Trying to do things differently ....Finding ways to use and re-use resources to make a beautiful home and save the planet from waste. I want to be more frugal, save money and de-clutter once and for all!
Thursday, 12 January 2012
More crafting
Introducing Zena, the Hearing Dog
I would like to introduce you to my ears, Zena, a Hearing Dog for the Deaf who accompanies me everywhere and is trained to hear and respond to the sounds that I no longer hear. Zena is a flat-coat/golden retriever cross and will be 5 on the 24th of this month. I get a lot of questions about Zena when we are out and about, but if you are interested, take a quick look at the charity's website: http://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/ Most people have heard of Guide Dogs for the Blind, but Hearing Dogs do an amazing job of helping those who are Deaf/deaf. Loss of hearing affects 1 in 7 of the population and is sometimes called the invisible disability. I use the word disability with caution as I fully embrace the social model of disability and I am trained to use British Sign Language to level 2, a beautiful, animated language and one of Britain's 4 languages recognised by law.
Oh dear, I have just been told off by my animal friends for not introducing Zena's best friend, Gomez the cat.... so here is Gomez the wonder cat!
Oh dear, I have just been told off by my animal friends for not introducing Zena's best friend, Gomez the cat.... so here is Gomez the wonder cat!
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
I have joined the Yakezie challenge ... more of that later!
The de-clutter continues....
Started on my clothes yesterday (see before photos) with the challenge of using only 33 items for a season. I did a quick audit of my wardrobes (yes, that was a plural) and have to admit that I have far too many clothes, including many items I don't wear. I have 4 wardrobes, which include drawers at the bottom, a chest of drawers, 3 under-bed boxes, 4 more storage boxes on top of the wardrobes and this doesn't include all the out-of-season clothing in the attic! I know .... dreadful! Last summer I had clear-out and sent 11 bin bags of clothes to the charity shop, so what I have is what is left. Here is the evidence....
So there you have it ... the evidence of ludicrous over-spending on clothes. The result of several hours of hard work =
42 items for charity
18 items to sell
17 items for sister
56 items put away for now..... decision pending.
Next job? Everything has to fit into here:
Photos to follow.
The de-clutter continues....
Started on my clothes yesterday (see before photos) with the challenge of using only 33 items for a season. I did a quick audit of my wardrobes (yes, that was a plural) and have to admit that I have far too many clothes, including many items I don't wear. I have 4 wardrobes, which include drawers at the bottom, a chest of drawers, 3 under-bed boxes, 4 more storage boxes on top of the wardrobes and this doesn't include all the out-of-season clothing in the attic! I know .... dreadful! Last summer I had clear-out and sent 11 bin bags of clothes to the charity shop, so what I have is what is left. Here is the evidence....
So there you have it ... the evidence of ludicrous over-spending on clothes. The result of several hours of hard work =42 items for charity
18 items to sell
17 items for sister
56 items put away for now..... decision pending.
Next job? Everything has to fit into here:
Photos to follow.
The give-away update: 77 items added = total so far this week - 469!
Hurrah and Huzzar Black Adder ... only 31 items to reach my 500 target for the week.
Tuesday, 10 January 2012
The clear-out continues....
So far today:
Books 83 for charity shops
1 pair fit flops unworn to sell on ebay
43 dvds accepted by a resale outlet on the internet
10 dvds for charity
Kitchen stuff for Number 2 and girlfriend ready for their new home - 25 items
Books for nephew - 18
Bric-a-brac for charity - 5 items
1 latex mattress to sell on ebay
Books for relatives 12
Counselling/Psychology books to sell on ebay - 30
Re-usable jute bags for holding books - 4
Out-of-date medication for pharmacy - 21 boxes
bed linen/towels for charity - 10 items
TOTAL items: 263
Plus items from yesterday (129) = running total 392 items!
