The Friendly Frugaleers- Autumn is on its way !

[QuiteCleanBanditlovesdresses]

Hi Frugaleers
Sorry lame thread title

Sea that is exactly my problem. I keep things thinking I will sell things on eBay and I never do. It all just mounts up and makes me feel guilty. When I went on holiday my bedroom was always immaculate as I had enough space to put everything away, it was no hassle. At home I am squashing things into drawers and cupboards to the point that it makes it so difficult to get anything in or out. Think I need someone ruthless with me when I’m tidying to spur me on.

Quite I need you 😂 I can imagine I’d be dithering over whether to keep my 30 pairs of old socks ...and meanwhile you’d have half my house tied up in black bags ready for the bin 😜

What time shall I come over? Born
The interesting thing is that I hardly ever buy anything now.
I bought new stuff because I couldnt find anything !

born whilst I don’t subscribe to the Marie kondo method of keeping things that bring joy (how can a spoon Do that?!) im a fan of decluttering slowly and methodically.

Tomorrow pick a room. And an area in that room. A small one. A drawer. Just do that drawer. Everything out, clean the drawer, sort through the things and get rid of anything that’s broken/doesn’t fit etc.

It’s easier to do it bit by bit - less overwhelming.

Gym was tough today. Oooof. But good. Usually I finish then walk home. But I had to go back to the car. Today’s route took me right past McDonald’s. The smell. Oh god the smell. So gooood. I resisted though.

Dm made a prawn and chorizo risotto. Mmmm.

I’ve made lunches for work tomorrow. Sorted ds’ bag and showered. In bed now. Dh is out for dinner.

Bit by bit is the way or 15 minute jobs .
So much more manageable.Amazing what you can do in 15 minutes

Girlie 😂😂

It is a Jamie Oliver recipe. A pack of skinless and boneless chicken thighs, two handfuls of red onions (I use frozen), six tomatoes, halved, a couple of stalks of thyme (I always have some in the freezer). A couple of spoonfuls of olive oil, equal amounts of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Chuck it all in a tray bake and stir.

Bake for 45 min on 200f and flip and baste halfway through. Serve with mash or rice. Voila - comfort food.

I sometimes make it with chicken breasts and its nice, but not as nice.

I totally overcompensate for the fact that I grew up without luxuries. I can’t bear to be down to my last deodorant or shampoo and buy my children far too many clothes. You’re right quite I frequently have to re buy things as I’ve misplaced them in the clutter. em I started doing some drawers at the weekend and was quite ruthless just need to keep it up. I have definitely reduced the amount of crap that I buy since I joined this thread.

Born I too am compensating for not having stuff as a child. I know I am. And that’s exactly how I feel about my bedroom clutter too. You are my spiritual twin

It's funny seacow holidays often inspire decluttering for that reason don't they. It's really refreshing living with less. And oddly I still have, a month on, the feeling we are simply holidaying in the new house :o obviously that is partly because of it being new but I do think it is down to being less cluttered (as well as now having more space/storage we also decluttered absolutely heaps of stuff).

Big sigh I am back to high fatigue/pain tonight as I dared to venture into town (think I'll have to go online for most of what house stuff I want... I did get some cute measuring spoons though!). Luckily DH is off tomorrow.

Yup girlie we have always promised the Caglets that we would get a pet once we have settled into the new house. My friend has lots of reptiles, insects etc so is full of advice when we are ready, she was also a vet nurse until recently :) I didn't realise about the insurance though so I will ask her more about what kind of thing might come up, maybe I could put aside some money each month myself instead.

Cagletini has got better at climbing. FML.

Bornlazy I got simpsons s7 today so the Caglets could finally find out who shot mr burns 😂

I have a stash Born
I always buy on offer but Im not buying endless books,clothes,stuff in general.
I dont shop as a leisure activity .
If you suggested tomorrow that we "go shopping" there is not one thing I need or want.
I would swim,walk ,cycle, read or knit instead.

My weakness is clothes and make up.

I have enough though. My venture into the beauty hoarders thread ages ago has changed my mindset. I’m using up what I have. Learning to use it properly and not buying another item in a category unless necessary it it’s a freebie

You all inspired me. I just went in the loft. For the first time in about 3 years. The first thing I did while groping for the light switch was put my hand through a massive spider web. Down I came quick smart! Sent dp up instead. The storage boxes are up right by the hatch, and 3 vaccum bags full of my not-needed clothes/massive teddy curse you costco /spare duvets. Filling another with teddies, will have to stealth hide them!

Am packing my car for a tip run after work tomorrow. Tonnes of cardboard, four really dead pillows, duvet, and two or three black bags. Mostly from the hall and my room.

