Clear the Den (Not Hardware)

[Flying Bald]

I have been on a personal challenge of excess vs necessity. I’m fairly new to the DE / SE shaving (5 years) and as I can only imagine, many of you went down the same rabbit hole. Way too many razors, soaps, aftershaves, blades, etc...

Hardware obsession I can understand. So many razors, so many choices, and so many varying results. Easy to solve as you can swap and sell.

The challenge? I had so many soaps and aftershaves, I wanted to see how long it would take to clear out all my soaps, aftershaves, or similar products.

Well, it’s been almost a year since I have purchased any soaps or aftershaves. By the looks of it, I still have another year left! Goodnight!

Just curious to know if any such challenge has crossed your mind. I took on this hobby of wet shaving to save money and it was clearly a better shave. I suppose I’m saving money now but the first few years was a rabbit hole. I have enjoyed the journey and love the other fellow wet shavers and community.


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[BigJ]

Join the club!!
I am currently struggling to get through the 2018 Shaving Purchase Sabbatical!!

So far, so good. BUT I could go another year or three without depleting the stash!!

 

[bkatbamna]

I used to store soaps and creams in the basement in a box and bring up 5 or 6 to use at a time and rotate them every so often. After remodeling the kitchen, I had a bunch of extra kitchen cabinets so we hung one on the wall in the bathroom to store my shaving stuff. I brought up all the soaps and to store them in the cabinet and realized that I have too many. Not to mention the 25 or so brushes that I have. So I haven't bought any soaps or creams for at least a year.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I haven't fallen down any rabbit holes, but am accruing stuff quicker than I'm using it up. It's not due to shopping frenzies, but just how long everything takes to use up.

I barely have anything compared to many members here, but still have several years supply due to how long they take to work through:

500 blades, at a consumption rate of 25 to 30 per year.

Three and a half craft soaps giving me 200 shaves each, and a puck of Mitchell's giving me 500 shaves. That's 1200 shaves before I add in the spare Palmolive shave sticks at 200 shaves each

Three EdTs, which will take me years to get through, plus a few aftershaves and balms, as well as me experimenting with making my own concoction.

A mere fraction of what most people here are wrestling with, but it takes very little stuff to end up with a multi-year stockpile.

 

[Somnos]

Well I have a healthy rotation going that is for sure of everything. I don’t need anything but I enjoy adding new stuff on the software side of the house. However, 2019 will be a calm year for everything me thinks. Time to enjoy and I will only add the stuff that is stellar eg @Tommy Tutone (Jerry) was kind enough to PIF to me a Saponificio Varesino - Dolomiti soap along with the Mergress from the Saint Sue auction and I will be adding the matching balm to go along with it. Thanks Jerry and thanks @Dave in KY for PIF to me some Lisa's Natural Herbal Creations, Amber and Tobacco with the Delta Echo Cubano Edition Slim...two B&B Gentlemen...

 

[ajkel64]

Razors are my problem area, I just cannot stop buying them. I can contain myself to around 10 soaps and about 5 creams and about 15 brushes. RAD is pretty serious.

 

[andromeda673]

I’m the opposite, I’m all about going lean and mean, I got into this to save money, get a better shave, and treat my skin better.

I’m pretty proud to say I haven’t gone down a single rabbit hole. I’am going to ask for the razo rock American barbershop combo for Christmas, but that’s it. I have two soaps three aftershaves and about 50 blades or so. I’m prettt much set!

 

[Flying Bald]

I’m the opposite, I’m all about going lean and mean, I got into this to save money, get a better shave, and treat my skin better.

I’m pretty proud to say I haven’t gone down a single rabbit hole. I’am going to ask for the razo rock American barbershop combo for Christmas, but that’s it. I have two soaps three aftershaves and about 50 blades or so. I’m prettt much set!

Impressive! I happy to see that I’m not alone and RAD is real and so is the soap and aftershave disorder. Congratulations on being one of the few to walk the line.


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[johnwick]

I plan on having a 2019 purchase sabbatical with one major exception... if I can at some point be lucky enough to sign on at Wolfman and snag a WR1.

I’m hoping that having that carrot on the line, while not guaranteed, will help me abstain and temporarily cure my SAD, BAD and RAD otherwise.

 

[andromeda673]

Although there are alot of soaps out there I want to try, I'd just much rather use what I have, then start to buy them as I finish them.

 

[simon_zzz]

I'm almost 1 year in and I put a stopper on this real quick as I noticed it was getting out of control.

I'm going to pay more for top-notch artisan soaps because they work the best. I just need a few. Moreover, there's no need to hoard or double-up on anything particular as it is nice to try out new scents.

Plus, soapmakers are constantly improving their bases that it is nice to think what may be available a year from now.

The more dangerous part of this: I started getting in fragrances because of this and have already spent more on frags in 6 months that wetshaving in the past year.

 

[andromeda673]

I guess I'm blessed being broke then.........can't spend what you don't have.

 

[johnwick]

I guess I'm blessed being broke then.........can't spend what you don't have.

Keep a dollar in your safety deposit box. That way you’ll never be completely broke!

 

[Northstonehill]

2 years into DE shaving. I have sombered somewhat on software, bought way too much for a time there

I have 6 soaps in rotation along with about 10 splash aftershaves. That’s ok I think, now I only rebuy when I need to stock up. I have a stack of 200 Feathers always around but only rebuy when it is near depletion. 5 brushes in total, only use 2 (one Chubby1 at home and one Wee Scot for travelling).

And I just crossed the 50 mark on vintage razors, that’s my rabbit hole and I love it

My secret drawer of surplus stuff that I did not like on the first try contains 6-7 soaps and a dozen aftershaves. Would love to PIF them if anyone would pick them up? Anyone?!??!

 

[Northstonehill]

I'm almost 1 year in and I put a stopper on this real quick as I noticed it was getting out of control.

I'm going to pay more for top-notch artisan soaps because they work the best. I just need a few. Moreover, there's no need to hoard or double-up on anything particular as it is nice to try out new scents.

Plus, soapmakers are constantly improving their bases that it is nice to think what may be available a year from now.

The more dangerous part of this: I started getting in fragrances because of this and have already spent more on frags in 6 months that wetshaving in the past year.

+1, I agree to everything said, sir!

The fragrance path for sure is dangerous.

 

[Egmont]

I decided to use up all my soap and cream years ago. To give you perspective, I’ve never purchased an artisan soap. That trend started after my decision. My last major purchase was 2014 in Germany, even though I had plenty at home.. It has been a lesson using it all up.

I should be finished in 2019. After that I plan to limit my stock to 3: 1 soap, 1 cream, and 1 stick in my travel kit.


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