Fun Monday # 83 Everything is useful!
Our hostess this week is Rayne and she says:
'Almost everyone I know keeps things that others would consider junk. Twist ties, used wrapping paper, etc. What thing or things do you hang on to, and why?
Or, if you are one of those super organized and practical people and don't hang on to things like that, do you have a collection that you would like to share with us?'
I was brought up after the war when things were scarce and when I first got married in the mid 60's we didn't have much money so everything was saved and recycled. The current recycling trend comes fairly easy to me, although, I know, many would consider I keep junk.
All the things you see in the collages below I keep and use again. Rubber bands come around the mail, envelopes come in junk mail, and cardboard boxes are not so easy to store. I don't get too much string these days but it's very useful in the garden, wrapping paper is re-used especially by Father Christmas! Jam jars are kept for just that and pickle making and for other types storage. Plastic bags are always used again, and if I need to send parcels I have plenty of padded bags. Old Christmas cards and birthday cards are made into tags and notelets a couple of you will have received these!
You might wonder why I have included coffee...well I buy several jars when they are cheap, that's just another saving device.This may not be quite what Rayne had in mind but it's one of the
I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else saves so see you soon.
Archives:
2007: Random acts of kindness
Labels: Fun Monday, recycling junk
posted by ChrisB @ 8:58 am
24 comments
24 Comments:
i'm not playing, but i was going to say that i do keep food. i buy extras for things that are on sale. and some stuff i do keep and recycle (like using grocery bags for trash or we will use them when we pack our glasses and plates to move)... etc.
You've reminded me of my mums old 'button box'. Did you have one of those? It was an old Quality street tin with every type of button you could imagine. My dad keeps odd bits of wood. (yes for stirring paint amongst other things.) I'm too tidy to be a hoarder but if it can be put away neatly I'll keep it! I seem to have alot of kitchen ware from my mum and I can't bring myself to get rid of it!
My hubby says that the wooden spoon and the old spatchaler are my heir-looms!
Coffee has to bought in bulk Chris! I get that cheaper Nescafe Brazilian from cheaper shops like instores... saves me a fortune!
You, my friend, are the queen of reusing! When is the coronation?
I was in the same boat as you, growing up just after WW II and I was like you too. But I have changed when I was 62 don't know why but I throw everything away and don't have anything left besides photos ! Fortunately I don't miss anything either, lol !
You can NEVER have too much coffee.
I was thinking of the button box, also. My mom cut all of the buttons off of every shift that ever hit the "rag bag". Mom kept hers in an old cigar box, though. It was very cool.
I am terrible at re-using (I do recycle!). I remember the button box, that was such fun to play with as a kid.
This is exactly what I had in mind. Well done! And I'm impressed. I never think of what else something could be used for, I just toss it away. I should be a little more mindful especially in these money-tight times.
I save old gift bags, and especially CARDS! I always think that Christmas cards would be cool to recycle...but then, I'm not sure how to do it. Maybe I should send them to you!
I have a button box too only thing is that I never sew on missing buttons!
It's a good job you have a large house for all your junk, some of us don't have the space to store...much as we'd like to!
you are very thrifty Chris which I find is a wonderful trait. I am learning how to be more thrifty, especially in this economy!!
My mom always had tons of buttons. I was never sure why since I never really saw her use any of them. Now I have my own collection of buttons I'll never use. Each time I buy a shirt, they come with extra buttons so I save them but never use them. My mom makes more and more sense the older I get....
My mother saved everything to the point every surface in the house was covered with something. I think it is why I have a minamlist approach to decorating my own home. I once had a button jar but even that went when we moved from our big house to small apartment.
I said it to someone else today, don't think of it as hording, think of it as recycling. You're saving the earth.
Holy shit Chris! I could have just copied your post and called it mine. Your photos are eerily familiar, even the coffee!
Well done! But did you say that you even use those ties which come with kitchen garbage bags. I don't use them, and I hate the idea of throwing them out. Any creative suggestions on what you would do with them? That is, if I read your post correctly. *laughing* It's getting late. :))
:-) Crafting is always a good excuse for "keeping" stuff! I liked your collage!
I very much relate to everything you’ve shared in this post. I was raised by a Dutch mom whose motto was ‘waste not want not’ and for as long as I taught school, I saved and used ‘containers’ of all kinds (baby food jars, cottage cheese and sour cream carton, milk cartons, etc.). It took me several years to give up this habit and fortunately my city ‘recycles’ such things now. I still DO collect a variety of stuph however. My Fun Monday post is at Small Reflections.
Hugs and blessings,
We had so many things stacked up inside our old garage (when I was a kid growing up) that the old building would have fallen down without the stuff holding it up
Reusing the cards as tags--what a great idea!
Your emtpy glass jars would be good for bug collecting!
I'm glad to see others recycling wrapping paper. I know I've gotten some weird looks at parties when I fold it all back up rather than throw it away. I know one lady who sewed multiple sized Christmas bags for presents. No more spending money on paper...although for children, that is part of the fun, I think.
My supplies, as I like to call, are getting a little thin here lately. I need to restock. hehehehehe!
A visit to granmothers will do it!
My parents and grandparents do these types of things too. I know it's from when things were scarce. My parents buy in bulk - big time! In fact, when dad was out of a job for a month they still had plenty to eat without going shopping.
I love the jars!! I keep my pasta sauce jars
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