I have attempted to declutter my life a number of times in the past, all to no avail. We live in a culture of consumerism, and though you can’t take it all with you, many still have the prevailing notion that he/she who has the most stuff wins.
When I began traveling for work years ago, I tried to stay in as many Westins as possible for two simple reasons – The Heavenly Bed and oatmeal soap. I even recall begging other co-workers staying at Westins to hijack the maid carts on their floors during their trips and acquire as many oatmeal soap bars as possible while they were away from their carts, disinfecting wash basins.
During multiple night trips, I was also guilty of not using the products from the first night and simply hiding them in my suitcase so the attendant would leave me another set of the products for me to also not use then and there, but add to my suitcase.
Soon after I started collecting various hotel amenities and bringing them home from my business trips, the next thing I knew, I had two shoeboxes full of soap, lotion, bath gel, shampoo, conditioner, and pretty much anything in little bottles that they left in the bathrooms for me to use. These two boxes are how they stand now – there were more products, and there was a flow of using some and adding others, so the full take over the years was at least double this bounty. I shudder to think of how large this unnecessary collection would be if I had removed the amenities from every hotel I visited.
Now, it’s time to use this crap. The shampoo and conditioner will go quickly. The bath gel will be useful with those scouring body-scrubber things. The soap…I’m a bit concerned that this quantity of soap will be with me for some time. Perhaps I’ll carve some soap animals. And the hand lotion, good lord. Much of this is indeed hand lotion, which I don’t use all that much in the first place.
When I began traveling for work years ago, I tried to stay in as many Westins as possible for two simple reasons – The Heavenly Bed and oatmeal soap. I even recall begging other co-workers staying at Westins to hijack the maid carts on their floors during their trips and acquire as many oatmeal soap bars as possible while they were away from their carts, disinfecting wash basins.
During multiple night trips, I was also guilty of not using the products from the first night and simply hiding them in my suitcase so the attendant would leave me another set of the products for me to also not use then and there, but add to my suitcase.
Soon after I started collecting various hotel amenities and bringing them home from my business trips, the next thing I knew, I had two shoeboxes full of soap, lotion, bath gel, shampoo, conditioner, and pretty much anything in little bottles that they left in the bathrooms for me to use. These two boxes are how they stand now – there were more products, and there was a flow of using some and adding others, so the full take over the years was at least double this bounty. I shudder to think of how large this unnecessary collection would be if I had removed the amenities from every hotel I visited.
Now, it’s time to use this crap. The shampoo and conditioner will go quickly. The bath gel will be useful with those scouring body-scrubber things. The soap…I’m a bit concerned that this quantity of soap will be with me for some time. Perhaps I’ll carve some soap animals. And the hand lotion, good lord. Much of this is indeed hand lotion, which I don’t use all that much in the first place.
2 comments:
There is a good use for these items!! I have two "guest baskets" for overnight guests at my house. One for guys, one for girls. In it I have all essentials you might need and forgot...toothbrush, paste, etc. All the stuff I collect at hotels goes into these baskets. SO in my guest rooms people staying over get great shampoo and soap etc...
Just thinking of uses:)
FG always has the best ideas!!
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