Last week Sheila from To Love, Honor, and Vacuum tweeted the question “could you stop shopping for a year?” and included a link to I’ve Got Enough Stuff. The article takes a humorous approach to our over consumption while asking a serious question: Do you have too much stuff? I tweeted back to @SheilaGregoire that I went a year without buying anything new and she asked if I had written about it. I searched my archives and realized I wrote very little about going a year without buying anything new. I thought about why I didn’t write more about our year on The Compact and realized that we didn’t have to make very many changes and my every day life just didn’t seem that newsworthy.
Over the last couple of weeks, I have had time to reflect on what is important and the people who have had a profound influence on my life. And it is the little, everyday things that have made the biggest impact: My grandma teaching me to say my prayers. Waking up in the middle of the night when I was sick to see my Dad watching over me while I slept. My grandma saving everything, including the rubber bands from the newspaper to be reused. My dad telling me to turn off the lights or he’d charge me a dime. These reflections have caused me to think that perhaps the little things are noteworthy.
Making do is a little thing; something that is so much a part of me that I don’t spend much time thinking about it. It is also an aspect of my personality that is hard to keep hidden in real life and has an impact on those around me.
I am using a picture of my kitchen for this series, because when I see the glamorous kitchens on foodie blogs I can easily convince myself that I have a case of “ohIneeda” when I really have a case of “ohIwanta”. If you look at the picture above, you can tell that I do a pretty good job of convincing myself to do without the latest kitchen appliance or gadget. I have mismatched appliances, limited cupboard space, and the only item that is less than 5 years old is the coffee maker. But I don’t let those limitations stop me from cooking for my family or creating new recipes.
Here are a couple of ways I made do this week:
I didn’t have enough ramekins when making egg puffs, so I used coffee cups:
I didn’t have self-rising flour or a biscuit cutter when making biscuits, so I made self-rising flour from scratch and used a glass to cut the biscuits:
And I didn’t let the fact that I don’t have a broiling pan stop me from broiling steak:
I also don’t let the missing broiling pan stop me from batch broiling. A cookie sheet doubles quite nicely as a broiling pan.
This post is linked to Works for Me Wednesday and Frugal Friday.
Do you make do or do without?
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April @ The 21st Century Housewife says
This is such a wonderful, thought provoking post – thank you so much for sharing it with the Gallery of Favorites! I really admire you for going a year without buying anything. I have to confess I would have found that very hard…in fact I’m pretty sure my family would assure you I would have found it nigh on impossible! I will remember your post the next time I am tempted!
Christy says
Just wanted you to know that I loved this post the first time I read it – and am really glad I read it again!! Hope your new year is full of blessings!!
'Becca says
What, I linked to your carnival the other day but didn't leave a comment? How rude! What was I thinking?
Anyway, this is a great idea for a link-up, and I'm impressed with your ability to stop buying stuff. I do better at that than the average person, but still I wind up with some impulse purchases and clutter. Especially when I spot something cool at a yard sale, it's hard to convince myself I don't actually need it!
SAHMmy Says says
Good reminder! My grandma has used a glass jar as a rolling pin for over 60 years, though she makes pie crust at least once a week to this day. Why? "Well, nobody gave me one when I got married."
Christy says
Oh, I am glad you are going to try the egg puffs in a muffin tin ;o)
I have come lately to the make do mentality – I am a product of the 80's – and I have to fight the consumer in me – but your kitchen looks an aweful lot like mine!
Looking forward to more in this series!
April @ The 21st Century Housewife says
I love this post, and I so admire you for going a year without buying anything new. That takes real discipline. And you are right, so often it is a case of ohIwanta instead of ohIneeda – I love your terminology there 🙂 Your kitchen looks wonderful – it's the kind of kitchen food made with love comes from! And I love your copper jello moulds! I have two copper jello moulds the same as yours from my Mom – one is the ring one on the far left, and the other is the one second from the right. What a coincidence! Thank you again for a wonderful post on this excellent theme – I look forward to more.
Heather says
Alea, Thanks so much! What a "duh" moment 🙂 Sometimes the obvious is just well, obvious. I'm going to check now. Thanks for yummy inspiration and keeping it frugal!
Alea says
Thank you Alex! I am honored to be included in your Thoughts on Friday post!
a moderate life says
Hi Alea! This is a great new theme! I am proud of you that you lived a life on the Compact. I think I could do it, and pretty much the only thing I spend money on is travel. I know..lol its an I wanta for sure. As for your kitchen, it is WAY nicer than mine! LOL Will have to think of a few things and post them up! I will share this new theme on my thoughts on friday at a moderate life! Big hugs! Alex
Miriam says
I KNOW I have too much stuff!! We DO have everything we need!
