Another ' Use It Up ' Challenge November 2018

Christmas is just around the corner ( or two ) so I thought it would be a great time to have another ' Use It Up ' challenge.  I'm sure we  all need to make room in our pantries,  freezers,  cupboards,  wardrobes and bathroom cabinets for the gifts we'll receive or the food we'll need to stockpile.

The idea of this challenge is to list your goals ( what you'd like to use up ),  how you'll do it and maybe a money saving along the way.

The challenge will last for the month of November which gives us all plenty of time to work out our strategy and to use things up.

My goals are -

*  To use up more toiletry samples like shampoos,  little soaps and shower gels.

*  Use up a few unusual ingredients in my pantry by writing them into the menu plan

*  Eat out of the freezer as much as possible.  I'll be writing bits and pieces into the menu plan.  I'll be needing room in my freezers in case legs of lamb,  chicken fillets or drumsticks come on sale ( I can only dream ).  We'll also need room to freeze our garden produce.

*  Use up scraps of card making papers.  Our card making group has made this a bit of a mission each month.  We all have too many little bits of papers.  The Christmas cards I'm making this year are following this theme.

*  Take a good look at my fabric stash to see if I can make some presents. I do need to make a Christmas stocking for a new family member.  Maybe I can research making Christmas decorations from material.

*  Try to reduce my stash of tissue paper and gift bags by using them for Christmas presents.

If you'd like to join in the challenge feel free to comment below with your goals and how you'll achieve them.

My fabric stash

5 More Ways To Reuse Glass Jars

I find it hard to throw out a glass jar.  There are so many way to reuse them and reduce what goes into landfill.

*  Use the glass jars to serve drinks in.  The first time my parents visited the USA back in the early 1990's,  glass jars or jam jars were the latest fashion as drinking glasses.

*  Glass jars are perfect  for making your own salad dressing.  Add your ingredients,  screw the lid on tight and shake.

*  Large pasta sauce / tomato paste jars are great for storing your healthy salad lunch.  Layer your favourite ingredients and store in the fridge until ready to eat.  Mix the ingredients when you eat.

*  Make a pin cushion on the lid then use the glass jar to store your much used sewing bits and pieces.  They could make great presents.

*  Decorate a couple of jars with scraps of wrapping paper,  ribbon or twine and store your pens and pencils in style.

The 'Use It Up' Challenge.

Blog reader Patti mentioned a couple of  weeks ago that she's on a " Use It Up " challenge to save some extra money.  I thought this was a fabulous idea we could all do together.

 Many of us have too much stuff taking up room around our homes and this could be a great way to declutter as well as save money.  Think about those half used tubes of lipstick in the back of the bathroom cabinet..  Or maybe you've still got the little bottles of shampoo and conditioner from a holiday 5 years ago.  Now is the time to use them up.

Do you have pieces of timber behind a shed that could be made into a tool box or outdoor furniture ?  Does your freezer have too many mystery packages ?  Writing a menu plan could be a wonderful way to make room in your freezer.

Is your craft or material stash getting out of hand ?  Could you make a start on this year's presents and reduce the stash ?

For the month of March,  lets make a big effort to use things up before we throw them out.

My goals for March are -

*  Make room in my freezer.

*  Pour the little bottles of shampoo and conditioner into our bigger bottles in the shower.

*  Making more items to sell by using crafts and supplies I already have on hand.

*  Using up the last of a couple of lipsticks.  

*  Decluttering my pantry and making an effort to use some items we forget to use.

What are your ' Use It Up ' goals ?  At the end of the month we'll post our results 

25 + Ways To Reuse Iceream Containers

Plastic icecream containers are so useful and handy to use around the home. I find it really hard to throw one out.  Instead,  I find a new way to get the most out of this FREE container.  I've listed 25 ways to use icecream containers.  I've personally used 24 of these ideas around the home.  Can you pick which one I haven't used ?

Feel free to add your own ideas and let's see if we can get to 50 or 75 ideas.  Share this post with your friends and help reduce the amount of containers going to landfill.


1.  As biscuit / baking containers.

2. To store Barbie Shoes.

3.  For storing homemade first aid kits

4.  For freezing food

5.  Travel sickness bucket.

6.  For storing bits and pieces for the home like screws,  curtain brackets,  curtain hooks,  washers from furniture etc.

7.  For storing battery packets and loose batteries.

8.  As drawer dividers for socks and underwears.

9  Lego block containers.

10.  To make large ice blocks for Eskys.

11.  Small round icecream containers make great pencil holders.  Have fun decorating the outside.

12.  Long oblong containers from ice cream shops make wonderful fruit storage in the fridge.

13.  Pet water bowl for outside.

14.  A large one with a handle makes a great peg bucket.  I used the same one for 10+ years.

15.  For storing plastic cutlery neatly.  I have one in the pantry

16  For storing coffee,  sugar,  salt and pepper sachets from accommodation

17.  For storing hair ties,  ribbons,  butterfly clips and headbands.  Years of first hand experience with my girls.

18.  As a planter.  Just add a couple of holes in the bottom.

19  For keeping seedlings hydrated.  When we buy a punnet of seedlings,  Darren puts them in an icecream container with 5cm of water in the bottom.

20.  As a mini rubbish bin in the bathroom.

21.  Tea,  coffee and sugar canisters  Decorate the outside to tie in with your kitchen colors.

22.  For storing bin liner packets.  Those bin liners can be hard to keep tidy when they come in a plastic packet.  An icecream container will keep them in place.

23.  For storing bits of ribbon.

24.  Make up storage to prevent the bathroom cupboards from getting dirty.

25.  To prevent food from being damaged when travelling by car.

Different sizes and colors

Household bits and pieces

Battery storage

How do you use icecream containers around your home,  garden  and garage ?