Hey there Posse. I’ve had an idea. I’m calling it the New Idea but it’s not. There has been some percolation going on for over a decade. Every time I think about it though the whole task seems so daunting. So it has remained an idea, sometimes expressed in conversation but never taken seriously. Till now.
Here is a sample (pun intended) of what I’m talking about.
New Idea 2023
There are hundreds of samples and decants in this perfume room. It’s starting to get me down because I recently searched for a particular thing that had dried to a brown smear in the bottom of a 3ml decant. Looking through there are more of same or very near.
So the New Idea 2023 is to use up a decant/sample 5 days a week in 2023. Yeah, so instead of choosing from the bottle collection I’ll be spritzing or splashing like crazy from decants and samples. These things cost MONEY! and I’m just letting them dissipate. What a bloody waste.
There will be a monthly rewards system. The idea is also to make 2023 a SLOW BUY. Yeah, you read that right. It’s not a NO BUY because I’m still a shopping junkie. Obviously this does not include time sensitive super deals or unicorns. ( I know, but I’m trying to keep this as real and honest as possible and we ALL know I can’t help myself when the deal is magnificent)
This is also going to wreak havoc with my perfect SEO stats. SORRY Patty. Oh well, it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.
So that will be what I post the first Thursday of the month in 2023. You’ll be able to come check my progress for last month. See what I’ve thunked. Comment on what you have used up or are trying to. I’m hoping it will inspire me, and you, to clean out some sample/decant clutter and give us a little thing to converse about and bring us together each month.
Hopefully we will all remember some old loves, discover new ones and FINALLY use up these beauties. At this rate, if I’m successful each week, a minimum of 260 samples will have been used, loved/hated, noted and thunked. That sounds really good to me.
How It Works
- No matter what size the sample or decant it only counts as ONE win.
- To count as a win the decant MUST be thunked by me. So giving stuff away won’t count. Yeah, I know, but this is how I’m playing it. You can have your own rules if you like.
- Multiples in a day are acceptable. So, if you empty something in the morning, another after work and another before bed that counts as THREE wins.
- Manufacturer Travel Size is not a sample or decant.
- At the end of each successfully completed month I am allowed to reward myself with a splurge from ONE perfume store. Yeah that’s right. Sure you can buy 20 things if it makes you happy but it has to be one etailer or retailer in ONE TRANSACTION.
I’m going to celebrate by giving away a US$50 Gift Voucher to Surrender To Chance for every successful month to one lucky random commenter. Cool eh?
So, who’s on board for this New Idea 2023?
Portia xx
One thing I am pretty decent about is getting rid of samples. I leave them in the lobby of my building, give them to people, or even just dump them out on the carpet by the window. Otherwise they breed in the dark and take over.
HA! You are the sensible twin Tom.
Hoping this challenge will level our scores.
Portia xx
I love that idea, I’ve been building up alot of samples and decants over the past months and have recently been trying to do a better job of using them up to get my worth and enjoyment out of them then put them on my spreadsheet of loves, lusts, likes and dislikes. ?
FABULOUS! I’ll count you in then KayKay.
Portia xx
Love it! What a terrific challenge!
Hey Cherie,
I hope you join us.
Portia xx
Power to your elbow my friend!
Thanks Wild Gardener
I’m in! 🙂 I don’t keep samples as they go into the rolling box, but do have plenty of decants that have been too long ignored. Great idea!
Wonderful news VerbenaLuvvr,
Also, really good to see you. Hope your silly season is a fun one.
Portia xx
Thank you, Portia, this is such a great idea. I seem to just collect decants and samples and hoard them like a dragon. Finally, a New Year’s resolution I think I can do!
Excellent Sue,
Welcome on board.
Let’s see how well we can do, eh?
Portia xx
This is awesome! At one point I had what I think were more than a thousand decants (I didn’t count; they were gifts as well as purchases) sorted by house in storage containers, and I ended up giving them away, including fobbing them off on Anita lol. I just hated to see them slowly dry up, and it would be even faster here! Good for you!
Thanks March!
HA! Musette must have been ropable. So funny.
Portia x
This is a great idea. I did a 365 project in 2021 and it was fun to challenge myself to wear something different every day. I did Sample Sunday throughout and double challenged myself. I’m not sure what I’ll do for 2023 other than continue to “low buy”. But using decants makes sense, maybe I’ll set aside a day a week for that. Good luck!
Thanks MMKinPA,
I loved your 365 Project and followed it avidly.
There’s still a bunch of unsent samples here that will be coming your way when I get to them. Just a few fun things.
Portia xx
Portia, this is a wonderful idea! I’ve been thinking about reorganizing my decants by season instead of alphabetical order. I can use samples up a little quicker since I keep groups of them on my dresser in crystal toothpick holders (I pick ‘em up from the thrift stores for a song) and if they’re visible, I have a better chance of using them.
