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

Sarahspangles

ladybird1106 said:

Where did you buy that? It would be really useful for my daughter, has issues with her hands. 

 Love 🐞

I think Amazon. They’re called tube wringers. 

Cherryfudge

@leftatthetrafficlights, those are great ways of using things up. 

I used to have a tube wringer but it was plastic and some bit of it eventually gave way. I'll have a look for a metal one, it would be great.

Back in the day when toothpaste came in metal tubes, it was much easier to get them squashed flat - plastic tubes are too springy, hence the foundation clinging to the sides despite squashing. I would have thought metal tomato puree tubes would be the same, but I'm still trying to train my husband to squash then flat instead of squeezing the in the middle!

@annieb64, I sympathise about the pump tubes that don't reach the bottom of the jar, they are such a waste too, and don't recycle, though the glass containers do.

If it's any help to anyone, I used a metal nail file to scrape out the foundation, it seemed quite efficient and was easy to clean up.

I always have one or two miniature pots around for decanting the last bits of makeup. They are good for broken powder compacts too, if you tip the bits in and use a brush to swirl round. I always used to drop compacts when in a hurry and the smashed bits were a pain in the original container but actually very good in a tub.

Cherryfudge

Some little bits of minimising to report: we seemed to have multiple sun screens this year and only one was nearly empty. It's gone in the makeup recycling bin in Tesco, along with the foundation tube discussed above. The other four that I've found so far have been marked with the year of purchase and stashed for next year to use up. I get higher strength sun creams so I reckon they are good for day to day use for another year or two. If we go anywhere with more intense sun, I can get fresh ones.

It was recycling collection day yesterday so the big recycling bin, the small recycling bin (glass) and garden waste all went out, and the lawn is tidied of the twiggy bits I'd trimmed the other day. I noticed that our garden waste subscription is valid till the beginning of December so they may not be doing Christmas trees this year, but it's a prompt to me to get on with pruning before frosts come. Not today though: I'm fairly sure I just saw a large boat full of animals floating past the window...

I have made a start on packing up summer clothes and I never knew I had so many dresses. I live in jeans so either I need more foreign holidays or I need to rethink my buying.

Okay, I know which of those I can afford. I'm away with friends next month, though, and I know there's a hot tub so I've tried on my bikinis and to my surprise they still fit. I don't think I've worn one in six years, since an Ibiza holiday to attend a wedding. Fashion be blowed, I am not buying another to be worn only once!

cornishchick

Cherryfudge said:

It’s a bit hard to see what’s in this photo but it’s what I found when I cut open a ‘completely empty’ tube of foundation. I’ve scraped it into a tub and there is enough for a while, possibly months as I don’t use much.

It’s really brought home to me how wastefully some things are presented. I tried and tried to squeeze more out but only cutting it open gave me access. I feel as though buying things in tubes (or squeeze bottles like mayo or ketchup) forces us to throw away a significant part of what we pay for.

I’ll try to buy it in a tub next time but if I can’t, it will be a repeat of this performance.

I mentioned a while ago that when a couple of salt deodorant sticks wore right down, I soaked the salt so I could recycle the plastic holder. The resulting salt lumps were quite chunky (and inaccessible while still in the packaging) so I now have one glued on a lolly stick for ease of application. (Got to be inventive sometimes!)  I’ve been using it at least a couple of months and there’s plenty left. Another thing I paid for but which was presented so I’d throw it away.

I keep those little travel pots for this reason , so when I replace these sorts of things. I decant the remains for my travel \ work makeup bag. 
I refuse to buy the squeezy bottle of mayo etc. if I can't get a spoon or spatula in to scrape every last drop out, I don't want it lol 

Cherryfudge

I'm the same @cornishchick! In fact I probably have more tiny pots than I need... I don't buy the ones marketed for travel, just save and relabel as I get moisturiser in a wide-topped pot that's very accessible, and also things like lip balm can come in brilliant tiny pots.

I learned the hard way about mayo etc. Our local 'rotters' (group who encourage minimal food waste) did a stall with freebie angled spatulas that did help get the last jam out of the pot, but the 'top down' containers just encourage food waste (can you tell I Have Opinions'? ). I shall have to invent a product with a plunger that squidges all the edible content out through the lid!

Sarahspangles

Cherryfudge said:

Our local 'rotters' (group who encourage minimal food waste) did a stall with freebie angled spatulas that did help get the last jam out of the pot

I acquired one of these by accident, I was trying to replace the spatula I used for baking and it looked bigger on the Ocado app. Between getting the last bit out of containers and mixing starter dough it gets a lot of use. It’s one of the few items that has been named by the family (Little Greenie)

When I clean out the fridge I have been known to use it to ‘scrape down’ jars that are half full to keep the ingredients usable!

Green_hopeful

Not foundation but we use our refill shop for shampoo and conditioner etc. we refill the bottles so no waste. It’s easy to get organised. I just put the empty bottles in the bag for the shop and get them filled up. We go on a Thursday so we know if we need to get things topped up. She also does milk from a local farm and sourdough bread from a nice chap called Ben. Things she doesn’t stock I cut open. 

Katiehound

A couple of weeks ago I managed to get a couple of the slim spatula thingies which used to be sold by Lakeland. My last remaining one has a tooth hole through it! the dog thought it was some kind of a munchie! I digress.....Well pleased with the charity shop purchase- spatulas looked new and a bargain @ 50 pence the pair!

Even with the crinkly metal tube squeezer I suspect there are still some of the contents lurking inside......

Pollie

I have an old bread knife I keep for cutting the bottoms off milk cartons (to use as cloches or funnels)  and plastic squeezy sauce/ mayo bottles etc so I can scrape out residue.

weenancyinAmerica

When I was young (eons ago), we had something like that designed for toothpaste tube. It had a little head on the side to turn. I still have it, put away as a potential antique. It is made out of Bakelite plastic and is very strong.