Declaring Jan. "USE IT UP" month

[LOVETHATMOUSE]

i have a suggestion for the open white rice: take an old athletic sock, perhaps one that's missing it's mate, fill it as full of white rice as you like, tie a knot in the end. instant heating pad! just toss it in the microwave for about 2 minutes and wrap around your aching neck, arm, etc. my chiropractor gave me this suggestion.

Oh..I like that idea! Thanks.

 

[PaulaSue]

Today I went down in my stockpile and pulled up a ton of sample size bottles to use up this month, One way or another . I will do that then I plan starting on all the miss matched shampoos and conditioners I have sitting around.

 

[EKW]

Today I decided to use up the french vanilla marshmallows I got for half off last week. We had them in hot chocolate once...and once was enough. Tonight I tossed them in a pan with a half stick of margarine, and, when they were melted, tossed in the Rice Chex that I bought last month and had only eaten once or twice. My boys are enjoying pseudo Rice Crispies treats tonight!

My plan for this month is to find uses for those odds and ends...without going out and purchasing more to add to them!

 

[Duckyiam71]

Oooooh, what are your projects?? I Doubt I have 3,000 pieces, but I may be close! I cleaned out/organized my dining room last night (it's the staging area for clothes and stuff that are either hand-me-downs or that I bought on clearance last season), so maybe I can get to my craft room next. I guess I can go on and start on my MIL's calendar I make for her every Christmas, but that'll only use 12 pieces of paper

I have a lot of scrapbooking paper, too. I got this idea from a website that charges for $35 to $45 for care packages. Whenever you send package, line the box with the appropriate paper meaning decorate the interior of the box. This works great with 12x12 paper in a large flat rate box from the post office. I have done this a lot since my DH is deployed. I put a lot of stickers on the inside as well. It is a win win...I make him smile and I get rid of paper. Just a thought.

 

[Duckyiam71]

Oh! and I am in! We are moving in June which I know is 6 months away but I have so much sample/travel size stuff I need to get rid of. And candles...I started burning them just to get rid of them..at least my house smells good. And holiday baking goods, I went overboard and have to use them up before DH gets home from deployment soon. I think he would freak if he saw all the cake, brownie and cookie mix I have. Good luck to all and Happy New Year.

 

[julirina]

I'm in! I don't have a huge stockpile of frozen food, but we had 8 roosters butchered in the fall that really need to be thawed out and stewed. I can freeze the stock and meat for soups/stews/casseroles and it will take up a lot less room than the whole birds.

We have a few bars of soap and a few bottles of shampoo that could be used up -- not tons. But LOTION? I have sooooooo many opened bottles of lotion of every kind. We have lots of dry skin and eczema problems in our household, and it seems like every week I buy a new kind of cream to try. They never work like we hope they will, or they don't smell right, or it burns when you put it on, or whatever...and there they sit on the bathroom shelf. If no one's ever going to use them, I need to just throw them away.

I'm off to inventory the freezer and take out some chickens to thaw!

 

[Leader of the Club]

Oh! DH gets home from deployment soon.

 

[julirina]

Ok, so our fridge/freezer went on the fritz today (DH fixed it, thank goodness! ) and I ended up with a full bag of frozen bread dough that was almost totally thawed out. Not rising yet, but definitely thawed. I put one loaf in my (only) loaf pan; two on a cookie sheet (one round, one braided) and made one into monkey bread. I still have a loaf in the fridge that I need to use up tonight. Any ideas?

We're going to be so carb-loaded this week!!!

 

[Cindy B]

I was just cleaning out a closet this week and was shocked at how many notebooks I have. I'm a writer and I like to take notes longhand in spiral notebooks before I start writing on the computer. I've picked up so many over the last few years at back to school clearance events, I think my hand might break before I use them all up! Not to mention all the paper pads lying around that charities have sent me and I've picked up as freebies.

So my rule is no more notebooks, paper pads, journals, blank books, etc. until there is nothing left to write on in this house except toilet paper!

If you wish you can always donate the notebooks to schools. I teach in an inner city public school and they have so many needs. Most of my students have limited means for supplies (notebooks and pencils are the hottest commodities) I am always hunting down items for them.

If you are ever needing to really clear out, please consider schools. Thank you!

 

[labdogs42]

Great idea! I need to use up my pantry stuff and freezer stuff for sure!

 

[Them!]

Ok, so our fridge/freezer went on the fritz today (DH fixed it, thank goodness! ) and I ended up with a full bag of frozen bread dough that was almost totally thawed out. Not rising yet, but definitely thawed. I put one loaf in my (only) loaf pan; two on a cookie sheet (one round, one braided) and made one into monkey bread. I still have a loaf in the fridge that I need to use up tonight. Any ideas?

We're going to be so carb-loaded this week!!!

Maybe you could make some pizza shells for another night. Just shape and pre cook, then freeze.

 

[lisam427]

i used up the last of the small sample sized shampoos and conditioners today. next project is to use up the disney soap and the 2 bottles of body wash given to me from gift sets.

 

[mafibisha]

If you wish you can always donate the notebooks to schools. I teach in an inner city public school and they have so many needs. Most of my students have limited means for supplies (notebooks and pencils are the hottest commodities) I am always hunting down items for them.

If you are ever needing to really clear out, please consider schools. Thank you!

DEFINITELY WORTH REPEATING!!!

 

[tinkarooni]

i used up the last of the small sample sized shampoos and conditioners today. next project is to use up the disney soap and the 2 bottles of body wash given to me from gift sets.

Oh my gosh.....I have so much sample stuff I will be willing it to my children when I die. I don't think I will ever get through that stuff. I think I'm going to turn all the bottles upside down and fill one big bottle. Every time I get in the shower these days the teensy weensy bottle is empty.....

 

[disneycarrie]

I sold alot of travel sized toiletries in my garage sale. I put several together in a ziploc bag. I Sold them for around $1 a bag. I also sold toiletries, make-up etc.. I did CVS deals for a long time and had a ton of stuff, way more than we ever could have used. I used the garage sale money towards our Disney trip!! I also donated some to our church.

 

[swilshire]

Women's shelters appreciate sample bottles of shampoos and small soaps.

Sheila

 

[secretpantssam]

I didn't see this post but I just declared to my Fiance this morning that we play the "eat everything in the freezer and pantry" game and avoid shopping for a bit. It'll save money and make room!

 

[beaucoup]

I've been trying to use up all kinds of food in our freezer and cabinets. My DH will be gone for a good portion of the year. Once he's gone, if its something I won't eat, I'm tossing it or giving it away. I want to fill the freezer with lots of homemade single portion made ahead meals so I won't be tempted to eat out.

 

[annsteere]

This week I figured out that the cheapo perfume spray I got for Christmas and the now empty air freshener on top of my toilet make a match.

No money spent on air freshener. Use discovered for the cheapo perfume.
USE IT UP.

I also took the not-enough-for a pot hazelnut coffee grounds and mixed them in with our Dunkin Donuts beans.

 

[sherry7]

I'm late coming to this thread, but I really need to use up what food I have already. Last night, I spent over 3 hours organizing our canned and boxed food. I found 3 plastic grocery bags of very expired food, which was actually less than I expected. Now that it's organized, I can see that I probably won't need to buy canned goods for several months...except for maybe canned diced tomatoes which I use a ton of. I found that I have about 30 cans of Cream of Chicken and Mushroom soup. Oh my.

I still need to organize my deep freezer too.