I am going to bloody use it!

[MadGreyCatLady]

Well, use them I should say:-

Incense sticks - I have dozens of them that have been sitting in a drawer for years as DH decided he didn't like the smell. That's OK, his home as well as mine, but I DO like them, so I have decided to make the kitchen and living room smell nice during the morning and hope the smell dissipates enough for DH not to mind when he gets home.

Candles - I have dozens of them too, but I hardly ever remember to light one, even though I love the cosiness of candlelight in the evening. I just read a quote on another site that went along the lines of "if I had my time over again, I would light the rose shaped candle that melted in the sun". So tonight I am going to start lighting a candle on the mantelshelf when we settle down for the evening.

Clothes - I am going to start wearing all the lovely items that hang in my wardrobe that I mentally pass by when getting dressed as being too good for ordinary days. I am 62 FFS, when do I think I'm going to wear them, given that we are home bodies, rarely go out and spend most of our holidays camping?

China - sitting there on a dresser looking pretty while i use boring old white china on a daily basis. Well not any more! today I am going to eat my lunch off the lovely Portmeirion plate I like so much.

Bags - I have dozens of them and use the same old one every bloody day....well I did! not any more!

Anyone else?

I switched over all my crockery to "best" a couple of weeks ago... and each meal since has given me such pleasure.
My "best" is plain white porcelain though!

This is so me. Don't wear the nice clothes because they will fade in the wash, need to replace, might get ruined! I have a massive deep drawer full to the brim with candles and rarely remember to use them.

I have this argument all the time with DP. He is very much 'save it for best' and I am 'just use it otherwise it'll never get used!' We have the same argument every year over DS summer clothes. He wants them all put away for our holidays. I just put them on him otherwise he'll get a couple of weeks use on holiday, then summers over and they're too small for next year.
Use your nice things. You deserve it.

I have an expensive diamond tennis bracelet that I got years ago. I only wore it on high days and holidays, so most of the time it sat in a box. I wore it at Christmas and decided not to take it off. The sky has not fallen in. And it makes me smile when I notice it while doing mundane stuff like cleaning the loo.

Totally agree!
Especially the clothes thing.

This is my challenge this month.

I have been hanging counselling for suspected PND following birth of DD. They actually think ptsd following multiple miscarriages but anyway, this is an issue that emerged. I think because I don't feel good enough I never ever use the good stuff. I haven't managed it yet but have this morning taken a molton brown candle I got eight years ago out the box.

Mum passed away recently, she used to save everything. There were lots of.clothes barely worn and posh soap unused. I'm the opposite. I wear things and use things up.

I'm the same!
Candles only get lit when there's a power cut in this house! This only happens about once a year - I have cupboards full of candles.
Clothes - I have a triple wardrobe full of 'best' stuff and put gym wear or jeans on most days.
Perfume - I have actually started to use my 'nice' perfume every day now as I was accumulating a number of bottles which were'nt getting used up.

I should have learnt a lesson when I cleared my DM's house out after she died. She had so many unworn clothes - some with labels still on. Not sure what she was keeping them for!

My Christmas toiletries!! In 2017 I specified none to be given as still had a boat load. . Finished them by the time I had to write my list to Santa 2018!!
New year's resolution was to smell lovely every day!

I get the sentiment but I am on your DH's side about incense - disgusting smelling stuff!! I would not let it near my house

But I do use all of our stuff pretty much. And I have been getting ruthless about keeping stuff I don't really like 'just in case' we need it. So have pared everything back. We have far less stuff but it is all of a quality that we enjoy if that makes sense.

For instance we only have 1 shower gel in the shower but it is L'Occitane as we love that one as opposed to 5 bottles from the supermarket.

We only have 2 shampoos and 2 conditioners (one from the salon for my coloured hair and 1 set from boots for dd and dh)

one set of face products each for myself and dd.
Our bathroom hoarde is minimal.

Similarly with clothes. I cull regularly and rarely buy throw-away fashion from Primark. I have always been like that, I would prefer 1 good quality item than 10 cheaper ones.

We have 2 sets of deph and we use them both on a daily basis - and they are both expensive but collected bit by bit over years - one set from Burleigh and one from PiP Studio. I admit we also have a 12 setting in plain white of everything - plates, side plates, bowls, pasta bowls etc and they are kept safely so we have a full set if we have friends / family over.

I don't have a hoard of candles. I ask for nice ones every christmas and then I use them until it is time to replace them.

I get pleasure out of most things i use and I lOVE that!

ruthless about NOT keeping stuff!

Go for it.
I'm in my 50's I decided to get nice dishes, I was sick of the boring ones. So bought enough ainsley china dishes for 8 people, and mugs to match. I love eating off them every day.
All my clothes are in use. I now buy decent stuff that fits better and wears well, instead of cheap and cheerful.
Life is for living. Unlike my Nana who had a china hutch full of unused stuff and a drwer full of lovely silk underwear all unused and saved for best. Not sure when best would be.

I have 14 bottles of perfume and use religiously every day. None of this " keep for occasions" malarkey

Mum passed away recently, she used to save everything. There were lots of.clothes barely worn and posh soap unused. I'm the opposite. I wear things and use things up.

^^ This. I've been telling my mother who has always been thrifty and careful in her almost 90 years that she'll get more pleasure in actually wearing the stuff I buy her than leaving it stored away in a cupboard "for best". I don't always succeed but have noticed she actually points out to me when she does uses an item of clothing these days do maybe I'm getting through to her!

Yep these things are for using and enjoying

My Mum died 6 months ago and I cleared out so much perfume, hand cream, candles etc that she had saved. She was using pound shop stuff instead. It broke my heart. I'm using them now. And her beautiful well kept never worn coats.

Years ago I was given some really luxury bath products which I decided were too expensive to “waste”. By the time I used them both the bath cream and body lotion had “split” and were unusable 😔

I learned my lesson. I wear my silk underwear (but do wash it carefully), I use my fancy bath products, I wear my expensive “big birthday” jewellery. Live for today!

Well done, go for it. I just recently started wearing my nicer clothes out instead of keeping items for best. Have had so many compliments on my lovely winter coat (which I previously kept for special occasions, funerals etc). I also chucked all my annoying mismatched mugs and just kept the ones I love, which I now use every day instead of keeping for visitors!

I'm exactly like this too OP.

Save it for best mantra passed down from dm and the Victorian parlour mentality

I love the sentiment. Why not enjoy what you have every day rather than saving it for best. It seems such a waste. I have very few clothes but wear everythIng I have. Perfume I have 4 bottles and wear one even when I’m staying at home all day and not seeing anyone. Scented Candles - I have one at a time, light it every evening and when it’s all gone I buy another and do the same. My family were immigrants and saved everything for best. One of my aunts never removed the plastic covering from her sofa and kept the curtains closed all day to stop the carpet fading. I get that everything was hard won, there was little money and things couldn’t be wasted but it seemed such a shame not to be able to enjoy what she did get to own.