Prairie Purge, Take 2

Prairie Ma makes a statement without saying a word.  EXCLAMATION!

I am sure you all remember the liberating, decluttering of my bathroom (Prairie Purge - July 17, 2013).  I bravely rid myself of Clinique bonus buys, stinky lotions, and an alarming amount of coral blush.  I am like Oprah (well, in most ways I am NOTHING like Oprah - but give me this), when I find something that works for me or that I like, I want to share the joy.  Pass it on.  Pay it forward. 

Can you feel the love and harmony?

Last time I was at my parent's house, my mom and I were getting along great.  We had a fun day of shopping and strolling through my dad's flower gardens.  It was all vanilla lattes, BLTs and Care Bears.  Until... until I needed some hand lotion and innocently went to find some in my parents' medicine cabinet.  My self-righteous, Prairie Purged self could not handle what I saw behind the cabinet doors. 

This is just one section of their medicine cabinet.  Note the row of Exclamation perfume, saved from my high school years.  (I alternated between Exclamation and Sand & Sable.)  Can you spot the older than dirt - older than Moses - older than Mickey Rooney nail polish?  Or the piggy paste?  Prairie friends, here is a fun game - can you find the Clinique bonus products in the cabinet?

I had to pay it forward and Prairie Purge my parents' bathroom cabinets.  Oprah would want me to share the joy of calm bathroom shelves.  Shelves only filled with products that are actually used.   

Sadly, my mom had no interest in throwing things away and organizing.  She thought a better idea was to go to bed and be well rested for another day of shopping.  I can be kind of a bully when it comes to sharing the joy.  So, I made my mom declutter her bathroom.  I both found and found out many interesting things.

• Mom likes to lengthen the life of her ancient mascara by adding tap water.  A resounding Glamour DON'T.

• Mom has 26 different products that promise to boost the curl in her thick locks.  She admitted that none of them work.

• Dad has been storing his shaving supplies in the guest bathroom because there was no room in his own bathroom.

• Mom had a bread bag stashed with the last bits of bars of soap.  You know, the part most people just throw away.  We had the biggest fight over that bread bag of nasty soap bits.  Mom was insistent that it was good soap and could be used.  I used the broken record technique and kept asking, "By who, Mom?  Who is going to use this soap?"

• The cabinet is home to my dad's gall stones.  I took a photo of them, but decided not to use it.  We are already down 40 Russian readers and I don't want to lose any more. 

• Mom saves the barf bags from . . . actually, I have no idea where she got the barf bags from.  I told her no one was going to rummage around in her bathroom for 15 minutes when they have to vomit.
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• Dad keeps purchasing more and More and MORE toothpaste and "Working Hands" lotion because he thinks he has run out.  (Note:  Dad never has to buy toothpaste or working hands ever again.  Remind him of this if you ever see him roaming the aisles of Costco.)

Three hours later Mom and I were done.  Mission completed.  I paid it forward.  I can rest easier knowing dad now has medicine cabinet real estate and that my mom isn't endangering her skin with rancid Bath & Body lotions.  Life is good.

Prairie Eydie

P.S.  Next time I visit my parents, I am going to take on my mom's freezer full of rugs.