The Proliferation of Perfection.

I love Pinterest. It’s a fun way to gather thoughts, recipes, and cool home decorating ideas for how to make your house look like an Ikea catalog for even less than Ikea prices. However, the more I look at it, the more I want to stick a fork into the word “perfect“.

The perfect winter drink!
The perfect shoes!
The perfect playroom!
OMG, the perfect no-bake dessert! (that still requires cooking and comes out looking like Gollum’s underpants…)

Why are we obsessed with perfection? Especially since we never, ever find it? I mean, really. If those were the perfect shoes, you would buy several pairs and never any other. If it was the perfect storage solution, the search would be over and your house would look pristine. It’s time to stop pinning perfection!

The quest for perfection has gotten me into hot water over the years, especially as a new mom:

1) The perfect diaper bag. I don’t even know how many diaper bags I bought/sold/traded before I realized the perfect one did not exist. No, I needed two or three for different scenarios. Hundreds of dollars there.

2) Ah, strollers. Researched to death, bought several, sold several, kept some. I wish I could say this was only in the hundreds of dollars, but I’m sure it was more. Never found a single perfect one that did it all. I ended up with three.

3) Cloth diapers. Bought a ton for my firstborn, sold everything when I realized I was a blubbering mess of uselessness when he turned out to be high-needs and glued me to the couch for six months. Bought again for #2 when I discovered that no disposable could contain #2. Went a bit crazy with the stash this time, but at least I used everything. No prefolds for me, though. I went the ea$y route: all-in-ones and all-in-twos. Those are not cheap.

4) Car seats. I did manage to limit myself to only one or two or three extra car seats. I had to stop paying attention to new releases.

5) Makeup, nail polish, jeans, shoes, boots. Haven’t found perfection in any of these, and have the receipts to prove it!

I eventually tired of the baby gear, and came to the conclusion that I was bored with searching for perfection in all material things. The explosion of perfect on Pinterest sealed the deal for me. I will not succumb to those false promises again…and I won’t repin your pin if it has the word “perfect” in it.

Tuesday Update: Goal-Based Shopping.

I don’t want to buy any more clothes until I lose weight. I know, I know, everyone says this.

But this is the first time I’ve ever said it. See, I’m a firm believer in dressing for your current body. I always want to look good so I make sure I have clothing that fits, even if it’s not in my ideal size. I won’t wear anything baggy or too tight. If it doesn’t look just right right now, I set it aside. I also don’t keep my previous wardrobe once it’s clear I’m not going back to my previous size.

Not shopping again until I reach a goal weight is new territory for me! I’m putting a spin on it, though. I’ve selected one really great item for every 10 pounds that I lose. The first couple of items are the types of things I can wear now, but will look even better when I have fewer rolls. A knit top and a shirtdress. I steer away from knits right now, given how they put every bulge on display. (Hi there, spare tire!) I’ve wanted a shirtdress forever, and while I can easily wear one now, it would be nice to find a really great one in a month or two. I also plan to spend the month’s clothing budget one one single piece. It needs to be that spectacular.

I decided to try goal-based shopping for two reasons:

1) I really AM going to lose weight, and am already on a roll. I only have two pounds to go before I earn my first reward!

2) I’m addicted to fashion, and choosing some fabulous items to strive for is great motivation. If I had the pick of the litter, I’d buy one or two key higher-priced pieces instead of buckets of cheap rags. As of right now, I only fit into the cheaper stuff, since designers don’t like to design for people like me. (What was that guy’s name from last season’s Project Runway, who was so thoroughly disgusted at the thought of designing for a “real” woman?)

I’m very excited about this. I’ve been shopping several times since making this decision. Not for me, but for my kids. I’m not even tempted to look around for myself. I’m making my list online only and will not try anything on until I’ve reached each goal weight. I’m giddy at the thought of being able to find something in high-end department stores and boutiques!

Now I need to squeeze in a workout tonight, so I can hurry up and get my first reward!