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

Siebrie

Used up 2 apples (1 per day), roughly chopped and microwaved, to accompany a curry I made from scratch from whatever I had in the fridge and pantry that needed using up. I'm happy with using all those items up, but especially with the apples, which were in a 'funny apples' bag (so, cheap) and had been in the fridge for about 3 months and were going soft, because dds decided they didn't like them.

There are 3 more apples left, which I'm giving to husband to take to work for a snack.

Green_hopeful

Our freezer has been playing up. The third drawer wasn’t cold and the alarm kept going off. I defrosted it once but I wasn’t sure it had fixed the problem so I removed the panel inside the back to try to get to the drain hole and sure enough it was frozen solid in the back. I defrosted it a second time, pushed the drain cleaner thing through and when I switched it on this morning it quickly got cold and stayed cold. Hopefully it’s fixed because I have got the contents out of the chest freezer and reloaded it. 

YorksLass

@Green_hopeful - Yes, similar problem here although mine is cold enough.  I haven't got a second freezer as a back-up so am trying to use up as much as I can before moving stuff into the fridge compartment before doing a manual defrost/remove back panel/clear drain hole.  It's a slow job as DH isn't eating much (cancer) and prefers small regular snacks rather than meals.  Most of the home cooked ready meals in there are frozen in two-person portions so, if he doesn't want his share, I have the same thing two days running.

Green_hopeful

@YorksLass Frozen stuff stays frozen for quite a long time if bagged up and put in the fridge. Hopefully you can get it sorted soon. Could you use your ready meals two days in a row to use them up. Your husband might not fancy the same thing twice but perhaps it would be ok for you. I have an infinite ability to eat the same thing repeatedly but I get not everyone is keen. 

YorksLass

@Green_hopeful - I'll also happily eat the same thing two days in a row so the ready meals are going down slowly but surely.  I'm not buying anything for the freezer or batch cooking for the time being either and should be able to defrost soon.  And yes, once I've got the contents down a bit more, whatever is left will go in the fridge while I defrost.

Have been to collect DH's prescription items today and then on to the Co-op for a couple of bits and bobs.  Bargain buy - a bottle of sweet chilli sauce that was on clearance, down from £2.25 to 56p, dated best before Mar 2026.  Safe to say it will be used long before then!

Binmen came this morning for the general waste and, as I suspected, they've taken the recycling as well - which means it's all gone in the same wagon.  What's the point of separating it out?  

Tomorrow's weather is set to be wet so I'll not be going anywhere.  Instead, DH and I will be working out how to re-arrange the living room furniture so we (that's me and DS, not DH) can bring a bed downstairs for him.  Not an ideal situation but sadly, he can no longer manage stairs in safety (he fell down the whole lot last week and was lucky to escape with just a few cuts and a black eye) so it's a case of needs must.  I foresee some minimising of furniture!

Florafauna

Make do - took packed lunch and flask of coffee out with me when i went to the beach. Delicious actually 
Mend - kitchen tap though I think it may fall apart again
Minimise - crusts from the loaf to make my sandwiches from. I do love the crust

Cherryfudge

@YorksLass, I'm sorry to hear about your husband's fall. Very scary for all of you, thank goodness the injuries were no worse but you won't have to worry once he's based on the ground floor. I hope you can find a good arrangement for the furniture.

@Florafauna, I love crusts too!

Make do/minimise: I used up liver and bacon from the freezer for a casserole which usually has carrots in but I realised I had none, so added butterbeans and peas, which worked fine. Some items have come out of the 'emergency' cupboard and gone into circulation to keep a turn-around and make room for more practical emergency stores.

I've also repurposed an old folder for my Wednesday job rather than buy a new one - though I'm tempted to treat myself to a nice clipboard.  

No mending though.

mandy47

Minimised 
DD moved out on Monday [minimising in itself] she's sorted stuff for charity which is bagged and ready to go. Another box of books gone via Olio. Recycling is overflowing and they only emptied it Monday.
Eating from freezer. A number of mystery meals until defrosted because labels came off.

Make do
I cut an old broom stale to size and painted it white for DD to use on her patio door runner. Excellent security idea. Not buying veg using garden produce. A little bit repetitive but fresh and tasty.

Nothing mended 

Nelliegrace

A few books boxed to go to the hospice charity shop.

Half a pot of cold, stewed tea, and instead of tipping into the compost container, I measured out the dried fruit and peel to soak for a tea loaf as I shall be using the oven tomorrow. How mean/frugal is that?

I have repaired the seam on a pair of trousers for DH. He said he caught it rather than his weight causing the split. I bought some vintage handkerchiefs which will need careful laundering and a bit of fine stitching. Worth the effort, I think.

Cherryfudge

Great use of the cold tea, @Nelliegrace. Funnily enough I was thinking how nice a tea bread would be.

Make do: DH was baking for a fund raiser and didn't take in that I'd told him one box of eggs was out of date. He used those and the cake came out beautifully, but we can't present it for sale so 'make do' means we get that one and he went out for more ingredients bless him. I've also made do by putting some spare napkins from some coffee sometime with the kitchen paper towels. I usually keep any spares I haven't needed in my bag to save on tissues but they can be a bit thick.

I also found my hair was getting very dry so I tried brushing a spot of coconut oil through it and it feels lovely. I hardly needed any, I had the oil anyway and I know my skin won't react to it as it does to commercial conditioners. I'd decanted some into an old moisturiser jar as I use a dab of it as bath oil too, so it was even ready in the bathroom.

Mend: nothing today.

Minimise: I had lemon icing left over from lemon drizzle cake and it's gone in a (cleaned out) spice jar as a topping for yogurt or some such rather than throwing it out.