The Non-Consumer Advocate

1. My husband glued and clamped a pair of dress shoes as the soles had completely separated. Not sure if his repair will stand the test of time, but it can’t hurt to try.

   

2. I had some time to kill, so I stopped into a nearby Goodwill and picked up this $1.99 Ikea storage bin. Maybe not the most outwardly exciting find, but I thrift this specific bin style whenever I find them. (I use them in the fridge to organize miscellaneous small food containers.) Ikea products are mass produced to the extent that I can consistently find them on the secondhand market.

   Overmanufacture of consumer goods means that you can choose to buy used and still be particular about your belongings. Even Apartment Therapy agrees that these bins are the best!

   Sadly, I forgot to ask for my 10% senior discount.

3. My husband and I took a evening walk around the neighborhood, perfect weather with just a slight chill. Nothing more frugal than a walk with your honey.

4. I started reading a library copy of Geraldine Brooks’ People of The Book.

5. I didn’t buy any Labubu figures.

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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1. I popped into Fred Meyer (Kroger) to grab milk, but made sure to pass by the clearance produce shelf. My expectations were low, as it was late afternoon, but I did grab this $1 bag of bruised apples. I know, I know . . . it’s hardly a brag worthy score, but the price of apples has been steadily increasing and I consider 25¢/apple make it worth the effort to cut off a bruise or two.

   

   Perfect for an afternoon snack!

   

2. I was inspired by the quote “Sometimes it’s easier to make last-minute plans than to plan in advance.” from Gretchen Rubin’s Secrets of Adulthood.

   So I sent out a text to the neighbors saying “The weather is too nice to be indoors, so I’m going to be in my backyard at 8 PM tonight with a cool beverage. You are all invited to stop by with your own beverage for a bit of neighborly conversation.”

   I ended up with a small backyard party that required no preparation beyond making sure we had no underwear on the laundry line. Socializing doesn’t have to be expensive or stressful.

   

3. My neighbor is getting ready to move and set a few things out on her curb. I wasn’t tempted by the lawn chairs or coffee maker, but I did bring home a down throw pillow that turned out to be Pottery Barn. The pattern is perfectly fine and I can use it on my thrifted front porch loveseat. I even washed the cover and plucked the insert.

   

4. I’m halfway through listening to Katie Naymon’s delightful You Between The Lines through the library’s free Libby app.

5. I didn’t buy anything at Fred Meyer except for the milk and apples. I have an proper ongoing grocery list, but I’ll hold off until I can get myself to Winco. The price difference between the two stores is dramatic!

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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1. Someone in my Buy Nothing group was asking for a “spool rack” yesterday and I noticed one in my mother’s basement. I brought it up and asked if I could have it to give away. She was quick to agree and it’s since been picked up! I’m so pleased to have taken an unused basement item and placed it into the hands of someone seeking that specific thing.

   It’s like I’m a Buy Nothing middle (wo)man, so maybe I should take a percentage of the profit.

   

2. My husband’s T-shirt drawer had become so overly full that it was difficult to close, which prompted him to pull everything out and make some hard choices. Mind you, many of these shirts were passively acquired as they were from charity or workplace events. Please, for the love of Amy Dacyczyn Pete — event coordinators, stop giving out shirts that no one wears beyond a single day!

   I know old cotton T-shirts can be torn apart to make rags, but there are only so many rags a household can incorporate before becoming a dumping ground.

3. I donated the T-shirts to Goodwill while running errands and made sure to take a receipt for next year’s taxes. I then wrote down the exact specifics of the donation while it was fresh in my mind, so I can get the full deduction. Lastly I walked around Goodwill, but found nothing worth owning or selling.

4. My daughter stopped by the house and I was able to pull together a satisfying meal for her, even though we’re kind of low on fresh food at the moment. (I’ve plenty of ingredients to create full meals, but that takes time and forethought.) I made a quick batch of Deviled eggs, which got served with gluten-free peanut butter toast and raspberries for dessert. The berries were from the garden, the gf toast was from my frozen stash of $1 Franz bread and the eggs were on hand.

   I need to make a Winco run, maybe I should add that to tomorrow’s to-do list.

5. I stopped into H Mart for furikake and coconut milk and bought . . . furikake and coconut milk. That store has so many tempting fun treats, it’s an accomplishment to stick to a list!

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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Remember this free wool rug that I curb picked a couple weeks ago from the neighborhood garage sale day? It was stained pretty badly, but I could tell it was decent quality. My instincts were correct:

Still actually available on the Pottery Barn website, if you’re looking to spend $499!