Mine is yarn,dresses and make up em
I did hang around on the Caroline Hirons threads but using Lush Ultrabland as my main cleanser has completely changed my mind about skincare.
Oil or 9-5 to remove make up then lovely Ultrabland and Aldi Soy moisturiser.
I dont drink,smoke or get sun on my face.Lots of sleep .
You cant put that in a bottle looking at you Gwyneth Paltrow/Goop

My brother once said something along the lines of that stuff ends up owning you rather than the other way round which I think is so true. I grew up with a lot of stuff and think it's made me more ruthless!! I'm definitely not materialistic which helps.

Sea 😂 at least we know we’re doing it.
Cag who did shoot him? Was it Maggie?
Quite a stash that is cost effective is great - I have a stash I can’t find 😩
em I don’t need to buy another beauty product for about three years and hopefully I won’t

Asked H to pick up new duvet for au pair and a metal colander as our plastic one broke been wanting to change it for years he spent €50 on duvet and €17 on a metal sieve which doesn't do what I wanted, plus took tag off the sieve today so I can't even return it ffs
Colander I wanted was €6.99, I'll return duvet myself can get similar for €35, and that was only googling one shop

Wolf someone has the pressure cooker & slow cooker combined, when I'm living separately to H eventually I'm getting myself one of those. Pressure King Pro I think they're called?
Will check out those bread recipes too

Welcome bower

I'm loving lemon curd at the moment, wondering if I could incorporate it into baking of some sort? It's amazing with raspberries & fage yogurt btw

NSD for me

mammy it behaves very like jam when baked. So jam tarts/blob inside a muffin etc. Have you tried making it? Super easy (truly) and beyond more delicious than bought.

Stuff by the door ready for the tip. Hasn't even made a dent, but I can now see how dirty my bedroom window is

Well done lonely also didn't you have a skip a while ago, so think how much better it is already, you are doing brilliantly.

That is one expensive duvet mammy mind you I get the cheapest I can, I don't normally do buy cheap buy twice on purpose, but they are so bloody expensive to clean that it is cheaper to replace. The Caglets' duvets should fit in the new machine though thankfully.

I am wondering if fairy cake type things would be best to try first as we have the muffin trays already. I am decent at buttercream too so could do butterfly cakes or something and DD wants to make lemon icing too. Normally we would buy plain fairy cakes!

Just going to bed now. DD really struggling halfway through the melatonin break. Must admit I am finding it difficult having less time to myself in the evening (I mean the baby is there anyway but at least I can watch TV or something without needing to reassure an anxious preteen about every bloody thing).

Yup it's Maggie [20+ years late spoiler alert] :o

Yes Cagfairy cakes are easy. I use Lonely's method and a 2 egg mixture does 12 fairy cakes. The trick is to cream together the butter and sugar until it looks a lighter colour then beat the eggs before adding half at a time and finally sieve the flour into the mixture and fold it in gently so you don't knock out the air your just put in.

My weaknesses are recipe books and notebooks. I do lots of cooking but I can't usually think of anything to write in the notebooks.

Ds has been up since 4.47. Full of beans. I am not full of beans and am trying to doze on the settee but he wants me to play with him. His way to show me this is to bang me on the head with books or toys that he wants to play with. It's going to be a long day.

I haven't made it lonely because a jar is 65c and I figure I probably can't beat that!

I cleared my floor robe last night, room still not clean but I can walk across the floor.

Have made a nice picture for myself, picked up a leaflet advertised dynamic earth when in Edinburgh, had an a4 colour handrawn style map of old town Edinburgh, framing it for myself & dc. Had frame bought for cross stitch & it was too small.

Snuggly much love to you this morning with ds, mine have started sleeping later this summer and it's amazing not to have such an early start to the day. This too shall pass

I've put a ban on myself buying recipe books because I rarely use the ones I have, usually just look up stuff online. I've loads as it is.

Was charged a late payment fee of -€7 on cc that I wondered about min payment & refund. Statement says must be paid by aug 18, and payments are credited on aug 14 so going to contact them & request it be refunded

Cag i bought mid range duvets last time for our own beds but I think au pairs one was one of the cheaper ones as at the time it was just a spare room, however eye watering that is €17 on a sieve that's meant to stand but topples over because handle is too heavy!

Thanks Mammy. I am definitely looking forward to when the early starts pass.At the moment 5.30 feels like a lie-in!

Catface spent a good portion of last night playing with her toys on the landing and running up and down the stairs. Stairs are a novelty for her as we only had 5 in the apartment. Mum and dad have a full staircase. 14 Steps. Noisy thing.

Have just seen that I spent £96 in boots over the weekend. I double clicked on some make up remover and thought I’d removed it from the basket. Ffs. It’s £17 a bottle. I also added a cheaper version (micellar water at £6.99 vs Clinique take the day off ....) won’t waste it but am angry at myself for not checking properly and am annoyed because I was being hassled by Dm to do something while I was trying to pay. Aaaah.

The Clinique stuff is good and I would absolutely recommend. And I have now probably got a gazillion points (as had some spend over £20 get a gazillion points and spend over £50 get three gazillion points). But aaaaah.