Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

IrisViolet

Well I did it! Three drawstring bags done, they are far from perfect but they work and I made them hooray!! I kind of cheated as I used pillow cases :rotfl: so not nearly as much sewing but just doing the channels took me long enough! But it has helped me get to know the machine and figure it out a bit so I'm feeling more confident to do something else now.
When I sorted the bedlinen I was left with a single duvet cover and four pillow cases spare that I dont need. I picked out a light a dark and a pinky case from this pile and now have a way to organise the colours in my wash basket so I can wait till a bag is full and my colours will already be grouped!!

I'm trying really hard to minimise and to streamline the house so day to day everything is so much easier. I already feel a weight is lifted in what I have done so far and I find im enjoying my days more and looking forward to getting up when I wake up instead of wanting to go back to sleep!! Long may this continue.

I was thinking about my bathroom towels before, most are second hand from mum when she cleared out, and looking a bit knackered, was going to replace but Instead I'm going to get them and darn any holes any have (I've noticed one or two) and then machine die them all. They are all currently varying shades of white/cream, faded cream etc, so was thinking I might dye them all fuschia. Save me a fair whack if I manage it and get me a few more years out of them.

I think tomorrow I will take the last leftover pillowcase and attempt to turn it into three small drawstring bags for my bits and bobs in my drawers (like hair brush and bobbles etc).

I also had a charity bag through the door today so asked the kids if we can go through their rooms tomorrow. Its an area that could really do with a clear out, they have so much stuff.
Will be decorating daughters room soon so will be nice to have only the things she really uses in their first. Hoping to get lucky with a really wood cheast of drawers for her too as she has a god awful canvas thing up in glaring pink. We have a few great second hand furniture shops local so will look about. I live Pinterest and found some great vintage kids rooms, my is that what I would love for the kids rooms. Nice and simple with good quality furniture and textiles, everything having a place and nothing garish. Have told them they can keep anything they love and enjoy though.

janb5

The trouble with dying towels is that it may be a false economy. Your towels are already older and were different colours so wont all dye a uniform colour. Maybe keep a look out as I picked up some fab towels in a CS because the previous owner changed their colour scheme? Just a thought.

Hoipolloi

DollyDabbler wrote: »

Mine are red handles too, but I hide mine, having found it was all too eady to find mine in my neatly organised sewing box, rather than look in their own bedrooms in their floordrobes :rotfl:

I hide scissors too, or they get nabbed by others, and never returned. The things we have to do eh? :beer:

[Deleted User]

I am making some carrot and coriander soup this morning as I have a kilo of carrots in the bottom of the fridge to use up.No dinner to make tonight as I am out at quiz night.

Mending wise I have a pair of DGS Henry's trousers to mend as he has popped the fastening on the waistband.I may have a look around to see what else needs sewing as I'll have the box out.

If I have time I could pop up to Dobbies to have a coffee at the U3A coffee morning as I have a free Dobbies coffee voucher to use up.Lunch will be soup and crackers then off to DDs to let the dogs out and prep her veg for their dinner tonight and probably hang the washing out as well
Hope you all have a good day what ever you are doing
JackieO xxx

silvasava

Iris - towels that are wearing thin can be cut up to make face flannels - just machine hem the cut edges. Re dying as Janb says differing shades will not turn out uniform & don't forget you will have to wash them separately or with similar colours as the dye will leach out a bit (DH's pink pants!)
LynP - well done on the trousers - Bargain!
Gym with my neighbour this morning & then back home to plant out my runner & French beans. I also bought 2 packs of living lettuce in Lidly & they'll be planted in an old window box & put near the house. They'll probably do us for the rest of the summer - not bad for £2
Have a good day everyone & hope you get to enjoy this good weather x

vhalla1478

Morning All,

Out on the school run this morning and shall probably end up at the supermarket as I need cream and milk to take me to the end of the month, but I've a £5 voucher so will try and spend exactly that - wish me luck!

Thank you for the compliment, Camelot. The way to keep your waistline trim is to take a pair of dumb bells (or tins of beans etc), hold your arms out at the side and twist round each way as far as you can. Start with 50 a day and work up to 300 and you'll never have to bother about your waistline again.

Well done, Lynn on your trouser find. Sizes on clothing are one of my bugbears - I have clothes in my wardrobe from a size 10 to xl and they all fit me. 'xl' with some manufacturers is a size 14. They need to get real when I believe the average size in the UK is 16.

Recipe later when I return - rant over!!

Viv xx

IrisViolet

Right you have helped make this decisions easier, I will cut losses and replace the towels. I'm going to go through them and I think I will make some face cloths and some reusable wipes for nappies. I have a few of these but could do with more as I always run out and then buy disposable ones, which is just daft when I'm already using cloth nappies may as well use cloth wipes. Will need some fleece to back with, may have an old blanket for this.
I'm going to put aside any that don't get made into cloths to use at my home birth, they can be binned after that.
I actually have two very large gorgeous towels that I got reduced in Costco, they were 3 quid but normally 30 quid each. I will look for some more good quality towels reduced, maybe two mediumnsize, and two hand size. Should do. There is so no need to have so many.

Today we are having a day in as we have three busy days after this it wears the kids out mentally as well as physically if we do too much stuff.
They will mostly just play, hopefully outside!

Today I have shopping coming, will make sure everything is put away in an organised manner. I've found with my fridge I keep any veg/fruit pre shop on a shelf together so I use it first. Going to organise other drawers and cupboards in there to streamline kitchen a bit. Been looking into konmari and I went on Pinterest a bit last night and love the organistaiinal methods for drawers etc.
Need to get washing outside in a mo to dry. Normally would have shoved it in tumble last night but if I dry outside prob save about £10 per month electric? Prob more though I do have an energy efficient machine it still eats electric.
Going to use up some questionable pears and apples no one wants to eat to make a crumble.
See about making my small drawstring bags out of left over pillowcase.
Go through house especially kids rooms with the charity bag.

My daughters friend is six on Sunday, need to sort a present out, may have something stashed upstairs if not will have to have a think.

Also want to get a new kitchen bin. Mine is rubbish and getting me down. I want a good quality pedal bin that will last a long time. Any recommendations?? I'm so over buying stuff to chuck I want to replace things with good quality that will last and last now.

Its funny thinking really we are going back to the old values many had no choice to have but I wonder how many of these people kept these values going old. I know my gran (born forties) loves her washing machine and hoover etc, but she also loves her knitting, crochet and cross stitch etc, and cooks properly.
My parents are really wasteful. Particularly my mum. She gave me a dressing gown last week, said she had a tidy and found seven (!) She has never used! Madness.

janb5

Iris- maybe she just wants to give you some nice things on the pretext ` she has too many` Sounds a lovely lady!

vhalla1478

Afternoon All,

Just a quickie and I'll post a recipe later.

If you are an avid coffee drinker some of Taylors of Harrogate's coffee is down to £2 a packet in Morrisons. And on the subject of prices, I read a news article today stating that Poundland prices are high! for example, 250 gram packet of Kellogs cornflakes, £1 at Poundland, 750 gram packet at Tesco £1.98, therefore Poundland is 52% higher in price. You certainly have to have your wits about you when shopping today.

Viv xx

misstara

Afternoon everyone,

It's a lovely day here again so am currently sitting in a park enjoying the sun. I had a nice day out with my gran yesterday - we went for our walk along the old railway line and enjoyed peering into the gardens of the fancy houses which back onto it then went to a wee vintage teashop.

My knitting started well but went a bit wrong when I switched from plain to purl. Not quite sure what I did, planning to look at YouTube later to see if I can get an idea of where I went wrong.