styles in store now!
• Updates on the most recent Sample Sales in Vancouver.....what? A blowout sale of designer clothing where everything is $10-20. I really need to get myself taken off this email list. Not before I share it with you though. Check out  www.ilovesamplesales.com and you can find the best sales in your area. You are welcome friends!! All I ask is that you buy something in honour of me :)
• Premium Outlets are having a sale too?? www.premiumoutlets.com/sales Well that is a different story.....those outlets are in the U.S. Different country, area code and zip code hmmmm.....?           No Lindsay! Don't finish that thought....stay strong! 

It feels good to pass along these great tips and I hope you take advantage of them! Someone has to do it right? So feel free to comment about your fabulous finds and amazing deals so I can live vicariously through you. Thanks for your support and kind words friends!!!

Lindsay

I should have bought black flats.....

When I first started thinking about doing this project back in November I was super-motivated and excited for what the next year may bring... but in the last few days of 2010 I started to panic and wonder "Can I really do this?" The initial inspiration for this challenge came from three sisters who committed to buy nothing new in 2010. The J project sisters bought only used items for their entire family, for the entire year....I can't believe they were able to pull it off with kids at home and all! For my challenge, I decided to personalize it because I just have WAY too many clothes and I really think I can last the year without buying anything at all...new or used. Despite this fact, in the days leading up to my impending doom...errr I mean...challenge, I still felt the need to go on a mini shopping spree to get my fix for the year. I couldn't help but wonder if the J Project girls did the same thing? After checking the blog I was relieved to find that they had........phew I am normal.
Here are the results of my December 31st, 2010 shopping trip (some practical and some just plain frivolous, but hey it was my last new clothing for A YEAR okay?):

• EMU Boots (I have always wanted them and they were on sale.....*sigh I am going to miss sales)
• Topsiders (so cute and comfy....also on sale)
• New comfy hoodie (Might keep this one aside to bring out in a few months and BAM new hoodie without shopping!)
• Two toques (What can I say? I live in Canada and I can't resist a cute toque...or two)
• Belt 
• Bright fun long sleeved t-shirt (Completely unnecessary and unneeded. No excuse for this one)
• Black leggings (Totally practical...the old ones were wearing thin)
• Sorel Winter boots (Vancouver is supposed to have a snowy January/February this year and I could not be left unprepared)
• Freedom by Jonathan Franzen (I wanted to read it, but because it was Oprah's book club book there are like 1000 holds on it at the library. At that rate I could read it in 2012, but I want to read it in 2011, so I bought it)

So not a bad haul right? That's what I thought....then I skipped ahead a year in my mind. I will probably get another shopping spree in January 2012 right? Is it too early to think about that? Well I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a little something to look forward to....I bet the J sisters went shopping for sure! I wonder what they missed buying the most? So I checked it out to see what they bought. Then, I felt panic for the first (and probably not the last) time this year. 

Damn.....black flats....I totally should have bought black flats. 

So far....so good!

It is already day 3 of my yearlong challenge and I am just getting the blog up and running. I guess I have already replaced my shopping habit with my new blogging habit! I have been fiddling with the fonts, colours and various designs for hours now and my perfectionism is rearing it's ugly head.....gotta find just the right photo and just the right colour font to match the background (but not too matchy-matchy)...yes folks this is the stuff that goes through my head. If I can commit to a template and get blogging I think this will be a perfect venue to flex my creative writing muscle, chart my progress in the shopping challenge and record my thoughts as I focus on living and loving my life!

You may be wondering how living a happy life is related to not shopping? Especially if you are a fellow shopping-lover like me.....soooo let me give a little explanation.

For me the motivation is not anti-consumerist in nature but instead stems from the need to focus on being grateful for everything I have in life instead of lusting after things that I don't. I have a loving husband, great friends and a wonderful family....I have a job, two degrees, a car, a roof over my head, a closet full of clothes (stay tuned for a wake-up call inducing inventory in a future blog), yet when I see a cute dress or jacket on a girl in the streets or on tv I get an (almost) uncontrollable urge to find that item and BUY it  immediately. Don't even get me started on the amount of clothing, shoes and accessories that I purchased following Jillian Harris' season of the Bachelorette. Apparently I am easily influenced AND a shopaholic, but you have to admit that girl has style! I certainly don't plan on sacrificing any style this year, it just might take a little more creativity and thought than my previous copycat routine.

My second motivation for taking on this challenge is to help me find balance in my life by spending money on experiences rather than things. I am ashamed to admit that I have been known to turn down drinks with my girlfriends due to lack of funds, and shortly after you will find me spending $400 on boots. This scenario has also happened in reverse.....but that fact does not make it any more acceptable. I have always known that experiences and people are so much more important than material things, but it seems that my actions are not reflecting that! I came across a quote a few years ago that sums this up quite nicely:

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony" Ghandi

I think it is about time to get my thoughts and actions in harmony, spend more time with the people that matter in my life and make more of an effort to do something I love everyday because there is one thing I know for sure.... we only have one life to love.

This next year will be a fun challenge and I think I am up to the task. I am excited to see where this year without shopping will take me and I hope that at the end of 2011 I am a happier, more enlightened and more balanced me! If nothing else my wallet will be a whole lot fuller. So here goes nothin'....wish me luck or place your bets on when I will cave (so far I have very few believers). I am just taking it one day at a time and with three days under my belt........so far so good.
Lindsay