Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

silvasava

Welcome to the gang Weesmiler - you sound as if you have a plan and that's very good as it will give you both some breathing space to take time and enjoy your little one's first years. LOTS of support on here in all sorts of ways.

Sasha - the way I do it is to turn the trouser legs up to the right length and then tack them up about an inch from the folded edge. You can then cut off the excess about another inch from the tacking stitches and turn the raw edge in and hem/machine. That way you won't end up with one leg longer than the other!

Done B all today apart from four loads of washing. DH had a crown come off but managed to get an emergency appointment with our lovely dentist who fixed it back on for him and didn't charge! She's lovely Tea was Spag Bol & garlic bread - thought he'd better have something soft just in case.
Have a good evening all x

meritaten

hi all.
misstara - it can depend on how you hold your yarn, new knitters tend to just pick up the yarn to wind round the needles, then let it go when stitch is knitted. do you wind the yarn round your little finger, and keep hold of it all the time? this is one of the things I teach the grandkids when they start knitting - it helps to keep your tension even and stops those annoying gaps.


I just realised half hour ago I am qualifying on the MM&M front on Sundays and Mondays! I deliberately prepare and cook more for a sunday roast dinner than we actually need - then I Smoosh up 'leftovers' with the stick blender for 'dinners' for my newest granddaughter - She is six months now and has been eating 'proper' food for a month. she was a big baby but she now weighs 20lb 7ozs!!!!!!!!!!! I usually get about 5 or 6 portions - plus any meals suitable midweek are also 'Smooshed'. DILs usually then just buy enough jars to keep for emergencies or to take out.
I have always prepared baby meals for the grandkids - those jar meals are so expensive! and I am sure they are not as good as homemade - luckily DILs have agreed and are happy to fill their freezers with whatever I whizz up for them.

vulpix

hello weesmiler,you sound very well organised and i am sure you will find plenty of tips and support here.

sasha,I cant add much to how silvasava has explained to turn trousers up other than measure a pair that are just the right length and turn the new ones to the same measurements.

prinzessilain could you put a dart or two in the waist of your trousers? I do that sometimes as I have a small waist compared to b-m.

I am proper fed up.Upset even,I just hate it when people have an opinion of you that you think is not fair.Had to admit defeat with one of my cuts from the op and have had an upsetting set of conversations with receptionists and nurses.Got antibiotics now but think i will try to clear the air when i have to go back on Wednesday.

The house woman got in touch,not going to happen for us.Back to the drawing board.

laters Vx

iamsalt

Hello. Long time lurker here. I tend towards the MMM generally, but it is becoming more imperative that I can get my OH on board too. I work full time and my oh is looking for a job and has been since he was made redundant last year. We have been getting by on my salary, and his redundancy but that's reducing fast and it will be tight living on my income alone unless we both make changes. I have been inspired by what I have read.

I am trying to declutter as well because when I moved in a couple of years ago half of my stuff came to his house and was shoved anywhere it would fit, the other half of my stuff is in storage, that would save £70 a month alone if I can reorganise things.

Any ideas for what to do with about 30 pairs of worn once or twice ladies socks which are patterned and have pictures on. Mum gave them to me, as she can't get them over her swollen ankles, and I have a drawer full already.
Thanks S x

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

Welcome weesmiler and iamsalt. I think you and I have met on other threads weesmiler - as you will both find this is a very friendly and helpful and caring thread! Inspired by our dear Cheerfulness!
BTW Cheerfulness hows the expanded budget going?
Vulpix - bless you what a horrid day - sometimes medical professionals attitudes are really shocking I was so lucky with my leg last year but before that I had a health visitor (who had never had kids) with a most unsympathetic manner - she set social services on my friend, when my friend threw her out of her house. My friend was the eldest of 6 and on her third child! Her house was clean, her kids fed, eldest doing well at school - but madam know-it-all came round one day in summer when they were having a water fight and being boisterous! She claimed my friend could not control her kids and allowed dangerous play! nonsense!! Hope all goes well for you and that the antibiotics work well and swiftly.
My extremely low budget of 5 pounds is doing well - I had two pounds and 32p left last week (and I treated myself to a choccy bar ) However, Friday was the 'empty the purse and start a new week' day but have not actually spent until today - grand total of 2.97 at the 99p shop - I needed tea bags and kitchen roll and treated myself to a six pack of bacon wheat crunchies (I have had a 'fancy 'for crisps all week and they are only 125 cals a bag - so not too bad!) I probably wont eat anymore for about a week! but it saved me from buy an expensive single packet from local shop!

