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Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.Make Do, Mend & Minimise in 2024
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RHemmings said:I have a number of sweaters where there are holes in the elbows. What can I do about these? I don't own an iron.Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.Thats what I keep telling myself :-)8
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Hello, bit late to the party, but may I join please?
I think I was active on one of the old threads, but that was definitely before 2017 as that was the year OH and I moved in together and I remember posting about helping my parents as I was still living at home. Gone back and checked - it was the 2017 - No clutter to be seen thread.
Well, A LOT has changed since then!
We've moved twice since then! We have both sadly lost our dads - still got our mums and siblings tho. I've changed jobs twice and am now on more money than I ever have been, helped by what has been left to me after my dads passing. OH got a new(to him), bigger car. My brother and partner moved out, which then led to my parents downsizing before my dad passed. OH's mum downsized last year. And many, many other things.
Sadly a lot of what I was helping my parents sort just went to the tip, as their move was quite sudden(they had a dodgy landlord at the old place and just wanted shot of them) so just chucked what they could with the mantra of "we can replace it when we move".
Anywho, here we are - 2024 - with a better income means things have been bought, and like most at this time of year money is tight. So I need to Make Do, Mend and Minimise to get back on the right track! Probably more Making Do and Minimising than Mending, I can't really turn my hand to much...
So I've put myself on a no/low buy for now to help save the pennies. This started on 1st Jan. Start as you mean to go on and all that jazz...
With that, the Making Do and Minimising I am doing are:
1)eat food I have here, partly so I'm not buying, partly to run down the stocks, partly because a drawer in the freezer fell out and broke all the plastic tubs I was using so I need to get rid of those and get the drawer fixed.
2)sell off things me nor OH are using any more(was already quite successful with this at the end of last year so I hope the momentum keeps going) partly to free us space, partly to get some money.
3)use up other non food items before buying any more(toiletries/household items/stationery etc) again, partly to free up space, partly to save money.
Things I have done so far this year:
1)sold a gaming wheel and pedals and stand we were no longer using
2)eaten the contents of about 4 tubs from the broken freezer drawer - any broken tubs and lids put in recycling.
3)sold a lovely red M*S pea coat that just doesn't suit me
4)thrown a manky eyeshadow
5)sold some body sprays that brought OH up in a rash(not the used one - that went in the bin!)
6)sorted thru the entire filing cabinet. Plenty of envelopes and a few old paperwork for the recycling, couple bits for the bin, space made for some stuff to come from the coffee table shelf into the filing cabinet.
Things i will be doing today:
1)taking another pea coat, a blazer and a scarf to a local reloved shop to see what they will give me for them. I had all 3 items listed on V!nted for the longest time but no interest, so I'm taking them off there and taking them somewhere in person instead. The pea coat from what I can tell is a good brand, so here's hoping. Not ecpecting much for the blazer and scarf but it gets it out of my place.
2)meeting someone off FB marketplace who is buying a stick hand blender off me. No contact from them yet today so unsure of meeting time/place. Bought but never used. The box still has the seal on it!
3)I need to call into the shop just to get something to go with tonight's tea. It'll probably be a bag of store's own something from the freezer. Cheap, and after I use what I need tonight, there'll be some left for another time. Will definitely check the reduced section for something cheaper.
That's all from me for now. I shall probably update later or tomorrow with how I got on at the reloved place.12 -
or sew on patches. Could be a contrast colour to be a feature.
Knit your own patches or make from something like corduroy.
Mended 2 pairs of gloves.Being polite and pleasant doesn't cost anything! --
Many thanks
-Stash bust:in 2022:337
Stash bust :2023. 120duvets, 24 bags, 43 dog coats, 2 scrunchies, 10 mittens, 6 bootees, 8 glass cases, 2 A6 notebooks, 59 cards, 6 lav bags,36 angels,9 bones, 1 knee blanket, 1 lined bag,3 owls, 88 pyramids = total 420 total spend £5. Total for 'Dogs for Good' £546.82
2024:23 Doggy duvets,30 pyramids, 6 hottie covers, 4 knit hats,13 crochet angels,1 shopper, 87cards=164 £88.25 spent!!!9 -
Unfortunately I haven't achieved any of my mending goals so far this year as I have had covid and feel yuk.
But I have been doing some fun googling on different types of mending, I'm not a knitter so have never been sure how to darn, I think I now know and will be attempting that as soon as I am well! I have some knitted bed socks and knitted leggings that are in dire need!
I have also been looking at Japanese style sashiko (I think!) mending, which looks beautiful and has started my brain ticking on how I could mend some items in this style 👍 Definitely worth a Google if anyone is looking to be inspired!
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So pretty good day today!
Posted off something I sold on V!nted, but had to buy a padded envelope to do so.
