Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2019

misstara · 1 January 2019 at 12:14AM

New year so time for a new thread - welcome to the 2019 make do, mend and minimise thread

For me, this year is going to be about minimising a lot of our stuff (after all how many books, DVDs, clothes, etc do two people really need and I've definitely got slight hoarding tendencies, there's heaps of stuff about the flat that is being kept just in case it might come in useful in the distant future), finally getting the flat looking how we want it on a very limited budget and moving towards a less wasteful lifestyle. I'd also like to get the sewing machine out again and actually learn out to use it properly. First I have to rescue it from the cupboard of doom :rotfl:

Loved reading what everyone was up to in 2018 and hope to see you all again in this thread. Happy MMMing to all

[purplesignup][/purplesignup]

Mrs_Salad_Dodger · 1 January 2019 at 1:43AM

misstara, I would love to join you

I will be making do with food from freezers & stores, mending clothing for use & Knick-knacks for cs, minimising cleaning products & DSis’s crates.

The aims for 2019 are :

1. Reclaim dining room
2. Decorate our bedroom including new carpet, curtains & bed linen
3. Get someone in to re-jig the bathroom

There are many other rooms to sort but if we manage to do the above, I can always add more later in the year

Thanks for starting the new thread misstara :T

MrsSD

dND · 1 January 2019 at 9:49AM

Sign me up again - I'm hoping for a much better 2019 :beer:

I've not had the best Christmas and New Year but it's made me more determined to get my life sorted this year.:D

peony40 · 1 January 2019 at 9:51AM

Hello,

I’d like to join you all in 2019. There is plenty of minimising that I can do, namely on weight loss for myself! plus minimising ‘stuff’ in general. We moved over three years ago into a smaller property, and we still have unopened boxes in the garage and shed.

Make do & Mend I will have a think about.

buildersdaughter · 1 January 2019 at 10:34AM

As I have enough room, I sometimes put things I am unsure of into boxes, and pack them away (doing this at present with some storage jars that weren't well used). If I think 'oh I need that', I can go and get it. If not, after a year, I give serious consideration to recycling / donating or throwing.
Rather like 'thrift' I try not to use the term 'making do' (though i agree it alliterates nicely in the title!). Rather I say 'how can I continue to use this - does it have another use - would it be useful to someone else?' etc.
I am notorious in my family for re-using wrapping paper, and have actually ended this Xmas with more than I used myself!

silvasava · 1 January 2019 at 3:13PM

Afternoon All and thank you Mistara for a lovely new shiny thread.
I finally got round to using a paperclip on my broken zip tab as I couldnt find a keyring - result!! Thank you for saving me a job of inpicking the old one and replacing the zip. Just need to find something more suitable than a bent paperclip for the zip lol!
Making do with a meat pie and some mash from the freezer
Minimised a top I wore last night - little bit too tight but shows more cleavage than I am comfortable with so its in the CS bag!
No mending though

misstara · 1 January 2019 at 10:09PM

silvasava - glad the paperclip worked, must remember that trick for the future

Recycling bins day tomorrow so went round the flat making sure all glass, plastic, paper, etc has been picked up and put out. As part of my Christmas present, I got a stainless steel water bottle, coffee cup and straws as well as some beeswax wraps so hoping that this will help contribute to less recycling/waste in the future.

Neither me or OH fancied anything proper to eat tonight, had planned roast pork but made do with a sausage sarnie instead

. We'll have the pork at the weekend instead.

Minimised a rather large slice of Christmas cake :rotfl:

*Jellie* · 1 January 2019 at 10:45PM

Hi! I’d love to join in.
At the moment I am looking at my fabric stash planning some new clothes to make. I am also looking round the house trying to work out what I will repurpose/ upcycle this year. Projects include finishing coffee table made from an electric cable reel, changing some frames so they fit our decor, making a headboard cover and upcycling a bedroom mirror.
Making do in the garden will involve trying to improve propagating plants and making the most of compost and leaf mold bins.
I am also doing a storecupboard challenge for at least a month.
Minimise will be all about cutting back spending for me!
Mending depends on what breaks!

cuddlymarm · 1 January 2019 at 11:00PM

Hi Happy New Year everyone
I’d like to join in too please
I’ve made done with all food from the freezer today.
I aim to minimise clothes as I shrink out of them, they will then goes to the CS. This year needs to be really frugal so nothing will be bought until I really need it.
No real mending to be done at the moment so nothing there.

Cuddles

miss_empty_piggy · 2 January 2019 at 1:09AM

Hi Happy New Year
I'd also really like to join.
I'm currently mid-clear out with lots of future projects in mind including some for next xmas.
I'm not a very confident sewer but really want to learn. I have material for cushions, blinds and dresses - although I've never made anything other than a table cloth before (just stitched the edges) but I'm all for giving things a go. A friend at work said she only started sewing 5 years ago and she has some beautiful outfits at work. I'm not really into shopping either and would much rather upcycyle or mend something I already own than buy new.

Really looking forward to this challenge

kittydfw2012 · 2 January 2019 at 5:04AM

I loved reading the 2018 (so last year!) version of this thread so joining in this year.

Make do: Using the cotton flannels that come with the Liz Earle (and Superdr*g's similar) hot cloth face washes as tissues as OH has given me his Christmas snuffles. This could also be a minimise as not contributing to paper waste

Mend: Didn't mend anything.

Minimise: Following Misstara's lead on minimising a bit of the Christmas cake!

Also watched the first episode of Marie Kondo's new series on Netflix. (currently using the free month trial but will probably pay the £5.99 to continue as it's the only paid for entertainment service we would have and we don't go out to restaurants/cinema etc so it's a justified monthly treat). I have never looked back after adopting the Konmari method and definitely bring less into the house, so less to minimise.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2019

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