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Wow, I have been so busy being frugal I haven’t had a moment to tell you about it! Let’s see, a recap of what’s been going on…
- I made more bread! It was sooo much better than what we started with. I thought I loved my new toy but waking up this morning and finding fresh, warm bread when I got to the kitchen really clinched the deal. Uuummmmyummmyum. I got this recipe from the Hillbilly Housewife. It’s my new daily bread. It is so good. But I already mentioned that. It’s so good it deserved another mention though. Really. Try it. I told you, you will have a good life. Maybe next time I’ll take a moment to get a picture before I cut into the fresh loaf. If I can wait that long.
- I slaved for hours to get our grocery shopping and meal planning in order. I created a grocery list. It’s very detailed. It includes price breakdowns for multiple stores. It lets me vent some organizational OCD. I may even be able to send the husband to the store by himself one day. It’s truly a thing of wonder. Or not. But hopefully it will keep the pantry stocked and the dinners flowing.
- Speaking of dinners, I decided to try a weekly menu planner. Based on the weekly specials I hope to will plan meals and buy the appropriate foodstuff. The Frugal Girl does it and writes about it. I’m impressed. I want to be just like her when I grow up. No really, I do hope some of her planning skills rub off. And her baking skills. She makes bread all the time. I need to exercise more so I can eat more bread.
Although I just read about The Non-Consumer Advocate‘s system of filling the pantry and cooking from what’s there. She has a pretty good list of staples to work from. I still think I’m going to stick to my meal planning for now. The extra planning will help me not lose sight of the perishables and hopefully I won’t be throwing away any more unused bok choy. That one hurt. I like bok choy. As this is week one (day one really) of our new regime I am open to any successes and failures. I’ll be sure to keep you posted. Can’t wait, can you?
- Lastly, a non-food related item. I’m currently working on a fabulous gift for a 3 year old boy. Unfortunately, I have no idea what a 3 year old boy likes. Plus, my favorite kids consignment store was out of everything labeled “fabulous gift for 3 year old boy”. I’m off to see what other Compactors have come up with. The party’s on Saturday so an Ebay score of baseball cards and chewing gum is probably out. What do you think? I’m not panicking but I could use your help.
It’s almost the end of the month and it is the end of the week. It sounds like a good time to take a look at where we’ve been. Or how far we’ve come. Or what we’ve done. Or haven’t done for that matter. But you get the idea. We are a month into this here Compact year. How’s it going so far?
Well, ever since I wrote that post about forgetting my bags I haven’t forgotten my bags. I guess I just needed to verbalize my issue. I should keep that in mind. Maybe I’ll just start writing about all my problems. Hmm, I might lose a few of you. I think I’ll stick to the topic at hand. What was that again?
I’ve also been doing a lot of cooking at home. And I mean a lot. More than I ever thought I would want to do. And guess what? I’ve been enjoying it! Shhh, don’t tell my husband. I cook, he does laundry. If he thought I enjoyed the cooking we might have to change our deal. And it works so well for me. But in addition to actually enjoying my cooking I’ve finally gotten to the point where I can go to the farmer’s market, buy a bunch of different produce and actually make real meals out of it. It’s kind of a learning curve you know? I started with fruit and have worked my way up to cabbage, bok choy, various lettuces and so much more! What’s next? No, not that. It won’t happen. If there is any baking going on it won’t be me. I’m quite happy with my Organic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from Trader Joe’s. A handful of those a day and I am golden!
We’ve had to buy four birthday presents this month and I was able to find great gifts (at least I think they were great, I hope the getters did too!) all at our local thrift and consignment stores. I think we’ve been to Target twice and it was for soap, toothpaste, kleenex (I know, I know, I use hankies but husband just can’t get on that bandwagon, what’s a girl to do?) and Nature Babycare wipes. All in all, I think we’re doing great on that front. I was also able to score 11 linen napkins at the flea market last Sunday for only three bucks! And I really like them to boot! Got a new (circa 1979) bookshelf to be used as a TV stand in a friend’s apartment too. A coat of paint and that will be one sweet find.