Went to the reloved store with the 3 items - they don't take scarves so that came back home with me and went in the bag of stuff I'm trying to get rid of. When I was bagging up the items this morning to take with me, the larger bag I was using looked almost empty at this point, and I had a smaller bag next to it which had stuff for the charity shop in it. So I emptied the bigger bag into the smaller bag(now housing whatever I'm trying to get rid of and not just charity shop stuff) and threw the bigger bag away as it was full of rips and holes. This has given my tiny flat a small amount of floorspace back.
Now the reloved store - they basically display your items for a set time and take a cut from the sale. But that's fine. I have purchased from there in the past and they seem a genuine business. So items gone, but no payment for them as yet.
I used up the last 2 of my chicken chargrills and a small tin of spaghetti at tea time. Packaging from this recycled. I'd said I would probably have to go to the shop to find something to go with this. I settled on store own frozen hash browns as it was the cheapest thing I could find in the moment. I start tea and there's a full bag in the freezer from our last big shop! But they won't go to waste - OH makes something involving them for his tea on evenings I'm at work.
Recycled some old b*ots coupons that were in my purse and ran out 2 days ago, and an evri receipt from a parcel I sent last week that has safely arrived at its destination.
Also managed to sell the hand blender. Buyer was happy with it so that's good. Another item out of my flat and extra money in my pocket.
More tomorrow as I've just had another V!nted sale so need to go and post that off. Will require the purchase of an envelope again. Mum is also having an egg delivery so I need to make sure I remember to take the egg boxes from the last lot I had and a bag of mums I have here.
Will have to buy a couple of things tomorrow but as I'm already out it's no extra time for me, and I always have a shopping bag on me so no extra bags coming in either. As always will see what I can find reduced, or on offer, buy shop own if its cheaper etc9 -
Minmog said:Unfortunately I haven't achieved any of my mending goals so far this year as I have had covid and feel yuk.
But I have been doing some fun googling on different types of mending, I'm not a knitter so have never been sure how to darn, I think I now know and will be attempting that as soon as I am well! I have some knitted bed socks and knitted leggings that are in dire need!
I have also been looking at Japanese style sashiko (I think!) mending, which looks beautiful and has started my brain ticking on how I could mend some items in this style 👍 Definitely worth a Google if anyone is looking to be inspired!10 -
RHemmings said:I have a number of sweaters where there are holes in the elbows. What can I do about these? I don't own an iron.You could embroider flowers etc over holes.You could put leather elbow patches on.
none of those need an iron.😊Saving 1 animal wont change the world - but it will change the world for that 1 animal
Weight loss challenge 2024 - 1st quarter goal = 15/24lbs
Pantry challenge 2024
24 for 2024 challenge
Prepping….the new world
Make do, mend, minimise9 -
Make do - dinner from tins on pantry shelves
Mend - nothing
Minimise - disposed of two more cardboard boxes in recycling
on the upside, I got all the washing, drying and ironing done and finished for the week. My machine is one of the big drum ones so I only do laundry every 3 - 4 weeks and usually have three loads. It’s the flipping drying that takes forevvvvver!! Oh roll on summer when it can go outside.Saving 1 animal wont change the world - but it will change the world for that 1 animal
Weight loss challenge 2024 - 1st quarter goal = 15/24lbs
Pantry challenge 2024
24 for 2024 challenge
Prepping….the new world
Make do, mend, minimise10 -
Todays little bit...Make do - made 3 pints of soup from fridge veggies that were close to going over. Used an opened pot of pretend cream that I cant recall the name of as it goes out of date today. I dont push my luck with creams/cream cheeses.Mend - oMinimalise - watch this space as doing a big sort out of the sacuepan cupboard - got new set today, an investment not a luxury, got £40 off retail price plus further 15% discount. These will last a good 15/20 years without doubt. Last pans have been with me for 15+ plus.Saving 1 animal wont change the world - but it will change the world for that 1 animal
Weight loss challenge 2024 - 1st quarter goal = 15/24lbs
Pantry challenge 2024
24 for 2024 challenge
Prepping….the new world
Make do, mend, minimise9 -
Hairdresser visit yesterday so hair has been Minimised and I've been "Mended". Not counting cost as Minimising since I budget for that.
On the Make Do front, I cancelled this week's grocery delivery as I really didn't need much and today I've been looking at what I have in the fridge/freezer/cupboards before I make up the meal plan for the coming week. I could probably get by without a delivery this week too and just do a small top up locally. Have made 4 individual fruit & jelly pots today and a white loaf.
More items in the charity shop bag - two packs of photographic printer paper and three packs of wax melts that were a Xmas present but sadly we can't use them because of DH's breathing problems.
Like suzeesu2000, I've had a trawl of the saucepan cupboard. I'm happy to continue with my existing saucepans that must be 50 years old (they were very expensive but obviously well worth the outlay) but do need new frying pans. I have a set of three that I inherited from my late DF some 14 years ago; the small and medium size ones need replacing and the large one doesn't get used so that's another CS bag item.Be kind to others and to yourself too.8
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