New Year - same wardrobe

I was going to post photos of my latest wardrobe for Project 333, but then I realised that, with a small number of exceptions, it was pretty much the same wardrobe as I've used for Oct-Dec.  I've not really needed any new clothes as I can make the ones I have work for me.

I've had a new experience of no impulse buying in the sales.  I made a list and stuck to it.  Previously I'd had stormed in and bought whatever I liked.  I decided I needed a long black dress (for formal work events) - tracked one down in the John Lewis sale (£35 down from £120) and ordered online.  I've tried it, it looks good, so I'm keeping it :-).

I've been aware that I have a lot of black in my wardrobe, despite it not really being one of "my" colours, so I've allowed myself to order a few things from Braintree in their sale.   I'm loving their colours (purples and teals) at the moment and also love the fact that their an eco-friendly company.  I've also resolved that if they don't fit, I'm sending them back - not keeping them "just in case"...

As there's nothing very exciting happening in my wardrobe (well, apart from the obvious being-able-to-wear-my-favourite-clothes-every-day) I've set myself a few new year challenges:

- Read 52 books in 2015.  I love reading, but life has taken over and I have books I was bought for Christmas (requested books) four years ago that I've still not opened.  This makes me sad, hence the challenge.  It will also help declutter the house as, in many cases, once I've read the books I will probably donate them to friends/charity.

- Make more meat-free meals.  I tried to be vegetarian once - after working in a pizza factory and being revolted by all the processed meats - but I couldn't give up bacon.  I lasted August to Christmas.  However, I think it's healthier and better for the environment to eat less meat, so I'm going to experiment and find some meals than both my carnivorous partner and I will enjoy.  Tonight we tried this and it was fabulous.   There is also a decluttering mindset behind this.  We get a veg box delivered every other week (I know, so middle class...) with a wide range of veg - I have no idea what to do with most of them, but they come with recipe cards and it forces me to use them up (and eat veg).  I don't eat fruit so sometimes eating 5+ veg a day can be a challenge.  If all else fails, apparently there's veg soup at the end of the week (I have bought a blender after a traumatic experience on the notorious "cabbage soup diet" in the 1990s).

- Use up my huge stash of toiletries.  It's not just clothes I've had a glut of.  I have at least one drawer of toiletries that I bought when on offer, so have enough shower gels to last me to retirement.  I've sorted out those products I'm definitely not going to use and donated them.  I still have a drawer full, but am working my way through.  Things like body lotion (which can be a faff putting on in the morning when you're running late) are actually being used.  I smell better.  I'm getting into a routine of having a bath every week (also my reading time) to use up products and chill out.  So far it's working...

Secretly I'm looking forward to the next round of Project 333, from April-June.  I think this is partly because I culled my wardrobe after last summer and may be "allowed" to go shopping!  Although again I have a set list of items I need to complete my wardrobe.  I always struggle a bit with spring/summer as I suit dark colours best, but the shops are full of pastels.  I'm also hoping for brown coloured clothes to come back into the shops, as black is definitely not a great spring colour.