That friend’s apartment…it’s a design job I’m doing. More like a favor really. A favor she’s doing for me. I’ve wanted to spruce up this place for years. Now’s my chance. And my first order of business (after finding the bookshelf) was to select all low VOC (actually Dunn Edwards NO VOC!) paints. It’s truly the best. Playing with furniture, fabric and paint in an eco-conscious way with someone else’s money (on a budget – I like a challenge). This rocks! Okay, I know that was a major digression. Back to my Compact accomplishments. (Wow, does that sound like a pat on my own back!)
We’ve been back to Walser’s with all of our pre-sorted recycling. Did you know they even take the metal hangers that (annoyingly) come from the dry-cleaners? They are so great. Really. And yes, we dry-clean. My husband’s work shirts. I don’t iron. Not like that anyway. I know it’s not environmental (although we do try to use the green cleaners) but that’s why I try to do so much else. I am working to find the balance. I take small steps.
And to keep things honest and real – I’m ashamed to say I threw away some celery today. Granted the whole thing only cost me a dollar at the farmer’s market. But still, I’m not happy about it. I was making soup and had taken as much as I could use for that already. The rest was so limp it bent like a willow branch in a strong wind. I couldn’t think of a use or how to save it until I could think of a use. I’m sorry. I feel terrible. I just thought you should know.
To end on a positive note though, I will say that I am really looking forward to the next month of this adventure. And the one after that. And I promise to have more pictures tomorrow. Pictures make everything so much more fun don’t they? Well, to hold you over until then I will leave you with this…
what's the message? no message. just a pretty picture.
Arctic Circle by Alex Hallatt
♦ ♦ ♦
And if that’s not enough for all of you, my favored readers I give you this…
Typically I will refrain from simply posting links to other stories but I just thought this was too good to pass up. It actually came to me from my husband. He might be a little unsure about which bag a particular item of trash get’s recycled into but he is always thinking of you, dear readers. Or thinking of my thinking of you. Whichever is the culprit he passes this nugget on and so I give it to you.
A reporter for the Los Angeles Times wrote an article for the Business section about thrift stores. And this is not the article you might think. It is not about how well thrift stores are doing in this time of recession and spend-thrift. Or about how thrift stores are lacking for goods as people are hanging onto their stuff longer instead of replacing everything at break-neck speed. Both of these may be true, I don’t know, I haven’t done any studies. Or asked anyone for that matter. (Digression, I know, I know.) This great article is about how this particular newsman gets his fabulous, high end, designer wardrobe from thrift stores! And if you live in the Los Angeles area he even names names! It makes me want to run out just to see what I can find.
Hey, maybe I can find a Chanel suit and that elusive potato masher! What’s the best thing you’ve found at a thrifty?
the ultimate salad spinner
It’s that time. I have found things I can’t live without. Okay that might be a bit extreme. But I have thought of some new things to add to the exceptions list. Of my own ponderings and some recommendations I have the following additions:
- toddler shoes – although I will continue to hunt and peck through the consignment and thrift store shelves I have also resolved to buy new shoes for Toddler L if need be as foot binding is just not my thing.
- hardware – this one was less obvious in the beginning but if I need a certain do-hicky/screw/latch thing to fix something I am running straight to my locally owned hardware store (just being ridiculously clear here, you might be saying “duh, no shit sherlock” but I like complete clarity).
- jewelry – now this is a very specific ring so I’m allowing myself a free pass. When our son was born my husband gave me a ring with his birthstone (the baby’s not my husband’s). It’s part of a set. I get jewelry with every labor and delivery. It’s only fair. And I’m not letting this one go just because a kid is being born this year.
- salad spinner – I promise to hit all the nearby thriftys and on-line for this first but if I don’t find it soon I’m going native. I figure this one eliminates the waste of food so it’s a wash.
- potato masher – this one follows the same logic as the potato spinner. I’d love to make mashed potatoes but can’t figure out how without a way to mash the suckers.
That’s it. I think. What do you think? Is it just that I’m losing my resolve already? Or have I found some justifiable needs? Are these things my shower curtain?
