Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2018

silvasava

Make do - DH is spray painting some of my fitted cabinets in our breakfast area - they are 25 years old but good quality and only need a bit of TLC to update them. He's also taken the front off the gas fire to spray paint the cream metal to silver grey (special heatproof paint) to smarten it up.
Honey chicken & chorizo potatoes from the freezer for tonight. Odd combination but need using lol!
Mend - not really a mend but DH thought the seat sensor in his new to him car was broken as the seat is supposed to return to the correct driving position when you get in and it didn't - I had a brainwave & said have you programmed it in - no - doh! All done now and working fine so saved some pennies.
Minimise - lots of glass & china that we no longer use from the cupboards as I was cleaning them out while the doors were off!

dND

Still here as no takers for the farm but I am making a change for this winter. I've decided to return to the UK for 4 months to try and pick up some work and a bit of needed cash.

This in turn has precipitated a massive clearing of the house as I will have to have housesitters in to look after the animals (which is good as I'll not be leaving the house empty for a long period).

Make do: Eating through my meat stocks as the sitters I have are vegetarian and I need to generate freezer space for them.

Mend: Everything that I can as I still don't want to buy anything new in France if I can help it. Plus, I have needed to swap my study and bedroom over as my sitters are a couple and will need a bigger bedroom. So the walls of the new bedroom painted and wooden floor re-stained.

Minimise: Moving around the 2 rooms meant emptying everything. wardrobes, chest of draws, filing cabinet etc. I've resisted just putting stuff straight back in. Every file in the filing cabinet has been gone through and all old and unneeded paperwork recycled or burnt depending on what information was contained. All clothing gone through again with a far more critical eye as I will have to make enough space in the wardrobes for the sitters to live here for 4 months. The result was another dozen small bags into the clothes recycling.

I'm working on trying to turn the disappointment of not selling, (in fact no interest at all this year) into a positive with preparing for moving back to the UK.

The upcoming (hopefully) job, gives me something to aim at and as a bonus should provide some funds and start me having a presence back in the UK, ready for my eventual return.


Weird - I've been trying to post since this morning but for some reason I got the 'you are blocked' message. I've just found that I'm not blocked on other threads, so closed this thread and re-opened it and it's worked. Very definitely confused here :rotfl:

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

dND, well done on putting the disappointment behind you :T
You have taken seriously positive steps towards the ‘2019’ sale of your French home Rearranging rooms to suit a family presence & decluttering at the same time will mean that ‘when’ you return to the U.K. for good you will have far less stress :T:D

I am keeping everything crossed that you have a quick success in finding a job but please do not exhaust yourself by working long hours & remember that we are all here to give at least ‘virtual’ support if you need/want it

Positive vibes are winging their way to you as I type

MrsSD

dND

Thanks MrsSD. It's giving me the proverbial kick up the derriere that I need


Having been out of the job market for a long time, updating my CV is a bit of a chore and as for being 'interviewed' by computer selection!!! Still, it's a bit positive on that front, but getting to have a face-to-face interview date sorted for when I'm visiting the UK in a couple of weeks....well that's another matter :rotfl:


And thank you all, as my MSE threads are my sanity :eek: :D
Deborah x

WeeMidgie

Make do: I have kitchen taps, the sort that have stubby lever handles, which are on the bucket list to be replaced. The cold tap is on the left and turns on when the lever is turned to the left. The hot tap is on the right and turns on when turned to the right. It is shoogly and can turn itself back on. The make do fix is I've stretched a large thick elastic band between the two taps which pulls the levers together into their off positions, good knowing the hot tap is definitely off.

Mend: I resurrected my printer which has been in a cupboard for a very long time. So far, so good, the scanner was the function I needed, it needs a new black cartridge so that's Episode 2, for another day, after I've bought and fitted a new cartridge.

Minimise: a couple of cushions to the charity shop; an empty jar and lid to a friend; two nested suitcases to a secure communal cupboard I didn't know about in my block of retirement flats. Great to have the space freed up by this.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Make Do: los from last night’s hm meat loaf & hm potato salad for dinner

Mend: Pair of knicks, pair of underpants & a pair of socks

Minimise: baking ingredients - made Lincolnshire Plum Bread & cheese savouries

Hopeless_Case

Had quite a good make do and mend weekend -

Make do: I sowed some seeds and used the salad tray from the old freezer and and large plastic food saver tub (with a lost lid) as cloches - doubly pleased as i was loathe to throw the food saver away but couldn't think what I could use it for and didn't want it to be clutter/hoarding

Was thinking I needed a new throw for the sofa now it's getting cold, and remembered my yoga blanket in the cupboard - perfect

Mend: Sewed up another plastic reusable shopping bag and 2 Mantaray tops which I love but which both had holes/split seams. Not smart enough for work anymore but definitely still lots of use in them

Siebrie

Mended: 1 woollen jumper, 2 leggings, 1 T-shirt, 1hi-viz vest, 1 cardi, 1 sleeping bag.

Make do: leftovers for dinner and lunchboxes.

Minimise: every time I walk past dds play corner in the living room, I throw something away. Usually a mcd toy or half finished drawing.

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Make Do: DH ordered Chinese for dinner :T

Mend: A set of 3 circular boxes made to look like a snowman with hat, mittens etc - reattached the mittens

Minimise: cleared the tops of the wardrobes & have several pictures, photo frames & a couple of hold-alls set aside for CS + broken wheelie case & suitcase inserts for the Tip.

Wraithlady

Make do: Finishing off the uncompleted home-made fleece jacket I abandoned years ago, so I don't have to buy a new one
Mend : The pile never gets any smaller, but I will glue the ribbon back on an enameled papier-mache mask so it can be put back on display - will have to think about how tp attach it more securely, but it will do for now.
Minimise: Firstly, 4 lots of fruit from the freezer (and one jar of bottled damsons) either used or awaiting use for jam, also dinner from freezer or stores. Secondly (after OH got attacked by items falling from a shelf in the spare room), said shelf got ruthlessly tidied with paperwork, pictures and cd's put away properly, binned or put to go to CS. Hello, nice clear shelf with some space on it!