Have been pottering quietly today gradually putting stuff away in my new cupboard and clearing up. Felt quite exhausted till about 3pm - do wonder if i am fighting off some cold or other bug from one of the kids I teach (I only do 1 to1 - mostly with troubled children). then the rain had stopped so did my hour's walk to the bank, 99p shop and back home. :beer:

to the person who finds it difficult to get rid of kitchen equipment - you are not alone!! I need 3 square cutters; 3 round ones; a snowman; a holly leaf; a Christmas tree and a tiny one that makes stars, small circles, triangles and somat else! I do! I do! I do! (please note kids are now 28 and 32 - I am no longer making cakes for them LOL) :rotfl:
Going to bed early as have loads on tomorrow - nite all!

meritaten

if its been in storage for two years - do you NEED it? could it be sold? apart from precious momentoes, could you sell off the stuff in storage?
also go through the house and anything you haven't used or is replicated could be sold. major project I know but, it could raise valuable funds. and if its not 'antique' stuff then its depreciating each year.

nursemaggie

iamsalt I wish you good luck with your declutter I have had to do this many years ago and the few things my ex agreed to declutter were very few indeed. It was mostly my better quality and younger stuff that had to go.

It turned out his supposed younger WM was 10 years of age of mine and broke down unrepairable a week after I sold my own less than six month old. I found the receipt later and was furious.

If he has receipts make sure you see them. £70 a month is a lot of money for things you can't use. That's £840 a year.

Just don't throw anything out of his without consulting him. He will never forgive you. Men have disproportionate attachment to old rubbish. The jumper that has not fitted him since he was 16 and has huge holes under the arms is worth more than the crown jewels.

As for the socks I would go through my own and throw out any less than perfect and send to a CS any of your mothers you don't like. People will buy any socks that are newish.

Can anyone tell me what I could do with trousers that are just too big on the thighs. I always find them very baggy on the thighs. To get them to fit there I need to have to buy about three sizes too small for my waist and hips. I only take size 10. It is the back of my legs they are all too baggy. They never used to be like that.

misstara

meritaten wrote: »

hi all.
misstara - it can depend on how you hold your yarn, new knitters tend to just pick up the yarn to wind round the needles, then let it go when stitch is knitted. do you wind the yarn round your little finger, and keep hold of it all the time? this is one of the things I teach the grandkids when they start knitting - it helps to keep your tension even and stops those annoying gaps.

Thanks meritaten. No I don't hold on to the wool all the time so this sounds like where I'm going wrong. Will have another go tomorrow.

weesmiler

Thank you all for the warm welcome!

Lynplatinum - yes, I've seen you on NBI and Konmari threads - they all seem to tie in nicely together

Iamsalt - I would recommend a look at the Konmari method for your big declutter. I have also had trouble trying to get my DH on board. Sometimes I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle trying to keep the house tidy and organised. It's as if he deliberately makes a mess just to annoy me!

Princezz- no I can't knit but I have been gifted some beautiful knitted things for the baby already from family friends. Lovely little cardigans, a gorgeous crocheted shawl, 2 pram covers and a little car seat cover.

weesmiler x

weesmiler

nursemaggie wrote: »

iamsalt

Men have disproportionate attachment to old rubbish.

Nursemaggie - never a truer word has been spoken! :rotfl: