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

Siebrie

I turned 2 of the 4 drawer handles in the bathroom upside down, so the nasty side is invisible and the nicer side is up (they are cheap plastic silversprayed horizontal handles). It's an ikea set of underbasin drawers; we need new ones as the current ones were not properly sealed and water got into the 'wood' which is now bulging at the rims and showing its shavings.

Maybe... we still have silverspray somewhere.. I need to check once I get home. Thanks for the brainwave!

thriftmonster

Only just caught up on reading

Sending thoughts and hugs to Yorks Lass - so sorry to hear your news

YorksLass

During this last week I've sorted through all DH's clothes, shoes etc and DS took the bags to the CS for me.  A sad process but it had to be done and at least someone will benefit.  I'll do personal things (watches, glasses etc) when I feel up to it, although I have given DS two rings that DH wanted him to have.  He's going to have them re-sized, re-shaped and polished.  Recycling in a bitter-sweet way.

I've minimised some of my clothes too (also gone to CS) and numerous coat hangers.  I'm sure they breed when we're not looking!     I've ordered myself two pairs of trousers but if they don't fit or I don't like them, they'll be going back.  If I do decide to keep them, there are two pairs that will be minimised - one in/one out.

Last week I bought a small chicken and have stretched it out into no less than 8 meals.  I had a leg and a couple of breast slices for Sunday dinner, there's the other leg and slices in gravy in the freezer along with 4 portions of slices and thighs, the bits picked from the carcass have made a curry for tonight and I'll use the stock for a risotto.  Good value for a little over £3.  

Yesterday I returned a book to The Little Free Library only for it to be replaced by another.  Very pleased with myself it was only one!     

Sadmin (great word) still not happening, maybe this week.  If not, I've plenty to occupy myself with.

Katiehound

Only just read through the thread as I've been off grid for 5 weeks.

So sorry to hear your news YorksLass, you have to remember the good times- nevermind the sadmin!
I think you will find that the funeral will help just a tad as it is some kind of closure

Lots of people wishing you well so do please continue to keep us updated

take care of yourself
Virtual hugs XXX
Katiehound

YorksLass

Thanks @Katiehound - We're having a direct cremation, not everyone's choice I know, but it was what we discussed and decided we wanted.  DS and I had said our goodbyes when DH left home for the last time so, for us, some closure will happen once we've registered the death.  I know the paperwork (apart from one essential piece of information) has been sent from the GP practice to the Medical Examiner and she's chasing up the practice for that so she can give the OK to the Registrar to offer us an appointment.

Cherryfudge

Sending you hugs @YorksLass. Sorting and allocating a loved one's things is a very individual process but I hope it's a comfort to you that some of your husband's things might be helping someone in need or bringing happiness as something was 'just what I wanted'.

You did really well with that small chicken! The last bits off mine always end up chopped up and frozen to add to pasta or casseroles. I'm amazed that more people don't know how much you can do with one purchase, but I'm still impressed with your eight meals.

suzeesu2000

@Cherryfudge do you think it’s because there is no domestic science, as it was in my youth, being taught anymore? And TV cookery isn’t about the basic save money and feed plenty that I was raised on. We, sadly, have a lot of younger folk who are going to really struggle - if they aren’t already- due to not knowing how to make a decent meal from simple ingredients. Such a shame really.

Cherryfudge

suzeesu2000 said:

@Cherryfudge do you think it’s because there is no domestic science, as it was in my youth, being taught anymore? And TV cookery isn’t about the basic save money and feed plenty that I was raised on. We, sadly, have a lot of younger folk who are going to really struggle - if they aren’t already- due to not knowing how to make a decent meal from simple ingredients. Such a shame really.

I'm sure having some form of domestic science was always a useful thing, though from what I remember of my lessons (mid seventies), it was mostly about baking and not real meal prep. 

Sarahspangles

Cherryfudge said:

suzeesu2000 said:

@Cherryfudge do you think it’s because there is no domestic science, as it was in my youth, being taught anymore? And TV cookery isn’t about the basic save money and feed plenty that I was raised on. We, sadly, have a lot of younger folk who are going to really struggle - if they aren’t already- due to not knowing how to make a decent meal from simple ingredients. Such a shame really.

I'm sure having some form of domestic science was always a useful thing, though from what I remember of my lessons (mid seventies), it was mostly about baking and not real meal prep. 

In Mrs Durran’s cookery classes we made bread dough, shortcrust pastry for tuna plait, puff pastry for cream horns, cottage pie (“first wash your mince”), sweet and sour chicken and Swiss roll. The basic issue was that it was a double lesson so everything was done in the most long winded way possible to prevent a class riot. Not so helpful when you’ve just got in from work and have to get a meal on the table before bedtime. I think that’s actually the last time I ever made a Swiss roll.

Cherryfudge

@Sarahspangles, that made me laugh! Were you likely to start having flour fights?

I remember being in tears the night before my cookery lesson as I was trying to read the ingredients needed for the next day and couldn't work out what '1 lerion' was. Both my parents were baffled too, till Dad suddenly realised it was a lemon. Years later my writing isn't much better.

'Wash your mince' - really! I don't think I've ever washed mince in my life, or maybe that's what we did in the seventies? My children are now parent-age themselves but their cookery lessons were quite useful. I saved as many of the recipes as possible and they are still in the back of my notebook and get used, though I don't think I ever got to make savoury mince crumble as I was the only one who liked it. My daughter still gets worked up if anyone mentions cooking anything till it's golden-brown. Apparently the teacher over-used the phrase till they couldn't stand it.

So millennial cookery lessons must have been okay, at least in our neck of the woods, as all my children can cook.

As for making do, mending and minimising:
Make do: using up a notebook someone else threw out. Also dug out ancient stationery supplies to find a stapler and compass to make a craft activity. I have something like eight boxes of assorted staples, but at least I minimised a few yesterday.
Mend: took some narrow pliers to a blocked vacuum head and extracted the gunk that fingers couldn't. It's saved replacing the part, and shown me never to try to hoover up a cocktail stick.
Minimise: I gave a couple of larger houseplants a haircut and actually managed to put some of the cuttings in the compost, though I kept a jam jar full. I'm not hopeful of them sprouting at this time of year but it seems a shame just to get rid of them.