One Compact idea I have been practicing for a long time is buying used clothes. Don’t get me wrong, I have spent more than my fair share at Banana Republic and Ann Taylor but a favorite sweater is from a consignment store from I don’t know when and where. And when I was living in the Yukon Territory I picked up a pair of cowboy boots at the local thrift store that I wore for years. (I won’t tell you about that adventure now, that would be serious digression, but perhaps one day when I’m feeling like spinning a tale I tell it to you.)
But especially when it comes to my kid’s clothes, if it weren’t for some fantabulous hand-me-overs (that’s when they’re from a friend not an older sibling!), consignment stores and a few gifts he would have very little to wear. My favorite kids’ store is just around the corner too, totally convenient right? So you can imagine how upset I was when all the buzz was going around that these stores were going to have to close. If you don’t know what I’m talking about read the scoop on testing for all kids products, lead content, phthalates, etc. here in an article by the LA Times. Thankfully though we have just found out that the government got smart and heard the appeals (will wonders never cease) and amended the law to omit re-sale stores from the requirement to test their products. If you care, you can read about it straight from the CPSC here.
The new law requires that domestic manufacturers and importers certify that children’s products made after February 10 meet all the new safety standards and the lead ban. Sellers of used children’s products, such as thrift stores and consignment stores, are not required to certify that those products meet the new lead limits, phthalates standard or new toy standards.
If you care about your local mom & pop manufacturer or love to buy kids stuff from artists at the farmer’s market I urge you to look into this matter further though. There are still many issues with the law as it currently stands pertaining to the manufacture of kids’ toys and clothes in general.
But yea for me, I’m off to see if I can find my boy some new old clothes!
I was tasked with re-designing our living room and master bedroom so we could have a larger dining table and a secondary computer desk. Not that we have more people for dinner or a home office, just a Destructo that won’t let anything happen without his input. As our old dining table was actually an Ikea bedside table (it seemed really big to be a bedside table to me but apparently Ikea liked the idea), it was becoming increasingly difficult to get anything done since he could reach up and grab everything within 9 inches of the edge. I think the table was about 24 inches in diameter. So I had nearly 6 inches in the middle of the table I could claim as my own. Why am I complaining? Oh yeah, I like my own space. I also like not having to restrain/reprimand/discipline my child continuously. And as he is a modern boy and cannot keep away from anything electronic that meant setting up a computer desk in our bedroom for a big computer that needed to be set up all the time. Unfortunately this is in addition to my husband’s and my laptops which now reside on half of the dining room table. Boy am I glad we had a really nice, big dining room table sitting in storage. How silly of me to think we should maximize living space and use a small two-seater for eating when we moved into this quaint (read small) apartment pre-child.
With some great support (lifting, dragging, carrying) by my husband, I was able to meet all of our current design needs. And I can’t complain about the overall effect either. It has really helped that I kept all the furniture to neutrals for this place but that’s another story. This story is about how this re-design made me really look at what furniture we do have. As I sit at the dining room table that I truly love I see a mix of old and new. Surprisingly more new right now. Surprising because that really isn’t my general style. I did fall hard for Ikea when we moved from our 1920′s Hollywood bungalow into a 1980′s limited edition apartment. You know the type – white walls, taupe carpet, no aesthetic minus the popcorn ceiling. What can I say, I wanted a clean, minimalist look as I was so bummed to be leaving my built-in shelves, glass-knobbed, paneled doors and original casement windows. But I digress. (I told you I would.) When I look around my re-designed space I see my favorite pieces and they are all second hand. An iron sewing table base my husband and I picked up in an antique store. At least that’s what they called it, it can be a fine line between antique and thrift sometimes. An old army trunk with mis-matched feet and a bad yellow paint job that has become the toy chest. I couldn’t live without this piece of storage. And of course my dining table. It was in the bungalow when my husband started sub-letting it. The then-owner gave it back to the friend she was borrowing it from. We cried. He agreed to sell it to us and now I’m happy as a clam. And my folding dining chairs. Don’t worry, they’re not plastic or metal with drab fabric seats. They’re wood with a beautiful Asian inspired cutout on the back and currently in a wonderful apple green color. That will change but the chairs will stay as long as they hold me. I have an addiction to chairs. It’s why I happen to have one sitting in the bedroom that worked great with the new desk. (No silly, not really new, what do you take me for?) It’s not new either. I got it at an estate sale many years ago. Plus the three chairs currently in storage. If I could I’d have a chair only store and the sign would have a guy with a horn and the words “Chair This”.