I wasn’t exaggerating about the grubbiness, but I possess a rug shampooer and delusional confidence when it comes to my stain fighting skills.

May I introduce my bottle of Folex “Carpet Spot Remover?”

The rug still has a few stubborn stains, but I’m not done working on it yet.

I also brought home this wool rug from a different garage sale pile.

Not as bad, but definitely needing some love. I hit the stains with Folex and went back and forth (and back and forth) with an Oxyclean solution in the machine until it brightened up. The binding needs some reinforcing stitches here and there, but that’s okay as I think I’m going to hold onto this rug for my daughter’s old bedroom. Maybe.

Here she is after her beauty treatment, sunning herself on the front porch.

These high quality rugs were free, but they required work to bring them back to life. These physical items were manufactured from raw materials and crafted by human beings and they deserve to be maintained for as long as they’re still functional. Something being dirty is not a reason to give up on it. Sure, I love sourcing stuff for free, but it’s just as important, (if not more so) that our landfills aren’t filled with still usable items.

Buy used, buy less, repair and mend. Don’t replace something just because it’s dirty.

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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1. I motored through my library copy of Fiona Davis’ The Stolen Queen and am now lending it to a friend.

2. My neighbor had another extra bag of mixed greens and gave them to me.

   

3. I removed the back off a broken Cesca free pile chair and listed it on eBay.

4. I made a small frittata, which used up myriad bits and bobs of veggies from the fridge.

5. I didn’t spend $45 million on a sparsely attended parade.

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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1. I turned two Amazon bubble mailers inside out and taped them together to create a single envelope for my thrifted needlepoint eBay sale.

   

2. My father’s neighbors went out of town and brought them an armload of produce, which is how I ended up with this hand me down bag of food. Thanks, Lindy!

   

3. I started shampooing a grubby curb picked wool rug and am already four hours in. It’s still on the company’s website for $499, so it’s worth my efforts. Almost done except for a couple of stubborn stains, but I will prevail!

   

4. I baked a loaf of overnight no-knead artisan bread.

5. I didn’t present medical misinformation to Congress.

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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1. I stopped at the library during their evening hours to pick up my holds. Portland libraries stay open until 8 P.M. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which comes in handy more often than you’d think.

   

2. My daughter and I enjoyed delicious tostadas with a base of bulk purchased black beans, queso blanco, lettuce, pickled red onion, waffle-ironed tater tots, green salsa, cilantro sauce and hot sauce. If I could, I’d eat this meal every day.

3. I had my friend Sue over for lunch and I prepared a simple homemade lunch instead of heading to a restaurant. This way we both saved money and could relax at the house instead of pacing our time together based on restaurant service. My back patio is idyllic in the early afternoon and provides a better atmosphere than any neighborhood restaurant.

   

4. I wanted to fancy up some cheese and crackers for lunch, so I took a recently opened block of cream cheese and smushed a bunch of homegrown chopped chives and a bit of seasoned salt into it. I then molded it into a cylinder shape and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Looked like goat cheese, tasted amazing. I served it with my favorite Dollar Tree “Monet” crackers.

5. My green beans and raspberries are starting to ripen and I’m now eating a couple per day.

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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I thrifted this outdoor chair at Goodwill maybe ten years ago, as it had a matching loveseat and the two pieces slotted perfectly onto the front porch. The fabric isn’t all the exciting, but it was neutral enough to be inoffensive. I love having the outdoor furniture and my husband and I enjoy having this space to hang out.

Apparently the fabric and stuffing was exciting to a neighborhood squirrel. Mind you, I’m pretty sure this happened at least two years ago and I’ve been going about my happy little life without doing anything about it ever since.

Until last night when I decided to attempt patching the torn areas, using fabric from the back of the cushion. I figured I couldn’t make it worse and the cost of the project would be $0.00.

I wasn’t worried about matching the fabric, as the back of the cushion is designed to never be seen. This replacement patch is made from a canvas tarp, stained but clean. I’m no seamstress, so I don’t have a fabric stash.

It’s kind of the same color tone?

I quickly learned that the sun bleached fabric was quick to tear and I created a few new problems as I mended the previous ones. Also, you’ll note that the fabric patches from the back are brighter than the top fabric that’s enjoyed years of sun exposure. However, I was going for a “good enough” solution, not a “behold the perfection” vibe.

Here’s the repair in the light of day. Not perfect, but also nothing to draw the eye. I figured out a solution that worked for me and will allow me to get years more service from this functional item.

There, much better!

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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