For me, perfect is a word that is usually never put in the same sentence with organized. Things may seem like they were placed well at the moment. But maybe a year or so later I can completely rethink everything and find an even better place for it.
My bag collection has moved around quite a lot since I first moved into this house. Everything used to be& sprawled across a shelf inside the closet. Then I got a couple new bags and the shelf became an eyesore to look at and dig through whenever I was pressed for time to leave.
I upgraded to an accessory hook as I bought more clothes and needed the shelf space. The Container Store is a treasure trove for organization enthusiasts. Although the Classico Accessory Hook was described to be for scarves, belts, or ties, it was a great solution to help consolidate the space my handbags and book bags were taking in my closet. Plus for $2.99 it was a quick and inexpensive solution, at the time.
Little did I know, I was solving a space problem but creating a practicality problem. Getting to other bags was a pain in the butt. If a bag was hung a long time ago, it required me to take out every bag that was hung after that to get to it. The exception was for cross-body bags; those have long straps and I could easily loop through the bundle in one fell swoop.
A good long stare at my closet as a whole gave me an idea to the storage problem: doors. All that free space that was going unused! If only I could somehow hang all the bags up without damaging the doors in any way. I toyed with the idea of getting Command hooks. But decided against it in case they weren't strong enough and they definitely weren't the most affordable option.
Luckily, The Container Store was having a sale at the time and I was able to find 2 different over-the-door organization contraptions that fit what I was looking for. Both made use of a space that previously was unused and made it ridiculously easy to see and grab the bag I needed. The Chain Purse Organizer was perfect for my handbags, while the Door Hook was perfect for my book bags.
Set up for both organizers were quick and simple. All that was needed were my hands, a stool/ladder, and the contraption itself. The only thing I wish I had double-checked on was the width of my closet doors. I lucked out with the Door Hook organizer because it came with 2 sets of different sized hooking mechanisms. However, I had to push my luck a little, literally, with the Chain Purse Organizer as the included hooks were just a tad small for my doors' thickness. Nothing a bit of force and slightly indented door edges couldn't fix.
So far I have ben really loving the current setup. It is perfect, for now.
A part of me can't believe that it's been over 2 years since the last haul post on this blog. But looking back on it, I know why and how it happened. The main culprit was that I never shared the massive beauty haul from Korea. Inevitably, a month went by. Then two months. Then two years. It was very easy to fall off track once something wasn't a part of my routine anymore. Waiting to use products, taking photos, and sharing them were habits that became no more.
As I began to clear out the super old products in my collection that I had been hoarding, I realized how useful those past haul posts could be. Some items that I thought were not too old were actually quite the opposite. Having some sort of record helped me hoard less and made it much easier to toss out unloved products.
Thus I have decided to revive the haul posts again! I would be completely lying if I said I don't spend an extraordinary amount of money on beauty products compared to most people. But compared to me from 2+ years ago, I can say I have been scaling things down.
This August 2016 edition features some skincare essentials in my beauty routine. Eye makeup remover, sunscreens, and foot peeling masks. While the Sephora Collection Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover and The Face Shop Smile Foot Peeling Mask are both repurchases, the two bottles of sunscreens are new buys.
I am not very loyal to any particular skincare or makeup product. It doesn't help that there is always new releases and innovations in the beauty world. When my sunscreen was running low, the hunt for a replacement was on. My specifications? Physical sun protection. Doesn't leave a white mask.
Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day UV Sunscreen SPF 50 and Look At Me Jelly Sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++ seem to fit the bill ingredients wise. But the true test is definitely whether it comes with a white cast or not. But hopefully not.
A Mandy haul isn't complete without at least one impulse purchase, now is it? Bestie C was purchasing the Kojie san Skin Lightening Soap and said it was similar to the papaya soaps that were really popular a few years back on the Soompi selling forums. I remembered having decent results with that soap for exfoliation and my summer tan lines back then so I was intrigued by this soap. I don't have any expectations since it isn't a brand or product that I have heard of before. Let's see how it goes!
Today marks the 2 year anniversary of sorts of the day I returned home from my study abroad in Seoul, Korea. It was never my intention to drag out the Korea Diary logs for such a long period of time but that's how it ended up. Time sure does go by quickly. As I finally finished reminiscing those days and essentially said goodbye to that time of my life, it is only appropriate for me to say thank you to everyone who followed along the way.
My travel logs may not have been the most interesting. It certainly didn't receive as many views as my past beauty posts. Yet this was a period that I equally wanted to reflect upon for my own records.
For those that found the journey worthy of a little bit of your time to read, thanks!
I've gathered some goodies from various Korean beauty shops as a little token of my gratitude for the support. Some items are personal favorites of mine and others are just random bits and bobs that looked nice. Hope whoever ends up winning will enjoy everything I've amassed!
This is an international giveaway and will end on September 10, 2016 11:59PM USA Eastern Standard Time. As it is meant as a thank you for those that followed me all this way, the only requirement is that you are a follower via Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin'. It will be a bonus if you also follow me via e-mail and social medias (Instagram and Twitter). I will be going through to verify all entries and a winner will be selected randomly within a week of the giveaway ending. The winner will have 3 days after I announce and notify. If not, a new winner will be selected instead. In case the Rafflecopter form does not load on this post, please CLICK HERE.
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