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?
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.