I would have to say, other than the picture frames holding my husband’s photography, there isn’t anything we’ve purchased in the last year that I am in the least bit tied to. Don’t get me wrong, I like it all but I don’t see it passing down through the family lines. I think of my mother’s house and my grand-mother’s house. Most of the truly wonderful pieces there are as old if not older than I am. I know not everyone’s design sensibilities will agree with mine but I’m glad for the ones I’ve got. And I’m glad I can find such treasured pieces without looking in today’s “furniture stores”. Although I will admit an intense weakness for all things kitchen at Crate and Barrel. And if I actually went into a restaurant supply store I would probably cry. So I don’t. And instead I search my local freecycle for great finds like today’s “3 cast iron pots”. I’ll be getting those later this week I hope.
What are your favorite things and where do you find them?
Back to my reality tomorrow. If living in LA can be considered reality. But at least I won’t be forced to shop.
Who am I kidding?
If I can’t convince everyone to join my quest the least they can do is let me do their shopping for them. But I think I’ve been tested enough for one week. Now I get to go home and limit my exposure to all of that must-have stuff in the stores. Although I AM going to be reconfiguring the living room and that usually has me wanting “something” to fill a hole somewhere. It’s the third time since my son became mobile which was less than a year ago. He’s really good at putting my creative juices to the test. So now I plan to do the make-over using only what we already have. And to increase the stakes I need to add a computer desk to our bedroom. Not that I want a computer or a desk in my bedroom but it’s the only room I have half a chance of keeping Destructo out of. Have I mentioned that our bedroom is about 8′ by 8′? And we have a queen size bed. I’ve actually considered downsizing to a double. But then I think, wouldn’t it be easier to find an apartment with larger bedrooms. And then I remember I live in LA. So back to the desk in my closet bedroom. And if I do find there are things I just must have you can find me at the neighbourhood consignment shop.
I’ve been pretty good the last year about not being in stores where I don’t plan to shop and not wandering the aisles at random of the stores I have been in. I find it only makes me depressed. Or inspired by the great designs. Although that’s only helpful if I use that inspiration for something and not just wish I had thought of that great pillow idea or covet someone else’s pottery prowess. But I digress. Which isn’t that unusual, get used to it if you plan to check in on me regularly.
Yesterday I had to go to Target for my mother-in-law. Now Target I can typically handle. I keep to the hair products, baby wipes, pre-packaged box dinners (don’t tell my mother-in-law), and the occasional trip through the beauty aisle. I keep it safe. Boring I know, but at least I don’t leave with an $80 cart every time I’m there. And with post-baby memory, that can be a couple of times a week when I forget two of the three things I went for in the first place. Sorry, more digression. We had spent the day hanging lots of family pictures and “de-cluttering” the curio shelves so off I went to find some new picture frames for my MIL. I found myself smack in the middle of my danger zone. All that great new wall art. The plethora of vases, they don’t even have to be great vases, just lots of them sparkling together. And the mirrors. I’m a sucker for mirrors. Several times I caught myself thinking “ooh, that’s great.” Or “hmm, that would be perfect for our bedroom.” And then it would hit me “not this year.” Followed closely by the thought “or ever?…what have I gotten myself into?” It was an awakening for sure. I intend to head to the nearest consignment store when I get home so I can fulfill my shopping urge. Wait, that doesn’t sound very compact-y when I say it out loud. I guess I will just have to take the lesson for what it is…I am a long way from free of the mass consumption that pervades our society. I guess I will have to find something to create at home to fill my need for something new and wait until there’s something I actually need before heading out to that consignment store. Who knew Target could be such an educational experience?
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