Use It Up - Make It Do

Making that pillow out of a sweater made me think of the expression "Use It Up & Make it do or Do Without". I'm afraid that so many of us have not learned the frugal trick of making the most of everything we have. I remember reading that in the Depression they made dresses out of flour sacks, saved string to make string balls, kept all leftovers and made them into soup and such. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking:


Old Sheets for quilt backing

Unravel old wool sweaters to use the yarn or felt them

Quilts from old pieces of clothing

Wash out jars and use them to organize items like nails, buttons, or craft items

If a shirt has holes and is no longer wearable, take the buttons off and cut the shirt to make rags or quilt pieces

Use the last bit of ketchup in meatloaf or soup

Add a bit of water to the last of the handsoap to make it last longer

Save wrappers from butter and margarine to grease pans

Old bread can be made into croutons or bread pudding instead of just trashed. Bread also freezes so if you think you might not use it all before it dries out you can wrap it and toss in the freezer.

My husband usually gets his work shoes resoled at least one time often more instead of buying new. But when he does buy new he buys a good quality.

Make your chicken stock from your leftover chicken bones instead of throwing them in the trash. Save them in the freezer if you don't have enough.



Glass bottles can become edging for a garden.

An old garden hose can become a soaker hose

Old shower curtains can be used as drop cloths

Old greeting cards can be made into gift cards or framed as art

We don't have to take it to the extreme and become packrats never throwing anything out for fear we made need it one day or hoarding sugar packets that were taken from restaurants. But I do think we need to ask ourselves if we can use it up, can we make it do for the short term or indefinitely, can we do without it. We as a nation waste so much! You'll find that there's a certain gratification that comes with being resourceful and creative!

Go here to learn how to make this rug from 4 or 5 wool sweaters How to Make a Snug Rug.