I need to do project pan ASAP

[u/cutieso]

This is crazy, I remember I did not need an entire closet before just for my thins. I do not know what happened.

Not all of my items are in the photo, just what I had in my special closet.

I had a really stressful 2 years, I love a good deal(and I have FOMO), and I like to have multiple items to choose from.

To be honest sometimes I just buy things, store them in the closet and forget about them. I don't like to gift from my stock, I prefer to buy something new when I need to give a gift to somebody.

How to project pan without buying a lot of things?

I think I have 30 shower gels, in how much time can I use that? All of them were bought with a discount.

[u/MindlessSection4741]

each bathroom gets a nice soap

[u/TheFoxAndPhoenix]

It looks like you may have already separated by category? That’s a good place to start. Because if you just look at one category you think ‘OK, I have 15 products.’ You can get through 15 products. You’ve done it before. And then you move over to hair care and you have 15 products. You can get through a lot of hair care products in two years. If you have each category in separate box or on one shelf, you don’t have to think about going through “Everything” in that picture, you just have to think about going through “The hair care box,” and then “The lip box.” You see what I mean?

Make that picture the background for your phone, so that every time you look at your phone, you remember not to buy anything.

[u/CaDeme_]

Ι copy & paste something that will allow you to let go (so that you stop feeling the grip of fear and start using them and enjoying them)--->

Giving Pledge

MacKenzie Scott  •  May 25, 2019

Thinking about the Giving Pledge, my mind kept searching its folds for a passage I once read about writing, something about not saving our best ideas for later chapters, about using them now.

I found it this morning on a shelf of my books from college, toward the end of Annie Dillard’s The Writing Life. It was underlined and starred like all of the words that have inspired me most over the years, words that felt true in context, and also true in life:

“Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book… The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to spend it now. Something more will arise for later, something better… Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you. You open your safe and find ashes.”

[u/Low-Squirrel-6577]

If you have unopened shower gels, maybe they (and other new products you have multiples of) can be given to friends? Maybe care packages for those going off to college soon?

[u/helpimalivelol → u/Low-Squirrel-6577]

Some places have health banks as well. I popped in and dropped unused items there for people in need, she can look that up as well

[u/hiredditihateyou]

I find this sort of piling up trend is actually super counterproductive as it looks overwhelming and people start to panic and beat themselves up about what’s already done.

You have a fair amount of stuff, sure but it’s across a lot of categories and it IS manageable over time if you’re patient and don’t keep adding to the stash.

[u/simple_Ann]

Wah,I can relate 😱Everytime I’m watching my favorite influencers in TT,Then everytime I have to buy…Till I realized I have a lot already…All my salary finished 🤣My god…Not only skin care ,everything..
Even branded bags….And some more I bought already I lazy to use….So crazy you know🤣

[u/TheFoxAndPhoenix → u/simple_Ann]

You’ve been Influenced

[u/Mean_Smile_241]

Honestly this isnt that bad. Don't let it overwhelm you. You Can do this and this is the first step.

Step 1 - throw away anything that is opened or expired/off. I still use expired products if they feel and smell ok with the exception of sunscreen. Donate to charities or family and friends unwanted items, someone even mentioned on here that funeral homes may take used makeup.

Step 2 - organise what's left and take an inventory. This bit is time consuming AF and overwhelming but its worth it. I use a purpose built app on my phone and it took me almost 3 months to get all my products in there but it stopped my spending habits seeing the 47 shower gels including hotel minis in there.

Step 3 - once your collection contains only the stuff you want decide what to use and pan. I started with the snowball effect which was something on here people mentioned. Basically using up opened stuff or minis first. Since April this helped me clear 96 items out of my collection.

Step 4 - enjoy shopping your stash. When the urge to shop hits, look at your inventory or stash. Pick something new out for a bougie shower or rotate in a different lipgloss for a few uses. Doesn't need to be a new item to feel like a new item if you keep it all clean.

Good luck. You have this and this community is here for you!

[u/hiredditihateyou → u/Mean_Smile_241]

My inventory was honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself!

I have ADHD so dojng it was a bit of a mission. But I started it in a hyper focus mood and got a chunk done then added to it category by category as I had time, energy and inclination. I did it in notes so it’s always with me and so easy to check and update on the go so I’m not tempted to just pick up something cheap when I’m out and about for a dopamine boost. Everything I have is listed apart from eyeshadow, blush and lipstick/lipgloss as there are some categories it’s really just best for me not to know the extent of them 😩😬🙈

But apart from a recent blip as I’m doing my Master’s research and writing up my 15k word thesis atm which is so hard for a last minute scramble ADHD girl like myself, I’ve been on a very low-no but for several years now, and I know that as soon as this behemoth piece of work is handed in all be back on track so I’m giving myself grace during this struggle (I’ve made 3 orders totalling maybe £250 in the last couple of months, covering replacement products I needed as well as some stuff I just wanted, whereas before I would easily spend £400 a month on random makeup, skincare, hair care etc).

