Simplifying household stock and introducing routines

mardatha

Absolutely loving this thread too, just sat and read the whole 5 pages

Bumblebear

I've also found that across all consumables, having discovered multiples of many "things" has provided the opportunity to do some consumer testing, i.e. if I have 4 opened packets/bottles/jars of opened this/that/the other, in using them up I can actually make an informed decision about what I'll purchase in future.


Whilst I'm not recording every single thing, so far only two high end products have made the short list; sugar free jam (£2), and a tinted/gel/moisturiser/bb cream (£27 [EEK!]). The former is delicious and DH and I are both relatively health conscious, and on this occasion we're willing to pay extra to avoid the sugar; the latter, whilst expensive, does the job of several products in one and lasts 6-9 months. Taking into account the special moisturisers, primers, toners, fancy cleansers I don't need to buy as a result, this is probably a saving in disguise. It also simplifies my morning routine. I would dearly love to be someone who can confidently leave the house without make up on, but quite frankly not even the kitchen sink has seen me without the tinted/gel/moisturiser/bb cream, powder, mascara and a tinted lip balm as a bare minimum.


Annoyingly, one of my 'simplified' products which cost pennies and did the job of several old products is being discontinued - Boots own brand cold cream at less than £2.50 per pot. Since the only alternative I can see is Ponds, which comes in more varieties than you can shake a stick at (I just want a plain one!), I'm uncertain whether or not this is the right time to buy several pots, if I can find any left in the shops. It's not something that will go out of fashion with me, but I've been working so hard to reduce my stashes of such things...

purpleybat

Bumblebear wrote: »

Annoyingly, one of my 'simplified' products which cost pennies and did the job of several old products is being discontinued - Boots own brand cold cream at less than £2.50 per pot. Since the only alternative I can see is Ponds, which comes in more varieties than you can shake a stick at (I just want a plain one!), I'm uncertain whether or not this is the right time to buy several pots, if I can find any left in the shops. It's not something that will go out of fashion with me, but I've been working so hard to reduce my stashes of such things...

apart from the thick emollient gloop I slather on twice a day (that makes me feel grubby but is needed) I swear by nivea soft cream, I stock up when its on special offer cos I know I get throo lots and it doesn't make me itch. astral is okay I find as an alternative but its thicker

wort

Molillie, GQ recommends to use things up e.g. socks , keep using the same couple of pairs ( or how many till next wash) that way they wear out quicker than if you have 15 pairs and wear them all in rotation. She passed on that tip on the kondo thread and I hope she doesn't mind me passing it on . It can be used for things like sheets and towels so they get worn out faster and can be ragged ,and not replaced until you really need to.

Molillie

thank you for that Wort, I suppose the difference is that a few items, socks, towels, etc, wear out at a time if always the ones being used, whereas in a larger rotation they all go on longer and wear out far closer together.
Someone on a preparation for retirement thread a while back mentioned his old teacher saying that he had rotated his set of ties all his working life, and they had lasted, but people wearing one or two had to keep replacing them.
It doesn't really matter when there's plenty of storage, but I lack that, and do feel that emptier places look better and are easier to clean. Over the last year or two, staying in some airbnb places and other holiday lets, I've been very aware of how pleasant places are without too many things stored there, and everything being well-chosen and appropriate.

GreyQueen

wort wrote: »

Molillie, GQ recommends to use things up e.g. socks , keep using the same couple of pairs ( or how many till next wash) that way they wear out quicker than if you have 15 pairs and wear them all in rotation. She passed on that tip on the kondo thread and I hope she doesn't mind me passing it on . It can be used for things like sheets and towels so they get worn out faster and can be ragged ,and not replaced until you really need to.

No probs, hun, proud to be quoted.

I have more inventory in the sock department than I have ever bought, having got several carrier bags of cast-off socks from Mum when she decided that they weren't needed (thick socks for trainers) or were too tight around the cuff and leaving welts on her legs. Apart from my special hiking socks, which have pride of place in the drawer, the general socks are in two baskets (kondo-rolled, of course) and a carrier bag in the bottom of the airing cupboard.

