The Den Cleanout Challenge

Yesterday I pulled a soap out of the back of one of three shelves that I use to store soaps.  This particular soap hadn’t been used in nearly two years and when I opened it, I was disappointed to see mold had started forming.  A quick sniff solidified my decision to toss the puck because that was not a scent I wanted on my face!  I then started poking around some of the other older soaps and, thankfully, I didn’t find any others with moldy spots.  But a few were shrinking and a couple had shrunk considerably. 

In the past, this type of occurrence has had a tendency to force me into a Den Clearance.  Over the past few years, I’ve noticed, participated and administered my own “Den Clearances” on the BST.  But in my experience, the “clearance” does little more than put a small dent in the den inventory.  So small that it’s quite unnoticeable.  I decided to change that this weekend.

One of the reasons why my Den Clearances have made minimal impact is because I truly enjoy the various soap/AS bases and scents.  Sure, I have my personal favorites but I do enjoy the many choices we have available to us.  That makes it very difficult for me to sell many items.  So, I decided instead of having a Den Clearance, I would have a Den Cleanout and force myself to try a more minimalist shaving experience. 

The Den Cleanout goal was to get the three shelves of soaps and two shelves of AS/toners/balms down to one shelf.  And for the next year, I am going to use only the products on that shelf.  I figured 10 to 12 soaps and 10 to 12 post-shave products should be plenty.  But as I was going through the inventory, I realized there were a few soaps/splashes that were close to being finished.  Another 10 soaps/6 splashes were added and I will be trying my best to finish them off over the next year.  I decided to take the Cleanout Challenge even further by committing to using only 4 brushes and 3 DE razors.  With the exception of my travel setup, all other products have been packed up and will be taken to the basement. 

I’m really curious to see how I react to this minimalist (at least in the eyes of wet-shaving hobbyists) approach.  Here's a pic of the "one-shelf" products:

Ah, but what happens to stuff in the basement?!



When I put stuff in the basement, it is just for storing "out of site!" May the Force be strong in you and you can dispose of it as needed!



But for now, I think I get what you are doing. 


The above (all of it!) is meant to be taken as good-natured ribbing. I was a minimalist by design, then, to borrow a phrase from B&B, I treewhaled for most of 2021, more than quadrupling my stuff in every category, and now, like you, I am trying to trim it down to the bare essentials, plus items I just enjoy too much and minimalism be damned!

Kudos, I'm a minimalist in my mind too I actually commend the attempt. I went from @150 soaps and now hover around 50 which I'm comfortable with but may go lower too. Best wishes on your success!

The above (all of it!) is meant to be taken as good-natured ribbing. I was a minimalist by design, then, to borrow a phrase from B&B, I treewhaled for most of 2021, more than quadrupling my stuff in every category, and now, like you, I am trying to trim it down to the bare essentials, plus items I just enjoy too much and minimalism be damned!

Absolutely good-natured ribbing!  Much better than the "looks" i've been getting lately from the Mrs

My "rabbit hole" has always been soaps and splashes.  I've gone on a couple sprees when it came to razors and brushes but I really know what i like in those two categories so i don't seek out or spend much there...not saying I won't, but it's much easier to hold back on those purchases.  Part of this personal challenge is to reduce the soap/as spending.  There are a couple of exceptions, most notably when I run out of BTRC Sandalwood, it will be re-purchased.  We'll see how it goes though...knowing all those goodies are just a staircase away that's going to be tough if i start getting bored with the "chosen" soaps.

Kudos, I'm a minimalist in my mind too  I actually commend the attempt. I went from @150 soaps and now hover around 50 which I'm comfortable with but may go lower too. Best wishes on your success!

That statement sums me up very well!  I love the look and atmosphere of a minimalist space, I've just always had a hard time maintaining the look.  Both my home and primary offices look like a tornado hit them!  I'm starting with the Den Cleanout but really hope it leads to a more organized and better looking office space too

Just out of curiosity, how were you able to get rid of nearly 100 soaps?  Those seem to be the most difficult to sell on the BST

Kudos, I'm a minimalist in my mind too  I actually commend the attempt. I went from @150 soaps and now hover around 50 which I'm comfortable with but may go lower too. Best wishes on your success!

That statement sums me up very well!  I love the look and atmosphere of a minimalist space, I've just always had a hard time maintaining the look.  Both my home and primary offices look like a tornado hit them!  I'm starting with the Den Cleanout but really hope it leads to a more organized and better looking office space too

Just out of curiosity, how were you able to get rid of nearly 100 soaps?  Those seem to be the most difficult to sell on the BST

I narrowed down to 100 and then down to around 50 so it was incremental. Some but probably the minority were sold on buy sell trade. Many of them were just gifted away because once you get down to a certain price point that people are wanting them given to them for next to nothing I prefer to give them to who I would like to and have been generous to me in the past. As I got down around the 50 mark it got harder cuz as you said you think about how much you do enjoy those scents. I've actually been thinking about culling some of my vintage and antique stuff in an effort to get the razors down to a more perhaps not minimalist but much more reduced number. Seeing your attempt is spurring me on to give it a renewed effort with regard to razors and brushes.

Kudos, I'm a minimalist in my mind too  I actually commend the attempt. I went from @150 soaps and now hover around 50 which I'm comfortable with but may go lower too. Best wishes on your success!

That statement sums me up very well!  I love the look and atmosphere of a minimalist space, I've just always had a hard time maintaining the look.  Both my home and primary offices look like a tornado hit them!  I'm starting with the Den Cleanout but really hope it leads to a more organized and better looking office space too

Just out of curiosity, how were you able to get rid of nearly 100 soaps?  Those seem to be the most difficult to sell on the BST

I've actually been thinking about culling some of my vintage and antique stuff in an effort to get the razors down to a more perhaps not minimalist but much more reduced number. Seeing your attempt is spurring me on to give it a renewed effort with regard to razors and brushes.

Hopefully only the duplicates! Many of us mark Williamsburg as a Bucket List destination to see the Shaving Antiquity Museum there!!

Starting this new adventure off with one of the all-time greats...Mike's Natural Soaps. 

So, looking at your one shelf I see a conspicuous absence of Bay Rum soaps or splashes .... and Tabac! 

That might be a PAA bay rum hiding in the back left in front of the jam jar but still

.. But as I was going through the inventory, I realized there were a few soaps/splashes that were close to being finished.  Another 10 soaps/6 splashes were added and I will be trying my best to finish them off over the next year.  ...

I have formalized my soap rotation by printing off an alphabetical list. Occasionally I hit one that I would consider skipping over because I don't care for it as much as the others.
My strategy now is just to double or triple the amount, and use it up faster. Most of my soaps are croaps that I scoop out with a 1/4 teaspoon (because 1/4 teaspoon per shave is a good default amount), so that's easy to do, compared to charging a brush from a tub or puck.