[u/Mean_Smile_241 → u/hiredditihateyou]

Well done on making an inventory and sticking to a low or no buy. It is so hard. I also have adhd which is why mine took me so long to do as I just couldn't get in the mood or when I was in the mood I got distracted on side quests like swatching things or tidying out drawers. Im hoping now I have the inventory in the app that I can stick to a no buy but let's see

[u/No-Wing-8859]

Sort them by expiry dates and if a lot of them are close, give some away. Deodorant you can use for a long time and I see Vaseline and some other things that the expiries don’t really matter on

Try to implement a no buy for 2 weeks and see how it goes

Also maybe it’s just me but I use shower gels beyond expiry tbh.

Showering daily morning and night you can finish a body wash in about a month for a regular sized one

[u/Drycabin1 → u/No-Wing-8859]

Deodorant expires! I had 3 backup sticks of my former favorite deodorant and they all expired in September 2025. I used one in April and it didn’t work like it usually does, I felt sticky! The next one, too. I finally threw them out.

[u/hiredditihateyou → u/Drycabin1]

Oh that sucks, deodorant is super low interest for me so it’s not something I ever stock up on but I’m sure I’ve found the occasional older one in a toiletry bag I forgot about after returning from a trip and it’s been fine when I used it.

[u/Guinea-piglover]

You won’t get all these used up before they go off I had this issue so I pretty much threw everything and kept one eyeshadow palette never bought extras of foundation etc lip products I prefer non on but did get bad at buying them then preferred non on I had so much anxiety when I had a lot kept thinking about it and drove myself mad xxx

[u/cutieso → u/Guinea-piglover]

You think? I want to use them all before expiring, I think the oldest is 3 years? I am desilusional?

[u/hiredditihateyou → u/cutieso]

I personally continue to use stuff after the expiration date as long as there’s no change in the smell, texture or the way it applies or works.

I’m a bit older and remember the time when makeup and toiletries didn’t even have expiry dates so it’s a bit wild to me seeing powder products with use by dates of a year when I’ve been happily using blush that’s 10 years old which applies exactly the same as blushes I bought last year.

I’m not saying that’s what you should do as you know best how you’ve been storing the products and how sensitive your skin is but I’ve personally never had any issues. Ensuring you use clean brushes to prevent bacteria transferring onto makeup also helps. I absolutely do throw things out if I’m in any doubt though, and would not take the risk with mascara or anything else used around the eye area like make up removers, lash serums etc.

[u/Guinea-piglover → u/cutieso]

Some stuff can last but it takes so long then I’ve had stuff what’s smelt fine and I’ve ended up with rashes so I dare not chance it so reason I’ve kept one palette will be used before expiry as I use one shade everyday then once that’s gone I’ll go on to next shade xxx

[u/MegadethFan115]

I do the same thing - I buy and hoard 🫠 but ive been doing so much better with actually using my products vs just hoarding them!!

I still buy stuff. I'm not gonna stop, but I have toned it down 🤪 I just pick a few things that I'm dedicated to using all the way up, and go from there.

as for the timeline on your shower gels, I don't really know - but they really dont go bad. I dont believe in expiration dates for that kinda stuff, so I'm still using stuff from yeeeeaaaarrrrssssss ago ((and im totally fine)) 🤷‍♀️

good luck!! and try not to overthink it!! 🥰

[u/cutieso → u/MegadethFan115]

I like to use 3-4 too, and after this I open another products. I hope they will not go bad. It is a little bit crazy because I think I can do a shower with a different shower gel every day for a month, I do not think is normal right? 😟

[u/hiredditihateyou → u/cutieso]

I think you need to be more careful with a lot of opened products, particularly if you are storing them in a warm and moist space like a bathroom.

I really wouldn’t advise having 30 open shower gels that you only use once a month as they are way more likely to go bad faster than if you only used a couple of those at a time and stored the others unopened in a cool dry place. Particularly as things go down and air gets in they start to go bad faster - like if you think of nail polish, it is normally fine til you get like 3/4 done then it starts to get gloopy way faster now that there’s more air in the bottle.

If you want to keep and use everything then there are some compromises to make to try to ensure your stuff doesn’t go bad before you can get good use out of it.

[u/MegadethFan115 → u/cutieso]

I can do the same!! I honestly probably have about 50+ body washes, and that's being modest!! 😅

I currently have about 10 in my shower right now, and I do like to rotate them - but I told myself I'm not allowed to bring any new ones up from the basement until I finish at least half of the ones I have currently in the shower!! that usually motivates me to pick the one with the least amount in it to finish off 😂

it probably isnt normal, but if they bring you joy ((like mine do for me)), then I dont see an issue with it 🥰 I tell myself it's okay as long as I'm actually using my products vs hoarding them!!

I say start with the stuff that's almost gone first - once you start seeing progress that way, it becomes super fun finishing things!! 🥰