Use It Up, Make Do

In the past, people would find very creative ways to use every scrap of every thing they owned. Clothes were patched, or remade into something else, or when they were just too ratty to even be used as rags, shredded into stuffing. Parts of animals we wouldn't dream of eating were made into sausages and regional dishes.

Maybe we don't need to make headcheese anymore, but I think a principle has been lost over the decades as we've moved into a consumerist, disposable society. I can't think of many people I know that would patch the holey knees in their jeans--it's hardly fashionable these days (and unfortunately, cut-offs and holey jeans are also not fashionable), but rather would run out to buy new ones, and throw the old ones away.

On the flip side of the coin, there are those that save every last little thing, but never do anything with it. They hang on to those holey jeans in case they need them for something, someday (full disclosure: this would be my bad habit). Every gadget they've ever received is stored for future use--whether they will ever, in fact use it or even KNOW how to use it or not.

As I've begun this journey toward a more green, frugal, simple life, I am learning there are things to keep and things to give away. Being more of a "pack-rat" I have lovely intentions for everything I have, but frankly, I don't need the clutter and stuff. And frankly, it does NO ONE good for piles of stuff to sit gathering dust. So I have begun trying to practice "use it up, make do, reinvent, go without". Out of all the kitchen gadgets I have ever owned, the best three have been a wooden spoon, a large sharp knife and my can opener. Everything else is nice, but peripheral. "Make do" for me is slowly weeding out my kitchen for things I don't need and don't use.

The difference between being a hopeless pack-rat and becoming simple, green and frugal is simply actually USING it. And allowing yourself to go without (at least, possibly in the future). And acknowledging that other people may find a more immediate use for something than you can. I might *like* to use these sheets to make a shabby chic rag quilt, but maybe someone else needs them for something right now. If I can't fit that project in to my life in the next 6 months, I need to give it up.

On the other side, those who would consume and replace could take some notes from the pack-rats. :) Instead of immediately tossing something, see if you can fix it. If you can't fix it, see if you can remake it into something else. If you can't, see if someone else could use it. Don't just toss it in a landfill. And see if you can "make do" or go without.

The key here is to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Reduce the amount of stuff you have--and especially the amount of stuff you have coming in and going out--, reuse what you can until you can't, or remake it creatively; and recycle things you can't use to those that can or to an appropriate facility. Did you know, for instance, that there are cotton recycling facilities? As long as your item is 100% cotton, you can send that unusable whatever to be remade into something new rather than sitting in a landfill.

GIVEAWAAAAAAAY!
To participate in this giveaway, you have three options:

1. To earn one entry, leave a comment to THIS entry detailing a way you are bea-ing green

2. To earn one entry, write about bea-ing green on your blog (feel free to use the bea-green blogorama button, and do link back to this entry). Then, use Mr. Linky below to input your blog entry. DO NOT link to your blog, you must link DIRECTLY to your entry! I will delete any inappropriate links or general links.

3. To earn TWO entries, do both!!!!!!

This giveaway will close on Saturday, September 6th at 10pm PST. A winner will be chosen by a random number generator on Sunday, September 7th and announced sometime that day. :) Please be sure there is a way I can contact you if you win, whether through your blog or through email!

This time, I decided to go with a gender-neutral option for our giveaway. Winner will receive one Basic Black market tote with shoulder straps!!! Great for a guy, great for your husband, and great for the woman who appreciates the chic simplicity of black. Black is always in style, and more palatable for the "green"-averse guy in your life. My husband won't carry the groceries in foofy bags, and he didn't even want any "guy" prints. So if you or someone you know is that guy, or even that girl, this is the bag for you! On the other hand, if you are someone who appreciates the finer things in life, black is also an excellent choice. Classic, elegant, and classy could definitely describe this bag. :)

Now, I like to take my pictures in natural light, but it's raining :*( So here is a picture of the Basic Black market tote to tide you over until I can take pictures of the actual bag (so please note, while your bag will look like this, it won't be *exactly* like this, as handmade items vary a bit naturally...for instance I used white thread on top of the label instead of the black you see on this bag.):


Remember, you have until Saturday to comment and/or post. Have a bea-utiful day, and have fun bea-ing green!!!