New Posts  All Forums:
 

Compacting Mommas Winter Thread - Page 10

post #181 of 237
2/13/07 at 11:30pm
KKmama - making a new diaper bag sounds like a great way to reuse those old skirts. I'm no help for pattern ideas, but would you want like a messenger style bag? Maybe you could search specific types of bags and come up with a pattern that way. Good luck! Post pics when you're done with it.
Sponsored Links

You may also like:

Sitting or Squatting: What's Really Best in the Bathroom?
10 Things You Don't Need For a New Baby
There Is Not Always a "Fix" For the Difficult Child
post #182 of 237
2/14/07 at 8:31pm
Oh my! I need to get in on this Compacting thing. May I join?

Please forgive me for butting in!

Dh and I just miraculously found ourselves out of debt - literally tens of thousands of dollars of debt... gone.

We got in the hole because of my very contagious acquisition/shopping habit. Just when I reached bottom, and we almost couldn't afford food, I learned why I couldn't shop anymore... I finally realized that we weren't borrowing from banks, we were borrowing from our (and our children's) future.

Now, with this miracle, I'm restored and redeemed and have a second chance.

I'm actually not too bad about clutter - but I buy all the time, and just give away (sometimes I do sell things at a great loss) when I'm done with them. I have started buying all the kids' clothes 2nd hand and selling them when they outgrow them to get more, though.

Dh and I need to make a pledge... I'll revisit when we've figured it all out. Thank you mamas for intoducing me to this!
post #183 of 237
2/14/07 at 8:56pm
I am wondering about thoughts on kids clothes. We currently have 2 girls, ages 4 and 2 so I have saved everything from oldest to youngest. We are undecided at this point if we will be having any more but it is possible so I have been boxing up everything from the youngest and putting the boxes in the basement. We almost always buy second hand so its not as if I have a lot tied up in these clothes but I am wondering if I should be passing the items that the little one has outgrown on or if it makes more sense to hold on to them? Just to give you an idea as to how much "stuff" I am talking about we have one 30 gallon tote for each clothing size (ie 1 tote for 3-6 months, 1 tote for 6-9 months etc). BTW I know this probably sounds like a lot of clothes to some but we do not have our own washer and dryer so we only get to do laundry about once per week.
post #184 of 237
2/14/07 at 9:16pm
KK-there's always lots of "boutique" handmade diaper bags on ebay. You could try looking there for inspiration. You won't even have to use gas.
post #185 of 237
2/14/07 at 9:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KKmama View Post
Any suggestions? Any patterns?
I used to make 'boutique' diaper bags from amy butler fabric. They were basically a rectangle with a variety of coordinating fabric. The closure was a flap that was actually a pouch for your wallet, etc.

You don't need a pattern, just draw a crude 3-D image of your bag you want, and decide on measurements. Sew together, voila! New bag!

I think I have Amy Butler's rural messenger bag pattern lying around somewhere (I guess I need to de-clutter my pattern stash!). If I find it, I can send it to you if you like!
post #186 of 237
2/14/07 at 9:55pm
OH! Amy Butler now has this pattern free, as well as many others. I modified it a bit and it worked well as a diaper bag pattern.

http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/produ...es.php?upd=msg
post #187 of 237
2/14/07 at 11:57pm
subbing
post #188 of 237
2/15/07 at 1:05pm
Thanks for the tips on the bag.

I had another good idea this morning... I decluttered stuffed animals yesterday, and I realized (as I woke up) that I could convert a few of them into puppets (rip their butts, gut them, bind the edges, voila! ). We could actually use a few puppets, and they're more fun to play with than stuffed animals, anyway.
post #189 of 237
2/15/07 at 6:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KKmama View Post

I had another good idea this morning... I decluttered stuffed animals yesterday, and I realized (as I woke up) that I could convert a few of them into puppets (rip their butts, gut them, bind the edges, voila! ). We could actually use a few puppets, and they're more fun to play with than stuffed animals, anyway.

Oh My....that is such a GREAT idea.....who would of known???
post #190 of 237
2/15/07 at 6:44pm
I went through the kids clothing....each piece. Checked for holes, stains, etc...weeded out everything that has to go. Donated it.
I went through my closet.... OMG....I am such a pack rat. This one will take an entire day. (I think)

Pantry is done!
post #191 of 237
2/23/07 at 12:10pm
Hi there!! I am enjoying this thread. THinking about doing this starting March 1st. DH lost his job early January due to his dept shipped to India. He is in the TAA program and going back to school ( for the 3rd time LOL). He has a severance package that runs out in May, so right now it seems like we have more $ becuase of unemployment, and severance does not take social security & medicare out. I went back to work in July mostly becuase we knew he was losing his job, but I have worked on & off since my youngest was 18months. I am hoping this helps simplify my life a little bit too- I have always been pretty good about consumerism etc, but when I went back to work I needed quite a few things, plus I spent some $ on makeup & nails polish collecting that I need to cut back on. ANy tips for writing my compact?
post #192 of 237
2/28/07 at 6:01pm
Did I kill the thread?
post #193 of 237
3/1/07 at 12:04am
maybe it's getting too long and we need to start a new thread?
post #194 of 237
3/1/07 at 12:24am
Im here!

Heres a question...should we buy a toaster used?
post #195 of 237
3/1/07 at 1:03am
Why not buy a used toaster? concerned about cleaning it? Hmmmmm. thats a good question. Would I buy a used toaster? From someone I know maybe
post #196 of 237
3/1/07 at 10:55am
I would buy a used toaster without a problem. Just clean it. It's only bread crumbs.
post #197 of 237
3/1/07 at 11:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jlazx2 View Post
ANy tips for writing my compact?
I think a lot of us have our compact contracts in our blogs. Here's mine! I probably should edit mine because an exception was stuff for graduate school, but I have since decided to not do that at this time in my life (too much else going on!). Hope that helps give you some ideas!
post #198 of 237
3/1/07 at 11:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cdmaze View Post
Im here!

Heres a question...should we buy a toaster used?
I would. We're looking for a (used) toaster oven so we can get rid of our toaster and microwave.
post #199 of 237
3/4/07 at 12:05am
Thanks for the suggestions. I have been reading some blogs & really enjoying them. Im thinking of starting my own to document my journey now too.
post #200 of 237
3/4/07 at 3:38pm
I'm not concerned about dirt or crumbs...I guess I'm just wondering if I'll be able to find one. I've been perusing the Thrift Stores for a few weeks and havent seen anyhting except a toaster oven. I got to thinking...why does someone get rid of a toaster? Probably because it doesnt work.

I've found several broken ones! But I've already got one of those!

Well- it still toasts- but it doesnt time right- and the lever wont stick down to hold the bread in anymore.

We'll keep making it work!