The process of elimination and organization: a spring ritual

 For many of us, the process of elimination is fierce and daunting. How to go about it without a sense of loss? On the other hand, the specter of chaos is looming. We tend to amass hundreds of bottles and, on top of that, thousands (it seems!) of samples and decants of things to try. One needs to take a step back, if only to fully understand and assess what one is about to write about, right? Since there are many different types of perfume users, there are also many different views on how best to proceed. Samples clutter is a persistent thing in our wardrobes and blind buys a peril strewn path.

pic sozgems/pinterest

 

It's a great disappointment to rampage through shoe boxes filled with scattered samples and decants to find that one elusive, old specimen that one kept for reference only to come across a battered and worn pouch with an empty vial inside... I was searching for an old decant of Les Exclusifs de Chanel Coromandel Chanel Eau de Toilette the other day to compare again with the different version of Coromandel Eau de Parfum Chanel, and it was indeed in such a state... I bet it has happened to all of us at some point! 

Rows and rows of carded samples, decants stacked one beside the other, and little notes with handwritten scribbles about what to notice and what to do next arise from such adventures into the chaos of my drawers. Not anymore. I vowed to bring order into this mess for 2023 and be better organized regarding one of the tools of the trade -the sampling process. 

 

via

Bottles of Acqua di Parma Iris Nobile mingle with Diptyque Figuier. Chanel No.5 with Izia.

To that end, I have bought fancy carton boxes with pretty prints. Stripes for contemporary brands like French Leather Memo Paris and fancy illustrations resembling Mucha for the vintages such as Monsieur Rochas Eau de Toilette Concentree by Rochas' various decants and Candide Effluve by Guerlain Ebay dregs. 

 

on etsy

I will make carton dividers for brands with labels on top. The perfect filing system, like Mrs.Lemon in Christie's Poirot stories used to daydream about. It's really taking over my free time, but the experience is worth it. At last, knowledge and access are at one's fingertips!