Product Consolidation Project

15 years ago

When I find that I have several opened containers of the same thing I routinely consolidate products like ketchup, oil, vinegar.

Today I took it to another level. I was cleaning out the grody under kitchen sink cabinet. I discovered things like 3 opened bottles of Jet Dry, 5 bottles of silver polish, 2 bottles of Greased Lightening, etc. I got to thinking, I have some of these same products in the bathrooms, pantry, and garage. So I pulled everything out looking for like products. Very few of these products were magic bullets to clean or cure something so I figured it wouldnÂt hurt to consolidate them in the same container. Here is a list of most of the products I consolidated:
Alcohol

Band aids

Body powder

Body wash

Dish soap

Foot lotion

Furniture polish

Granite cleaner

Greased Lightening

Hair conditioner

Hair gel

Hand lotion

Jet dry

Mouth wash

Nail polish remover

Peroxide

Rust stain remover

Shampoo

Silver cleaner

Stainless steel cleaner

Sun screen

Toilet bowl cleaner

Window cleaner

Well, after 8 hours, I filled 3 large garbage bags with empty product containers. For example, I had 7 bottles of Greased Lightening; 6 bottles of body power; 10 bottles of conditioner. I consolidated them into as few containers as possible. I pared down to 1 bottle of alcohol in each bathroom, 1 bottle of shampoo in each bathroom, etc. Imaging the space generated by throwing away 3 garbage bags full of various empty containers!

I told DH that we have enough hair spray, shampoo, conditioner, household cleaners, and band aids to last us the rest of our lives.

Small step towards getting rid of THINGS!

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Comments (8)

jannie
15 years ago
I don't think I've ever finished a bottle of shampoo. I'm so vain, I love buying "the latest" shampoo. So I have a bunch of semi-useed bottles. I find they make great soap for washing lingerie and sweaters! Congratulations on your project!
mustangs81
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks Jannie, I'm the same way with makeup and of late it has been mineral makeup. I ended up combining all the foundations in one container, finishing powder in another.

I'm always upgrading but rarely find the perfect product.
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pammyfay
15 years ago
Very smart! A pat on the back to you!

My "product consolidation project" is to just USE the things that are in my health/beauty aids closet instead of buying more. And that includes trial-size things: I've decided that I really don't need those--I have the kind of travel plastic bottles that are sold empty, and all I need is to pour my regular shampoo, liquid soap into those, and LABEL THEM PROPERLY! That's my biggest problem--sometimes the shampoo and soap smell so similar that I can't recall which is which, so I say "To heck with it--I'll just buy a travel bottle of shampoo." Bad, bad, pammyfay!
jannie
15 years ago
Use them-great advice! In my bathroom I have floor cleaner, rug cleaner, dish soap, cabinet cleaner, window cleaner, oven cleaner, etc, you name it. Like I said with my collection of 20-years-worth of crafts magazines, "If I start now, and don't buy any more, maybe I'll be done with all of these things by the time I die."
graywings123
15 years ago
Quite an impressive list, Mustangs! And I couldn't help but notice it is in alphabetical order - LOL!

I had a similar consolidation project. As we were packing to move move into an apartment while our house was being built, I started putting like things together. ALL scissors spread throughout the house, all rolls of tape, etc. It is amazing how much stuff we accumulate.

I found 13 cans of Love My Carpet in my MIL's basement during a clean-out.
jannie
15 years ago
Thirteen cans ! Wow!
mustangs81
Original Author
15 years ago
Pammy, Labeling is key. I kept telling myself that I would remember. Who was I fooling?

13 cans! I only had 3.
donnawb
15 years ago
Isn't is amazing what we have and don't know it. I cleaned out under my bathroom sink a month ago and had so many duplicates and did similar to what you did. The stuff I bought and didn't care for I gave to my neighbor to try.

3 bags is a lot. Good for you.

I always try to keep the excessive in the pantry and when you take the last one you need to write it on the list but I am the only one that seems to do that.