Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2019

silvasava

2scratters - my small bedroom is a dump and as fast as something goes something else seems to take its place! I've loads to get rid of either on FB or EB just need to work up some enthusiasm to do all the photos.
My mending/alteration pile is also slowly rising and the paperwork mountain hasn't shifted. Think my get up and go got up and went!

squishylove1989

Hi All,

Long time lurker, irregular poster lol. I was just wondering if anyone has recommendations on blogs/vlogs or social media they follow that has the make do, mend upcycle and thrifty living at the heart of it?

I have recently given up my job (a mixture of health issues and my manager not taking on the recommendations of Occy Health, leading me to resign). We are fortunate that my husband's wages will cover everything but I want to look at how I can do things to reduce our spending further, get into better habits and hopefully lose some weight, live a simpler but happier life and do our bit for the environment.

I'm always up for learning new skills (sewing is one I need to master) so anything you can recommend I should learn, or blogs/vlogs that would teach me new skills that would help in the thrifty journey would be great.

Ghostcat

Hi there,👋
New poster here,well I was once on this forum as witchwomble a couple of years ago,but life happened and had to deal with it so I can’t get back on as that for some reason,probably lapsed too long.
Anyway just to reply to squishylove,that I’ve found some lovely blogs/vlogs lately,and thought you’d like them.
One I love is The last homely house,east of the sea,on YouTube,absolutely lovely lady doing amazing things,with fabric,quilts,sewing,pottery,loads of stuff,a lot is very thrifty too,and she’s an amazing teacher with regards to the sewing.Ive got loads of little projects lined up now,for little money,thanks to her.A lovely person to listen to as well,and cats! What’s not to like!
Another person I follow is bealtaine cottage,Collette o Neil,Ireland,also on YouTube,she also has a blog,beautiful photos of her cottage and permaculture gardens,she’s an absolute inspiration,what she has achieved on her own with very little money.
Anyway I’ve waffled on enough ,so I’ll try and remember the others and post again.
Hello to everyone on here,have read these forums for years,and feel I know you all,have followed your stories and have lived a life similar to your own in lots of ways.
Have had an absolute shocker of a time,the last couple of years,and have often just sat and read you all when I couldn’t sleep,so thank you all for keeping me company even when you never knew you had!
Blessings,

squishylove1989

Thank you so much Ghostcat. That sounds like just the sort of thing I'm after so I will check it out. Sewing is a skill I really want to learn. It's so versatile and I think it could save me money in the long run.

Hubby and I were actually having a conversation a couple of days ago about how we seem to be coming to a divide between the digital world and the real world and the skills needed are very different. My Goddaughter is being taught to code in school. My friend and I finished our education 12 years ago and already feel "outdated". I want to have my feet firmly in both camps. I want to have as many practical skills as possible, as well as a true understanding of the digital world so I can work remotely.

I'm really excited for the challenges ahead and changing our mindset to a new way of living. I always get really happy watching The Good Life and whilst that isn't really practical for us, if I can get us even some of the way there, that would be amazing.

Ghostcat

Ah squishylove that’s my pleasure,I know it was big life changes that caused my husband and I to re educate ourselves around our finances ,and I’d had enough of worrying about money,and decided to take the finances in hand myself to basically pay off debt and reduce our mortgage,it never seemed to go down any time I looked at it!so the first step in my money saving journey was coming on here,and it’s been invaluable to me
I think you are right,there is a massive gap between real world skills and practical life skills these days,I feel that the people who can hang on to the practical skills whist engaging with newer digital skills will be in a good position to weather any difficulties that lay ahead.i know I’ve seen how even education has changed in the last 10-15 years and how few real life skills are being taught in schools,because they simply don’t have time,and how that has had a negative impact on students.
I feel the same way about wanting a Good life lifestyle,and even though I live in a seaside town ,in a terraced house and garden ,I’ve made my life the way I wanted it to be years ago,it might not be a cottage in the country (yet) but I’ve got a mini orchard in the back garden,pears,apples,plums,cherries,mostly reduced trees,or gifts,I grow loads of herbs,seeds,and my garden is my sanctuary,it’s all done on a shoestring mostly.
Waffling on now ,my MMM I just remembered,I patched up some old jeans,they’ll be ok for gardening,I’ve pickled a ton of pears,tons left to do too!im off to make some homemade seed packets for Christmas this afternoon,oh another blog I just remembered is What vivi’s did next,also on YouTube.
Blessings,

silvasava

Welcome to the thread Squishy & Ghost!

Glad to have you both along for the ride. I dont particularly follow and blogs & I only use YT if I need clarifiaction on how to do something but there is SO much you can do to ensure you have a thrifty life without being austere.
Growing some of your own is satisfying - even if you only have a couple of pot herbs (repot the supermarket ones - cheaper than the garden centres & repot the 'living' lettuce to last you a month or more)
Do you have a practical hobby you enjoy? Knitting,sewing crochet? All can be used to great effect in your home and to dress yourself.
Batch cooking is a great economy, especially if you have a slow cooker
I could go on but do post what you'd like to tackle and I'm sure you'll get plenty of support on here.

Ctross posted with you Ghostcat - seems your already on board with home grown! Well done.

BTW I drove past my local SM the other day and there is the most laden apple tree in their grounds and NO ONE picking any!! What a waste - I didnt either but that's becuase I've my own with plenty to pass around the neighbours

Ghostcat

Hi silvasava,lovely to be welcomed 😀
Yes ,sewing ,knitting etc can really help with making do ,and mending,such useful skills,
Mind you being left handed brings its own challenges on the knitting front for me,as my poor mum would testify to! It may have been chucked across the room on a few occasions,after failed attempts to teach me.
I love my slow cooker too,It’s used regularly this time of year,I think the secret is not to add much liquid to anything you’re cooking,as it makes enough moisture inside it.
Just pulled out all my fabric scraps,really want to make a scrappy quilt,will need to acquire a bit more fabric,so will seek out the charity shops in the next few days,most of my materials come from them.
Right,enough waffling from me,I’ve cats to herd and we all know how difficult that can be!

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Make Do & Minimise: Food from freezers & stores
Mend: Loose button on my trousers (whilst I was wearing them :rotfl:)

YorksLass

YorksLass wrote: »

I have lots of small oddments of wool to use up (most of it came as freebies with knitting magazines) so I've gathered them all together and am knitting a throw with them.

Throw is now finished, just in time for the drop in temperatures. DD "hinted" she would like one too so I'm going to make her one for Xmas. There's an assortment of unused 50g and 100g balls of yarn in my stash, mostly blues and greens plus some white/off white, that I can use as I don't think she's particular about what colours go into it.

More minimising of old paperwork, sorted but still needs shredding.

Meals this week are courtesy of existing stocks, both frozen and stores.

I found two unopened packets of mustard and cress seeds (still within expiry date) while I was cleaning out a kitchen drawer so have sown some in containers on the window sill. I'd forgotten all about them, so a nice find.

[Deleted User]

Hello , I had no idea this thread existed!
I'm so pleased it does.

I minimised the utter in our bedroom and cleaned everything and looks amazing, I changed the bed so it's more cozy.

I mended my pillow, the seams had ripped and all the fluff was coming out so I sewed it up. I'm not any good at the moment as I was never taught but It seems to have worked!

I need to fix my black work trousers, they split st the seams so i just need to sew, I missed one hole from last time I was fixing them.