Make Do, Mend & Minimise in 2025 (and 2024)

Wraithlady

Make do - spent quite a long time looking for trimming to perk up a black top for a do in 2 weeks time. Was tempted to spend quite a bit on some really nice gimp braid of the right colour, then remembered I had a roll of similar stuff at the bottom of my trimming bag. Hope I have enough!

Mend - shortened a summer dress and pair of jeans I got on Vinted

Minimise: Working through the freezers, though picking and freezing 20lb of damsons didn't help! Did make jam with an older batch of damsons, which is something

Nelliegrace

The bath sheets can go away for winter and the smaller, old bath towels come out from the back of the airing cupboard. They are easier to dry. 

My sixteen year old Skoda is going in for new glow plugs. I wonder if they will charge less as it needs only three instead of the usual four? It has been a reliable workhorse. 

I have been harvesting and drying lavender from the tall Munstead bushes for weeks, the third flush is flowering now. I shall take some to WI as a thank you to the ladies who bake the cakes every month. 

It is time to bait the mousetraps in the garage with peanut butter before we start storing the apples. I picked a mushroom tray of Lane’s Prince Albert from the small tree in the garden yesterday. 

I bought a box of pretty William Morris design notecards from TKM which I will send for birthday cards at 40p each. 

YorksLass

Today didn't turn out as planned - my optician appointment wasn't for today, it's on Friday.  Doh, my mistake.     Not all bad, at least I got out for some fresh air and free exercise by walking there and back.  And the CS bag was dropped off too.  I had a browse but didn't see what I was looking for.  No matter, they're "wants" not needs.  And I refrained from buying a couple of things that did catch my eye.

Also had a walk around the M&S food hall, nothing bought there either.  I don't often go there as it's a bit out of the way but was disappointed to see they no longer have a deli counter.  Perhaps a casualty of lock-down? 

Tea tonight is a salad with the last few fish sticks from the freezer plus some wholemeal bread.  I've also made some more pasta salad from stores and will finish the last bit of yogurt with a sliced banana or chopped apple for afters.

Florafauna

Made do with lunchtime cheese sandwiches at home.instead of splurging in the library cafe

Mend - leaking loo was mended but not by me!

Minimise nothing today

Siebrie

I spent 2 hours last night going through the mending pile. Most items only needed 2 stitches (I don't do 'neat' mending ). I threw out 5 of dd1's socks. They come out of her clothing allowance (€50/month), so it's up to her to keep her toe nails short and prevent holes. Furthermore, she should not continue wearing them if a hole develops; these holes were really too large to mend.

The flour pile from the lockdown is finally gone! DD1 has been on a pancake and waffle baking spree (yummy). I was actually shocked that I couldn't find normal flour in my pantry! Next up: instant desserts that are past their BBD's.

Cherryfudge

5 socks... but... that means there's an odd sock that will stay around forever looking for its partner! Eek!  

Pancake and waffles... yes please. Well done for persevering through the lockdown stash. And I am another who needs to use up instant desserts but we are away for a week soon, self catering, so maybe some will come with us.

Siebrie

@Cherryfudge we buy socks by the dozen, so they always have a partner

Cherryfudge

Siebrie said:

@Cherryfudge we buy socks by the dozen, so they always have a partner

That makes good sense. I will stop fretting now

YorksLass

Today I shared a grocery delivery with my neighbour.  Neither of us wanted very much but, between us, we ordered enough for free delivery.  My share came to £17.32 although there were a couple of items I wanted that were out of stock.  I noticed when I placed the order they are already selling mince pies, Xmas cakes and stollen slices.  Good grief, it's only the beginning of September!

We didn't have any fresh milk left for our cuppa this morning.     Instead I opened a carton of long life from the pantry (already replaced) and also used some for porridge with a few sultanas added.  The rest will make custard.  I've minimised a punnet of mushrooms from the fridge to make creamed garlic mushrooms that we'll have on toast tomorrow.  It doesn't look very appealing (muddy brown colour) but tastes good.

Tea tonight will be cooked gammon slices with sliced/fried leftover potatoes from Sunday with either baked beans or an egg.  Ice cream for afters.

Minimised general waste from the kitchen bin to outside bin for collection tomorrow and recyclables to the green bin that may or may not be emptied next week.  Or it might even go in with general waste!  I sometimes wonder why I bother - one of the perils of having communal bins.

A good drying day here but sadly there's not enough in the laundry basket to make up a load.  Isn't it always the way?  I did hand wash two knitted cardigans though and they're now drying in the spare bedroom. 

Green_hopeful

Minimised a tin of beef consommé in some French onion soup. Very delicious. Also used up five cooking apples we got for free. Keep trying to make apple Charlotte but have declared it a failure and will go back to crumble.