Candace says
I love this post and by the way, your kitchen looks beautiful and very functional to me! We have completely changed our lives since October 2010 when we sold our home and moved across the country. We moved into an apartment that didn't have a stove and only had a tiny little refrigerator with an even tinier freezer. I have learned that I don't need a stove to make wonderful meals for my family. I've been making do with a hot plate, a toaster oven and couple of other small appliances. I've also been using an ice chest in an unheated storage area for a freezer. If you want to see my freezer set up, I've photographed it and blogged it here:
http://discoveringcandace.blogspot.com/2011/01/project-2011-week-4-im-hopping-around.html
We call it our "sub-zero". haha
That, also, hasn't been bad either since it has been winter. Now that we are thawing out a bit up here, we are definitely going to have to make some changes in the coming months. I've, also, been living with things in storage which makes me believe that I can live with a whole lot less than I did in Louisiana. We are shopping mindfully at the market these days and recycling. All of those are new things in our lives and we couldn't be happier. Thanks so much for this very thoughtful post. It encourages me! 🙂
Anonymous says
We use baby washcloths instead of napkins (had more than we could use for bathtimes, so I kept a few in the kitchen) My youngest kids are 4 and 6 and we still have a stack of them in the kitchen.
I'm also trying out a concept I saw on flylady: a "pantry diet", basically buying no more pantry stuff til you've used up what's there (also doing this with my freezer) It makes for a strange meal combinations sometimes, but at least the stuff gets used before it's out of date.
Alea says
My coffee cups say oven safe on the bottom. Check your cups, most are oven safe. If your coffee cups do not say anything on the bottom, go to the website for your brand, look up your model, and then read the specs. It should be listed there.
I am going to try making egg puffs in muffin tins this week because of a question that Christy from (Frugality and Chrunchiness with christy)asked. So if your coffee cups are not oven safe, I might have more ideas by the end of the week.
Heather says
Pardon my lack of skill here, but the coffee mugs hold up in the oven alright? I've been dreaming of your egg puffs but don't own ramekins and will "do without". But oh glory, if we could use mugs, I'd be over the moon! So they really won't crack or get too hot?
Dr Vote says
I too have always lived by the motto, make do or do without. I did not have a broiler pan when I moved into my current house and used for many years (until I found a brand new one at a garage sale for $1.00) with a cookie sheet and a cooling rack. It worked great. I have many appliances that I got from garage sales and furniture that is second hand. I did get a new couch and a recliner as presents last year from my MIL who thought my other stuff was too shabby for her to be seen on.
Rebecca says
I officially am not qualified to link to this post, and you just might banish me from commenting, too…because my last post was all about acquiring something I completely did NOT need, just because I had a fun $10 coupon! 😉
Steady Plodder... says
Can't wait to read your Monday posts!!!
Swathi says
I like this article, I to adjust with what i have in hand .
Julia in West Des Moines, IA says
I've been following you since your year of nothing new. Can't wait to see future posts. Peace, JULIA
Anonymous says
We just bought our first home a year ago and we had to buy very little. Because for about three years prior to the purchase all i asked for for Christmas and birthdays was house stuff. So pretty well all of our cupboards were stocked with dishes just from gifts alone! …. We haven't bought much since we moved.. usually if we don't have it I just do without it! I didn't have a pastry cutter so I just used two knives (then my boyfriend got sick of watching me struggle and bought me one from the dollar store) (The dollar store by the way is where we bought all of our tongs and other kitchen utensils!) … I also dont have a rolling pin so I just use a glass to roll out dough!
Our furniture is all second hand … and our coffee table and end tables were made by my Dad.. as well our kitchen table is second hand from my dad as he moved to a smaller house once I moved out and handed it down to me! We are very fortunate as well as very content with what we have! I'm not into shopping for the latest trend of household appliances or furniture!
Sheila says
Hey, thanks for responding to my question and linking to me!
I've always done the glass thing, too, when I make biscuits. And I use an old wine bottle (I seem to always have some around) for a rolling pin! I don't have a broiler, either. I love your coffee cup idea!
Annie Jones says
I posted a link about subbing ingredients in the kitchen, but that's just one way I "make do".
We do this so routinely around here that it's hard for me to think of something off the top of my head.
One that comes to mind is using a perforated pizza pan over a large skillet of boiling water and the domed lid from same skillet to trap the steam so I can make steamed dumplings. There's probably an easier way, but those are the items I have on hand.
Stacie says
You are fantastic! I find we're well on our way to consuming less but we're not at the same place as you. I applaud you and what you do. I hope to learn more tips from your blog about "making do or doing without".
Elsa says
I own zero cookie cutters, so I use a glass as well. I also don't own a roasting pan, so I set my chicken on top of a wire cooling wrack and then place that on top of a baking sheet.
Love the coffee cup idea!!
Melynda says
What a great idea! My kitchen is a cousin to yours. When I do purchase it is usually used, for a great price. I routinely substitute one item for another, so routinely that I think it nothing special. Now I will have to give it some thought and link it here. Thanks.