Frugal Spring Cleaning

[FrugalFashionista]

Winter is on its last legs - it's time to think about spring clothes, gradually clear out winter items and get ready for the new season.

If you are considering a shopping ban, interested in frugal living, minimalism, downsizing, or just want to reassess for a few days where you are headed, this thread is for you. Continued from here, so you are also welcome to update how things are going!

I'd like to declutter a bit. (Here is an inspiring wardrobe detox link.) Get rid of piles of clothes and books, possibly reorganize my desk and makeup, and do a few other things. Perhaps even cook something nice and healthy.

I also think my mind needs some decluttering . I have a few quieter weeks before life is going to get really hectic, so would love to recharge a bit...

If you want to join, let's do it together!

[Bonsoir]

DD and I spring cleaned her dolls' house yesterday. She said she felt much better afterwards!

I she put miniature spring flower arrangements in all her vases

[cloutiedumpling]

I NEED to declutter one of my wardrobes. The hanging rail has fallen off due to the weight of the clothes!

[mothermirth]

Know I should be streamlining and decluttering my wardrobe, but I find it almost impossible to get rid of certain items of clothing. Some jumpers have been in my possession for nearly 30 years . I might wear them once a year and because of that, I keep them. But I haven't got room for all this cashmere stuff.

I have several warm, cosy jumpers that are so holey I can only wear them underneath other, almost identical (unholey) jumpers. So why can't I bring myself to chuck out the old ones? I keep imagining I will cut them into squares and make some sort of cashmere addict's bedspread. Or something…

Great link about wardrobe detoxing Frugal. Only wish I could make myself follow that advice.

[scarlet76]

Hello Again

I managed a frugal February of sorts and need to keep it going into March following our fencing blowing down recently and thinking I'll replace the shed at the same time we get this fixed. I want the shed to be a little space for me. I intend to fill it with a couple of comfy chairs, oil radiator, book and blankets. Some space for quiet time and recharging. We have garage space for mowers and spades!

It's cold here so still in the winter clothes. The things I wear most are jeans, skinny cashmere sweaters in neutrals or navy and Ash ankle boots. Good point about scarves. Bar one I love, I'm slowly getting rid of the rest as I seem to wear much less these days.

[FrugalFashionista]

Just a quick update - hello all! - the decluttering over the weekend seems to have helped me to declutter my thoughts too. Have felt very positive, energetic and creative all day and have accomplished a lot, have even tackled tricky tasks that I normally procrastinate. In addition to a really productive work day I managed to declutter the fridge and make muffins from past sell by date mystery ingredients for the girls.



Have still about 50% of the tasks left so going to continue over the coming weekend.

Maybe feng shui works

[Ujjayi]

Well done on a productive day, Frugal. I've had a good day myself - up at 6am and managed to clean kitchen, work out, school run, walk dog & do the laundry by 9am!

Had a thorough clear out of my fabrics today - all reorganised and a heap donated to DS's school textiles dept. Scrubbed & hoovered my studio and styled a jacket ready for photographing tomorrow.

I made a list of all the outstanding tasks which need doing around the house and am slowly ticking them off. They will probably take me most of this month to complete at a rate of 2 or 3 a week but that's good - no stress or dire hurry so long as they are completed. I find lists calm my mind.

Long may this state of mind & calm continue!

[mothermirth]

The sun is shining and today I resolve to:
Clean the windows for the first time in more than a year
Bin my old make-up. Some of it is so ancient it's starting to crack.
Wash my non-holey cashmere and throw out the rest. This is the bit I find most difficult. Why is it so hard to get rid of old favourites? Some of my jumpers (and jeans) are unsalvageable. I've darned and patched, but they are unwearable. Bin? Or is there anything else I can do with them?

[FrugalFashionista]

Thanks Mothermirth for resurrecting the thread and good luck with your goals!

We had a major declutter yesterday and it's amazing how much nicer our home feels without all the usual junk. (One more room left, plus the freezer and the fridge. To be continued over the weekend.) The downside: much of it is stuffed in the closets. I'm also unable to throw things away...

[BriarRainbowshimmer]

Perhaps you can make the jeans into shorts or use them and the jumpers for patchwork/as fancy cleaning rags mothermirth?

[cloutiedumpling]

Could you use jumpers to stuff handbags that you aren't using? I do that with old cot sheets to help the bags to keep their shape.

[sewbee]

Tell yourself it's really bad Feng Shui to hold onto broken things and unwearable items! You deserve to have only good things in your life. Decluttering makes way for new adventures :)

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

Marking place as really need to declutter here too and this thread is inspiring.

Have just donated one bag of clothes but really need to do more. Have the same problem with holey cashmere, I can't bear to get rid of it but can't get my arse into gear to darn it either! The handbag stuffing idea is a good one

Funny, I have really gone off scarves in the last year too. They don't feel 'right' any more.

[polosareverynice]

I'm in this tread has come at the right time for me I need to sort out my wardrobe again although I have slowly but surely got rid of tons of stuff this past year. Things that helped me to let go is to donate on fb. Freecycle and to bin if really past it. If really it was a sentimental item I would take a photo of it. Also I owed it to my family to keep my hoarding under control. I only have a little house and i feels much better physically and mentally that I can move around in it. I also found once I made a concentrated effort to let things go it has got a lot easier.

[mothermirth]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Love your perspective sewbee about decluttering creating room for new adventures.

I usually give my old clothes to charity shops, but my holey cashmere and threadbare jeans are in too much of a state to pass on to anyone. Might have a go at turning them into fancy rags though.

My windows are now clean, yay

[OryxCrake]

I keep old jeans for patching up slightly-less-old jeans but I have so much that needs chucking out... I'd probably make a good subject for a hoarder programme. I'm trying to take inspiration from this thread (and maybe it'll inspire me to do a bit of cleaning, too).

