Make Do, Mend & Minimise

YorksLass

Yesterday I binned three things - hairdryer (broken), dust pan and brush that's seen better days (I have another one) and half a dozen plastic coat hangers. I was thinking about taking the hangers to the CS but I know from experience they don't want them. Small wins, but better than nothing.

DS has taken two bin bags of clothing donations to the CS this morning (his stuff, not mine) but it's out of the house!

I haven't painted the gifted bathroom storage unit yet and am having second thoughts about whether to keep it or not. Maybe I could pass it on to someone else. 🤔

Cheapskate

Hello everyone, I'm coming back to the OS boards after a long time away.

Life has changed a lot for us, and I'm slowly getting back to OS ways, still need some inspiration so am here for ideas!

Make do - currently using up various toiletries, lotions & potions, freebie perfumes, etc., as I have no spare money to buy, makes you realise/remember what you can do without when you have to!

Mend - A few of my shirts/tops have loose buttons, so will be sewing those on over the weekend.

Minimise - lots for the green bin, usual packaging bits and have been de-cluttering paperwork so non-confidential stuff to feed the bin. Also sorting out things for a garden sale our village is trialling next weekend. Think car boot but in your front garden - lots of old CS-bought books to get rid off, clothes from the teens, oddments of crockery that's not valuable just surplus to requirements.

Thinks that's enough to keep me going for a while, nice to be back!

YorksLass

Welcome back @Cheapskate, I hope you find lots of ideas here for your OS journey. Good luck with the front garden 'car boot', hopefully the weather will be kind so lots of potential buyers will be out and about.

Cheapskate

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82057032#Comment_82057032

Thank you! I used to be part of the furniture on OS years ago, but life got in the way - now on a bit of a mission to reclaim my life & home! 😊

Esmeralda2662

Hi everyone, enjoying reading your posts. Keep up the good work!

Make do: Took some water in a drinks bottle with me to avoid having to buy any pop while I was out.

Mend: Sewed a button on to my top after it fell off.

Minimise: Had a lovely day visiting my friend for an art day and lunch at her house. Took her 2 Winnie the Pooh kids melamine mugs for her little grandsons, an audiobook, pile of magazines, some salad leaf seeds, a needle threader and 2 quiz card games that we played last Christmas and nolonger need. Her family love quizzes too so they should have some fun.

Also returned her summer mac that she forgot in June and a special seat pad that she'd lent me.

Called at H*bbycraft to minimise the £5 birthday voucher they sent me as it expires tomorrow. Happy days!

Minimised some tax free pension money into an easy access cash ISA. My first private pension payment should arrive later this month. Will need to have a look at a new budget now that I've taken early retirement as i still have 3 years to go before State Pension. This thread will be even more important now. x

Esmeralda2662

Forgot to say that I've taken early retirement after I fell and injured my shoulder ligaments in March. I'm missing being part of a team but hope that i'll finally manage to declutter my home. The biggest problem is I love carboots and charity shops so I need to stay away from them!

Green_hopeful

@Esmeralda2662 I found it takes some time to adjust to retirement especially if you haven’t really chosen to do it. I left very quickly due to circumstances that were nothing to do with me, it took nine months for me to realise the work stress had gone. Anyways it took time, a bit like a bereavement.

Esmeralda2662

Thanks, @Green_hopeful, I was thinking it was just me being soppy. Working gives structure and routine and I must admit i've felt just like you said. A bit down, a sense of less and a bit like being adrift. Not knowing what day it is has driven me crackers! x