Gifting

I thought I would try something a little different for extended family presents this year, and decided to pot up some bulbs from my garden.  I don't know the name of the flower, but they are huge and pink and no matter how many times I neglect them they keep appearing in my garden, so I thought I would share the joy and dug up about 7 bulbs to replant for Christmas gifts.  It was pretty easy and best of all free!  For other family members I gave jars of jam and honey from (this guy), and close family received personalised uno cards, which turned out really nice (but customer service from the company was really bad so I don't feel the need to promote it :-). 

cleaning the medicine cabinet

 (Image found here)

When spring arrives I always feel a little extra motivation to clean and organise my home.  I love the extra sunshine, the warmer weather and the hope of my favourite holidays to come.  This week I cleaned out and re-sorted my kitchen cupboards.  One of the last of the day was the cupboard which holds all our medicines.  Taking stock of our medications has been a regular occurance for me since an 'indicent' we had in our first month of marriage (...Imagine me, waking up my new husband at 2am in the morning as I had a really bad headache, there is no pain killers in the house, so I send him out to find some.  On his return I am fast asleep...thinking he didn't drive all that way for nothing he wakes me up and tells me his home with my medication).  Since then we have always had panadol in the home :-)  

So in sorting and cleaning my medicine cabinet, I check use by dates and put aside medicines we no longer need.  Disposing of them is the important thing- I always take them to the pharmacy and have them disposed of safely.  Medicines of any kind should not be put in the bin, or flushed down the toilet.  It can cause lots of problems for our waterways, and you never have to worry that someone might pick them up and take them.

This program gives more information:  http://www.returnmed.com.au/

Lucky finds

I really have great luck sometimes, in particular in finding really great second hand jeans.  I gave up on buying new jeans years ago (just got sick of trying on so many pairs) and started buying them at op/thrift shops.  And I really have been lucky.  Just this week I decided I needed new jeans (have grown out of my last pair) and turned up at my first 'vinnies' to find a perfect pair of 'Jag' jeans in just my size (already worn in to the comfy stage).  $12 later  (and after a good wash) I am living in these jeans.  What have been your best thrift store finds?

(Unfortunately I am a bit of a second hand snob.  Jeans, the occasional kids toys, kids shorts, books and puzzles are usually what I look out for when visiting an op shop/ thirft store).  

Should we just all learn to share?

I came across this interesting article today and been thinking about it ever since.

It is basically talking about how we could reduce our consumption of products by simply sharing more.  And the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.  When was the last time we simply borrowed somthing instaed of going out and buying it?  And whilst I do a lot of 'sharing' with my parents I do very little of sharing with others or an even scarier thought...my neighbours.  

For example, I have a lot of books and dvds...and now baby products that I have only used once and would be more than happy to share with those around me.  I have also found that lately I would rather borrow from the library than own a book, and have sworn off buying DVDs since the purchase of our HD recorder.  

So here is to sharing...I am trying to teach baby boy about it...and now I need to put it in to practice myself.

Anyone need to borrow something?

http://collaborativeconsumption.com/

Reuse...

Last week I did something I have never done before.  I took two pair of trousers that don't fit me to a seamstress and had them tailored to fit.  After I had baby I lost a bit of weight and my body shape changed, which has resulted in none of the trousers in my wardrobe fitting me.  This has been so frustrating over the last six months as I have attempted to use belts or find new trousers with not much success.  So in the spirit of using less stuff (see previous post), I had my trousers tailored and they now fit like a dream, better than they ever did!  The whole process cost much less that buying 1 new pair of paints, and they wouldn't have fit this good anyway.  So tick one off the list of using less stuff...see a seamstress, I highly recommend it!