I have so many, I literally dare not count them. I run a laundry load twice a week and have 4 pairs of socks on the go. Even getting so much action, they take a long time to wear out.

I'm doing the same with some bedlinen, towels, teatowels etc. I really do recommend the technique if you want to reduce the overall volume of this kind of Stuff you have around the place. HTH.

Bumblebear

Thank you GreyQueen - I have been doing this with toiletries and cosmetics, things that have a finite use. I hadn't thought about doing it with other household and clothing items where the expiry point is a little more subjective! I'm pretty good with bed linen, I have two sets for my bed and one set for the guest room; I purchased the better quality stuff from Ikea years ago and I'm pleased to say it's lasting well. The old sheets were used as dust sheets for decorating.


I finally convinced DH that his old towels are more suited to the dog than him and got him some fresh ones (same again, Ikea cheapies, doesn't like the thick plush ones ), but I need to make sure that the dog gets the old towels now, and her old ones are thrown out (I need to convince her that her old towels are now more suited to the bin).


My underwear and sock drawer is a different matter entirely and I'm now inspired to deal with the situation this weekend!


On a similar note, I used up a tube of make up this morning, which I was pleased about, however I hadn't actually got enough out to use. So I went to the next tube in the queue, which was a sample size. I squeezed and squeezed, but didn't get enough out of that to finish the job (I must had taken it on holiday and brought it back in the belief there was enough for another go). So on to the next one. The end result is I'm wearing 3 types of foundation today. If anyone has noticed they're being polite.

tooties

I am loving this thread, thanks to everyone who has posted.
i have acquired some great new ideas to try out.
Please keep them coming.

regards

[Deleted User]

I think one of the reasons we buy so many things is because it is aspirational.

We want to be the person who needs to buy an amazing dress / piece of jewellery / handbag as we have an exciting event to attend where we can wear the item. We image ourselves living this amazing, glamorous life when in reality we sit at home in our pjs eating biscuits.*

Advertising pushes this idea of the glamorous lifestyle. We got rid of our tv many years ago. We now see very few marketing messages and so don't feel the need to buy lots of 'stuff'. I clean with washing-up liquid and occasionally bleach, we just have one brand of shampoo (I have even stopped using conditioner), my husband has changed to using a safety razor, we own very few clothes etc.

We try and think about the whole cost of a purchase. For example if I buy a new gadget for £20.00 what are the other costs? It needs to be charged so an extra cost for electricity, it needs replacement parts every now and again and so I will have to pay for those and then there is the extra attachment to buy too. Also, if you had not spent the £20.00 and popped it into a savings account what would it be worth now?

I think the other reason we buy is that it is always nice to have shiny, new stuff and even though we don't buy much I still struggle with this. I have imposed a limit that if I want something unnecessary (e.g. a new board game) then I have to try and buy it secondhand, or in a sale. Just had to wait for a frustrating 3 months to buy a new game using this method. :cool:

Sorry, a bit of a rambling post there!

*By the way it is not a bad thing to sit in your pjs eating biscuits :rotfl:

Bumblebear

Spider_In_The_Bath wrote: »

I think one of the reasons we buy so many things is because it is aspirational.

We want to be the person who needs to buy an amazing dress / piece of jewellery / handbag as we have an exciting event to attend where we can wear the item. We image ourselves living this amazing, glamorous life when in reality we sit at home in our pjs eating biscuits.*

Definitely not me - I don't actually like shopping, I find it stressful and would be much happier sat at home in PJs eating biscuits. However online shopping is far easier and far less stressful! (and can be done sat at home in PJs eating biscuits, funny that...)

Spider_In_The_Bath wrote: »

I think the other reason we buy is that it is always nice to have shiny, new stuff

That could be me, though I'm making a conscious effort to make do and mend this year. DH seems to find it funny and occasionally comes out with "but why not just get a new x/y/z?". Not helpful!

Going back to the original title of the thread, I think a lot of my, shiny, new, duplicate purchases actually stem from trying to simplify and introduce a routine - "product a would do the job of product b and c, in less time". Tastes change, needs change, and then you find yourself with products a, b and c and no blithering use for any of them!