But the decants, geez, they stay in the drawer, in the dark, getting no love. If I group them into summer/winter/shoulder seasons, maybe I’ll use them more…? I dunno. Anyway, life is crazy for me right now, so I’ll try to deal with my decants and cheer y’all on from the sidelines!
LOVE that you’ve got them in crystal. Hope glam NancyC,
Yeah, of course.
Should you happen to think, let us know though.
Portia x
Great idea Portia! I love a declutter and a Marie Kondo project! My samples are alphabetized in drawers that used to hold my daughter’s doll clothes (too precious). Just this week I thunked a Chanel Misia sample. Sadly, a lot of my samples are stuff I already know I am not gonna love. They were freebies. I’ll have to wear then scrub. 😀
WOW! That sounds like an amazing place to keep all your samples & decants.
HA! If you don’t like them, bag them up and pass them on to the local charity store to give away with purchases.
Portia xx
Brilliant, Portia, I just threw away 2 dried up decants last night. I can’t commit because I want to wear what I want all the time. However, after shuffling everything around looking for things (finally unearthed my bottle of Fancy Nights) I am overwhelmed at my samples and decants and resolved to wear them more often. I’m interested in watching your progress!
Of course Rosarita, I understand completely.
If you do happen to think a few decants though please keep us up to date with your progress each month too.
Portia xx
I did some sample and decant decluttering this year and could stand to do some more next year, if not a couple dozen per month. I’m in!
Excellent AnnieA,
It will be lovely having you along with us.
Portia xx
I love your idea! I had also been thinking of going through boxes of samples/decants and re-visiting and exploring. Your plan is exactly what I need to do as well. I hate for the perfume to be wasted and unused. I will start the one sample/decant 5 days per week beginning Jan. I don’t have nearly as many as you do but this will keep me going for awhile.This will be fun to do as a group; I look forward to hearing your progress and comments.
Merry Christmas to all! xoxo
YAY Kathleen! So glad you’ll be joining.
Merry Christmas to you too.
Portia xx
On board with tjis but I’m quite the slacker compared to you! I think I could be finished with my stash in about 3 months but am going to give it a go too.
Getting the excess gone is the idea Tiara, if it’s too much in your samples and decants then welcome aboard; for however long you need it.
Portia xx
Wonderful idea, Portia, I am going to dive into my boxes of samples to see if I can follow along! Recently, I found a sample of Vintage Coty Chypre that was almost gone, and I hadn’t even tried it. 🙁
OMG Queen-Cupcake!
Did you try it?
Portia xx
I did try the Chypre. There was just a small blob left. Amazing, amazing perfume! But for me, the very best Coty thing is very vintage Emeraude parfum, which I have in a tiny original bottle.
OHHHHH! Well jel here. That stuff must be To Die For!
After the death is Sarrasins I’m in! Lost in the back of a drawer, found after 20 years & 10mls was now about 2mls of unsprayable purple sludge. Smelt AMAZING & the longevity was nuclear but such a faff & a waste.
I don’t own anywhere near as many as you but I’m guessing I have a good couple of years worth
YAY! So glad you’ll be a part of it Alityke.
GAH! Yes, the waste is very upsetting. That’s why we are doing this.
Portia xx
Not me. When I moved out of the house for building works 2.5 years ago I got rid of almost all samples etc to charity shops (along with a load of other stuff) and didn’t buy much while in the rental house as I’d just have to move it again. Since returning home I buy stuff, keep only those samples that make my heart go pitter-pat, and divest the rest almost immediately. So, best wishes to those having a go 🙂 Am hugely impressed with the amount of stuff you have.
You have been incredibly smart Cinnamon. Some of mine have moved with me three times.
Portia xx
This New Idea is a Great Idea. With your haul I wouldn’t know where to start. I need to cull my own sample/decant stash, but I keep adding to it.
Thanks Cassieflower,
First step is always the hardest. I’ve planned, now I have to implement.
Portia xx
I need to both organize AND begin using up my demands and samples. I also need to get rid of the ones I know I don’t/won’t enjoy. I’m in!
YAY! I reckon if this comes off and I can continue the whole year then I’ll have only one box of them Maggiecat. That will be MUCH easier to organise.
Welcome on board.
Portia xx
Hi Portia, I’m on board. My hoard is nowhere as big as yours but I have realised that it is getting out of hand. I will try to stick to your plan. Let’s do this ??
Woo Hoo Bina! This is excellent news.
We can only try!
Fingers crossed.
Portia xx
OMG that photo is giving me hives. I hate decants and have stopped buying them because they end up in a box and I never use them. It’s hard for me to even test all my samples, so I rarely order many of those either. My goal is to buy NO samples or decants in 2023 and actually use my hundreds of full bottles.
That said, I have a shoebox full of decants I plan to give away or throw away (the ruined ones) in an effort to reduce the clutter. A few of them contain rare/discontinued perfumes so I will try to use those up, but the rest need to go.
SORRY TaraC,
Yes, it’s a crazy amount of perfume going to waste. This is why I’m going to try and use them.
Good luck with yours too.
Portia xx