Current goals (for the next year)
Background:
Even though it's only been <5 months since starting my fragrance journey, so much has happened that I feel the need to slow down and keep my collection small for many reasons (no one needs to explain why they want less). I have never been a 'collector' of anything, and even when I have become very focused on various things, I tend to build up a small, very manageable collection, and then stop and almost never really pick it up again (e.g. when I expanded my collection of crystals, CD's, vinyls, makeup) after some mini-decluttering and organising. And there was always a goal to it that I feel I did reach, and that goal was usually to have a curated collection of [whatever it is] that I love, feel very drawn to and feel encouraged to use. But I do fear that it may not be the same for my fragrance collection. 5 months is not a big journey, so is it even possible to stop here and keep a collection of under 20? Even cut it to max 15?
Currently:
- On a no-buy, ideally for the rest of the year, but realistically, probably for however long I can last
- Making a 10 rules/guidelines for me to keep a small, curated collection
- Considering everything in my collection, identifying a few that I want out of my collection first. Deciding whether I should aim to use up some as quickly as possible or declutter them.
To look back on in APRIL 2025:
1. Get use out of my current collection over a whole year, until April 2025 (marking one year since I had really organised my collection), to determine:
a) Did I reach for everything enough?
b) Identify the ones I didn't reach for much and declutter them, no matter what the reason was for not wearing
c) Did I get enough use out of my rollerballs? Did I enjoy them just as much?
d) Did my favourites remain my favourites? Or did they shift at all?
e) Were there any 'gaps' in my collection (such as occasions I felt I had nothing to wear)?
f) If yes, is it worth filling those gaps with something I already know I like, or should I go on a search for something?
2. Figure out my golden number of fragrances:
a)After decluttering and spotting any gaps, what is the number of fragrances that I can stay happy with and rotate through for a whole year?
b) Am I happy keeping rollerballs of any? Or do I want the full-size bottles?
3. Look into the future:
a) Are any of my current favourites now discontinued? If yes, do I feel the need to buy a backup of them? Will I use it quickly enough to warrant a backup?
b)When my bottles are finished, will I repurchase all of them?
4. Look into the past:
a) Did I feel satisfied after I decluttered all the ones I did?
b) Do I regret decluttering any of them?
c) Do I wish I had decluttered any but didn't? Or wish I did sooner?
d) Can you explain how you know you really want a fragrance once you've tested it? Or when it's blind buy that you really want?
5. Look at the present:
a) Are there any that have stayed on your mind for a long time that you still want to buy?
There were (as of early June 2024) 27 fragrances that made it into your collection this year.
b) How is that number now? How do you feel about that?
Hopefully I will not expand my collection any more for the next 10 months, and in April 2025 I'll come back to these questions/goals and have my answers for them!
5b) In April last year, 27 fragrances had made their way into my collection (and most of these made their way out too). Now that number is a total of 36 since the beginning of 2024. How do you feel about that?
It's a big number and I have come to terms with how crazy I went, and how much money I spent. But I am happy, and proud, that so far this year it's been cut drastically, and only 1 purchase has been made. I am obsessed with whats in my wardrobe now and that makes me very happy. I could not have got here without everything I purchased. No one has psychic ability to know which ones are perfect without trying them out, even when you already know how they smell- you don't know how well they will do for you until you wear them more than once.
I still really enjoy sampling, so I've bought samples and don't regret doing that. It's all learning about notes and learning about my own taste :)
No, but I do wish I didn't buy some so I never needed to declutter them!
d) Can you explain how you really know you want a fragrance after testing? Or when its a blind buy you really want?
I don't blind buy now, unless it's a small size that's cheap. Basically I look into every single review out there, every single video and comment. Every fragrance listed as similar, and then decide, but usually I just let it go. As for those I've tested, it needs to fit a gap in my collection, or replace something that's on its way out.
5a) Are there any that have stayed on your mind for a long time that you still want to buy?
I'm still thinking about Angel EDT, but same as last year, I am happy to wait. I think it's a very mature scent, so I might suit it more when I reach 30. I still have my sample vial of it, and just bought another, so I can still keep testing it.
I don't think I will always have rollerballs in my collection, but when I do have one or more extra scents, it likely would include a rollerball. But for my favourite, permanent scents, I will always have the full bottle I think.
3a) are any of my current faves discontinued and will I feel the need to buy a backup?
From my absolute most important scents, none are discontinued. I think if it does happen (I do worry that Black Opium Over Red may be discontinued eventually), I will come to terms with it then. I want to avoid buying backups from now on, especially when my collection is larger than like 5 bottles.
b) When my bottles are finished, will i repurchase all of them>
Most of them I would. I'd say 6/10 I would.
4a) did I feel satisfied decluttering all the ones I did?
YES! It was necessary
b) do i regret decluttering any of them?
Not regret, because it was realistic to let go of them, but I do miss smelling Aura.
Yes they pretty much did! I'd say 80% anyway.
e) Were there gaps in my collection (such as occasions I felt I had nothing to wear)?
Nope! I am really happy to have found the best variety of scents for everything in my life. On any given occasion I find I have a good choice of about 2-3 perfumes that are suitable, so the choice is always easy.
2. Finding my golden number:
a) What is the number that I can stay happy with and rotate through for a whole year?
I'd say 10 is the biggest variety that I enjoy. More feels like I have extras, and I currently have about 4 extras that I'd like to not have permanently. 10 is actually less than I thought I could do, especially by this point, only 1 year later. Last April I was struggling to get under 20, and wanted to aim for 15 and found that too difficult at the time.
So obviously the no-buy did not happen lol, but I did do some good decluttering and better purchasing decisions and I now do have a small curated wardrobe (I've stopped calling it a collection because I'm not collecting, I'm wearing my perfumes like I wear my clothes. I don't collect clothes).
1. So it's been 1yr since I started wanting to organise and cut back.
a) Did I reach for everything enough?
Yes, what remains in my collection I reach for regularly- given the right season. I recently decided to declutter the one that I did not use more than a handful of times
c) Did I get enough use out of my rollerballs? Did I enjoy them just as much?
Yes I still like rollerballs a lot. I decluttered two of them, but I used up one entire rollerball in 5 months, and am still getting through 2 more at a pace I'm okay with. Since they're small amounts of perfume (10ml), it's clear that they're not my favourites in my wardrobe, so I'm okay wearing them less.