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

basketcase

Make Do: More eating from fridge and freezer.  Used last of shower gel for daily spruce of bathroom fixtures.

Mend: The zip on my quilted coat got completely jammed by the lining yesterday.  With me and several layers in it!  Took it off, turned it inside out, then me and a fork spent a while turning the air pale blue until it was clear. 🤣

Minimise: One bag of recycling (including shower gel bottle)

I've been thinking about minimising as related to recycling.  Being part of my minimising/decluttering counts, I've noticed how often I've mentioned it - and I'm appalled.

Of course, recycling's better than sending it to landfill BUT I've decided to try to minimise the amount of stuff I get with elements that need recycling in the first place.  (If that makes sense?)

Katiehound

^^^ this
Have a look at Nancy Birtwhistle's recipes for house & human cleaning which are environmentally & budget friendly. Lots of the recipes are on her FB, Twitter, YouTube & web pages.

There are some here:https://www.panmacmillan.com/blogs/lifestyle-wellbeing/eco-friendly-cleaning-products-natural-cleaning-tips

basketcase

Katiehound said:

^^^ this
Have a look at Nancy Birtwhistle's recipes for house & human cleaning which are environmentally & budget friendly. Lots of the recipes are on her FB, Twitter, YouTube & web pages.

There are some here:https://www.panmacmillan.com/blogs/lifestyle-wellbeing/eco-friendly-cleaning-products-natural-cleaning-tips

Thanks @Katiehound
I've literally just bought these books and am building up the necessary supplies to start making some of the products.  I tend to re-use spray bottles though, so it'll be a while before I'll be buying any glass ones...

I feel daft asking but... Have you used any of her recipes?  And do they work?

Katiehound

^^^^
Not yet!
However my friend tried the oven shelves on the lawn. She said they need a bit of a scour but essentially came clean with nowt. She said she would soak overnight in hot whatever next time. (It was soda- either baking or washing)

The washing with ivy looks amazing- can't believe the colour of dog towel.

Oh yes, I removed sticky label from a nice fancy jam jar with her hack.

If you haven't watched all the little hacks it is worth the time. (Sadly I can't see the FB ones)

I have an expensive Seasalt raincoat- it's rubbish even with reproofing- so when I get a cheapie hairdryer I am going to try wax proofing.

When I have got a few more items to buy I am going to start- really need the green bleach. Currently have stacks of most cleaning products- the bleach has all gone & many of the others are Method. I haven't had many other nasties for a long time.

Katiehound

Minimise: the last of the cheapie broccoli, end of a bargain cauliflower & a portion of spiced cheap red cabbage went nicely with 1/2 price (treat) chicken en croute with brie- might come in @ £1.20!

Huge thanks to whoever mentioned keeping broccoli in water in the fridge. It most certainly worked. Next week thats' how I will be storing it from the get go.

more minimising: turned out 6 books to go with the other carrier bags of 'stuff' and put some of them in the car to get then out of my road! I reckon I have half filled my neighbours paper bin this week- will try to find more before it'd monthly emptying on Tuesday. (and why a neighbour's?- because I really don't have room in the garden for 3 bins & gave mine away.)

Green_hopeful

Feeling pleased with donating a car full of books to Sue Ryder Spalding I did a quick sort of my shoes. One bag for the charity shop and one bag for rubbish. 

Today I took my robotic vacuum cleaner to the Peterborough Repair Cafe. His name is Obidiah Shuttleworth. He is named after an 18th Century Composer. We have had him for 6 years. I have repaired him a number of times. The main roller brush was not aligning properly so it wouldn’t run. I got a new roller and a replacement motor but it still wouldn’t work. Anyways the lovely people at the Repair Cafe helped me fix it and then he did a lap of honour. They also had refreshments and free cake from our favourite local baker. What a lovely experience. 

We froze leftover curry and naans from Christmas so easy dinner for three out of the freezer. 

Cherryfudge

What a great name for a vacuum cleaner! Puts 'Henry' in the shade.

Mine today:

Make do: resisted buying new fabric for a small craft project and instead spent £2 on pillowcases from a charity shop (left the nice ones in the shop for someone else: these are plain and a colour I remember from a while ago so less likely to be needed).

Mend - rescued socks DH had thrown out, washed them and stitched up the hole in the toe and they are back in his drawer!

Minimise: tidied out a bag and refilled it with things that belong in a cupboard elsewhere and will go with me tomorrow. Saved a little chaos and a small amount of space.

basketcase

I haven't been out at all today.  The temperature never got above freezing so the paths would have been lethal with the packed snow.  Not a day to brave the outside world when there was no reason!

I waited in for a variety of parcels for DS, DD, myself and a delivery from Sainsb..  I've mostly been puttering about doing bits and piece.  TBH, I don't feel as if I've done very much to justify how tired I'm feeling; however, the kitchen looks clear and civilised so I must have done!

Make Do:  Seems to be same as usual - ie eating up stocks from fridge and freezer!  Does not ordering delivery of a Chinese count as 'Making Do'? 🤣

Mend:  I have a pottery teapot with a hinged lid and somehow the screw holding the lid on disappeared!  Not sure how, but I fixed it (at least temporarily) so, hopefully, neither the table nor I will get covered in tea.

Minimise:  The kitchen was a bit of a bombsite.  Rubbish bagged for binning, recycling also to bags, containers (eg cereal) topped up and boxes recycled, huge stack of washing up done and put away.  I've also scrubbed the counters, sink and draining board, washed the drainer and put the baking sheets and grill racks to soak overnight.

That's about it really.

Wraithlady

Cherryfudge said:

I really thought Oxfam was supposed to be THE go-to place for second hand books, so I live and learn!

I think it depends very much on the staff - most CS staff are fine, this particular shop seems to have the attitude of THEY'RE doing YOU a favour and you should be grateful.

OK, I get books are heavy and awkward, but OH is quite happy to take bags through to the Stock Room for them if they ask - mind you, this is the same staff who complained loudly on a busy weekend something about ' how the standard of customers they were getting wasn't what they were expecting'. Several customers left without buying, I was one of them.

Floss

basketcase said:

I feel daft asking but... Have you used any of her recipes?  And do they work?

Yes, and yes! The cream cleaner is good, Pure magic & Basic magic are great and I use the laundry detergent daily. My DDiL uses some of the potions too.