[FrugalFashionista]

Thanks for inspiration ladies!
Loving the feng shui...

We had a major declutter before having a big party at home last night - if you need an enforced deadline, invite some people over!

Make up is a problem area here too. I have three shelves and a couple of drawers full of stuff, trying to use it up (demoting face products to body products etc) but it's very slow. I arranged everything I use daily on one shelf, depressing to see that over 2/3 of what I have is redundant!

[Stokey]

Inspired by the make-up rearranging, I emptied my make-up bag into two cups and a long box last week and it's been a revelation. So much easier to find stuff so thanks for the tips Frugal.

If anyone is thinking of doing similar, Muji have some good storage solution (although not quite in keeping with frugality!).

[mothermirth]

I find chucking out make-up I don’t use almost as hard as getting rid of clothes. I must have at least 10 different concealers, none of which is exactly the right shade for my skin. Why do we buy stuff that doesn’t really work?

Over the past year and a bit, I’ve taught myself not to buy clothes I don’t need, but I haven’t managed to apply the same self-discipline to make-up. I don’t spend a lot on it, so perhaps that’s why it doesn’t look or feel great, but I’m not sure buying high-end brands is the answer. Perhaps I need a new capsule make-up wardrobe. All I need is the perfect concealer, lip gloss and mascara.

[FrugalFashionista]

Stokey well done! I love Muji organizers plus use a jam jar for brushes and another for eye pencils.

Mothermirth I think they make us buy a lot of redundant stuff - stingy sample policies, missing or dirty testers or no testers at all (I love US drugstore stuff and they just don't do testers). Plus I have developed sensitivities. I have hard to match skin and am acne prone, so many of the products that are lovely on others just don't work on me!

Most of my makeup can and will be used but I have about six blushers (it takes years to use one up), lots of eye shadow palettes (mostly quads, although I could manage with just one bitter cocoa / taupe duo - and it might take a decade to use up a palette ).

I'm now systematically using up certain products - when they are finished, won't repurchase (good bye wipes, eye creams, liquid foundations, eye makeup remover, primers, Bobbi Brown and cream blushers!). I use SLS laced face cleasers as shower gels and eye creams on my legs (get milia from them). Haven't found a constructive use for my bottle of cosmetic-grade almond oil... I'm ashamed to admit this but I'm not a mascara person either and an eyelash curler does nothing for me. I'm quite organized, I just have way too much stuff...

Fancy sharing a list of what does not work on you?
And do you ever get empties?

[mothermirth]

Okay, Frugal, you asked for it! I’ve rifled through the box where I keep the stuff I’ve tried but failed to love. The duds:

Clinique mascaras. I have three. They make my eyes itch. Why do I keep buying them when they clearly don’t suit my skin?).
Origins moisturiser (the one with mushrooms in). Stings like hell.
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. No idea why this gloopy liquid has won so many beauty awards. It did nothing for me. It doesn't even smell nice.
I also have a jumbo-sized bottle of almond oil, purchased for oil cleansing, which was a step too frugal for me.

Concealer-wise, I have tried and failed to find a match for my favourite ever product, a tiny green tube of magic potion which melts into my skin and somehow hides spots of every persuasion. I bought it from Clinique about five years ago and am still trying to eek it out . It's been discontinued. Why oh why?
In my ‘to bin’ bag are concealers by L’Oreal (wrong colour), Becca (too thick and dark); Max Factor (too drying)… the list goes on.
This works brilliantly on my skin, but I’ve bought three of them and each time, the compact broke Never again. Although it’s so good I am tempted.

I love natural and organic products but rarely buy the ones I really like/want (e.g. The Organic Pharmacy Carrot Butter Cleanser (£35) is divine, but I’m currently using Simple Cleansing Lotion) so always end up with a compromise. I could go on…

What are 'empties'? Do you mean empty bottles? Rarely

[sewbee]

Use the almond oil as a body moisturiser maybe?

I ditched all my concealers. Nobody over 40 should wear concealer

Bin it all! Bin it all! Mascaras must be binned after 3 months anyway, they harbour germs.

The downside of organic stuff is the shelf-life as they contain no preservatives so make sure you read the open/shelf life symbol. Mark the expiry date with a Sharpie if it helps you declutter without a conscience!

[mothermirth]

The shame

I will bin the mascaras.

But why should nobody over 40 wear concealer how do you know how old I am?

[sewbee]

It sits in your crinkles and the opaqueness says you're trying too hard (ask me how I know)

[FrugalFashionista]

Mothermirth loving your list...
The What Not To Buy Edit

Sewbee I'm 41 and still love concealer...


My makeup capsule: sunscreen, concealer, mineral foundation, blusher, eye shadow duo, lip pencil, lip gloss, Eucerin 5%, Effaclar K and I, Bioderma micellar water, water spray.

Nice to have but not essential: serum, eye shadow quads, eye pencils, eye shadow base, highlighter, finishing powder, mascara, brow pencil, nail polish.

Binning the almond oil today. It was good for removing waterproof mascara that I no longer use but gave me breakouts. Not looking forward to having it oln my sheets...

I read one of my favorite cosmetics blogs last night and people were making an inventory of their stash... My favorites: The Body Shop cooling foot spray from the early 1990s and cake mascara from the 1970s Until our last house move, I had a pale orange YSL lipstick from the mid-1980s

[mothermirth]

Glad to know I'm not the only one who hoards ancient make-up.

Joining you in the almond oil binning… or could I use it to polish my wooden floors ponders

I remember that cooling foot spray! probably still have one somewhere

What are we oldies supposed to use instead of concealer?