I thought it was going to be really hard to get rid of 500 items in one week, but after I have tackled my clothes this afternoon and Mr Thrifty has brought down another box of dvds that he put up in the attic, I think I am going to be reaching my target. I am aiming for a wardrobe of 33 items - I wonder where the somewhat random idea for the number 33 came from? Must remember to look again at Penny's site http://thesavedquarter.com and see if I can find out! More later........
Books 83 for charity shops
1 pair fit flops unworn to sell on ebay
43 dvds accepted by a resale outlet on the internet
10 dvds for charity
Kitchen stuff for Number 2 and girlfriend ready for their new home - 25 items
Books for nephew - 18
Bric-a-brac for charity - 5 items
1 latex mattress to sell on ebay
Books for relatives 12
Counselling/Psychology books to sell on ebay - 30
Re-usable jute bags for holding books - 4
Out-of-date medication for pharmacy - 21 boxes
bed linen/towels for charity - 10 items
TOTAL items: 263
Plus items from yesterday (129) = running total 392 items!
I thought it was going to be really hard to get rid of 500 items in one week, but after I have tackled my clothes this afternoon and Mr Thrifty has brought down another box of dvds that he put up in the attic, I think I am going to be reaching my target. I am aiming for a wardrobe of 33 items - I wonder where the somewhat random idea for the number 33 came from? Must remember to look again at Penny's site http://thesavedquarter.com and see if I can find out! More later........
Monday, 9 January 2012
A wardrobe of 33 items!
http://thesavedquarter.com
This woman is inspirational - Penny Saver....
Tomorrow I am going to try and use her 33 items rule for my early Spring wardrobe (although it is still Winter and very cold here on East Coast England!).
http://thesavedquarter.com
This woman is inspirational - Penny Saver....
Tomorrow I am going to try and use her 33 items rule for my early Spring wardrobe (although it is still Winter and very cold here on East Coast England!).
Saving money and clearing clutter.
Spent a day auditing contents of fridge/freezer/larder etc. and came up with 3 weekly menu plan. Spent £31 on groceries to supplement and hoping not to shop again this week (we might need milk). This is to feed Mr Thrifty, Number 3 (aged 19) ...until return to university at the end of the month, Number 4 (aged 17) and me. I have to point out that aforementioned offspring - both sons - are 6'6" and 6'7" respectively and slender and permanently very hungry ... this is not like feeding toddlers. Mr Thrifty, like sons, is tall and slim and that leaves me as only family member who could definitely afford to lose pounds .... okay stones!
The de-cluttering has commenced (again)! My target following an idea from another forum is to get rid of 500 things in one week. Today I managed 129 items: 1 pair of boots, 39 items of clothing, 3 kitchen items and 22 books to the charity shop, 24 magazines to the doctor's surgery waiting room, 32 odd socks and gloves to the textiles recycling, 1 broken cafetiere to the plastics recycling bin and 7 old furniture brochures to the paper recycling = 129 items.
I was delighted with this and everything was recycled in one way or another.
Spent a day auditing contents of fridge/freezer/larder etc. and came up with 3 weekly menu plan. Spent £31 on groceries to supplement and hoping not to shop again this week (we might need milk). This is to feed Mr Thrifty, Number 3 (aged 19) ...until return to university at the end of the month, Number 4 (aged 17) and me. I have to point out that aforementioned offspring - both sons - are 6'6" and 6'7" respectively and slender and permanently very hungry ... this is not like feeding toddlers. Mr Thrifty, like sons, is tall and slim and that leaves me as only family member who could definitely afford to lose pounds .... okay stones!
The de-cluttering has commenced (again)! My target following an idea from another forum is to get rid of 500 things in one week. Today I managed 129 items: 1 pair of boots, 39 items of clothing, 3 kitchen items and 22 books to the charity shop, 24 magazines to the doctor's surgery waiting room, 32 odd socks and gloves to the textiles recycling, 1 broken cafetiere to the plastics recycling bin and 7 old furniture brochures to the paper recycling = 129 items.
I was delighted with this and everything was recycled in one way or another.
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