USE IT UP Challenge--being frugal

[FarmerChick]

SS to me means using less and more natural things.

I went "UNDER the cabinet sinks"---yikes
I couldn't believe what is pushed back there.

I have 2 boxes of SOS Brillo pads, 2 boxes of Spic n Span cleaner, some Ajax, etc. etc.

UGH

So I decided instead of throwing it out---which to me is throwing out money---I might as well use it up.

AND then the bathroom area, all my hair care stuff, etc. etc.

So my challenge is for everyone to go thru the home and see what needs to be USED up. Finish it before buying anything else, or even making your own new fresh natural cleaners and such.



I did throw out old makeup and old cleaners that I know are ancient..LOL...like some Pinesol in there. I have NO CLUE when I bought that....maybe 10 years ago. I hate the smell of Pinesol and never finished it and yep, I chucked it. of course after I threw it I thought I should have just given it to my mother in law to use to clean the rental trailers and such....but it is gone..LOL

When I thought I was going to learn to sew, and I can't sew on a button to this day, no interest----I started to acquire fabric on sale and from Goodwill and such........well knowing I am never going to use it I am going to give it away to my MIL's friend who sews like a maniac. At least it will be used.


So what can you give away, should sell cause it is never used, under the sinks accumulating dust, etc. etc.......what can you USE up and be done with?

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Yeah, this is a big one and an interesting post.

I would add one more thing . . . when you use something up, be hardcore about it. You get a little more mileage if you, say, turn your dishwashing soap bottle upside down to drain it fully and also use whatever you can rinse out (before you recycle the bottle of course). Using every last drop helps, though it can be annoying at times. Get a good spatula and scrape out those jars!

Most of our household cleaning items, etc. were taken care of when we moved. I had to toss some, but I did try to give things to others who might be able to use them.

We still have to sort through old household stuff . . . furniture, etc. that we won't use ever again probably. I dread it, but I know it needs to be done this year.

Edited for grammar.

 

[keljonma]

We are pretty bare bones here. If it isn't used, we don't keep it around. I agree with the others, use it up or give it to someone who will.

Under my kitchen sink is my trash can, my recycle can, and my compost can. Nothing else fits.

I have a pedestal sink in the bathroom, so I can't hide anything there. The 4 shelves in the cupboard in there are only 6 inches wide. In the bathroom we have:
5 bars bath soap
2 extra toothbrushes
1 tube extra toothpaste
2 extra deodorants
2 pkgs Epsom salts
lavender, eucalyptus, geranium, and tea tree oils
hair dryer
dh's shaving stuff
bath linens
toilet tissue

In my organizer in the laundry/mud room:
1/4 cup measuring cup used for laundry soap
15 quart jars of homemade laundry soap, 1 open
1 spray bottle eucalyptus oil/water
1 spray bottle white vinegar/water
1 spray bottle tea tree oil/water
1 large jug white vinegar
4 16 oz bottles hydrogen peroxide
1 container homemade oxy-clean
1 large jug Oxine
3 bars Fels Naptha soap
1 box Borax, open
1 box Washing Soda, open
1 small bottle ceramic stove top cleaner & razor blade scraper
1 small bottle marble cleaner (for marble table)
1 Mr Clean Eraser
1 vacuum cleaner bag & vacuum cleaner belt
1 medical case for chicken infirmary supplies
cleaning rags
emergency wind-up radio
emergency wind-up flashlight
2 pair binoculars

 

[Beekissed]

When you rinse out dishwashing liquid soap bottles, the thinned soap is perfect for refilling your foaming hand soap dispenser!

Used Brillo pads are great for sharpening your scissors....just cut up the old pad and it puts a good edge on them. Same with sandpaper.

When you rinse out a spaghetti jar, the liquid can be added to your freezer soup stock.

If you have a white crock pot, use the last bit of OxyClean powder, in a full pot of water, to remove the stains in it. Just make Oxyclean soup, on high for awhile.....no washing, scrubbing, etc.....just sparkling white porcelain! Rinse and dry and smile!!

I am storing up my 2 gal. bleach bottles to convert to killing cones and mount on the side of my coop. They are very strong and the perfect size! The one gal. size makes the best grain and dog food scoops. Just rinse out very well before use. These are stronger jugs than the ordinary milk jugs used for the same thing.

 

[homestead jenna]

Oh wow - the other night I updated my will, strapped on a life jacket, tied myself to a rope, pocketed a supply of bread crumbs, and went into....

THE PLASTICS CUPBOARD.

Dear heaven, it would have to be America where you can go buy potato salad at the deli (my dh does this), eat it that day and have the container for the rest of your natural life. These dang things - from the deli, from the chinese delivery place, from you name it - were constantly falling out onto the floor every time the door was opened. It was so crowded and perfliggedy in there my 2-year old granddaughter didn't want to get into it to play with the stuff. Talk about humiliating....

I culled out MOST of that mess under there - even (dare I say it) Tupperware I had to have (apparently to decorate the plastics cabinet because they're barely used!). I kept only a intensely small number of containers (like 4); I rarely have leftovers that don't go into the Garbage Soup jar in the freezer and I come home from work for lunch so I don't carry food there. It's all in a box to go...where? I have no idea who can use this stuff.

 

[Beekissed]

jenna, you are hilarious!!!

 

[OkieJonesClan]

Homested Jenna - What is a garbage soup jar? Do you save left overs and make a soup later? Sorry if it is a silly question, kinda new to all of this.

 

[Beekissed]

Okie, lots of folks will take odds and ends of left overs and place them in a larger plastic container in the freezer. When it gets full enough, they thaw it out, add some seasonings and a few touches and make some soup or stew. Usually its the vegetables, meats, etc. that make it to the soup container.

 

[OkieJonesClan]

Thanks Beekissed!

 

[curly_kate]

I just did this in the bathroom cabinet not too long ago. I took my zillion travel size lotions & dumped them all into one big bottle. I had about 5 bottles of fancy face lotions that all made my skin itch, so I passed those on to my sisters. I have been wanting to start making my own cleaners, but I still have some leftovers that I need to use up. The problem is, some of them are pretty toxic! It's scary that the label on my mildew removers says not to throw it in the trash! But it's OK for me to breath the fumes (as long as I open a window, of course!!!).

I have to watch the produce drawer. That's where things can get wasted. Also the freezer. I have gotten a LOT better about making sure to freeze the leftovers from meals right away. It's just me & DH, so there are almost always leftovers from any meal.

One thing I love to do now when I'm making dinner is to just look in the cabinets & decide what I want to make based on what's in there. It sounds silly, but I'm soused to picking a recipe, and then going to the grocery for whatever ingredients I'm missing. It's made me a much more creative cook, and I feel so resourceful!!